Artists and songwriters from the EMI roster have teamed up to raise funds to aid the Red Cross in its continued efforts to provide relief from the devastation of the earthquake and tsunami that hit Japan in March.

Starting Tuesday, music fans can go to eBay and bid on more than 200 goodies from artists such as Coldplay, Norah Jones, Katy Perry, Gorillaz, Iron Maiden, the Beach Boys, David Guetta, Lady Antebellum, the Chemical Brothers, Depeche Mode, 30 Seconds to Mars, Daft Punk, Keith Urban and the Beatles, among others.

The auction is split into two phases, with the first running from Tuesday until April 15. The second phase will take place April 11-21.

Items up for grabs include Coldplay lead singer Chris Martin’s jacket from the 2010 "Viva La Vida" world tour, a pair of vintage speakers from Abbey Road’s famous Studio 3, the Beastie Boys’ Japanese MTV award and a signed limited-edition lithographic Depeche Mode print.

Also on the auction block is a 1987 Ferrari 412 as featured in Daft Punk’s film "Electroma," Perry’s cupcake trampoline from her current "California Dreams" world tour, a limited-edition Beatles’ Yellow Submarine Schwinn bicycle, a signed guitar from Jones, the MacBook used by Guetta to create the demos for "One Love," framed hand-written lyrics from Brian Wilson and a limited-edition Gorillaz lithograph signed by Jamie Hewlett and Damon Albarn.

"Japan has been one of my favorite countries to visit, and my heart goes out to everyone affected by this disaster," Jones said in a statement. "I'm so glad I can be part of this fundraising effort, along with the EMI family."

All the funds raised will be used toward Japanese Red Cross disaster relief efforts, and the EMI Group has promised to match a portion of the total.

More info can be found on the charity's eBay site.

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Gwen Stefani donates $1 million for Japanese disaster relief

-- Gerrick D. Kennedy

twitter.com/gerrickkennedy

Photo: Chris Martin’s jacket from the 2010 "Viva La Vida" world tour. Credit: Courtesy of EMI Group

Lady Gaga has gone country –- for a good cause.

She's stripped her thumping electro single “Born This Way” to a twangy groove for a country remix.

Produced by the singer and Fernando Garibay, the “Born This Way (Country Road Version)” remix of the hit single is infused with harmonica blues riffs and the mandolin.

She initially released the track on her Twitter account in late March, but after it got more than 1 million hits on YouTube within its first few days of release, Gaga announced plans to put out the track officially.

A portion of the proceeds from downloads of the single will benefit the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network (GLSEN) -- an organization that strives to curb bullying in schools. Gaga has long championed the organization and gay rights.

“If I wanna make it country, baby, it's OK/ 'Cause I was born, I was born, I was born this way/ From London, Paris, Japan back to USA/ Yeah, I was born on the road, I was born to be brave," she sings in the new lyrics on the countrified version of the track.

“Born This Way” spent six consecutive weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and was the  fastest song in history to reach sales of 1 million.

-- Gerrick D. Kennedy

twitter.com/gerrickkennedy

 
Gwen Stefani’s auction to raise money for tsunami and earthquake relief efforts in Japan will run for two weeks starting April 11, allowing participants to bid on admission to a special tea and lunch that the No Doubt singer and songwriter will host in Los Angeles, some vintage clothing items from her personal wardrobe and custom T-shirts designed and signed by her.

As previously indicated when Stefani announced she would donate $1 million to disaster relief, proceeds from the auction also will benefit the Japan Earthquake-Tsunami Children in Emergency Fund set up by the Save the Children organization.  In addition to the auction items, the musician and fashion designer has created limited-edition Harajuku Lovers T-shirts being sold at No Doubt’s website, with 100% of proceeds going to the American Red Cross Japan relief and recovery efforts.

The date of the tea has not been announced, but it is described at the auction site as “a private Harajuku-themed tea party at Los Angeles' first Japanese-style cosplay cafe, Royal/T.” About 100 people are expected to be admitted through the auction.

RELATED:

Gwen Stefani donates $1 million for Japanese disaster relief

--Randy Lewis

Photo of No Doubt at the start of the group's 2009 tour (from left) Adrian Young, Gwen Stefani, Tony Kanal and Tom Dumont. Credit: Los Angeles Times

 
Were it not an English hospital worker who used percussion instruments to help relieve boredom of patients undergoing long-term treatment, a 13-year-old kid battling tuberculosis named Richard Starkey might never have fallen in love with the drums, changed his name to Ringo Starr and become part of the biggest rock band on the planet.

“That’s where it all started for me,” Starr, 70, said Thursday morning a few minutes after briefly sharing a stage with 17-year-old drummer and brain cancer survivor Alexx Kipp, whose long-held wish to meet the Beatle was granted by the Make-A-Wish Foundation and the Hard Rock International restaurant chain. The event was the kickoff of a new partnership between the two organizations designed to help Make-A-Wish accommodate even more requests than the 14,000 it grants in the U.S. each year, about 900 of those involving celebrities.

“You like those drums?” Starr asked Kipp as they stood behind a gleaming black-and-white set of Ludwigs, the brand long associated with him.

“Hell, yeah!” beamed Kipp, who also has Tourette's syndrome and punctuated the dialogue with his musical hero with joyful birdlike chirps and whistles.

“They’re yours,” Starr told him.

It took several minutes, and a few prompts from his mother, father and sister, who had accompanied him to Hollywood from their home in Arlington, Va., before it set in for Alexx that the event not only included meeting his favorite drummer from his favorite band, but also a new set of drums to boot. Or to bash.

Alexx sat on one of two adjacent black stools set up behind the snare drum and laid down a steady rock beat, then Starr pulled up next to him to add some accents on a floor tom and one of the cymbals.

 
No Doubt singer and songwriter Gwen Stefani is donating $1 million to Save the Children’s Japan Earthquake-Tsunami Children in Emergency Fund to assist with the relief and recovery efforts following the recent disaster.

Stefani has been a devotee of Japanese culture and people since the band first toured the country in 1996, and has held a special affinity for the Harajuku art-fashion-music district in Tokyo. She wrote and recorded the song “Harajuku Girls” for her 2004 debut solo album, “Love.Angel.Music.Baby,” and named her fashion clothing and fragrance line Harajuku Lovers.

"I've been inspired by Japan for many years and have a true love, appreciation and respect for the Japanese people and their culture,” Stefani said in a statement issued Wednesday. “The disaster in Japan is beyond heartbreaking and I want to do anything I can to help. I would never be able to make a gesture like this without the love and support of all the fans over all these years.”

Additionally, she’s launching a charity auction next week on the band’s website, where fans can bid to join her at a fundraising event in Los Angeles. She also has designed a limited-edition Harajuku Lovers T-shirt to be sold at Nodoubt.com, with 100% of proceeds going to the Japanese relief efforts.

"Save the Children has been in Japan for 25 years,” said Charles MacCormack, the organization’s president and chief executive, “and we are working closely with our teams on the ground to address the immediate and ongoing needs of children and their families whose lives were turned upside down by this tragedy."

-- Randy Lewis

Photo of No Doubt in December at the Kennedy Center Honors saluting Paul McCartney (from left): Tom Dumont, Tony Kanal, Gwen Stefani and Adrian Young. Credit: Kris Connor / Getty Images.

 
Now here’s the instrument for the heavy rock aficionado with almost everything: a one-of-a-kind electric guitar custom painted by hand … er, trunk … by Asian elephants.

In a collaboration that would seem to be a no-brainer, Wendy Dio, the widow of Black Sabbath and Dio singer Ronnie James Dio, who died last year of cancer, has partnered the Stand Up and Shout Cancer Fund set up in her husband’s memory with the Asian Elephant Art & Conservation Project (AEACP) to create guitars to be auctioned off for the benefit of both organizations.

Art works created by Asian elephants in Thailand have been featured in numerous publications and television programs and exhibited in museums and galleries around the world.  Wendy Dio has teamed up with AEACP officials to enlist the elephants to decorate instruments donated for the fundraiser by ESP Guitars. She is in Thailand this month, along with Sabbath bassist Geezer Butler and other SUAS officials while the guitars are being painted.

Plans call for three elephant-painted guitars to be auctioned this fall, according to a spokeswoman for Dio.  Details on the time and manner of the auction are to be announced.  SUAS also plans to auction off a total of 100 other instruments being donated and/or signed by celebrity players to raise money for its prevention, research and education efforts. AEACP’s mission is stemming the dwindling number of Asian elephants.

-- Randy Lewis

Photo of Jaab the elephant painting an electric guitar. Credit: Mark Weiss

Moby, the Crystal Method and artist Shepard Fairey will headline the Courage Campaign's “Dance for Equality” fundraiser on Tuesday, March 2, at Avalon in Hollywood in support of legal efforts defending same-sex marriages.

Other celebrities scheduled to  be on hand include “House” star Lisa Edelstein, who will host the evening; Oscar-winning writer-director Paul Haggis (“Million Dollar Baby,” “Crash”); and AIDS activist Cleve Jones. KCRW-FM program director and “Morning Becomes Eclectic” host Jason Bentley and DJ Dan also will participate.

Proceeds benefit the Courage Campaign’s efforts to overturn California’s Prop. 8 banning same-sex marriages.

Tickets are $25 in advance, available through the Courage Campaign’s web site, and $35 at the door.

--Randy Lewis

Photo of Moby performing in Malibu in 2008. Credit: Los Angeles Times.