U2, the boys who never seem to miss a beat when it comes to the progress and care of humanity, are at it again. The Edge has donated a 1975 Gibson Les Paul guitar, his favourite, to an all star rock music icon auction to be held over April.
The auction will also be taking bids for a Jimi Hendrix guitar (obviously one of the few left that he didn’t smash) a pair of Buddy Holly’s old pants a saxophone signed by the former rock legend himself President Clinton and an original Elvis ‘The King’ Presley recording contract.
All of U2’s band members have donated their specialty instruments except of course Bono, who since needing his vocal chords to speak as well as sing, has donated a pair of Armani sunglasses.
The auction is being held to benefit Music Rising which is the charity set up in 2005 by The Edge in collaboration with record producer Bob Ezrin and Gibson chairman Henry Juszkiewicz.
Not wanting New Orleans to lose their rich musical heritage to Hurricane Katrina, Music Rising wasengaged to endeavor to replace the musical equipment lost or irrepairably damaged by the natural disaster.
An exhibition of donated memorabilia and highlights from the auction will convoy out of America, taking a short tour of Europe, arriving back in the USA at Manhattan’s Hard Rock Cafe for an end party on April 21.
The 1975 Gibson Les Paul guitar donated by U2’s The Edge is expected to fetch upwards of $80 000.
You can check out what else is up for bid inMusic Rising’s Icons of Music auction online or in person.