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Apesy
= Cult of Ray =
USA
411 Posts |
 Posted - 03/15/2007 : 22:20:10
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I was recently watching the Club Date: Live at the Paradise DVD, and took notice of the fact that Frank doesn't appear to be wearing any sort of ear protection whatsoever. And it made me think, the three times I've seen him (Catholics, Pixies, solo) he didn't seem to have anything stuffed in there.
How in the name of Mission of Burma does the guy not have tinnitus? He can be one of the loudest performers I know of. Performing "I Switched You" alone back during the '99 Catholics shows should have blown those eardrums clean away. But he seems miraculously fine in the tympanic membrane department.
How do you do it, sir?
-=Apesy |
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Jefrey
= Cult of Ray =
USA
918 Posts |
Posted - 03/15/2007 : 23:52:27
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I'd be more interested in knowing how his vocal chords are intact after singing Tame 1000 times.
Anyway, the house speakers are in front of the band - it's not nearly as loud on stage as it is for the audience. In clubs you're a lot farther from your amps and even the drums than you usually are in practice. I don't recall having ringing ears (and never wore protection) after playing any show in a club, but I always wore earplugs in practice.
But in the audience, I almost always at least put a little tissue in the ears. It's way louder out there.
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jeffamerica
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tisasawath
= Cult of Ray =
Wallis and Futuna Islands
783 Posts |
Posted - 03/16/2007 : 01:34:49
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must be them hi-tec mikrofones, they suck the noiz riteouttathere
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AAAAWWWWWRRRIIGGHHTTTTT !! ! |
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Ziggy
* Dog in the Sand *
United Kingdom
2463 Posts |
Posted - 03/16/2007 : 02:59:33
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| Yeah, even someone like Pete Townshend, who have pretty severe tinnitus, says that it isn't down to playing live, but from wearing headphones in the studio too often. |
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Someone
- FB Fan -
94 Posts |
Posted - 03/16/2007 : 04:57:07
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| maye he does have tinnitus. "I don't mind a little ear damage." |
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gapu
- FB Fan -
Austria
106 Posts |
Posted - 03/16/2007 : 07:38:04
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| interessting! wonder what the volume is like for the band when they are on stage... |
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Doog
* Dog in the Sand *
United Kingdom
1220 Posts |
Posted - 03/16/2007 : 08:07:43
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quote:
Originally posted by Jefrey
I'd be more interested in knowing how his vocal chords are intact after singing Tame 1000 times.
Anyway, the house speakers are in front of the band - it's not nearly as loud on stage as it is for the audience. In clubs you're a lot farther from your amps and even the drums than you usually are in practice. I don't recall having ringing ears (and never wore protection) after playing any show in a club, but I always wore earplugs in practice.
But in the audience, I almost always at least put a little tissue in the ears. It's way louder out there.
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jeffamerica
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+1
I always find it hard to rock out on proper big stages and that because it's not loud enough. Give me scuzzy pub function room DIY gigs any day!
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www.myspace.com/doog = solo choons
www.myspace.com/casabonitaband = noisey stuff
www.myspace.com/WKtheband = surfrockpop geekery
www.myspace.com/ukpixiestribute = Nimrod's Son |
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Douglas
= Cult of Ray =
Sweden
308 Posts |
Posted - 03/16/2007 : 08:49:50
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quote:
Originally posted by gapu
interessting! wonder what the volume is like for the band when they are on stage...
Maybe the volume is tolerable on stage, but it's definately worth protecting your hearing anyway.
When I was in middle school they showed us this informational video featuring Lars Ulrich of Metallica where they mesured the volume by his drums. It was so loud you could get severe hearing damage in under 15 minutes.
I always used to wear ear plugs when going to concerts, but now I find it I'm always drunk so it doesn't hurt my ears (as in isn't as painful) so much nowadays. Really stupid of me, 'cause the ears are still as vulnerable.
I think it's hard to perform with ear plugs. It's usually hard enough without 'em to get the sound guy to tweak the monitors so that you hear every part of the band ok. With ear plugs I think it's nearly impossible. And I can't imagine what it's like if you're expected to be singing too.
I know for a fact (without the stats to back it up unfortunately) that the tinnitus rate among professional musiciscians are very high 
better safe then sorry, frank! |
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Carl
- A 'Fifth' Catholic -
Ireland
11546 Posts |
Posted - 03/16/2007 : 08:53:07
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| Mike Patton wears ear plugs, I believe. |
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gapu
- FB Fan -
Austria
106 Posts |
Posted - 03/16/2007 : 09:47:14
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quote:
Originally posted by Douglas
quote:
Originally posted by gapu
interessting! wonder what the volume is like for the band when they are on stage...
Maybe the volume is tolerable on stage, but it's definately worth protecting your hearing anyway.
When I was in middle school they showed us this informational video featuring Lars Ulrich of Metallica where they mesured the volume by his drums. It was so loud you could get severe hearing damage in under 15 minutes.
I always used to wear ear plugs when going to concerts, but now I find it I'm always drunk so it doesn't hurt my ears (as in isn't as painful) so much nowadays. Really stupid of me, 'cause the ears are still as vulnerable.
I think it's hard to perform with ear plugs. It's usually hard enough without 'em to get the sound guy to tweak the monitors so that you hear every part of the band ok. With ear plugs I think it's nearly impossible. And I can't imagine what it's like if you're expected to be singing too.
I know for a fact (without the stats to back it up unfortunately) that the tinnitus rate among professional musiciscians are very high
better safe then sorry, frank!
absolutely right!
i'm playing drums and i really know about the volume it makes! i could never notice any ear ringings/damages. but i wanted to protect my ears anyway, cause even if you don't notice anything that doesn't mean that it's harmless! i started to wear these ear protections after one year drumming.
it is completely different to play with and without them. when you use them the sound is so much different. i really can believe that the soundguy can get just very hardly a good sound for the monitors, which is generally a hard job. |
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coastline
> Teenager of the Year <
USA
3111 Posts |
Posted - 03/16/2007 : 10:17:08
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Ignorant question here, and possibly off-topic: Why are some drummers walled off with plexiglas on stage? These last few posts about drummers and noise reminded me that I've always wondered that.
Grand Marnier and a pocketful of speed. We did it all day until we started to bleed. |
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Grotesque
= Cult of Ray =
France
777 Posts |
Posted - 03/16/2007 : 14:43:39
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I play drums and I did motice damage: a biiiiip all of the time and one ear that cant hear anymore some high frequencies (the ear that was on the snare side).
But from some of my friends who had SERIOUS hear damage (days at the hospital, cortizone...) I learnt that sometimes it's not the loudest show that will destroy your ears. It's the high frequencies and weird distorded noises that are the worst, you know, like experimental techno, arshnoise... When it sounds like XSRZTSXZTSXZTSCZTX...
Well... I guess sometimes Santiago sounds just like that. |
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danjersey
> Teenager of the Year <
USA
2792 Posts |
Posted - 03/16/2007 : 17:45:03
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| frank said that maybe singing helps. the drums that is. the jaw acting as a release valve for ear canal. |
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mixedbizz
- FB Fan -
USA
176 Posts |
Posted - 03/16/2007 : 20:47:44
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I'm pretty sure I lost a little hearing range at a Denton, Texas Frank Black show in the mid-nineties (courtesy Mr. Lyle Workman). It was worth every decibel.
Hey, you only live once (as far as I know). |
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Jefrey
= Cult of Ray =
USA
918 Posts |
Posted - 03/16/2007 : 22:05:27
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For sure drummers really must wear ear protection because they're always a foot away from the loudest instrument no matter what! That's what I meant about "on stage you're farther from the amps and drums". In a practice room, you more likely to get hearing damage from the drums than anything else because the room is usually pretty small, so you;re getting both the direct noise from the drum plus all the reflections off the walls.
I'm talking about the rest of the musicians - on stage it really isn't loud. In fact, that's why you're always hearing the musicians to turn the monitors up, or turn up something in the monitors - because you can;t hear the other instruments very well. Sometimes you even need some drums in the monitors (especially if you're the bass player) because the drums are behind you whereas in practice you're usually facing the drummer.
As far as the plexiglass, it's to isolate the sound of the drums from the other stage mics or vice versa (or other noise like fans if there is a hot light show going on). They do this more often in the studio so the musicians can play together live in the same room but not have the sound bleed into the other mics.
And yeah, it's definitely the high frequencies that get you. That's why just a little tissue or toilet paper will do the trick rather than full on ear-plugs. It seems to filter off the highs pretty well and still let in the lows. So you get to hear the power of rock, but no long term hearing damage! Works for me anyway.
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jeffamerica
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frankoholic
- FB Fan -
Belgium
38 Posts |
Posted - 03/17/2007 : 00:41:14
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| It's a bit different for singers. Because the open their mounths a lot the damage to the ears isn't that bad as for other musicians. Still damaging though. Or so I was told. |
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2Strings
- FB Fan -
United Kingdom
50 Posts |
Posted - 03/17/2007 : 06:31:57
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I have tinnitus and it sucks. My ears have always been dodgy since i was young (lots of ear infections etc..) and i went to some very loud rock shows in my early teens - due to having an older brother who was a metal head at the time. I also used to play drums which no doubt made matters worse. For me it's not really a 'ringing' sound it's more like a very high pitched hiss, similar to the noise a cathode ray tube makes. 90% of the time i don't notice it when there is everyday background noise going on, but when i go to bed it's very irritating.
I play bass guitar now and usually practice through headphones because the noise travels too easily and i don't want to annoy people, but i certainly take care of my hearing now. One mistake i did make though was going to see Tool in June last year and forgot to take ear plugs.... |
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Carl
- A 'Fifth' Catholic -
Ireland
11546 Posts |
Posted - 03/17/2007 : 12:21:23
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| Sorry to hear that, 2Strings. I can imagine it's more prevlent when quiet. |
Edited by - Carl on 03/17/2007 12:21:55 |
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Erebus
* Dog in the Sand *
USA
1834 Posts |
Posted - 03/17/2007 : 12:29:31
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I've long been surprised I apparently haven't suffered significant ear damage. Like most of us here I've been to my share of loud shows, sometimes unnecessarily loud. One Ramones show had me looking for a hole to crawl into. And I was in the army, what with a firing range full of M16s many times, which is fun. Maybe the best thing about the army is the weapons. Yes, I may be crazy.
Never have used headphones much, or spent much time in studios, but then I also have never taken hearing protection to a show. I'm a guy who still tends to reduce the treble on what he hears, whether at home or in the car, because it assaults my ears. Never have liked having my senses lacerated. There are bands I really don't like that much simply because they are so trebly. "Television" comes to mind, though trusted friends tell me they're an important band, and I am a fan of Richard Hell. It's like painters that typically use garish colors. One suspects their retinal cones lack sensitivity.
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Carl
- A 'Fifth' Catholic -
Ireland
11546 Posts |
Posted - 03/17/2007 : 12:45:10
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| Your ears are always fucked after a loud concert. EVn the next day, you get that numb hiss. |
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Grotesque
= Cult of Ray =
France
777 Posts |
Posted - 03/17/2007 : 13:26:44
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quote:
[i]Originally posted by Jefrey
And yeah, it's definitely the high frequencies that get you. That's why just a little tissue or toilet paper will do the trick rather than full on ear-plugs. It seems to filter off the highs pretty well and still let in the lows. So you get to hear the power of rock, but no long term hearing damage! Works for me anyway.
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jeffamerica
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Bout the toilet paper make sure you can get it back, it can goes really deep in there (even little bits sometimes). Then, you dont notice it, but when you go swiming the paper inside drinks all the water and when you get out of the water you're def !!! Really strange when it happens to you. |
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floop
= Wannabe Volunteer =
Mexico
15297 Posts |
Posted - 03/17/2007 : 13:34:27
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a few months ago i was experiencing pretty severe symptoms of tinnitus for an extended period of time. i listen to music loud and often wear head phones at work listening to sound. it really freaked me out. i went to the doctor and he determined that my sinusus were clogged or something (i don't have allergies, but i guess they were acting up).. anyway, i took this nose spray stuff and eventually it went away.
but it did freak me out enough to want to protect my ears more. hearing loss is one thing. but tennitus is a whole other thing that you don't want to get.
kids, turn your music down!
jamming good with Weird and Gilly |
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mixedbizz
- FB Fan -
USA
176 Posts |
Posted - 03/17/2007 : 20:18:39
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| If you're gonna lose your hearing, Frank Black & co. is not a bad way to go. |
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gapu
- FB Fan -
Austria
106 Posts |
Posted - 03/18/2007 : 01:53:20
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5 years ago i used to turn the headphones as loud as they get when i was listening music with my discman... wow, how stupid!
i am lucky that i do not have any damage from it or from playing drums |
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Jefrey
= Cult of Ray =
USA
918 Posts |
Posted - 03/18/2007 : 23:52:51
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quote:
Originally posted by floop
kids, turn your music down!
jamming good with Weird and Gilly
Yeah, that's what Jonathan Richman said. These things are really up to your personal choices. When you're young, you think you have forever to damage yourself, so it's no big deal. You have to pay the piper sooner than your think, whether it's smoking or listening to music too loud. You can tell when you're damaging yourself.
So kids, listen to the old fogies. When you're 35 and have tinnitus, you still have a hell of a long time to live in pain - so decide if it's worth it or not to miss few dB's at a concert!
Sometimes it really is worth it to just get blown away by the rock, but if you're uncomfortable out there you have to know in the back of your mind that you'll eventually pay the price.
Really, just a dab of tissue in the ear - not even pushed in, just kind of floating there - can make all the difference in filtering out those high frequencies. And it can usually make it easier to hear the vocals as a bonus.
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jeffamerica
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frank_black_francis
= Cult of Ray =
Canada
895 Posts |
Posted - 03/19/2007 : 01:51:59
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quote:
Originally posted by Apesy
How in the name of Mission of Burma does the guy not have tinnitus?
I discovered the joys of Tinnitus after a Cult of Ray show here in Montreal. First Jonny Polonsky played very loud and then the man played Really Really loud for an hour and a half after.
After leaving the show I heard what sounded like an amplifier buzzing...the next morning and for the next few months I heard ringing in my ears all day (more like an electronic hiss than a ringing).
Still, it was a really good show. Been using earplugs for the man ever since.
Just a warning: Wear earplugs if you go to a Blues Explosion show also. |
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coastline
> Teenager of the Year <
USA
3111 Posts |
Posted - 03/19/2007 : 03:25:26
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quote:
Originally posted by frank_black_francis
quote:
Originally posted by Apesy
How in the name of Mission of Burma does the guy not have tinnitus?
I discovered the joys of Tinnitus after a Cult of Ray show here in Montreal. First Jonny Polonsky played very loud and then the man played Really Really loud for an hour and a half after.
After leaving the show I heard what sounded like an amplifier buzzing...the next morning and for the next few months I heard ringing in my ears all day (more like an electronic hiss than a ringing).
Still, it was a really good show. Been using earplugs for the man ever since.
Just a warning: Wear earplugs if you go to a Blues Explosion show also.
I, too, had a ringing in my ears after a Cult of Ray show. Stupidly, I stood directly in front of a huge speaker next to the stage. My buddy, who appreciates FB but isn't a fan, was much smarter and enjoyed the show from the bar in the balcony. I'm sure the sound up there was much clearer. For whatever reason, I felt like I had to be within sweating distance of The Man. My ears paid the price.
Grand Marnier and a pocketful of speed. We did it all day until we started to bleed. |
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Grotesque
= Cult of Ray =
France
777 Posts |
Posted - 03/19/2007 : 08:33:22
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In a interview, FB said he thought most of the rock bands played way too loud, that it was stupid and useless, and that music doesnt depend on the volume.
But when he's playing, that's the sound ingenior who decides. A band can play with a really tiny sound, or average, then the sono will make it huge and loud. I hate most of the sound ingeniors. They want the big drum to sound LOW like a techno machine, the snare high and they put a little reverb without asking. Ah... and they make people def (and themselves too). |
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pixiestu
> Teenager of the Year <
United Kingdom
2564 Posts |
Posted - 03/19/2007 : 09:41:40
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I think he's got a good point. I hate it when bands play too loud, it actually ruins it a bit. It is useless.
"The arc of triumph" |
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PixieSteve
> Teenager of the Year <
Poland
4698 Posts |
Posted - 03/19/2007 : 10:29:08
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god, this thread is full of whining...
FAST_MAN RAIDER_MAN - June 19th |
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Grotesque
= Cult of Ray =
France
777 Posts |
Posted - 03/19/2007 : 10:43:09
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I think the FIRST time you hear a BIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIP during two days, you tend to whin a little. "My ears, my poor ears. All those sounds I'll never be abble to hear again!"
Then you got it all of the time and get used to it. Just think to something else. And remember the golden rule of half def people: you only notice it when it's quiet ! |
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TRANSMARINE
* Dog in the Sand *
USA
2002 Posts |
Posted - 03/19/2007 : 12:06:05
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I think this thread is just plain eerie.
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His name is Dalton. He's got a degree in philosophy.
-bRIAN |
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PixieSteve
> Teenager of the Year <
Poland
4698 Posts |
Posted - 03/19/2007 : 12:12:31
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quote:
Originally posted by TRANSMARINE
I think this thread is just plain eerie.
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His name is Dalton. He's got a degree in philosophy.
-bRIAN
you win
FAST_MAN RAIDER_MAN - June 19th |
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frank_black_francis
= Cult of Ray =
Canada
895 Posts |
Posted - 03/20/2007 : 01:01:22
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quote:
Originally posted by Grotesque
BIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIP
Exactly! |
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Grotesque
= Cult of Ray =
France
777 Posts |
Posted - 03/20/2007 : 07:15:21
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quote:
Originally posted by PixieSteve
quote:
Originally posted by TRANSMARINE
I think this thread is just plain eerie.
you win
FAST_MAN RAIDER_MAN - June 19th
What's "eerie" ? I just know the TV show Eerie indiana but the word... it means strange, isnt it ?
Anyway, it may be whinny and old fashioned to complain about noise damages but also there is a classic macho attitude that says "Fuck it this is not rock'n'roll, I'll fuck up my ears till I have to stay 3 weeks at the hospital and maybe stay 98% def. Oh, and by the way, I'll jump in the pool from my destroyed hotel room..."
Well, anybody can do what he wants. |
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coastline
> Teenager of the Year <
USA
3111 Posts |
Posted - 03/20/2007 : 07:18:07
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I think that's a play on the word "ear."
Grand Marnier and a pocketful of speed. We did it all day until we started to bleed. |
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Topic |
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Frank's Hearing: A Guy With No Ear?
