By Tim Saunders on
The Black Eyed Peas, Linkin Park and Blink-182 are some of the biggest names in rock, and have all pledged their support for Japan with special celebrity charity initiatives for victims of the disaster that has crippled the country.
As nuclear meltdown threatens, the Black Eyed Peas have dedicated their new music video for Just Can’t Get Enough to people affected by the disaster, urging fans to donate to the Red Cross.
The video was filmed in Japan just a week before the magnitude 9 earthquake and subsequent tsunami hit the east coast of the country.
“This video was filmed in Japan one week before the earthquake,” reads a message at the start of the video. “Our thoughts and prayers go out to all the people of Japan. We love you.”
The video ends with a link to the Red Cross Japan Earthquake and Pacific Tsunami Fund.
Linkin Park’s Mike Shinoda has designed two T-shirts for the band’s charity, Music for Relief, with proceeds going to relief work in Japan.
The shirts cost $25, and are available here.
Lady Gaga launched a similar campaign on Sunday, selling bracelets she designed to raise money for victims. Sales of the item have already reached $250,000.
Rockers Blink-182 have launched an online auction of memorabilia to help Red Cross relief efforts in Japan. Bassist Mark Hoppus writes of some of the items going under the hammer: “Original lyric sheets for The Rock Show, from the day I wrote the song, about ten years ago. These are the real deal. Original lyrics, not even all the way written, some different from the final version. Four pieces of small, crappy notebook paper, with handwritten lyrics. I sat down with an acoustic guitar and wrote this song near the end of the writing sessions for ‘Take Off Your Pants and Jacket’. The song went on to be the first single on a number one album. Pretty, pretty, pretty cool. This is for sale for a good cause: to benefit the American Red Cross in its efforts to help the disaster relief in Japan. Please let these go to a good home…”
The auction runs until the end of the week, and can be accessed through eBay.
Guitar legend Slash is in Japan, and performed a gig in Osaka on Monday. He has, however, had to cancel his remaining shows in the country: "It’s logistically not possible for us to do the Tokyo shows as scheduled. We will try to reschedule them.
“Great gig in Osaka. Great spirits, despite all that has happened. We’re positively coming back soon to play Tokyo and Yokohama. In the meantime, lots of love to the Japanese fans. [You] will make it through these difficult times.”
As reported earlier by LookToTheStars.org, Charlie Sheen has pledged $1 from every ticket sold to his live shows to the Red Cross fund for Japan, and Petra Nemcova, Yoko Ono and Boyz II Men have also shown their support. Jack Johnson was in Japan at the time of the disaster, and is encouraging fans to donate to GlobalGiving’s Japan Earthquake and Tsunami Relief Fund.
Copyright © 2011 Look to the Stars
