The Heavy Metal Truants & CharityStars UK Charity Event & Auction 2015

The Heavy Metal Truants & CharityStars UK Charity Event & Auction 2015

The Heavy Metal Truants is the world’s first heavy metal charity bike ride. Now in its third year, the annual event supports three important charities: ChildLine, Teenage Cancer Trust and Nordoff Robins Music Therapy.

Co-founded in 2012 by legendary Iron Maiden manager Rod Smallwood and editor-in-chief of Metal Hammer and TeamRock, Alexander Milas, the Heavy Metal Truants cycle a gruelling 168 miles from London to Castle Donington in the East Midlands.

CharityStars UK have recently teamed up with them to showcase 23 one-off pieces via their social auction platform. The auctions will run for just 2 weeks, giving the ultimate Rock fan enough time to bid and raise money for the three chosen charities.

CharityStars was founded in 2014 with a passion and aim to change the non-profit sector and continue its mission to help charities raise money. Since launching, more than 200 global celebrities have chosen to work with CharityStars including Lionel Messi, James Blunt, Sara Cox, David Coulthard and Sir Bobby Charlton, plus over 120 non-for-profit organisations, such as Save the Children and Oxfam. Last year Berkeley University named the company as one of the most “impacting Social Enterprises globally”.

The first is a Monitor Audio speaker system, signed by no less than 25 rock stars at the 2013 Classic Rock Roll of Honour. Signatories include Rush, Black Sabbath, Status Quo and Thin Lizzy.

There are also a couple of Slipknot items including nine original, hand-drawn portraits of the current Slipknot line-up, completed by world-famous comic artist Charlie Adlard who is best-known for his work on the Walking Dead comic book. Hammer

To commemorate the 35th anniversary of Birmingham band Judas Priest, a brand new Artist Series Guitar (ASG) signed by the current members is up for grabs. This is a true limited edition, being one of only 30 produced. It features solid mahogany body, rosewood fingerboard, trapezoid inlays as well as custom ASG Arsenal pickups and the chrome ASG headstock emblem.

Another item included in the auction is a Shure SM59 microphone used by Roger Daltrey when The Who visited Australia during their 2009 tour. Not only has Roger used this microphone he has signed it too.

The list of auction highlights wouldn’t be complete without an item from Iron Maiden, whose manager has been so instrumental in establishing Heavy Metal Truants.

This auction is for an original gold presentation disc of Iron Maiden’s 1985 live album Live After Death, recorded at California’s Long Beach Arena and London’s Hammersmith Apollo during the band’s now legendary 1984/85 World Slavery Tour. The item was personally donated by Iron Maiden and is signed by Bruce Dickinson.

In addition to these incredible items, also available to bid for on CharityStars are the following:

– Jack Bruce ‘Fields of Forever’ white label vinyl

– Rick Wakeman ‘The Six Wives of Henry VIII’ white label vinyl

– Rainbow ‘Down to Earth’ white label vinyl

– Rick Wakeman ‘The Myths and Legends of King Arthur’ white label vinyl

– Rush ‘Grace Under Pressure’ white label vinyl

– Nazareth art print signed by Rodney Matthews

– Marillion signed box set, drumstick and sticks

– Slipknot keg drum played by Clown and signed by the band

– Signed Scorpions vinyl

– Iron Maiden framed print signed by Ross Halfin

– Queen Innuendo bone china tea-set