Bowie's contract with Tony Defries

[@711honved]

Defries lost much of that money after he was defrauded out of $22m in an elaborate tax avoidance scheme. He did however, have a soft spot for Mick Ronson, lending him his home in London in the final stages of his cancer. It was there an almost penniless Mick died in 1993.

[@larrydrozd2740]

Well....Mick would usually refuse help. Roger Taylor had to pay for his medical on the sly because Mick wouldn't take money from him. Bowie tried to give him money too....Ian Hunter talks about this in many interviews.

[@DudeSilad]

That's cheered me up, Defries losing that much money. I wonder how much of that 22m was stolen off Bowie.

[@hdrake1000]

That is so heartbreaking to hear. God bless you Mick.

[@scottishlisa3463]

@@larrydrozd2740 - Roger Taylor, Ian Hunter and Joe Elliott all paid towards Mick's medical bills. I've seen many interviews where Ian says this but never one where he says Bowie did.

[@711honved]

@@scottishlisa3463 I believe you're correct. David was known to be careful with his money & writing credits. Mick deserved far more than he got! Carlos Alomar did a similar job to Mick but stood up to Bowie. He refused to do the Diamond Dogs tour because Bowie's financial offer paltry. Alomar also insisted Bowie credit it him for the composition of Fame, along with John Lennon.

[@ziggypop79]

Wasn’t this because Bowie scrapped the elaborate Diamond Dogs stage idea and came out wearing a powder blue suit as himself?