Coronavirus: Tony Iommi auctions guitar to raise over £19,000 for the NHS
All proceeds go to a hospital in the Black Sabbath legend’s hometown of Birmingham, UK.
Image: Christie Goodwin / Redferns via Getty Images
Black Sabbath legend Tony Iommi has raised over £19,000 for the UK’s NHS by auctioning off his personal items, including one guitar.
The guitar, a signed Epiphone SG, alone went for £11,300. Other items that went on the block included signed DVD box sets, CDs and vinyls. All proceeds from the auction will go to the University Hospitals Birmingham in Iommi’s hometown.
The 72-year-old announced the auction on 6 April; he reportedly got the idea while clearing his home studio while self-isolating. He called the coronavirus “difficult for everyone”, but it demonstrated the “great work” that the NHS is doing, per the BBC.
“It’s horrible but in some ways it’s bringing people together more and realising what we do have in this country with the NHS and the great things they do,” Iommi told the BBC.
Iommi is not the only musician to raise funds for relief efforts. Other bands that have contributed to the fight against COVID-19 include Metallica and Fall Out Boy. Thurston Moore has also donated an original Sovtek Big Muff, to be auctioned off in aid of the iconic London venue Cafe OTO.
