Frightened Rabbit is paying homage to late frontman Scott Hutchison with a Reverb auction of their gear benefiting Tiny Changes, the mental health charity they launched last year in his honor to help raise awareness and provide support for children and young people struggling with mental health issues. “We felt that putting everything up for auction would give people an opportunity to get something from the band that they themselves can put to good use,” the band’s drummer, Hutchison’s brother Grant, said in a statement. “Mental health was a cause that was very close to Scott’s heart and one that he would be extremely proud to see his family and the band supporting.”
Half the proceeds from the sale will go to Tiny Changes. “We feel this stuff should be used rather than just sitting in storage somewhere gathering dust,” the band said in a statement about why they are selling the gear they used in the U.S. “We felt that putting everything up for auction would give people an opportunity to get something from the band that they themselves can put to good use.”
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Among the items up for auction are Hutchison’s Redner Red Hot Deville and Mesa Bootie Transatlantic TA-30 amps, as well as Grant Hutchison’s Ludwig Classic Maple Custom drum kit, and a number of other amps and guitar stands. Hutchison died unexpectedly in May 2018 at the age of 36 of a suspected suicide. The musician was declared missing after he failed to return home to his hotel, and his body was discovered the next day. Hutchison was very open about his struggles with depression and mental illness. In October, a special tribute concert was held, with performances from The National’s Aaron Dessner, Julien Baker and Death Cab For Cutie’s Ben Gibbard.