Look To The Stars News: Roger Waters

Roger Waters Lends Voice To Wall Film

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

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.

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.

High Hopes For Pink Floyd Charity Auction

Fri, 17 Oct 2008 13:30:00 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

Pink Floyd fans listen up: a guitar signed by all of the members of the band – including David Gilmour, Roger Waters, and the late Richard Wright – is up for auction for charity.

The auction – to celebrate the launch of Graham Scarfe’s book, ‘Scarfe of the Wall’, which describes the creation of the artwork for Pink Floyd’s 1979 album The Wall – is now on at BuyOnceGiveTwice.co.uk, and will raise money for Crisis, a charity that fights homelessness.

The guitar comes with a book signed by Roger Waters, and the auction runs until October 31. The current bid sits at £4800 (US$8,313).

Icons Of Music Rock On For Charity

Mon, 26 May 2008 11:12:57 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

The second annual Music Rising Icons Of Music auction will be held on 31 May at NYC’s Hard Rock Café, and is to broadcast live by the Auction Network.

Music Rising is a charity founded by U2’s The Edge, producer Bob Ezrin, and Gibson Guitars CEO Henry Juszkiewicz to help replace musical instruments that were destroyed by Hurricane Katrina. The auction will feature over 400 exciting lots, including one of The Edge’s famous 1976 Gibson Explorers (with an estimated price of $80,000), a Fender Stratocaster previously owned by David Gilmour, a snare drum signed by John Lennon, and Eric Clapton’s Roland G-505 guitar used on his Behind The Sun album and on tour with Roger Waters.

The evening will also feature a very special performance from four-time Grammy Award winner Aaron Neville, who has helped bring major attention to some of the charity work being done in New Orleans today. Neville lost everything in the storms of Katrina and brings a unique personal experience to Music Rising, giving guests a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to witness his great musicianship when he brings the spirit of New Orleans to the auction.

A limited number of tickets for the event are currently available for $250.00 each through either Ticketmaster or Hard Rock Cafe New York, with all proceeds going directly to Music Rising. Tickets include entry into the evening portion of the event, special catered services, and a complimentary Icons of Music II collectible auction catalog.

Highlights from the Icons of Music II auction have already toured the world, and have been seen at The Museo De La Moda in Santiago, Chile, The Museum of Style Icons in Ireland, and the Celebrity Vault in Beverly Hills. The auction lots will be on display at the Hard Rock Cafe New York from 11am to 10pm daily from Monday, May 26th – Friday, May 30th.

Other items include a hat once owned by Elvis Presley, Madonna’s high school yearbook, Elton John’s toaster, and Jimi Hendrix’s personalized guitar straps. The auction can be accessed at the Auction Network website.

London and Austin host GuitarTown for charity

Fri, 21 Sep 2007 07:12:01 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

Sir Paul McCartney is among a group of celebrities who have donated giant guitars to exhibitions in both America and England, to be auctioned off over the next few months.

The exhibitions are part of the Gibson GuitarTown Galas And Auctions being held in London and Austin, and feature both 10-foot-high and regular-sized guitars designed and signed by artists and musicians. The sculptures have been on show in the cities for 10 weeks, and will soon be removed in preparation for the auctions, which will benefit a variety of local charities.

“I just fancied playing a big guitar!” joked Sir Paul, who signed a sculpture designed by cartoonist Rosie Brooks entitled And The Crowd Goes Wild. “I think this one will hopefully catch the imagination of the public and whoever is going to buy it at the auction, and raise money for [”The Prince’s Trust":http://www.looktothestars.org/charity/116-princes-trust], the Teenage Cancer Trust, and Nordoff-Robbins Music Therapy – which are all great charities."

GuitarTown London is an initiative of The Gibson Foundation, a division of Gibson Guitars that is dedicated to improving the quality of life through the support of arts, education, health and welfare, and environmental causes. It follows a similar event held in Nashville in 2005, which raised over $400,000 for local charities, and is coupled with an event currently being held in Austin, Texas. GuitarTown Austin features 65 giant sculptures and showcase guitars, which are currently on display in various locations around the city.

Celebrities such as Norah Jones, Willie Nelson, Jamie Foxx, Dennis Quaid, Lance Armstrong, and Dixie Chicks singer Natalie Maines have all contributed their signatures to the artworks, to be auctioned at a special event at the Austin Grand Atrium on October 17. Bidders will have the chance to attend the Gala evening or bid online, with all proceeds going to the Health Alliance For Austin Musicians, the Austin Museum For Art, American Youthworks, and the Austin Children’s Museum.

“This public arts project showcases the enormous talent of both Austin’s visual and musical artists in the community,” said Henry Juszkiewicz, CEO of Gibson Guitars. “I hope Austin GuitarTown strikes a chord in people’s souls.”

The London GuitarTown Gala and Auction will be held on November 8, in the Indigo Room at the O2 Dome, and the sculptures are currently on display at More London in South Bank. Other artists to have contributed to the 61 items include Rod Stewart, Katie Melua, Corinne Bailey Rae, KT Tunstall, the Kaiser Chiefs, Ozzy Osbourne, Slash, James Blunt, Cliff Richard, Mark Knopfler, and Roger Waters.

“It seems the electric guitar is here to stay,” said Brian May, guitarist for Queen, who has two works included in the auction. “Gibson GuitarTown London looks set to become a glorious testament to this fact, and will be raising money and awareness for three great charities. I’m proud to endorse its imminent success.”

More information on the exhibitions and auctions can be found at www.londonguitartown.com.

VH1 Save the Music Celebrates 10th Anniversary

Fri, 17 Aug 2007 09:52:01 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

Music television channel VH1 will celebrate the 10th anniversary of their charitable arm, VH1 Save The Music Foundation, on September 20 by hosting a celebrity gala in New York.

The event, to be held at the Lincoln Centre, will pay tribute to the humanitarian work of Hillary Clinton, Mariah Carey, and VH1 Save The Music founder, John Sykes. Bill Clinton, who donated his saxophone to the charity in 1998, will also be honored.

“Throughout the years, Bill and Hillary Clinton have exemplified incredible dedication and support for the VH1 Save The Music Foundation,” said Executive Director, Paul Cothran. “It is an honor to have them join in celebrating our 10th anniversary.”

The Gala will be hosted by actress and model Maria Menounos, founder of Take Action Hollywood!, a non-profit organization which uses the power of film to educate, empower, and raise social awareness. It will also feature performances by Jon Bon Jovi, John Mayer, and ex-Pink Floyd member, Roger Waters. But perhaps the biggest applause for the evening will be saved for a group of children from schools that have received VH1 Save The Music grants, who will play together for the first time as a student orchestra.

Later in the evening, Project Runway’s Tim Gunn will emcee a live auction featuring several exciting items that will be revealed closer to the date.

For the last decade, VH1 Save The Music has been dedicated to restoring music education in US public schools. During that time, they have donated over $34 million worth of musical instruments to more than 1400 schools.
Tickets to the gala event can be purchased online at www.vh1savethemusic.com.

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