Legendary musician Dave Grohl has discussed his hearing loss publicly for the first time. The Foo Fighters frontman has revealed that he has suffered from ringing-ear condition, tinnitus, for more than 20 years.

The 53-year-old rock star said that he has had to lipread for much of his career. He said:

“I’m f****** deaf! I haven’t had [my ears] tested in a long time — I mean, I know what they’re gonna say. You have hearing damage tinnitus in your left ear, more so than your right ear.”

Dave Grohl on The Howard Stern Show

Dave Grohl on Covid-19

Grohl also spoke about the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic. The musician went on to explain that the “worst part” of the pandemic for him is the mask-wearing, because he struggles to hear what people are saying to him through the cloth.

“The worst thing about this pandemic s***, it’s like, people wearing masks. I’ve been reading lips for like, 20 years, so when someone comes up to me and they’re like [garbled noise], I’m like, ‘I’m a rock musician. I’m f****** deaf, I can’t hear what you’re saying.”

“If you were sitting next to me right here at dinner, I wouldn’t understand a f****** word you were saying to me, the whole f****** time… There’s no way. In a crowded restaurant, that’s worse.”

However, Grohl went on to reveal that despite his hearing loss, he is still able to hear every detail of a song he constructs with his band, as evidenced by 2021’s hugely successful Medicine at Midnight.

“My ears are still tuned in to certain frequencies, and if I hear something that’s slightly out of tune, or a cymbal that’s not bright enough or something like that, in the mix, I can f****** hear the minutiae of everything that we have done to that song, I really can!”

Studio 666 keyart

Foo Fighters’ Studio 666

Foo Fighters are set to continue their winning streak with the upcoming release of Studio 666, a horror film featuring the band. The official description of the movie is as follows:

In Studio 666, Rock & Roll Hall of Famers Foo Fighters move into an Encino mansion steeped in grisly rock history to record their much anticipated 10th album. Once in the house, Dave Grohl finds himself grappling with supernatural forces that threaten both the completion of the album and the lives of the band.

Have you experience hearing loss through playing live music? Are you looking forward to the release of Studio 666? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!

Categories: Movies Music