The U2 guitarist said Wednesday he will donate two Gibson guitars and other items from his personal collection to the “Icons of Music” auction benefiting Music Rising, a charity The Edge co-founded to replace musical equipment lost or destroyed by Hurricane Katrina.

“No one could ever come close to repaying the debt of those who have established this form (of music) that we all take totally for granted, this hybrid of European melody and African-American rhythm that’s given us jazz and R&B and rock ‘n’ roll,” he told The Associated Press by phone from Dublin, Ireland, where he and his U2 bandmates are crafting a new album. “There’s something powerful about musicians giving instruments they own to an auction to aid musicians who are going through a particularly difficult time.”

Posted: 04|24|08 at 10:41 am. Filed under: Auction News.