July 2, 2007 15:55

Gigs will make you go deaf: official

New study shows what rock shows do to our ears

A study published today (July 2) describes how almost seven in ten of people who go to gigs suffer hearing damage as a result.

The Royal National Institute for the Deaf (RNID) report that 68 per cent of people who go to gigs experience hearing damage afterwards, such as dullness of hearing or tinnitus – a constant ringing sound in the ear.

Hearing can be damaged by noises above 85 decibels, so with the average gig clocking in at 100 decibels, the findings come as no surprise.

Pete Townsend, guitarist with The Who, suffers from deafness after a lifetime of rock and is one star who has highlighted the problem.

Last year the star said he feared there was “terrible trouble ahead” for the music-loving younger generation, especially for those who use iPods with headphones.

Similarly, Brian Chippendale, drummer with hyper-loud US rock duo Lightning Bolt, is practically deaf and hears constant ringing in his ears due to the extreme noise his band makes. “Sometimes I lie in bed with my girlfriend and all I can hear is hissing,” he said in a past interview.

The RNID is recommending noise exposure levels for gig venues, and that fans use re-usable earplugs at gigs for protection.