Avril, Sum 41, Shania Sell Swag For Charity

Swag. It's the music industry term for the mountains of free promotional items that get passed around to music journalists, media personalities, record retailers and other industry types. Usually regular members of the public don't get a chance to snag a whole lot of swag, save for a special time of the year when an event called the Swag Online Auction takes place. Swag 2003 is a fundraiser for The Canadian Music Therapy Trust Fund. Dozens of prime rock stars have donated all sorts cool stuff, which will all be auctioned off on Ebay. The auction begins tomorrow (May 22) and continues on until June 1.

In the past two years SWAG has raised $75,000 to support music therapy programs across Canada. Not bad. This year the Swag people have put together a pretty choice assortment of items. There are a few very special one of a kind items that will surely go for top dollar, including one of the dolls from the Sum 41 "Hell Song" video, a shopping spree at Reebok Canada with Shawn Desman, an autographed Elton John piano seat, an autographed harmonica from Mick Jagger, a signed Lenny Kravitz guitar and a Grey Cup football signed by Shania Twain.

In addition to the big ticket items, there are dozens of posters and lithographs (including a bunch of Beatles album cover prints), an Oasis gold record for Heathen Chemistry, one of Avril Lavigne's ties, a copy of the Coldplay issue of Chart Magazine signed by the band and plenty of CDs and DVDs. More items will be added throughout the auction.