Tinnitus: What Is It and Which Rockers Have It?

Author Erica Banas // Rock Music Reporter

October 1st, 2019 12:19 PM

Mott the Hoople ’74 announced that they were forced to cancel their upcoming U.S. tour dates due to Ian Hunter suffering from “a severe case of tinnitus,” but what exactly is tinnitus?

Per the Mayo Clinic, tinnitus is a phantom ringing, buzzing, roaring, clicking or hissing noise that can vary in pitch, volume and can be present in one or both ears. It can also be a constant noise or come and go.

One of the biggest causes of tinnitus is exposure to loud noise, so it should come as no surprise that when it comes to this diagnosis, Hunter has some good company of fellow musicians that also have tinnitus. Check out the gallery below to see which other rockers also have tinnitus.

• Brian Johnson

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  The AC/DC singer famously stepped away from the band due to hearing loss issues in 2016. He said in an interview with 'Rolling Stone,' that he forgot to wear earplugs during a race in 2008 which resulted in tinnitus symptoms for about six to seven months.

• Eric Clapton

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  Clapton told BBC Radio 2 in January 2018, "I’m concerned with now is being in my 70s and being able to be proficient. I mean, I’m going deaf, I’ve got tinnitus, my hands just about work. I mean, I am hoping that people will come along and see me for more than that [because] I am a curiosity. I know that is part of it, because it’s amazing to myself that I am still here.”

• Pete Townshend

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  Townshend has dealt with tinnitus and partial deafness for years and uses special in-ear monitors when performing to prevent further hearing damage.
• Jeff Beck

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  In an interview with 'FUZZ' magazine in 2001, Beck said of his tinnitus, "In the last year theres been a major improvement, although it does bug me incredibly from time to time. But for me - this is personally - its definitely in proportion to the quality of sleep. The poorer the quality of sleep, the louder the tinnitus, and the more troublesome."

• Phil Collins

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  Collins is back on stage again, but one of the reasons he stepped away from tour for so many years was due to issues with tinnitus.

• Ozzy Osbourne

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  The Prince of Darkness told 'The Sunday Times,' "I suffer from permanent tinnitus . . . which means I've got this constant ringing in my ears, which has also made me somewhat deaf...It's like this Whee! noise in my head all the time. Should have worn earplugs, I guess."
• Sting

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  Sting said in a 2016 radio interview that he had begun wearing hearing aids because of the hearing loss he had from tinnitus, but there was an unfortunate side effect. "I tried wearing a hearing aid, but I heard more than I wanted to hear," said Sting. "People talk a lot of sh-t! Unfortunately, there isn’t a bullsh-t filter on hearing aids."

• Neil Young

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  Young has been dealing with tinnitus for years and once said in an interview, "“I made 'Harvest Moon' because I didn't want to hear any loud sounds. I still have a little bit of tinnitus but fortunately now I'm not as sensitive to loud sounds as I was for a year after the mixing of [1991's Neil Young & Crazy Horse live album] 'Weld.' My hearing's not perfect but it's OK."

• Huey Lewis

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  Lewis has both Meniere's disease and severe tinnitus, which led to he and The News to cancel all of their 2018 tour dates when he suddenly lost his hearing.

Author Erica Banas // Rock Music Reporter

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Tags:

Ian Hunter,Mott the Hoople,Tinnitus