Posted on 07/13/2007 9:09:44 AM PDT by TigerLikesRooster
The Day the Music Died
By STEPHANIE ROSENBLOOM
Published: July 12, 2007
MICHAEL BELLUSCI’S quotation in his high school yearbook was, “It ain’t rock if it ain’t loud.” Growing up in Flushing, Queens, he played guitar and drums, idolized Jimi Hendrix and performed in cover bands. Later, he went on the road as Ringo in the musical “Beatlemania.”
These days, if his left ear happens to be covered by a pillow, Mr. Bellusci, 47, hears the alarm clock as a faint tick, tick, tick, not a blaring BEEP, BEEP, BEEP. In cacophonous restaurants, he watches people’s mouths so he can follow the conversation.
Years of high decibel noise and trauma from speaker feedback damaged his right ear. Mr. Bellusci, who plays ukulele, recorder, guitar and bass in an acoustic duo, now says, “If I could do it over again ...”
How many boomers are thinking the same thing.
As more members of the generation born after World War II enter their 60s, and the effects of age conspire with years of hearing abuse, a number find themselves jacking up the volume on their televisions, cringing at boisterous parties and shouting “What?” into their cellphones.
(Excerpt) Read more at nytimes.com ...
T’ain’t just the rock music that’ll do it to you. I played keyboards in a 7-piece jazz group in college. We often played on stages designed for 3-piece ensembles. Weekends with either a crash or ride cymbal about 3 inches from either ear (depending which side of the drummer I was on) add up to pretty decent high frequency hearing loss in your 40s.
One of my first concerts was Foreigner in the early ‘80s. I’ll never forget a guy passed out head first in a bass bin for most of the show. He would be an interesting case study.
‘Well I’m a boomer and I heard it loud and clear.’
Same here but I was born in 58, so I was at the end of the boomer lineup....(chuckle)
Bump.
I’ve run into this problem as a sound man at church.
Church Acoustics and Sound System » Main Church Sound Message Board (Read Only) » Church Sound System Messages (READ ONLY) » General Discussions » I’m not too old, it’s just too loud!
http://www.jdbsound.com/discus/messages/4/702.html?1053461518
I used to go to the Shrine in 67 and 68. I heard some great bands and music there. I didn’t see Clapton but I saw CTA (Chicago Transit Authority), Quicksilver, Grateful Dead, Big Brother and the Holding Company, Spirit, Love and many many more. That was the early days for sure.
I played in several rock, country and jazz bands in the late sixties and early seventies...I’ve definitely got some loss but it hasn’t dimmed my love of the music. My wife has taken to calling me on my cell phone when i’m in another room of the house ... ;o)
Led Zeppelin 1977.
LOL,,, you funny man badeye!
Off to I-Tunes to see if they've got it.
L
LOL,,, you funny man badeye!
I have my moments....
More boomer bashing. It’s in full force today.
Tinnitus remedies you say? Please share.
Frame one was a black guy, in the jungle somewhere. He had a enormous pot of water on his right shoulder, cradled with his right arm. He was obviously taking it from a river back to his village.
Frame two had the same guy, out in a cotton field with fellow slaves all bent over, chopping cotton. It looked hot and painful. But now the guy has a huge, heavy bale of cotton on his right shoulder.
Frame three once again had the same guy. He's strutting through the ghetto, sunglasses on, with a big smile on his face, prominent gold tooth displayed.
He was also carrying a boom box on his shoulder, AT LEAST as big as the bale of cotton in frame 2.
'nuff said !!
Just turned 60 spent 40 years as a rock N’ roll guitar player and 4 years on a flight line with F-100’s and all that great music in the meantime. And yup! I heard it too!
My son however already has some significant hearing loss in my opinion, and he is only in his mid 20's. He used to be one of the ones you could hear coming 2 blocks away. THUMP THUMP THUMP.
No, I have not. I think my left ear hearing may have damage from plowing on the farm. All towed plows were right hand, so you were looking back over your right shoulder.Your left ear was constantly exposed to the engine and exhaust noise.
Thankfully, I have learned to live with the tinnitus' constant high pitched tone. Now, if my wife would just enunciate bit better........
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