The Australian music industry CEO who bought one of Nirvana frontman Kurt Cobain's famous acoustic guitars for a record price plans to use it to lobby government to support the local music scene through the COVID pandemic.
As The Sydney Morning Herald reports, RODE Microphones CEO Peter Freedman purchased the 1959 Martin D-18E guitar, used during Nirvana's famous MTV Unplugged set in 1993, for a record price of $US6 million ($8.8 million) at an auction in Beverly Hills on Sunday.
Freedman intends to bring the guitar back to Australia in August to raise funds to lobby the Australian government to support local artists, as well as head to the UK and Europe to rally support from their respective governments.
"Writing a letter, it’s not going to work. But I can make it work," Freedman said.
"If you do this sort of move — I’ve got the attention of the entire world now, probably a few hundred million people."
Freedman continued, "People I know are sleeping on the floor, unable to eat. It’s insane. No services, no support, no mental health issue support, nothing.
"I’d be pretty low if I didn’t recognise that and give some back. I’ve got a great life, I don’t need any more. The person who dies really rich dies in disgrace and I sure as shit don’t want to die with a lot of money."
The purchase comes just days after Prime Minister Scott Morrison confirmed he had met with entertainment industry groups to discuss "the ability to move in and out of Australia... about tours and promotions and artists".
It's understood a cross section of industry executives were present at the meeting, including the newly-formed Live Entertainment Industry Forum (LEIF) executive committee and ARIA CEO Dan Rosen.
Meanwhile, Australian industry legend Michael Chugg has predicted that due to Australia's borders likely remaining closed for the remainder of 2020, it is unlikely overseas acts will be able to tour the country until June next year.
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