We all know the feeling, some of us far to well. There’s the long night out with pounding live music and you finally get to bed but you’re greeted by that disoriented ringing in your ears until you drift off to sleep. Sometimes, if you’re really unlucky, it can stick with you for a few days. As Fact Magazine points out in this eye opening piece on hearing loss, we are really doing more serious damage to our ears than we are aware of. With a specific focus on dance music, it’s evident that pushing the boundaries of music levels in clubs is taking its toll on the listener’s, as well as the musician’s ears. Even for those not exposed to dance music in clubs, hip-hop and rock shows have left me with the same feeling.
Fact points out legendary Chicago House veteran Larry Heard is retiring from live events solely for the purpose of protecting his hearing. As the crop of electronic musicians and fans begin to age, it will not surprise me if more stories like this begin to arise. I won’t go into the specifics of the article, but you should definitely check it out for yourself. Big shouts to Angus Finlyason over at Fact for the piece, and make sure to check out the entire post here.