Post by : Lui-SZ  
  Date : May 2004  
  Subject : Personal  
  Title : Ear TRAUMA  
         
  QUESTION:  
 
Hey Marty, what's going on, man?

In the last months I've been playing in a new band, we play really LOUD Metal (and Funky Fusion as well) at high levels of volume, just like small-concerts levels... So, in the last weeks I began to have a CONSTANT high-frequency noise in my ears, and I've noticed I began to loose some sensitivity and audition capability, specially on high-end frequencies (common, I know ear-cells are the most sensitive to HF, 'till they dead).

Is well known you like to play REALLY REALLY LOUD, isn't it? (WOW!, 300 true-tube-Watts on your Crate, I just CAN'T Imagine being in front of that... of that.)
So my question is: (After All those years of constant Lives and rehearsals, just in front of those Crate cabinet-Walls at THAT EXTREME LEVELS)...
**Do you have any serious ear-trauma or syndrome? (I know so many electric musicians with really serious problems about that)
**Do you use some earplugs or something else to protect your ears, or audition health? (I hate them, I think they absolutely kill the tone)
**If not... How the Hell you can do it without melting your eardrums and keep yourself Alive!!???? (JAJAJAJAJAJAJAJAJA)

Thanks in advance for your time!, and excuse me for my rusted English.
Best Luck to you Marty
Luis from Spain

PS – “AI NO UTA” is one of the BEST SONGS I've ever heard!. Why? ...the fact is amazingly Simple: I-JUST-CAN'T-STOP-LISENING-THIS-TUNE, you know? (It doesn’t happens to me since “mouth for war” of PanterA) …at least 10 times a day!
((I would love to write you again, asking about the band members of Aikawa, the Bassist is AMAZING, a genius!!))
Thanks again
 
     
  MARTY'S ANSWER:  
 
I have lost about 20% of my hearing which is quite low considering the abuse my ears take. In Megadeth we used ear monitors, and our stage volume was very low compared to the volume in the house so my ears were ok. Ear monitors are the only way to protect your ears without killing the sound as you mentioned.
I felt the same way as you did about "Ai no Uta" as we were recording it. That's why I snatched up the songwriter and we have since written about 5 new songs together.
 
     
 
 
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