Ed Vulliamy
Stamp collecting has never been as sizzling a preoccupation as it is now, since drummer and Massachusetts stamp gallery owner Don Palazzo had the idea of raising revenue in Third World countries by issuing entertaining postage paraphernalia.
The hobby has suddenly exploded along with the fear of the eruption of the volcano in Monserrat as Palazzo has used that disaster-in-the-making to launch a relief operation.
The last letter many citizens of Monserrat may post from their island will feature the bespectacled grin of Jerry Garcia, the composer of Fire on the Mountain. Other brightly-coloured stamps in this charity operation to help victims of the volcano feature Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin and Elvis Presley. The entertainment stamps are on sale to collectors as well as locals.
Palazzo joined forces with the families and estates of the four musicians, the Britain- based Young Persons Concert Foundation and Beatles’ producer Sir George Martin – who owns the famous AIR studios on the island – to arrange the stamp issue. A concert at the Royal Albert Hall will follow this month, and proceeds from the stamps and the concert will go to help volcano victims.
Meanwhile fans of the Grateful Dead have been encouraged to buy limited edition stamps issued by the government of Tanzania through advertisements in the New York Times.