Loud Music and Deafness

Copyright ©2004 Howard Coleman

~ Music should be the celebration of  hearing not the destruction of it  (Ron Pellegrino) ~

• When people say they are are used to loud music they are actually saying that some of the nerve cells responsible for their hearing have died. Sadly, the cells do not regenerate. The music fans are being deafened. The ear does have an auto-protect mechanism where the stapedius muscle contracts and reduces the energy reaching the nerve cells. This gives rise to temporary deafness ( Temporary Threshold Shift). The danger of this effect is that it gives a false sense of security - "Oh, I've had this before, it'll be better in the morning." There is substantial proof that this is in fact a warning sign.
  
  
• Sound levels at gigs are often set by someone who has already been deafened and is incapable of judging a safe level.  Most audio engineers would not admit to having a hearing disability because they would soon find themselves out of work. 
  
  
• Advice
  ... Don't be afraid to walk out of a loud gig if it is uncomfortable. Phone the organiser afterwards to complain.
  ... Wear ear protectors. You love music so don't let anyone deprive you of it.
  
  
• Hearing damage is related to the loudness of the sound and the length of exposure to it. Musicians are in a vulnerable position as they experience both. The following is a list of musicians who have experienced hearing problems, as far as I can tell, as a result of exposure to loud music. This probably represents just the tip of an iceberg.
  
  
  Neil Young
  John Entwhistle
  Jeff Beck (Yardbirds)
  Thom Yorke (Radiohead)
  George Harrison 
  Cher
  Francis Rossi (Status Quo)
  Barbra Streisand
  Englebert Humperdinck
  Sting
  Lemmy (Motorhead)
  Bono (U2)
  Ozzy Osborne
  Kathy Peck (the Contractions) 
  Bob Mould (Hüsker Dü)
  Pete Townshend (The Who)
  Eric Clapton
  George Martin
  Phil Collins 
  Elton John
  Huey Lewis
  Charle Haden
  John Lee Hooker
  Thurston Moore
  Dave Swarbrick
  Joey Kramer (Aerosmith) 
  Lee Renaldo (Sonic Youth)

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Last revised: August 29, 2004.