Written by Maya-Rose Torrão
“The sight of ear plugs being worn across a crowd at an Elrow party or Amnesia in Ibiza may be a long time away, but with this campaign, the steps towards such a future are being made.”
The Independent
Tinnitus is a bigger issue in dance music than we’d like to admit, but three friends Matt, Oli and John, who are also the brains behind successful Watch the Hype music blog, are trying to make a positive impact on the scene with their All Ears campaign. Tinnitus is often described as ‘ringing in the ears’ but a person with this condition may also hear hissing, clicking, or whistling sounds, and can often lead to severe hearing loss. It’s also a condition that’s very difficult to pin down as its precise symptoms and triggers vary from person to person, and there’s little public awareness of what exactly tinnitus is and how it functions. Musicians, meanwhile, often have the defeatist attitude that hearing problems simply come with the territory or simply try to ignore the effects.
A whopping 10% of the British population suffer from tinnitus and we know for certain that high noise environments put you at greater risk. It’s no surprise, then, that a global roster of DJs are sufferers. DJs Carl Craig, Richie Hawtin and Erol Alkan have all spoken about their condition and the ways in which they try to cope with it. Although there are ways to cope with tinnitus, the only real ‘cure’ for tinnitus is prevention.
In 2018, you don’t have to compromise on sound quality to protect your ears; many brands provide discreet high-fidelity hearing protection that allows you to party safely, without muffling your favourite DJ’s set. All Ears has teamed up with respected company Alpine Hearing Protection, as well as with some of the UK’s biggest events and nightclubs, in order to promote safe clubbing. The three friends can be spotted at Corsica Studios, Village Underground, Oval Space, Motion and many other legendary music venues.
In conjunction with their All Ears campaign, Matt, Oli and John have connected with a whole lot of artists who suffer with tinnitus (or those who advocate the use of hearing protection) for an ongoing Tracks Of The Day takeover, themed “tracks for tired ears”. The artists will post and recommend music that helps soothe their ears in times of increased stress and tiredness.
To find out more about our the All Ears campaign, get advice for coping with tinnitus and purchase high-fidelity earplugs, check out their website here.
