Edge: Stage and Studio

Home | * DALLAS SCHOO * | GEAR NEWS | GEAR OVERVIEW - by Era | ACCESSORIES | AMPS // CABINETS | FLOOR EFFECTS // MIDI-CONTROLLERS | GUITARS | RACK EFFECTS | STOMPBOXES | KEYBOARDS | Articles // Features | Icons of Music - 2007 Auction | Icons of Music - 2008 Auction | 'It Might Get Loud' | Music Rising | U2 News | Various Links | Video Links

Music Rising

8404449chrissib4272006112316pm.jpg

The Music Rising Guitar

In 2005 the Southern United States were devastated by one of the fiercest hurricanes in history — "Katrina". With staggering ferocity, "Katrina" destroyed all in her path, and leveled much of New Orleans in the process.

Following a visit to New Orleans in November 2005, U2's The Edge announced the unveiling of Music Rising, a campaign to raise funds to replace the lost instruments and accessories of the musicians affected by the hurricanes that devastated the Gulf Coast region.

Lead partners Gibson Guitars and Guitar Center Music Foundation spearheaded the initial effort by collaborating on the design, manufacture and sale of an exclusive Gibson guitar with all proceeds going directly to the Music Rising program. The guitar is available exclusively through Guitar Center. The instrument captures the essence of the Gulf Coast's musical tradition. Less than 300 were produced with all proceeds benefiting Music Rising and a pledge of $1 million in support.

The Gibson Music Rising guitar features hand-painted designs using the colors of Mardi Gras. Each guitar is individually painted and handmade so no two are alike. All of the usual plastic parts (back plate, pick guard, toggle cover, truss rod cover) have been replaced by woods from the States affected by the hurricanes and the Music Rising logo, exclusive to this guitar, is etched into the pick guard.

Just 11 of these unique and historic instruments remain available, and all proceeds from the sale benefit the local musicians who still suffer, a year later, from the effects of Katrina.

Rarely does the opportunity to purchase an outstanding musical instrument also benefit a noble cause, but this is one such occasion. Click here to view these rare instruments and to find the Guitar Center locations at which they are on sale.

The application and qualification process for musicians will be handled by MusiCares® a nonprofit organization dedicated to helping music people in crisis, which has already provided more than $1.5 million in direct financial assistance to more than 1,800 Gulf Coast music people. MusiCares Foundation will manage all eligibility for Music Rising grants and fulfillment of the grants will be managed by Musician's Friend, one of the country's largest online music retailers.

musicrisingedgefilm11.jpg

U2's The Edge visits New Orleans after Katrina

Click here for more information about The Edge's visit to New Orleans.

The Edge visited New Orleans on Thurs., Nov. 17 between U2's current "Vertigo" tour dates in order to see the profound impact on the area first-hand and to spend time with local musicians, listening to their experiences and trying to understand their needs. During his stay, he toured several neighborhoods and struggling venues.

"My recent visit to New Orleans gave me a firsthand look at the devastation which tragically destroyed the lives of thousands. The area's rich and spirited culture must be restored and can be by assisting those musicians affected by the disaster which in turn will bring back the essence of the regions," said Edge. "Providing replacement instruments through Music Rising will not only help the professional musicians to regain a foothold on their future, but will also ensure that one of the Gulf Coast's greatest assets, its music, will rise again."

Adding to the power of Music Rising, a group of industry partners have joined Gibson Guitar and Guitar Center in the effort. Participating partners include Conn-Selmer, VH1 and MTV Networks, Ticketmaster, and SpinCo (formerly Clear Channel Entertainment) and Kennedy-Marshall. These industry giants have pledged their support through both financial and media contributions and are setting the tone for support from the rest of the industry and music fans worldwide.

About Music Rising

Music Rising is a national campaign created by U2's The Edge and producer Bob Ezrin with various partners including Gibson Guitar Chairman and CEO Henry Juszkiewicz, Guitar Center Music Education Foundation's CEO Larry Thomas, members of MusiCares and other industry executives. Inaugural partners MusiCares, Gibson Guitar, Guitar Center, Musician's Friend, VH-1 Networks, MTV Networks, Rolling Stone Magazine, Ticketmaster, and Spin Co (formerly Clear Channel Entertainment) constitute the most dynamic and comprehensive organized group to launch a relief program since the Hurricanes hit the United States. The campaign's goal is to put musical instruments back into the hands of all musicians who lost everything in the hurricane disasters and to help them regain their livelihood while rebuilding the heart and culture of the Gulf Region. Music Rising is administered by MusiCares. For information on Music Rising go to www.musicrising.org

21756508.jpg

How you can help...

For more information about Music Rising, please click here.

In addition to the purchase of the Music Rising guitar, interested supporters can make tax-deductible contributions to Music Rising at www.musicrising.org or by sending a check made payable to: Music Rising, c/o MusiCares Foundation, 3402 Pico Blvd., Santa Monica, CA 90405. For more information on Music Rising or how to purchase the Music Rising Gibson guitar go to www.musicrising.org.

  Related Video:
 

Edge Music Rising PSA
Edge Surveying Damage in New Orleans
Edge Jamming with Walter ‘Wolfman’ Washington

09.16.2008 U2 and Green Day Mark Opening of Louisiana Superdome with Special Music Rising Performance during ESPN's Monday Night Football Pre-Game Show Sponsored by Rhapsody

New Orleans, LA...September 14, 2006...Music Rising, the campaign launched to help bring the music back to the storm ravaged Gulf Coast Region announced an extraordinary pairing of two of the world's greatest rock bands for a special show before ESPN's Monday Night Football game between the Atlanta Falcons and New Orleans Saints at the Louisiana Superdome on Monday, September 25, 2006. U2 and Green Day will make an unprecedented appearance together on stage to officially re-open the Louisiana Superdome and perform for the people of New Orleans on behalf of Music Rising. The pre-game show and special performance is sponsored by RealNetworks' Rhapsody digital music service. Music Rising is administered by the Gibson Foundation.

In the days following Hurricane Katrina, the Louisiana Superdome became a symbol of agony and distress. This NFL football game is the first event to originate from the stadium since the Katrina devastation. It will be highlighted by a special live performance by U2 and Green Day that will be televised during ESPN's Monday Night Countdown pre-game show between 7:00pm-8:30pm EDT (performance 8:20-8:30pm). An opening video presentation showcasing the efforts of Music Rising and the Superdome will air prior to the performance by the two super-groups.

"My visits to New Orleans gave me a firsthand look at the devastation which tragically destroyed the lives of thousands. The area's rich and spirited culture must continue to be restored. Providing musical instruments through Music Rising will not only help the professional musicians but all the churches and schools in need through phase two of the program. Music Rising is dedicated to helping regain a foothold on their future but will also ensure that one of the Gulf Coast's greatest assets, its music, will rise again," said The Edge.

The collaborative effort, of what is sure to be an electrifying performance will also officially launch Music Rising Phase II. This phase of the campaign will provide musical instruments to churches and schools. In an extraordinary show of support U2 and Green Day will debut "The Saints Are Coming," a song originally written and performed in 1978 by The Skids, a seminal Scottish punk rock band. The song expresses frustration but ends with a statement of resolve and determination.

"One year later, people continue to be devastated by Katrina's effects," says Green Day's Billie Joe Armstrong. "We hope that by collaborating with U2, we'll remind the public that people of the Gulf Coast are still suffering and still need help to rebuild their lives. The Edge and Music Rising are providing support to schools, churches and musicians who lost everything in the storm, including their ability to make a living. We are honored to be asked and proud to be part of that."

In addition to the live broadcast, Rhapsody will offer a live streaming audio webcast of the entire Monday Night Football pre-game show featuring U2 and Green Day via www.rhapsody.com. Shortly after the event, fans will have the ability to buy a download of the The Saints Are Coming via Rhapsody with all net proceeds going directly to Music Rising. Both the exclusive Music Rising charity track and select exclusive footage from the performance will be available for a limited time via
http://www.rhapsody.com/musicrising A simultaneous radio broadcast offered to radio stations by Westwood One worldwide will encourage solidarity across the globe for the people of New Orleans and the efforts to rebuild from destruction. Westwood One is providing the broadcast on a non-exclusive and uninterrupted basis.

Music Rising was formed in late 2005 by U2's The Edge, producer Bob Ezrin and Gibson Guitar Chairman and CEO Henry Juszkiewicz. Since its inception it has been recognized throughout the world and has aided over 2,000 professional musicians. Many of the Gulf Region's musicians who have depended on the local music industry for their livelihood have been supported by Music Rising through the replacement of lost or destroyed instruments and equipment. The Monday Night Football pre-game event marks the introduction of the initiative's second phase. Rebuilding the Gulf Coast Region "Note by Note" has become a symbolic tagline of the Music Rising campaign. The NFL also intends to involve Music Rising in various upcoming events throughout the season. The initiative has been the recipient of the 2005 Gold Halo Award for Cause Marketing and was recently announced as the recipient of the prestigious 2006 Billboard Humanitarian Award to be honored in New York on November 9, 2006. Amongst the campaign's many supporters, President Bill Clinton has provided his time to help drive awareness for the continued need in the area through the efforts of Music Rising.

Music Rising Phase II will be administered by The Gibson Foundation, the philanthropic arm of Gibson Guitar along with The Mr. Holland's Opus Foundation for schools and All Congregations Together for churches. Instructions for making donations and FAQS concerning applications for support can be found by visiting the Music Rising or Gibson Foundation websites at
www.musicrising.org and www.gibsonfoundation.org All donations are tax deductible with 100% of support going directly to the Gulf Coast Region. A limited edition Music Rising Epiphone guitar with the exclusive Music Rising artwork featured on the t-shirt worn by The Edge at this year's Grammys will also be available for purchase exclusively through Musician's Friend. All proceeds from the guitar sales will also benefit the Music Rising campaign. To order the Epiphone Music Rising guitar or inquire go to www.musiciansfriend.com. On the day of the performance a special toll free number will be set up to take donations.

23.2007 The Edge's Gibson Les Paul Among Highlights at Historic 'Icons of Music' Sale in New York Which Raised 2.5 million
 
The "Icons of Music," auction held Saturday, April 21, 2007 in New York to benefit Music Rising, a campaign co-founded by U2's The Edge, raised .5 million. Julien's Auctions conducted the sale and bidders from around the world paid record prices for some of the most iconic rock memorabilia ever offered to the public. Music Rising, administered by the Gibson Foundation, was launched in 2005 and has since won numerous awards. To date the campaign has aided more than 2,400 professional musicians and more than 20,000 students and parishioners of the Gulf Coast region.

The Edge's beloved 1975 cream Gibson Les Paul Custom guitar which was played on every U2 tour since 1985, sold for a record 0,000. His Gibson ES-295 Archtop guitar brought 5,000 and Bono's signed Irish Falcon Gretsch guitar brought 7,500. The auction marked the first time such a wide selection of U2 memorabilia was available to collectors.

Among the more than 200 items sold were former President Bill Clinton's saxophone (,000), a pair of John Lennon's round, blue-tinted sunglasses (,000), Edge's Ethiopian necklace worn in "The Fly" video (,000), Bono's Armani sunglasses and signed case (,000), Adam Clayton's studio played bass (,000), Larry Mullen's Tom drum used on the Vertigo tour (,000), Paul McCartney's hand-painted and signed Epiphone Texan (,000), Kurt Cobain's MTV Award (,800), Slash's Signature model signed Gibson guitar (,000), The Edge's jacket (,000), and a guitar owned by Jimi Hendrix sold for a record 0,000. Other highlights of the auction and results can be viewed on the Juliens Auctions website beginning Monday, April 23,2007 at www.juliensauctions.com. The final amount going to the charity will be tallied up, with some items having the total selling price going to Music Rising, and other items designated a portion of the proceeds to the charity.

Supermodel and actress Christy Turlington co-hosted the event which opened with "The Saints Are Coming" video, followed by a special performance by the Preservation Hall Jazz Band straight from New Orleans. Before the paddles went up, The Edge welcomed the crowd and later was the recipient of a special donation by the Hard Rock New York, in exchange for a Music Rising Epiphone guitar signed by The Edge, which will be displayed as a sign of hope in the Biloxi, Mississippi Hard Rock location. The auction ran for several hours as bidders from around the world were vying for a piece of musical history either by phone, online or on site. The night ended with a special closing performance by legendary musician Allen Toussaint, which was standing room only.

About Music Rising:
Music Rising, a campaign launched in 2005 to replace musical instruments lost or destroyed by hurricanes in the Gulf Region. The initiative continues to aid those in need through its consistent efforts to aid professional musicians, churches and schools. Music Rising was formed in late 2005 by U2's The Edge, legendary producer Bob Ezrin, Gibson Guitar Chairman and CEO Henry Juszkiewicz. Partners of the campaign represent the most diverse partnership in the entertainment industry and include MusiCares, Guitar Center, Musician's Friend, Live Nation, Kennedy/Marshall, Ticketmaster, Hard Rock International, VH-1, MTV, Real Networks, ABC News Now, The NFL, Rolling Stone, Mr. Hollands Opus, ACT and the Bush-Clinton Katrina Fund. Former President Bill Clinton has even participated in press coverage for the campaign when he presented a Music Rising Gibson Les Paul guitar to a recipient in Baton Rouge, LA in 2006. Music Rising is the recipient of the prestigious 2005 HALO Award for Cause Marketing and the 2006 Billboard Humanitarian Award and has been recognized around the world by various media organizations. Music Rising is administered by The Gibson Foundation.For more information on Music Rising go to
http://www.musicrising.org/ or www.gibsonfoundation.org
.

rosebowledgebouncecomet.gif