Posted on 01/12/2018 4:40:33 PM PST by nickcarraway
Musician Eric Clapton says he is going deaf. The 72-year-old singer says he plans on still performing, but his mounting health issues as he ages are a concern.
“The only thing I'm concerned with now is being in my 70s and being able to be proficient,” Clapton said in an interview with BBC 2. “I mean, I’m going deaf, I’ve got tinnitus, my hands just about work. I’m hoping that people will come along and see me just because, or maybe more than because I’m a curiosity. I know that is part of it, because it's amazing to myself I’m still here.”
Clapton, who began his career in the early 1960s, was on the show promoting his new documentary, “Eric Clapton: Life in 12 Bars.” The film looks at his start in the music industry and how music -- especially the guitar -- helped him throughout his life through a drug and alcohol addiction and the death of his son, Conor, in 1991.
The legendary guitarist and singer said in a Rolling Stone interview that he goes to the doctor for the slightest thing and that, although his eczema affects his guitar playing, he now has it managed.
“I had eczema from head to foot,” Clapton said. “The palms of my hand were coming off, and I had just started making this record with (producer) Glyn Johns. It was a catastrophe. I had to wear mittens with Band-Aids around the hands and played a lot of slide (guitar) as a result.”
“My hands are good. It hasn’t gone completely, but I put ointment on.”
Clapton said he would be OK with not playing guitar again, but is taking advantage of how well he feels now.
“I’m as good now as I’ve been in the last two years.”
Thanks for the link, very well made.
Beethoven wrote his Ninth Symphony when he couldn’t hear a thing, and that is perhaps his most powerful, and most beautiful, and most poignant work! Talk about genius. Wow!
Bummer - I’m listening to him and BB King doing some Blues together even as I see this.
I’m severely hearing impaired also, but although not quite impaired enough for implants, any worse and I would be a candidate for them.
Do the implants alone help when there is background noise, like at a busy restaurant?
What did the upgrade involve; any re-do of surgery?
How long did it take to acclimate to the implant?
How did the audio sound as compared to normal hearing?
I recommend go to COCHLEAR IMPLANTS. COM , they can explain better than I ever could. I followed Rush Limbaugh when he had his first one and he talked about it all the time, so that interested me, and when I saw my ear doctor for a repeated ear infection she asked me if I ever heard of CI, she tested me and said she felt I could benefit from one..
I had my surgery at UPMC in Pittsburgh, PA. but so many places now do the surgeries, they really are the HEARING OF THE FUTURE for those needing help.
The first time I heard with my CI, it sounded like Donald Duck talking, but it quickly cleared up and I feel I hear normally as anyone else..up grades was just a new processor which is all digitally programed..a bit pricey but medicare is a good help, and Cochlear offers great help too.
The surgeries were not difficult, but they take about four hours. healing went fine, for me and didn't even use the med’s they prescribed for pain.. UPMC is a teaching hospital so I had an audience watch me get done..My son is in the Medical world so he prepped me a bit on what would take place.
I am please I got it done, so are all my friends and family...lol..so if you get recommended for one, I would say...GO FOR IT, THEY ARE WONDERFUL.. (for background noise there is a program you can use and wipe it all out, really works great for me )
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