Isn’t it just amazing when members of the music industry band together to do a great thing? A guitar signed by the Eraserheads was sold for PHP1.3 million (US$23,602) in a fundraising auction for Parokya ni Edgar’s Gab Chee Kee, who is in the intensive care unit for complications related to lymphoma, a type of cancer that affects the lymphatic system.
Ely Buendia, Raymund Marasigan, Marcus Adoro, and Buddy Zabala added their signatures to a D&D guitar designed by Gab, whose favorite color was green.
In a post on the band’s official page, they said that the Eraserheads’ support meant a lot to their band, as the foursome inspired them to get together in the first place.
“I’m sure you all know that we are huge fans of Eheads… especially Gab (it was Gab who first made us listen to the Eheads when we were in third year high school… and our heads have gone crazy for them ever since),” Chito wrote in Filipino.
“They are one of our hugest inspirations behind forming Parokya. We were also their front act when we were starting out, and they became our inspiration in everything we have done and continue to do as a band. Today, they just gave us a new reason why they are our ultimate idols,” he continued.
The bid started on Feb. 4 and opened at PHP50,000, and hit PHP500,000 on Feb. 7, before reaching PHP730,197.60 on Feb. 11 — a significant amount as this corresponded to Gab’s birthday, July 30, 1976.
“The person who likely bid that number is probably a huge fan of ours and knows everyone’s birthdays,” the band’s page wrote.
An hour before the auction closed, the figure reached PHP900,000 before receiving a final bid of PHP1.3 million at noon.
The band also gave an update on the guitarist’s condition after paying him a visit on Valentine’s Day.
“He’s still at the ICU but steadily improving. Please keep sending positive vibes to him and praying for his full recovery,” they said.
