Aural onslaught has left medeaf, Daltrey admits
BRITAIN: One rainy night in 1976, Roger Daltrey sang at what was judged to be the loudest concert in history. Now, decades later, the frontman of The Who says that his hearing loss is so severe that he relies on lip-reading to get through shows.
Daltrey, 74, declared himself ‘‘very, very deaf’’ at a solo performance in Las Vegas, and implored his young fans to wear earplugs.
‘‘The trouble with these ear things that I wear is that I amvery, very deaf,’’ he said. ‘‘And I advise you all – all you rock’n’roll fans – take your f.....g earplugs to the gigs.
‘‘If only we had known when we were younger. We are lip-reading.’’
Daltrey formed The Who in 1964 with Pete Townshend on lead guitar, John Entwistle on bass and Keith Moon on drums. They went on to sell more than 100 million records worldwide, with hits such as Pinball Wizard, My Generation and Happy Jack. In 2004, Daltrey was appointed CBE for services to music, the entertainment industry and charity.
The Who were listed as the world’s loudest band by the Guinness Book of Records for their concert at The Valley in London on May 31, 1976. The volume 32 metres from the speakers registered at 126 decibels, louder than a clap of thunder from a storm directly overhead, and 41dB above the recommended limit to avoid hearing damage.
The band beat the previous record of 117dB, set by Deep Purple at the Rainbow Theatre in London in 1972. That gig was so loud that the sound knocked three people unconscious.
Despite taking a similar aural assault every night for much of the past 50 years, Daltrey said that he intended to continue performing, adding: ‘‘I am lucky to be doing what I do.’’
The Who’s last performance was in October, and they are due to embark on a 13-date tour of the United States this northern summer.
Daltrey is not the first rock star to suffer hearing problems. In 1991, Neil Young said he had damaged his ears making the live album Weld. ‘‘That’s why I really regret it. I hurt my ears and they’ll never be the same again,’’ Young said.
Australian rockers AC/DC postponed their 2016 world tour because of singer Brian Johnson’s risk of ‘‘total hearing loss’’.
Hearing degrades slightly with every period of sustained noise above 85dB, which is almost universal at modern concerts and can lead to tinnitus.
About one in 10 adults experiences the condition, which causes ringing or buzzing in the ears and in extreme cases can lead to mental health problems.
– The Times