It's been a while since I've posted anything here about my tinnitus. It's still there, of course, and I'd imagine that at this point, it always will be. I've largely acclimated to the constant ring. All I can do is hope, pray and take as many precautions as I can against it ever getting any worse. But like everyone else, I'm prone to getting lazy and/or careless. I still love my music, and often times, it needs to be loud for me to hear it (let alone enjoy it). It's a dangerous game in that respect.
When it comes to live, amplified sound, I don't mess around. It's weapons-grade earplugs or nothing when I go to concerts. I can't specifically pinpoint where most of the damage I did to my hearing took place, but I can certainly, vividly remember several gigs in the early 90's (Motorhead, Buzzcocks and My Bloody Valentine, specifically) wherein a toll was certainly taken. Between those shows and my constant headphone use, I'd say the culprits are pretty easy to track. Regardless, I'm still the one to blame.
I don't care what sort of music you listen to, it just bears repeating that you need to turn it down and protect yourself. To quote ol' Davey B., look out, you rock'n'rollers -- pretty soon now, you're gonna get older. And when you do, you'll probably find all sorts of things you took for granted failing on you. That is, unless you're careful now.
In case you're thinking I'm just being a pious hypochondriac, here's a great testimony about same by writer and former Bitch Magnet guitarist Jon Fine. Fine's commitment to feral rock abandon almost prevents him from admitting any regret or preaching temperance like I did in the previous paragraph, but you can tell that the damage he's wrecked on his hearing weighs heavily upon him.
Think about it. And here's a taste of Bitch Magnet...
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