Look To The Stars News: Pink Floyd

Children In Need Benefit From Charity Singles

Mon, 16 Nov 2009 15:00:00 -0000

British comedian Peter Kay will unveil a new single to raise money for the BBC’s Children in Need charity at the organization’s annual TV extravaganza on November 20.

Details of the single are being closely guarded, but the charity is promising over 100 faces from Britain and America will be involved in the video.

Also available from HMV and download and benefiting Children In Need is “All You Need is Love” – a reworking of the Beatles classic, recorded at the famous Abbey Road studios, featuring the talents of Terry Wogan, Bill Wyman, Brian May, Bryan Ferry, Sharon Corr, Pink Floyd’s Nick Mason, Paloma Faith, Lee Mead, Hayley Westenra and more.

Last week, the charity benefited from a massive charity concert organized by Gary Barlow that saw a reunion between Take That and Robbie Williams, as well as performances by Lily Allen, Annie Lennox, Katherine Jenkins, Paul McCartney and many more.

Beatlemania Returns For Charity

Thu, 10 Sep 2009 14:00:00 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

Beatlemania has hit the headlines once again this week, with the release of the Fab Four’s remastered CD collection, their Rock Band video game, and a popular British presenter’s efforts to re-record their hits for charity.

A whole new generation of fans are currently being exposed to the music of John, Paul, George and Ringo through the release of Rock Star, and a number of limited edition Xbox 360 consoles are available to benefit Doctors Without Borders. The consoles are available at eBay.

Doctors Without Borders is an international medical humanitarian organization created by doctors and journalists in France in 1971 working in more than 60 countries to assist people whose survival is threatened by violence, neglect, or catastrophe. Sir Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr, along with Yoko Ono Lennon and Olivia Harrison, personally selected the charity as the beneficiary of these proceeds.

According to eBay: "Starting Sept. 9, Xbox 360 will also give its more than 20 million Xbox LIVE members the opportunity to give to charity and support the Beatles’ eternal message of peace and love. “All You Need Is Love,” the Beatle’s iconic anthem of peace, will be released exclusively on Xbox 360 as a downloadable song for the game through Xbox LIVE with Apple Corps Ltd, MTV Games, Harmonix and Microsoft, with proceeds benefiting Doctors Without Borders. Good deeds never go unnoticed: purchasing and downloading the “All You Need Is Love” track for 160 Microsoft Points for charity will also register you for the “The Beatles: Rock Band” Download & Win* for a chance to win one of the limited edition “The Beatles: Rock Band” Xbox 360 consoles and a Rickenbacker 325 replica guitar controller."

In other Beatles news this week, British TV and radio presenter Sir Terry Wogan has been busy in a recording studio with Pink Floyd drummer Nick Mason and the Rolling Stones’ Bill Wyman laying down tracks of classic Fab Four songs for the upcoming Bandaged Together album to benefit Children in Need.

The project has been organised by a group of Terry Wogan fans known as The TOGs (Terry’s Old Geezers and Gals).

“Last year, thanks to the TOGs, we raised about £3 million for Children In Need,” said Sir Terry. “We had Bandaged One which sold an awful lot and made hundreds of thousands of pounds for the charity. The idea this year is Bandaged Two and we are hoping to raise even more money.”

The album – which will feature Sir Terry’s take on All You Need Is Love – will be released next month.

Roger Waters Lends Voice To Wall Film

Fri, 28 Aug 2009 13:30:00 -0000

Written by Emily Ray

Former Pink Floyd rocker Roger Waters has lent his voice to a new short film which denounces Israel’s controversial barrier separating Israel from the West Bank.

The 15 minute film – called ‘Walled Horizons’ – made its debut at a United Nations function on the 19th August to honor the 5th anniversary of the International Court of Justice’s opinion that the barrier’s route through the occupied West Bank is illegal.

Roger Waters told Israel Radio that ‘What a lot of people don’t understand… because of the sketchy news reports… is just how many Israelis are prepared to compromise and make peace with their neighbors… They would accept the resettlement of people who moved into the West Bank.’

Waters regards the West Bank security barrier as an obstacle to peace and wants it torn down.

Rockers And Racers Invite You To Charity Track Day

Fri, 21 Aug 2009 12:30:00 -0000

As reported by Look To The Stars back in May, motoring enthusiasts had better start getting their engines warmed up for an incredible charity racing event to be held in the UK this September.

The Circuit is a new, exclusive event in aid of the National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children’s (NSPCC’s) Child’s Voice Appeal, featuring fast cars, professional drivers, celebrities and action-packed racing.

Pink Floyd’s Nick Mason and former F1 driver Mark Blundell invite you to a day of high octane excitement as you get the chance to push six high performance cars to the limit on four very different purpose built tracks at the Bedford Autodrome.

The event is generating excitement in the worlds of sport and entertainment; David Coulthard, Damon Hill, Vicki Butler-Henderson, Carl Fogarty, Deborah Meaden, Jason Plato, Phil Spencer and Darek Warwick have already signed up as celebrity team captains, and they need you to join their teams for what promises to be a highlight of sporting fun in 2009.

The day includes breakfast, lunch and refreshments and there will be a chance to bid to be driven on a circuit by a current or former Formula 1 Driver in a specially adapted car. Imagine yourself as part of a team of 20, captained by a professional driver and a celebrity from the world of sport or entertainment, accelerating around the autodrome driven by a racing professional!

The Formula Jaguar, Porsche 911 JP3, Palmer Jaguar JP1, Renault Clio Cup Racer, Caterham 7 Superlight, Jaguar XKR, a collection of genuine powerhouses, are ready and waiting for you to test your adrenaline levels to their limits.

Every lap you make will help the NSPCC’s Child’s Voice Appeal. ChildLine is only able to answer two-thirds of the 2.3 million calls it receives every year, which is why we need to expand the service to help more children and young people.

Tickets and info available here.

Big Stars To Hit The Stage Again At Rockwell

Thu, 30 Jul 2009 15:30:00 -0000

In 1990 some of the world’s biggest musicians put on one of the most important gigs of all time.

In aid of Nordoff-Robbins Music Therapy, the event at Knebworth featured the likes of Robert Plant, Pink Floyd and Paul McCartney. An incredible line-up of former Silver Clef award winners performed to 120,000 fans in a show that raised over three million pounds.

Now nineteen years later a new generation are set to do it again at the O2 arena. Rockwell promises to be the star-studded musical event of the year with some of the world’s most influential musicians sharing a stage with the best of UK talent.

For one night only – September 11 – Rockwell will bring together some of the world’s biggest bands and musicians. Performing never-to-be-repeated collaborations at The O2 will be Ronan Keating, Lulu, Razorlight, Joss Stone, David Gray, Tom Jones, Robert Plant, Gabriella Cilmi, Supergrass and many more.

Nordoff-Robbins Music Therapy is the UK’s largest specialist music therapy charity, providing over 35,000 therapy sessions a year through its National Centre in London and over 40 outreach projects nationwide. It also runs postgraduate training programs in music therapy and a research program with regular public courses and conferences.

Proceeds from the show will be donated to Nordoff-Robbins, and O2 customers will benefit from an exclusive priority ticket period on 3rd and 4th August, followed by a general release ticket sales period for non-O2 customers on Wednesday 5th August. To find out more and purchase tickets, click here.

Roger Waters Wants The Wall To Come Down

Thu, 04 Jun 2009 12:00:00 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

Former Pink Floyd front man Roger Waters has spoken out against the controversial fence surrounding Israel’s West Bank.

The singer and guitarist – who last performed in Israel in 2006 – is disappointed by progress in the region since his last visit, and has offered to hold another concert in the area if the fence is taken down.

“It’s actually very, pretty depressing, coming back here three years later and seeing that the political situation has changed very little – there are more settlements, there has been more grabbing of land,” he said during a visit to the Ayda Refugee Camp yesterday, June 2. “This is a bad thing. This is wrong. This is not helping anybody, this thing. If they take this thing down, I would be delighted to come and do a concert here. In fact, I would insist on it.”

The concert would be the second time Waters has performed at such a historical event – in 1990 he played a special concert when the Berlin Wall was dismantled.

The fence around the West Bank was erected in 2002 to stop Palestinian terrorists from entering Israel. It is around 670km (420 miles) and eight meters high.

David Gilmour Plays For Crisis

Mon, 11 May 2009 14:00:00 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

Legendary Pink Floyd front man David Gilmour is to headline a “hidden gig” in London this month to raise money for charity.

The concert is part of a series of gigs raising money for homeless charity Crisis, with bands such as Hot Chip playing concerts with a difference – the details of the gigs are withheld until the last minute to draw similarities to the situation faced by many homeless people on a daily basis regarding accommodation.

Gilmour will perform at a mystery venue on 24 May alongside Afro-blues act Amadou & Mariam.

“It was a wonderful surprise when they [Amadou and Mariam] called recently, inviting me to collaborate with them on this special one-off occasion for Crisis,” said Gilmour, who is a long-time supporter of the charity. “I’m looking forward to breaking down a few musical boundaries in the cause of helping the homeless.”

Gilmour sold his London home for £3.6m in 2003 and donated the cash to Crisis. He also planned to create flats for the homeless using his own property, and has sold several items at auction to benefit the charity.

More info about the Crisis hidden gigs can be found at the charity’s official website.

Jeremy Clarkson To Host Charity Racing Event

Fri, 01 May 2009 14:00:00 -0000

It may be a long way in the future, but motoring enthusiasts had better start getting their engines warmed up for an incredible charity racing event to be held in the UK this September.

The event is organised by Pink Floyd drummer Nick Mason and ex-F1 driver Mark Blundell, with Top Gear presenter Jeremy Clarkson hosting the lunch break and auction.

In association with Palmer Sport, ‘The Circuit’ will see participants drive six high-performance racing cars around Bedford Autodrome. The cars are the Formula Jaguar, Porche 911 JP3, Palmer Jaguar JP1, Renault Clio Cup Racer, Caterham 7 Superlight and the Jaguar XKR.

It is hoped that the event will raise a minimum of £100,000 for the Child’s Voice Appeal, the NSPCC’s three-year appeal to raise £50 million to maintain and grow the NSPCC’s helplines, text and online counseling services. The Child’s Voice Appeal aims to raise £50m so that the NSPCC’s vital helplines can answer many more cries for help. To date the appeal has raised £13m. The funds will mean that ChildLine’s volunteers can counsel 500,000 more calls every year; children will be able to choose how they access ChildLine’s help – by phone, online or by text; the NSPCC Helpline can grow by over 60% to counsel 18,000 more adults a year who have concerns about a child; and counselors can provide personalized help by email to nearly five times as many concerned adults.

120 participants will be divided into teams of 20, each captained by a professional driver and a celebrity from the world of sport and entertainment. Drivers will have the freedom to push the cars to their maximum limits on four purpose-built tracks. All drivers will also get a memory stick of onboard footage from their every lap in both the Formula Jaguar and the Palmer Jaguar JP1.

The day begins at 08.00 with breakfast and briefings. Racing starts at 09.30 until lunch break where there will be sumptuous food and refreshments, and the chance to bid for exclusive auction prizes. Racing restarts at 14.00 and the day ends at 17.30.

Racing enthusiasts, keen to pit their driving skills against professional drivers, celebrities and other competitors, can purchase tickets for £2,000 by contacting 020 7825 2608 or e-mailing sports-team@nspcc.org.uk . Further information is also available at www.nspcc.org.uk/thecircuit .

Pink Floyd Memorabilia Auctioned For Syd Barrett Trust

Fri, 27 Mar 2009 11:30:00 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

Pink Floyd fans will be excited about the range of items currently up for grabs in the Syd Barrett Trust charity auction right now.

A founding member of Pink Floyd, Syd Barrett died of pancreatic cancer in 2006 after leading a life full of battles against mental illness, diabetes, and stomach ulcers. The Syd Barrett Trust was set up in 2008 by Syd’s sister, Rosemary Breen, with the support of Escape Artists, a charity with its roots in Cambridge that has been working in the mental health sector since 2000. The Trust exists to raise funds for arts projects in the mental health sector; extending to other individuals the enjoyment and benefits that Syd found in the arts.

There is a plethora of Syd Barrett/Pink Floyd memorabilia on offer in the auction, including books, photos, posters and more. To view the items and make a bid, click here. For more information about the Trust, visit their website.

Kiss A Star And Save An Elephant

Wed, 25 Feb 2009 15:31:00 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

A secret rendezvous… a special place… a celebrity… one moment of delirious happiness as your lips touch theirs… all your fantasies may come true by bidding in the brand new Kissing For Conservation auction being run by Buy Once, Give Twice in the UK.

Lucky bidders have the chance to be kissed – and get photographed to prove it – by stars such as Sophie Dahl, Stephen Fry, Nigel Havers, Sarah Ferguson, Pink Floyd drummer Nick Mason, Deborah Meaden and Trinny Woodall in the auction, with all proceeds going to Elephant Family.

Valid for 3 months in a London location, both celebrity and bidder will return home safe in the knowledge you’ve helped the endangered Asian elephant, and that love truly does make the world go round.

Established in 2002, Elephant Family has developed into a lean and focused force for the endangered Asian elephant. Aware of overcrowding in the charity sector, the organization exists out of the urgent necessity due to a lack of investment and attention going into their conservation. At present they are the only charity in the UK solely dedicated to wild and captive Asian elephants. Their vision is a world in which the Asian elephant is no longer an endangered species and is able to live unthreatened within its own habitat.

To find out more about the auction and make a bid, click here. The auction closes on March 11.

Look To The Stars News: Pink Floyd

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