Sting

EMI Group has its rallied artists and songwriters to donate items for a massive eBay auction to raise funds for the Japanese Red Cross disaster relief efforts to help those affected by last month’s earthquake and tsunami. The multi-national music company will also match all funds raised from the "EMI Family 4 Japan" auction up to a maximum of one million euros ($1,392,182.64 CAD).

While the first phase of the auction featuring more than 200 items ends tomorrow (April 15), a second auction is already underway (ending April 21). Some of the very cool items up for bid include a 1987 Ferrari 412 as featured in Daft Punk’s film Electroma; Katy Perry’s cupcake trampoline from her current California Dreams world tour; a framed guitar signed by Coldplay and a triple platinum sales award from Canada for Viva La Vida; access to private concert rehearsal by Sting; three framed and signed prints of David Gilmour taken in Gdansk; more than 30 albums individually signed by David Bowie; a limited-edition Beatles’ Yellow Submarine Schwinn bicycle; a signed guitar from Norah Jones; the MacBook used by David Guetta to create the demos for One Love; framed handwritten lyrics from Brian Wilson; and a limited-edition Gorillaz lithograph signed by Jamie Hewlett and Damon Albarn.

Kings of Leon, Bruce Springsteen, Bon Jovi, Jeff Buckley, Beyonce, Foo Fighters, P!nk, Sting, John Mayer, Bob Dylan and Australia’s own Keith Urban, Powderfinger, Midnight Oil, Hoodoo Gurus and Crowded House are just a sample of the artists whose tracks Sony Music Entertainment Australia have assembled for a three-CD charity album, Flood Relief — Artists For The Flood Appeal, to benefit those affected by the recent floods in Australia.

The heavy rainfall January 12 to 14 caused severe flooding in much of the state of Queensland, even more damaging than the floods that began in December. Crops were wiped out, livestock killed, thousands of properties destroyed and 70 small towns affected. More than 35 deaths have resulted (another 9 reportedly missing) and overall damage has been estimated at $5.6 billion (AUD), according to figures released by Prime Minister Julia Gillard.

The 59-compilation album is not available digitally, but the physical copy can be purchased online at www.jbhifi.com.au or www.sanity.com.au.