USA: The Edge of U2 joins with other rock legends in "Icons of Music" auction benefitting Hurricane Katrina victims

Record ID: 731195

  • Title: USA: The Edge of U2 joins with other rock legends in "Icons of Music" auction benefitting Hurricane Katrina victims
  • Date: 5th April 2007
  • Summary: GUITAR PLAYED BY BONO OF U2
  • Embargoed: 20th April 2007 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Usa
  • Country: USA
  • Topics: Entertainment
  • Reuters ID: LVACQB5DKPFKEX5PK8M9L52PMHR7
  • Story Text: Various items from legendary rock musicians are to go on sale soon in New York City for "Icons of Music," an auction benefiting charitable organization "Music Rising," which provides aid for Hurricane Katrina victims. The auction, highlights of which were on display at the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Beverly Hills, was thought up by guitarist The Edge of U2, who was inspired to help out Katrina victims after traveling to New Orleans.
    "'Music Rising' was co-founded by The Edge of U2, and originally, we thought we were going to get some t-shirts and maybe some concert-worn shoes, but when The Edge started working with us to put this together, he gave us two of his most important guitars, one guitar, it's his 1975 Gibson Les Paul he's played throughout the career of U2, it was the third guitar that he's ever purchased, which is a very sentimental and personal item to him," says Darren Julien of Julien's Auctions.
    The auction is to consist of nearly 200 lots ranging from items like a personal check for 110 U.S. dollars written by Madonna in 1986 for hair care, and hot pink pants worn by Jimi Hendrix during many of his performances. Also up for sale are iconic sunglasses: John Lennon's trademark blue spectacles and one of Bono's many red-tinted shades. But perhaps the most personal item up for sale is a love letter written by Janis Joplin in the 1960s, which is expected to sell for 1000 (USD) to 2000 (USD).
    "One of my favorite pieces in the sale is a seven page, handwritten letter from Janis Joplin to her then-boyfriend Peter LeBlanc, she wrote the letter in 1965. So that's kind of a fun item, a love letter written from an icon like Janis Joplin, and you had to have been in love to write seven pages, so it's very interesting. We have out of one of his notebooks, Bruce Springsteen annotated lyrics. It was for an unpublished song, but it's his actual working lyrics as he's crossing out words and figuring out writing a song," says Julien.
    Other notable items up for bid include Elvis Presley's early recording contract (est. 3000 USD- 5000 USD), a Gene Simmons-signed custom bass guitar (est. 4000 - 6000 USD), and a tenor saxophone that will be personally inscribed to a lucky buyer by President Bill Clinton, who famously showed his rock star ability at one of his inaugural balls in 1993. The Edge's 1975 Gibson Les Paul guitar is estimated to sell at 60,000 USD to 80,000 USD, also the amount that one of Jimi Hendrix's guitars are expected to sell for.
    After its preview in Beverly Hills, the auction highlights will travel to Dublin, Ireland, where they will be on display at the Clarence Hotel, which is owned by Bono and The Edge. From Dublin, the preview will travel to London for a week-long exhibition, and then on to New York City, where the auction will be held on April 21 at the Hard Rock Cafe in Times Square.
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