Protect Your Hearing
by Pete Holly
It used to be that hearing loss was most often found in older people.Not any
longer.As the world has become a louder place so has hearing loss spread across all age
groups.The First Large group of people to suffer tramatic hearing loss at a young age
were the men in tank units in world war II.Thou many of them have passed away-
they're still a few members of tank crews who are alive.From thier testimony and
from the others who have passed on;every soldier who occupied a tank in the
second world war suffered very severe hearing damage.Some went completly
deaf but the largest percentage of tank crew members lost most of thier
hearing ability but could still fuction with hearing aids-combined with lip-reading.
In the seventies The Who held the guiness book world record for live performance
volume.Thier shows in the seventies were on average played at a sound level of
about 120 decibles.For referance that's like standing next to a large jet engine,
the kind you see on 747's,running at full power with no hearing protection.
Given enough exposure or exposure for any more than a few seconds and you
can become permantly deaf.All the members of the Who lost a great deal of thier
hearing and Pete Townsend suffers from hearing recruitment and/or hyperacousous
both of which make many sounds sound much louder than a person without hearing
damage hear them.It's as if the soundtrack of life has been permanantly turned up
to full volume and it's extrodinarly painful-causing severe headaches-loss of equalibrium-and can also cause the sufferer to expierience panic attacks-when they find
themselves in a loud environment such as busy supermarket,a sports event,or a loud party.
The combination of so many differant sounds bombarding the ears of a person with hyperacousis can cause dizzyness and an extreme feeling of disorientation.In short it's
one the most painful and difficult invisable disabilties a human can suffer from.Many sufferers
commit suicide rather than living out thier life with this disease which cause's an unberable
amount of pain and confusion.Beetoveen is probably the most well know sufferer.As his hearing
recruitment and hearing loss continued to deteriate he couldn't stand to being around other
people as more and more sound wave frequency's became extremly painful for his damaged
hearing.He became extremly irritable and it was incredibly difficult for him to keep on living
With this horrific disorder.In the end he came totally deaf.When he wrote the Famous 9th
Symphony,the greatist work of his entire career,he couldn't hear even a single note of it.
He had his piano set flat against the floor and by putting his ear to the floor he could only feel
the vibrations-and somehow he was able to use this method to compose the 9th Symphony.
But he was miserable and he let everyone know that he was miserable.These disorders are nearly impossible to live with and many sufferers are not able to live out thier lives choosing
instead to end the pain rather than go on living with it.As a sufferer of hyperacousous i can
testify to the extent that it disrupts the hearing damaged persons life.It's only by sheer luck
that i am still around to write this.
So my advice to young musicians is to take care of your hearing.When you hear your
ears ringing like the bells of St. Mary's after a concert or after you've been rehearseing with
your band or orchestra your hearing has been permanantly damaged.After a certain number
of times of this happening finally the tintinitus becomes permanant.I've had it so long that i
believe if it suddenly stopped-i'm not sure i could handle it.It Would be too foriegn to me-that
i think suddenly not hearing that constant ringing sound and the ocean sound along with it would
send me into a state of shock.
Get a pair of musicians earpugs from an audioligist-they are the best coping mechanism for
people with hearing recruitment and/or hyperacousis.They have saved my life.
Ps.Classical Musicians are just as prone to serious hearing disorders as are Rock Musicians.
Written by Pete Holly-copyright-2010-all rights reserved
Wednesday, January 27, 2010
Monday, January 25, 2010
The Greatists Recordings of All-Time
57."Goodtime Charlies got the Blue's"-Danny O' Keefe
Despite the fact that "O Keefe" is a top notch singer-songwriter up there with
the best,as far as talent goes-this is the only track that ever got alot of traction-
as far as commercial success is concerned.Regardless,the song has been covered
so many times by so many artists-many,who took straight to the top of the charts
have no doubt made Danny a small fortune.It's what's known in the business as
an "evergreen".A song that repeatadly garners more income as more artists
cover and have success with it.You could even call it a standard as far as the
American Songbook is concerned.
Beautifully written-O' Keefe's version i believe captures the songs allure
in the best articualation and emoitional pull.I saw him play it live once and it was
truelly an amazing expierience.He's also one hell of of a nice fellow.
Despite the fact that "O Keefe" is a top notch singer-songwriter up there with
the best,as far as talent goes-this is the only track that ever got alot of traction-
as far as commercial success is concerned.Regardless,the song has been covered
so many times by so many artists-many,who took straight to the top of the charts
have no doubt made Danny a small fortune.It's what's known in the business as
an "evergreen".A song that repeatadly garners more income as more artists
cover and have success with it.You could even call it a standard as far as the
American Songbook is concerned.
Beautifully written-O' Keefe's version i believe captures the songs allure
in the best articualation and emoitional pull.I saw him play it live once and it was
truelly an amazing expierience.He's also one hell of of a nice fellow.
Sunday, January 24, 2010
THE GREATIST RECORDINGS OF ALL-TIME
#56."THE SWAN"-SAINT-SAENS- VOX-CAT.#SP3 97008
"THE SWAN" is music you would hear as if waking from a pleasant
enraptured dream of love and eternal beauty.The melody floats by on gossomer butterfly wings,delicate,yet strong.It's more than music.Ballet dancers
and ice skaters have moved with grace and the fleeting nuances of a butterfly in
flight."Oksana Baul's" performance at the olympics was especially unforgetable.
Only 14 or 15 at the time she seemed to be the embodiment of Saint-Saens "Swan";her body so limber and delicate yet with a strength of a Star Shooting
across the night sky-landing where? Nobody knows but as beautiful a sight as
any human has ever imagined.Such is the inspiration of Saint-Saens "The Swan".
Written by Pete Holly-2010-copyright-all rights reserved
Friday, January 22, 2010
Sound in Film:"The Elephant Man" directed by David Lynch
It seems as if a film directors ability to create a world in film is
the primary feature of the greatist films of our time.Which you can
watch over and over again and everytime find something new.
Here's a film that achieves that goal to greatist degree i know of.
1."The Elephant Man"-directed by David Lynch
There is a fasinating element in "The Elephant Man" that takes you
directly into the time and place where the story takes place.Visually
Lynch achieves reproducing the early industrial age in London by
shooting in Black and White,and London fog plays a major role
{and/or smoke and soot}in creating the feel of that time.
But after watching the film quite a number of times i started to
notice a completly differant element that was in effect transporting
the viewer/listener directly back to the heyday of the first Industrial
age in London-"The Sounds".
Thou there is music in the film-the majority of the time we hear
the sounds of the early industrial age-the Machinery.We hear the steam of
early loud steam engines,gears clanking,and all sorts of sounds that evoke
the giant machines of the early industrial age.Once you notice all these sounds
you realize just how big a role they play in making the film participant feel
as if they are right there there in London at in that time period.It's
brilliant the way Lynch use's sound to draw us deep into the picture
until we feel as if we are as equals with the charactors in the story.We
are right there with them as if transported by a time machine.This is one
of the most masterful use's of sound in a film of all time.That the first time
you see the picture your not aware of how large a role sound is playing in
influencing your perceptions-shows the genuis of Lynch as a Film maker.
Written by Pete Holly-2010-copyright-all rights reserved
the primary feature of the greatist films of our time.Which you can
watch over and over again and everytime find something new.
Here's a film that achieves that goal to greatist degree i know of.
1."The Elephant Man"-directed by David Lynch
There is a fasinating element in "The Elephant Man" that takes you
directly into the time and place where the story takes place.Visually
Lynch achieves reproducing the early industrial age in London by
shooting in Black and White,and London fog plays a major role
{and/or smoke and soot}in creating the feel of that time.
But after watching the film quite a number of times i started to
notice a completly differant element that was in effect transporting
the viewer/listener directly back to the heyday of the first Industrial
age in London-"The Sounds".
Thou there is music in the film-the majority of the time we hear
the sounds of the early industrial age-the Machinery.We hear the steam of
early loud steam engines,gears clanking,and all sorts of sounds that evoke
the giant machines of the early industrial age.Once you notice all these sounds
you realize just how big a role they play in making the film participant feel
as if they are right there there in London at in that time period.It's
brilliant the way Lynch use's sound to draw us deep into the picture
until we feel as if we are as equals with the charactors in the story.We
are right there with them as if transported by a time machine.This is one
of the most masterful use's of sound in a film of all time.That the first time
you see the picture your not aware of how large a role sound is playing in
influencing your perceptions-shows the genuis of Lynch as a Film maker.
Written by Pete Holly-2010-copyright-all rights reserved
Friday, January 8, 2010
The Greatist Recordings of All-Time
55."Heart of the Sunrise"-Yes
Proggressive Rock had a relativily short lifespan.Yet,it did leave some really
fantastic records behind of which this is one of the best."Heart of the Sunrise"
has lost none of it's luster or ethereal magic over time.It sounds as magical
and spacey now as it did when it was first released in the 1970's.To a large
degree "Yes" is the proggressive band for all times.No other band thrived
and has kept a hold on there core audience as successfully as has "Yes".
Thier level of musianship is hard if not impossible to match,thier compositions
are full of twists and turns that defy average Pop/Rock song evaluations.
Thier lyrics are the height of proggressive rock free form poetry and have a
surreal beauty that is totally unique and powerful and"Yes" vocalist Jon Anderson still has one of the most unique,powerful and beautiful sounding voices of all-time.
Proggressive Rock had a relativily short lifespan.Yet,it did leave some really
fantastic records behind of which this is one of the best."Heart of the Sunrise"
has lost none of it's luster or ethereal magic over time.It sounds as magical
and spacey now as it did when it was first released in the 1970's.To a large
degree "Yes" is the proggressive band for all times.No other band thrived
and has kept a hold on there core audience as successfully as has "Yes".
Thier level of musianship is hard if not impossible to match,thier compositions
are full of twists and turns that defy average Pop/Rock song evaluations.
Thier lyrics are the height of proggressive rock free form poetry and have a
surreal beauty that is totally unique and powerful and"Yes" vocalist Jon Anderson still has one of the most unique,powerful and beautiful sounding voices of all-time.
Friday, December 25, 2009
The Greatist Recordings of All Time
54."I Dreamed i saw Joe Hill Last Night"-Joan Baez
Joan Baez was the 2nd performer at Woodstock 69.Ritchie Havens opened
the festival with his awesome guitar and vocal style;which at Woodstock
he seemed to even be more intense-if that's possible-than ever.He's a huge
talent with incredible ability's to improvise and mix a multitude of world
folk style's into his own unique sound.In short-he's a tough act to follow.
Joan came on the stage next and performed an incredible version of
the folk standard "I Dreamed i saw Joe Hill Last Night".Her voice is
so clear and powerful that in a sense-Joan Baez is in a class by herself.
She has the skills and power of a great opera singer-yet she choose's to
sing songs about the common working people of the world with just an
acoustic guitar to accompany her vocals.There is a purity to Joan's
performance of this classic and mesmerising folk song that the audience
at Woodstock clearly recognized.Standing in front of 500,000 people
alone on stage in the spotlight would be pretty intimitdating for the
average solo performer-but there's nothing average about Joan Baez.
She takes total command of the stage singing with such power and
confidence that i can't think of another performer who could have
taken a solo performance,under these conditions,and deliver the kind
"tour de force" performance that Joan does.Astounding,i believe,would
be the best word to describe of her performance at Woodstock.
Astounding and transendant-She take's the song to another level of
intensity and power that is truly masterful.Joan Baez gets her
message across and then some with a grace that is truely an
unforgetable expierience.
Joan Baez was the 2nd performer at Woodstock 69.Ritchie Havens opened
the festival with his awesome guitar and vocal style;which at Woodstock
he seemed to even be more intense-if that's possible-than ever.He's a huge
talent with incredible ability's to improvise and mix a multitude of world
folk style's into his own unique sound.In short-he's a tough act to follow.
Joan came on the stage next and performed an incredible version of
the folk standard "I Dreamed i saw Joe Hill Last Night".Her voice is
so clear and powerful that in a sense-Joan Baez is in a class by herself.
She has the skills and power of a great opera singer-yet she choose's to
sing songs about the common working people of the world with just an
acoustic guitar to accompany her vocals.There is a purity to Joan's
performance of this classic and mesmerising folk song that the audience
at Woodstock clearly recognized.Standing in front of 500,000 people
alone on stage in the spotlight would be pretty intimitdating for the
average solo performer-but there's nothing average about Joan Baez.
She takes total command of the stage singing with such power and
confidence that i can't think of another performer who could have
taken a solo performance,under these conditions,and deliver the kind
"tour de force" performance that Joan does.Astounding,i believe,would
be the best word to describe of her performance at Woodstock.
Astounding and transendant-She take's the song to another level of
intensity and power that is truly masterful.Joan Baez gets her
message across and then some with a grace that is truely an
unforgetable expierience.
Thursday, December 24, 2009
The Work of a Shepard and The 23rd Psalm
In biblical times if you were not a Soldier,a King,a pharisee,a stonemason,
a carpenter,an artisan,a slave,a farmer,a scribe,or a merchant-chances are you
were Shepard.The terms of a shepards work are found throughout the Bible.The
most well known is surely "The 23rd Psalm".It's one of the most well known pass-
ages in the bible and one that is often quoted.
"The lord is my shepard" it begins,"i shall not want".The rest of the psalm is
full of referances to the work that a shepard does-"Thy rod and thy staff comfort
me","thou annointest my me with oil"-both of these statements are truely a part
of a shepards everyday duties.The shepard carries a rod or a staff with a hook on
the end.At the end of each day the shepard counts and inspects each sheep and if
he finds anything unusual he will use his rod to pull the sheep aside.He will then
tend to it's wounds and annoint it's head with olive oil.
"He leadeth me beside still waters".Strangly sheep will not drink from a running
stream or any moving water.They will only drink water that is still.So this line in
the psalm is a perfect description of this special need which the shepard provides
to his flock of sheep -because he knows exactly what thier needs are and it's his
duty to provide them.
The Great book "The Oregon Desert" describes how the sheepherders in the old
day's noticed how "The 23rd Psalm" was an exact description of thier duties as a
shepards.It became a tradition to pass this knowledge on from generation to
generation,in this part of the west.
As perfect a description of a shepards work as the 23rd psalm is-it's plain to
see that the language is pointing to something much bigger than the work of any
single man or woman.It's place in the bible has a much wider meaning for all
Christian people's of the world."The lord is my shepard,i shall not want"."Surely
goodness and mercy shall follow me the rest of my days of life and i will dwell in
the house of the lord Forever".
Merry Christmas and may God Bless,
Pete Holly 12/24/2009
a carpenter,an artisan,a slave,a farmer,a scribe,or a merchant-chances are you
were Shepard.The terms of a shepards work are found throughout the Bible.The
most well known is surely "The 23rd Psalm".It's one of the most well known pass-
ages in the bible and one that is often quoted.
"The lord is my shepard" it begins,"i shall not want".The rest of the psalm is
full of referances to the work that a shepard does-"Thy rod and thy staff comfort
me","thou annointest my me with oil"-both of these statements are truely a part
of a shepards everyday duties.The shepard carries a rod or a staff with a hook on
the end.At the end of each day the shepard counts and inspects each sheep and if
he finds anything unusual he will use his rod to pull the sheep aside.He will then
tend to it's wounds and annoint it's head with olive oil.
"He leadeth me beside still waters".Strangly sheep will not drink from a running
stream or any moving water.They will only drink water that is still.So this line in
the psalm is a perfect description of this special need which the shepard provides
to his flock of sheep -because he knows exactly what thier needs are and it's his
duty to provide them.
The Great book "The Oregon Desert" describes how the sheepherders in the old
day's noticed how "The 23rd Psalm" was an exact description of thier duties as a
shepards.It became a tradition to pass this knowledge on from generation to
generation,in this part of the west.
As perfect a description of a shepards work as the 23rd psalm is-it's plain to
see that the language is pointing to something much bigger than the work of any
single man or woman.It's place in the bible has a much wider meaning for all
Christian people's of the world."The lord is my shepard,i shall not want"."Surely
goodness and mercy shall follow me the rest of my days of life and i will dwell in
the house of the lord Forever".
Merry Christmas and may God Bless,
Pete Holly 12/24/2009
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