The estate of a British record producer is suing David Bowie for nearly $10 million for help in the singer's breakthrough single "Space Oddity."
Gus Dudgeon, an innovative record producer who worked with the Rolling Stones and Elton John, alleged be was paid under $500 and 2 percent of royalties for work in Bowie's song reputedly based on NASA's Apollo 8 mission that included the line "Can you hear me, Major Tom?"
Royalties investigator David Morgan told the Daily Telegraph he was assisting Dudgeon when the producer died in a car crash three years ago.
Dudgeon and his wife, Sheila, who was also killed in the car crash, had no children and left their estate to charity.
"I was running the claim for him, and we had opened a dialogue with Bowie and his representatives in New York," Morgan said. "I was with Gus the day before he died, and he seemed disappointed. He wanted Bowie to sort it out, and instead we got a letter of rejection from his representatives."
The estate has now assigned Morgan to assist in the claim so the royalties could be added to the funds left for charity.
© Copyright 2005 by United Press International
