Brush with greatness

While it is a fairly recent term, I was wondering who coined the phrase?

I found this if it's of any use
A 1960s English paperback about sex, drugs, and rock 'n' roll in the London mod scene.

also check the archive on this site for some more details.

This definitively will be of no use whatsoever, but as an idle aside, Generation X was the name chosen by Billy Idol (of "With A Rebel Yell" and "White Wedding" fame) for his appallingly bad nascent UK punk band before he went solo. I only remember one single release, which is, trust me, a major blessing.

I once danced with Billy Idol in a New York Club in the 80's. It was unpleasant.

Camel

That's what David Letterman calls a "brush with greatness." I went to school with Wayne Newton's cousin. And I was on an elevator with Bruce Springsteen on my wedding night. Didn't dance with either one though.

Speaking of brushes with the rich and famous (though almost never deserving), I once had the delighted and legitimate opportunity to punch Hugh Grant on the nose. To counter this ecstasy, I also once utterly failed to hit on Kim Wilde (for those who don't know, a British early 80's peroxide pop icon who now scarily enough hosts a gardening show...)