The Edge rises to the challenge

The Edge will be donating two Gibson guitars and other items to this year’s Icons of Music auction in aid of Music Rising, the charity he co-founded to replace musical equipment lost or destroyed by Hurricane Katrina.

“No one could ever come close to repaying the debt of those who have established this form (of music) that we all take totally for granted, this hybrid of European melody and African-American rhythm that’s given us jazz and R&B and rock ‘n’ roll. There’s something powerful about musicians giving instruments they own to an auction to aid musicians who are going through a particularly difficult time.A lot of musicians were forced to leave the city, leaving behind their instruments and record collections, everything they needed to do what they do. The kind of organic community music academy that was so supportive of handing down the traditions of this music from generation to generation was really vulnerable.”

Music Rising has provided grants to replace instruments and equipment for 2,700 professional musicians and 50,000 students and church parishioners to date.

The “Icons of Music” auction will be held on May 31 at the Hard Rock Cafe in New York City. The Edge will host the event. Highlights from the collection will be exhibited in Chile, Ireland and Los Angeles before the May 31 auction.

Commenting on U2′s studio efforts The Edge told AP: “We went into this project allowing ourselves the indulgence of making music without thinking about where it was going to end up,” he said. “We’re starting to get serious now.”, but he could offer no release date.

- Julien’s Auctions
- Music Rising

The Edge parts with 1975 Gibson Les Paul

According to the BBC, the Edge has given his favourite guitar, the 1975 Gibson Les Paul, to the Music Rising organisation for the Icons of Music auction. The charity replaces instruments lost or destroyed when Hurricane Katrina hit the US.

Says the man: “I wanted to give something really significant that would mean a lot for me to give,” says the U2 man. “It deserved something that I would miss.”

Why not read this study of The Edge’s Guitar Delay or buy the auction’s catalogue while you recover?

You can get a look of the guitar in question from April 3 to 6 when it goes on display in Dublin’s Clarence Hotel after which it will be auctioned off online at www.juliensauctions.com on April 21st. Starting bid is $60,000. Ask the wife before you remortgage your property.

Other items on auction are The Edge’s worn sneakers, his woolly hat, his necklace, as well as a signed Bill Clinton saxophone, Larry Mullen’s tom drum ($8,000), Bono’s Irish Falcon guitar ($80,000) and handwritten Bruce Springsteen lyrics ($2,000). Personally, we’ve always liked the look of that Hamilton Ventura watch Bono used to sport in the 90s. Would he care to part with that?

U2 and Green Day to perform in New Orleans

U2 and Green Day will perform together at a pre-show for a NFL game at the Superdome in New Orleans on September 25. This will be the first event at the Superdome since Hurricane Katrina. U2 and Green Day are expected to perform three or four songs, including The Skids’ “The Saints Are Coming,” which they recently recorded together.

The performance will air live on ESPN, as well as be streamed on the Westwood One World Network and Rhapsody.com. A download of “The Saints Are Coming” will be sold at Rhapsody.com to benefit Music Rising, an organization founded by Edge that aims to help musicians replace the instruments lost in Hurricane Katrina.