U2's The Edge and producer Bob Ezrin, co-founders of Music Rising, have announced "Guitar Icons: A Musical Instrument Auction To Benefit Music Rising", to take place December 11, 2021, starting at 10:00 a.m. PST. Hosted by Van Eaton Galleries in Los Angeles, the live and online auction will offer a significant collection of guitars and other music memorabilia by some of the world's most prominent musicians and friends of Music Rising. The auction will take the charity back to its roots and help support the musicians of the NOLA region after a long period being without income.
An exclusive media preview has been scheduled for Thursday, December 2, 2021 and Friday, December 3, 2021 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. PT each day. Media will have the exclusive opportunity to view all of the instruments on exhibit and find out the story behind each one.
Music Rising was co-founded by The Edge and Ezrin, along with a host of music industry partners in 2005 after the devastation of Hurricane Katrina. Since its inception, Music Rising has provided millions of dollars in aid to musicians and recipients of music education across the country.
"Guitar Icons: A Musical Instrument Auction To Benefit Music Rising" includes an exclusive collection of important instruments donated by friends of the charity. All of the instruments have a unique and special story and provenance and together make up an extraordinary example of some of the greatest moments in music history.
Highlights include The Edge's 2005 limited edition Gibson Les Paul Music Rising guitar, often referred to as the "One" guitar given its use on "The Joshua Tree" tours of 2017 and 2019 during performances of the hit "One". The Edge also played this guitar on "One" and "American Soul" during U2's 2018 "Song Of Experience" shows along with their famous "360°" tour back in 2010, and serves as a significant iconic symbol for Music Rising, being one of the first guitars produced to benefit the charity at its inception. Of further significance to the "One" guitar, The Edge also played this guitar at the first reopening of New Orleans Jazz Fest post Katrina in 2006 alongside Dave Matthews and during a performance at the Grammy Awards 2006 alongside Bruce Springsteen and Elvis Costello; The Edge "I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For" custom signature Fender Stratocaster. Edge took this guitar on the road with him during the period of 2017-2019 and used it for performances of "Bad" and the beloved chart-topping hit single from "The Joshua Tree", "I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For"; Paul McCartney's tour and studio played left-handed WINGS Yamaha BB-1200 electric bass guitar. The Cherry Burst BB-1200 was a principal instrument used during his performances with WINGS in the late 1970s. He was frequently photographed playing it on stage, during live performances and in the studio; Lou Reed's Danny Gatton Fender Stratocaster nicknamed "Goldie". Reed's love of this guitar can be seen in the patina and wear throughout and can be seen in videos of Reed playing his rendition of "Jealous Guy" at Radio City Music Hall, as well as on tour during 2005-2006; Bono's U2 tour-played custom Gibson ES-175 electric guitar used extensively on tour. Bono played this guitar on the 1992-1993 "Zoo TV" tour during performances of the songs "The Fly" and "Angel Of Harlem". The guitar was painted to Bono's precise specifications and Bono also added a decal to the body of the guitar reading "I Feel Good"; Slash's signed Gibson Custom Shop "Victoria" Les Paul Goldtop model electric guitar created to Slash's specifications and includes an original drawing by Slash of "Skully" on the top of the guitar; Noel Gallagher's tour-played Nash Telemaster guitar which was played on tour with NOEL GALLAGHER'S HIGH FLYING BIRDS; Ezrin's artist's proof custom Frank Brothers Ezrin model electric guitar. This is a handmade instrument designed to capture the studio sounds of several of the iconic guitar players he has worked with over the years. Numbered "00" this guitar is one-of-a-kind; and a Lenny Kravitz tour played custom Gibson Flying V guitar played during his most recent world tour.
Other exceptional highlights include Elton John's signed and concert played Yamaha Motif-8 Keyboard which was used by Elton John during live performances and on the road for nearly a decade. He also signed the instrument with black felt pen; RUSH's Alex Lifeson's tour-used signature Hughes & Kettner RUSH amp and cabinet half stack used extensively on the 40th-anniversary tour "Vapor Trails" and the "Snakes & Arrows" tour, as well as the "Time Machine" tour.
Adam Clayton's tour-played Fender Standard Precision Bass. The U2 bassist played this guitar for performances of the song "A Sort Of Homecoming" on "The Joshua Tree" tour from May to July 2017. During the tour, the bass was also used for the songs "Bullet The Blue Sky", "Running To Stand Still", "One Tree Hill" and others; Alice Cooper's tournament used "Big Bertha" golf clubs is the music icon's personal set of golf clubs in a customized "Alice Cooper" bag; Chris Martin's tour-played painted Fender Telecaster deluxe guitar; PEARL JAM's Eddie Vedder's concert smashed Fender Stratocaster. The Lake Placid Blue Fender American special Telecaster was decorated by Vedder with an embroidered red/white Chicago Cubs "C" sticker as a tribute to legendary Chicago Bears running back Walter Payton and used by Vedder during PEARL JAM's August 20, 2018 tour at Wrigley Field and was smashed by Vedder at the conclusion of a cover of THE WHO's "Baba O'Riley"; a collection of extraordinary silkscreened PEARL JAM concert posters signed by the band members and KISS's Paul Stanley's one-of-a-kind tour-played Ibanez custom shop guitar.
The collection will also boast additional instruments for auction including Bruce Springsteen's signed Americana original '50s Fender Telecaster; Joe Wash's "Bono" Irish Falcon Gretsch guitar; THE EAGLES' Don Felder's signed Epiphone G-1275 double neck electric guitar and signed art print; Vince Gill's THE EAGLES concert-played Duesenberg Bonneville guitar; THE ROLLING STONES' Ronnie Wood's signed American original 50's Fender Stratocaster; The KINGS OF LEON band-signed Epiphone dot studio guitar; Steve Miller's signed original and hand painted Maccaferri guitar; HALESTORM's Lzzy Hale's signed tour-played prototype signature Epiphone Explorer guitar; a Julian Lennon signed Martin & Co. acoustic guitar; a GREEN DAY band-signed Epiphone Les Paul special guitar; Ed O'Brien's RADIOHEAD tour-played signature Fender Stratocaster; Flea's RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS band signed signature Fender Jazz Bass; Joan Jett's signature Gibson worn white Melody Maker; Johnny Marr's signed studio-played limited Fender Jaguar guitar; a Dave Grohl signed Gibson Explorer guitar; Tom Morello's signature "Soul Power" Stratocaster; Win Butler's signed prop bass guitar from the ARCADE FIRE music video "Everything Now"; Zac Brown's personally played signed natural Gibson ES-335 guitar and three additional guitars which were played and used by the late Lou Reed.
The Edge and Ezrin have also partnered with ohyay, an immersive virtual space partnered with the auction catalog, showcasing over 30 guitars donated by Bono, Lenny Kravitz, Tom Morello, Paul McCartney, Slash and Elton John, among many more of the world's most prominent musicians and friends of Music Rising. The virtual environment pays homage to Music Rising's founding mission by allowing visitors to explore virtual New Orleans landmarks, such as Bourbon Street, Preservation Hall, and the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Foundation. Fans can step inside Edge's living room as he talks about his Fender Stratocaster or see Paul McCartney on a London Street or Chris Martin on stage and many more.
The auction will take place at Van Eaton Galleries located at 13613 Ventura Blvd in Sherman Oaks, California beginning at 10:00 a.m. PDT on Saturday, December 11, 2021. The auction will also stream live and be online via various auction platforms all available through vegalleries.com/musicrising. Proceeds from the auction will be administered by the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Foundation on behalf of Music Rising.
