Phil Collins doesn't like music

[LG]

Yes Pete is almost totally deaf in one ear, and his other ear is about 30% as far as range goes. He went into serious depression dealing with this years ago.

Al Di Meola is another one, contemplated suicide when he started to suffer from his hearing loss.

Eric Clapton has lost a lot of hearing in one of his ears, but he said he won't wear the new devices to save what he has left...found that inexplicable myself. Saw him on Larry King.

Moral of the story, save your hearing, you only get one set of working parts, when they wear out that is it.

 

[ILoveJimmyPage]

I can imagine Pete would suffer from hearing loss. Those Who shows back in the day were known for being quite loud. I have some hearing loss myself and I don't even play, just listen. I can't imagine why they wouldn't want to use the devices available to them. Maybe they'd think it to be a sign of weakness if they did? Who knows.

 

[LG]

^^Amazingly enough the one person in most rock bands that suffer the least hearing problems are the lead singers. From what I understand the physical act of "singing" does something that protects your hearing, even when a band is blasting their music all around you.

 

[ILoveJimmyPage]

Also the rest of the band is closer to the sound equipment, at least that's what I'm thinking. You know those fans that went to the really loud shows and stood next to the speakers and suffered hearing loss?

But that's interesting LG, I never knew that singers were virtually immune from hearing loss.

 

[Lynch]

I can't imagine why they wouldn't want to use the devices available to them. Maybe they'd think it to be a sign of weakness if they did? Who knows.

1 word... vanity.

 

[gcczep]

I recall reading Ritchie Blackmore saying that he intentionally turned his amps towards Gillan to screw him over.

On topic, I'm somewhat surprised with Collins' statement. Probably just a case of burnout.

 

[Lynch]

On topic, I'm somewhat surprised with Collins' statement. Probably just a case of burnout.

This is just my opinion, but I don't think that anyone should be surprised at Collins' comments. Think about it. you do a job the same job for 40 years, when you step away, retired, whatever... would YOU continue to surround yourself in the things that you walked away from?

I happen to like my job about 95% of the time, but I guarantee you that when I leave this job, or when I retire, I won't spend 2 minutes a day thinking about what I did.

I can totally understand where Phil is coming from here (at least from my own perspective). Even if he may seem to be coming off a bit curmudgeonly, I doubt that's really the whole picture.

 

[ANF]

This is just my opinion, but I don't think that anyone should be surprised at Collins' comments. Think about it. you do a job the same job for 40 years, when you step away, retired, whatever... would YOU continue to surround yourself in the things that you walked away from?

I happen to like my job about 95% of the time, but I guarantee you that when I leave this job, or when I retire, I won't spend 2 minutes a day thinking about what I did.

I can totally understand where Phil is coming from here (at least from my own perspective). Even if he may seem to be coming off a bit curmudgeonly, I doubt that's really the whole picture.

But is being a musician a job? I think of how Paul Simon said in an interview that although most people his age are retired, that he can't just suddenly turn the songwriting side of him off just because he reached a certain age, its part of who he is and he'll be writing music until the day he dies.

 

[LG]

^^It depends on the individual. I know Paul Simon in the 80's I think it was had chronic pain playing the guitar. He had calcium deposits built up in his joints that ached whenever he played. In the article he told his fans not to worry that he still enjoyed playing the piano and that wasn't nearly as painful so he'd still be writing/recording and touring.

Anyway I can empathize with Phil, if his Tinnitus is really advanced, then it's beyond distracting and listening to music can cause you physical pain, even at low volumes. It that is the case then I understand his statement about retiring and not being into it anymore.

 

[runtfan]

I can't imagine why they wouldn't want to use the devices available to them. Maybe they'd think it to be a sign of weakness if they did? Who knows.

Because earplugs kill much of the high frequencies...which is why most people use them and some ( like me) won't. I've tried them more than once and it never lasted more than a song or two. I can't stand hearing music that way. In my case it's aesthetics over long term hearing protection. Neither band I play in is excessively loud so I don't feel the risk is very great. By far, the loudest thing I've ever heard onstage isn't drums or guitars but vocals blasting through monitors.
My dad is a professional musician ( for nearly 50 years) and several years ago he had a bad bout with the flu and a lasting effect was permanent hearing loss in his left ear. I thought it was a horrible twist of fate but he's adjusted fine - the human brain can compensate for just about anything.
I've read that one subgroup of musicians that are more susceptible to hearing damage than most are woodwinds ( flute, oboe, clarinet, bassoon) in a symphony orchestra because the brass ( trumpet,trombone, french horn, etc.) sit directly behind them and blast away only a few feet from their ears.