Pete Townshend to the Rescue

[Dr_Evil_Mouse]

Too late for me, mind you . IPod users take note.

Townshend says kids will be alright if they turn down the volume.

It's the first time I've heard him attribute his hearing loss to anything but stage volume.

I did wise up for a while when I bought some deluxe earplugs, but then lost them. Took me the better part of a week to get the ringing out of my head after the last Sharon Jones show (damn horns!).

[Jaimoe]

I read a long time ago in a Who biography that Pete lost part of his hearing during drunken late night guitar jamming in his studio while wearing phones connected to his amp. Really foolish considering Pete was ( and still is ) one of the loudest and most aggressive guitarists in rock.

[Dr_Evil_Mouse]

I understand the impulse do do stupid things with headphones and loud volumes. I remember when I first bought my loop sampler way back when that I'd spend all hours of the night with the damn thing cranked ("oh boy, stereo effects! I bet they'd sound even better with it raised up another notch!")

At least Beethoven had a good excuse - apparently some massive shell hitting his building during the Napoleonic Wars, triggering the beginning of the end.

Just found this, which has some interesting tidbits - Famous People and Musicians with Tinnitus (I'm not sure why they need to classify "musicians" as distinct from "people", though - reminds me of the classic Ringo Starr monologue in 200 Motels - "Musicians have basic physical needs - just like real people....")

Edited January 8, 2006 by Guest
afterthoughts