Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

The Day the Music Died (aging boomers battling hearing loss inflicted by too much rock music)
NYT ^ | 07/12/07 | STEPHANIE ROSENBLOOM

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 ...


TOPICS: Culture/Society; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: aging; babyboomers; hearing; rockmusic; tlr
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-20 ... 41-6061-8081-100 ... 121-127 next last
To: TigerLikesRooster

The second pair of speakers I ever owned. They are 104db at 1 watt at on meter. They rock.

61 posted on 07/13/2007 10:44:42 AM PDT by bmwcyle (Satan is working both sides of the street in World Socialism and World Courts.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Badeye

I’m at the other end born in Sept 1946, that’s as early a boomer as you get.


62 posted on 07/13/2007 10:47:57 AM PDT by federal
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 23 | View Replies]

To: bmwcyle

Wow!


63 posted on 07/13/2007 10:52:36 AM PDT by Eric in the Ozarks (BTUs are my Beat.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 61 | View Replies]

To: fredhead
Oh, and the rock music may have had something to do with it.

Guilty as charged, m'lud... ;-)

64 posted on 07/13/2007 10:53:47 AM PDT by Billthedrill
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 51 | View Replies]

To: bkepley
Re:wondering what kind of damage Rappers are doing to their hearing,.......

No where near enough to suit me.
And what they call music, ain't.

65 posted on 07/13/2007 10:55:00 AM PDT by Gideon T. Reader (The PALESTINIANS? A proud history of mindless violence since 1964.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 10 | View Replies]

To: Eric in the Ozarks
I drove them with a 1959 Mc240.


66 posted on 07/13/2007 10:55:07 AM PDT by bmwcyle (Satan is working both sides of the street in World Socialism and World Courts.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 63 | View Replies]

To: DustyMoment
But, the hearing problems of boomers will be nothing compared to the deafness of todays' kids from bass rumblers in their cars blasting crapola and vibrating their cars to junk.

This morning, I heard the city of Cedar Park - just north of Austin - passed a noise ordinance about the loud car radios. A person can be fined up to $500 on the first offense if their car speakers emit noise so loud it can be heard or vibrations felt at 30 ft. That will be about 90% of the rap listeners.

67 posted on 07/13/2007 11:04:46 AM PDT by Arrowhead1952 (Stop the invasion. Secure the borders now.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 54 | View Replies]

To: Arrowhead1952

This morning, I heard the city of Cedar Park - just north of Austin - passed a noise ordinance about the loud car radios. A person can be fined up to $500 on the first offense if their car speakers emit noise so loud it can be heard or vibrations felt at 30 ft. That will be about 90% of the rap listeners.

***

I hope Cedar Park does a good job of enforcing the ordinance. We have ordinances here, but they are not enforced.


68 posted on 07/13/2007 11:09:10 AM PDT by fatnotlazy
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 67 | View Replies]

To: Billthedrill
Mine is frequency discrimination
69 posted on 07/13/2007 11:11:19 AM PDT by tiger-one (The night has a thousand eyes)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 47 | View Replies]

To: bmwcyle

Honking !


70 posted on 07/13/2007 11:21:49 AM PDT by Eric in the Ozarks (BTUs are my Beat.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 66 | View Replies]

To: fatnotlazy

There was a kid waiting for the traffic light about four cars away from me the other day, and his speakers were louder than the freight train a block from 183. I could hear his “music” over the train’s air horn blasts. You can bet he won’t be able to hear a thing in 10 years.


71 posted on 07/13/2007 11:22:53 AM PDT by Arrowhead1952 (Stop the invasion. Secure the borders now.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 68 | View Replies]

To: TigerLikesRooster

Anyone ever see Blue Cheer at the Fillmore or the Avalon or in the park? Man, that was one loud band. You know, this hearing loss thing - given the choice I’d do it again the exact same way!


72 posted on 07/13/2007 11:38:03 AM PDT by Northern Alliance
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: caver

‘More boomer bashing. It’s in full force today.’

Overwhelming majorities are always the first up for attacks, under almost any circumstances you can think of.

Seen any commercials demeaning...oh, I dunno...white guys?

Or husbands?

Its human nature I guess.


73 posted on 07/13/2007 12:16:32 PM PDT by Badeye (You know its a kook site when they ban the word 'kook')
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 31 | View Replies]

To: Wilum

‘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!’

The heavy metal bands of the 70’s held up their decible requirements with me as well, and I spent some time on a floating ‘flight line’ in the service, and since then have done quite a bit of combat handgunning.

Hearings just fine so far...I think...(chuckle)


74 posted on 07/13/2007 12:18:10 PM PDT by Badeye (You know its a kook site when they ban the word 'kook')
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 35 | View Replies]

To: federal

‘I’m at the other end born in Sept 1946, that’s as early a boomer as you get.’

Hmmm. Daddy was ‘Class of 46’?


75 posted on 07/13/2007 12:20:05 PM PDT by Badeye (You know its a kook site when they ban the word 'kook')
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 62 | View Replies]

To: Arrowhead1952

You remind me of a shooting experiment I tried many years ago. I’d just purchased a S&W Model 19 .357 magnum at Marshall Field’s in Chicago. It was delivered to my parents’ home in Homewood, a Chicago south suburb. At the time (1968) there was still a lot of open land around near where they lived so I took it out to a group of sand hills to try it out. Since I’d never fired a .357 I wanted to know what it really sounded like. I put two full powered .357 rounds through it at 4:00 p.m. My ears were still ringing at 10:00 p.m. that night. I’ve never again fired any type of firearm without ear protection.


76 posted on 07/13/2007 1:12:24 PM PDT by libstripper
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 16 | View Replies]

To: libstripper

We had to wear earplugs in basic training, and since then I’ve worn them every time I fire a weapon of any type. Well, I do fire .22 without earplugs at times.

I used to be on our unit pistol team, and I’d wear plugs and ear muffs at the matches. With your weapon (45 cal), and one on either side, it was very loud.


77 posted on 07/13/2007 1:24:01 PM PDT by Arrowhead1952 (Stop the invasion. Secure the borders now.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 76 | View Replies]

To: Arrowhead1952

Have you noted the curious, non-antagonistic division on this thread—the shooters vs. the musicians?


78 posted on 07/13/2007 1:26:23 PM PDT by libstripper
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 77 | View Replies]

To: Farmer Dean
All that automatic weapons fire didn’t do our hearing any favors either.
I (can't) hear ya' ... three years in arty - 13 months on an 8" howitzer.
79 posted on 07/13/2007 1:27:33 PM PDT by oh8eleven (RVN '67-'68)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 3 | View Replies]

To: libstripper

I noticed that earlier. I try to take care of my hearing. I even wear hearing protection when I use the lawnmower, weed eater, chain saw and other power tools. I can’t stand loud noise.

I get on my daughter when I get into her car and the stereo “blows” me out of the seat. I have some peole at work who have their radio so loud, I can hear theirs over mine in my office.


80 posted on 07/13/2007 1:32:57 PM PDT by Arrowhead1952 (Stop the invasion. Secure the borders now.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 78 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-20 ... 41-6061-8081-100 ... 121-127 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson