I found this amazing headline on CNN Health this morning: "Metallica Drummer Struggles with Ringing in Ears."
Well, duh...
Lars Ulrich, the 46 year-old drummer for the heavy metal band Metallica, is quoted in the article as saying, "I've been playing loud rock music for the better part of 35 years...I never used to play with any kind of protection."
Who does he think he is, Tiger Woods?
Anyhow, those 35 years of sitting on stage, awash in the vast and discordant noise of heavy metal "music" has resulted in severe tinnitus, or ringing in the ears. I've suffered from tinnitus in the past, and it's no fun. And I don't even listen to loud music.
Unfortunately, I do listen to the news, and I am now concerned that my hearing may be damaged by the loud and discordant noises not of rock bands, but of talking heads, religious fanatics, and bozohead members of Congress...not to mention the sudden spike in television volume when commercials interrupt the shows you really want to watch.
What can you do? Well, all I can say is God bless the person who decided to put that mute button on the remote control. I just wish there was a selective remote control that allowed me to mute politicians, lobbyists, morons who use their cell phones indiscriminately in public, and people who want to share their hearing loss with me by using earphones with their music players, and then cranking up the volume so high that you can hear it across the street.
Sigh.
I have to agree with the anonymous person who once said that what this country needs is more free speech worth listening to.
And less music played loudly enough in New York that you can hear it in Washington. State, not DC.
Have a good day. I said, have a good day! Whatsamatta? Can't you hear?
More thoughts tomorrow.
Bilbo
5 comments:
...looooooves me some mute button!...
Heavy metal music? That's not music.
I like that line more free speech worth listening to.
I'm so glad you wrote about the hearing loss, I never "heard" that before. But then again I raised 2 sons with a piano, electric keyboard, electric bass guitar, acoustic guitar, 2 nine piece drum sets that I bought and were added to later, 3 competing stereos (theirs and mine) plus whatever the neighborhood "band" dragged it. My house rocked!
"Who does he think he is, Tiger Woods?" LOL at that one liner. Good one. Wait a minute.. HOLD ON DEAR, I CAN'T HEAR YOU!... OK I'm back. I like John's joke too.
Haha, no, actually. I have hearing loss that was noted when I was in the Army. Can't tell if it was too many rock concerts in college--I worked as an usher, or having someone discharge a weapon next to me on the rifle range when I didn't have hearing protection.
I love the subtitle feature on DVDs so I don't blast my neighbors when I watch. I guess I could get headphones.
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