10 Famous Musicians With Hearing Damage

Music can be plaintive, peaceful, bitter, aggressive—but most of all it can be loud. Very, very loud. Think about the best concert you ever attended. The music was delightful and immersing, but on the way back home you couldn’t manage to get that ringing out of your ears. Now, imagine the stress performance places on the musicians themselves, wailing away every night for legions of adoring fans, all the while standing next to mammoth speakers blaring for hours at a time. Yup, it can get loud out there, which can cause significant hearing damage over time for the performers. Yet these musicians managed to create immensely popular, long-lasting music, which in some cases seems like a miracle. Rock and Roll may not be noise pollution, but it sure can hurt.

10. Neil Young

One of the all-time greatest musicians and songwriters, Neil Young has left an indelible mark on the world of music, twice elected to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. He has created over thirty unique albums and contributed to countless more, all the while retaining an unusually consistent quality. With acclaimed protest songs (e.g. “Ohio”), plaintive ballads (“Heart of Gold”), and hard rock masterpieces (“Cowgirl in the Sand”), he has enjoyed unbelievable popular and critical success. Through it all, he has suffered from tinnitus, a common affliction for rock stars, that involves a persistent ringing in the ears, more often than not connected with some degree of hearing loss. In fact, his obsession with softer, acoustic music in the ‘90s may owe itself to this hearing condition.

9. Ozzy Osbourne

A pioneering force in heavy metal’s early history, Ozzy has become one of the most successful musicians of all time. In addition to his acclaimed career, with and without Black Sabbath, he also helped to revive the concert extravaganzas of recent by establishing Ozzfest, one of the most thriving concert series of all time. However, due to years of metal and, let’s say, an ‘alternate lifestyle,’ the Wizard of Ozz has suffered significant hearing loss. Watch an episode of “The Osbournes,” and you’ll know what I mean.

8. Phil Collins

With accolades ranging from Oscars to Grammys and Golden Globes, you could say Phil Collins owns an impressive array of trophies. After forming Genesis, a seminal band of the ‘70s and ‘80s, Collins enjoyed a long lasting, greatly rewarding solo career. Unfortunately, this year he announced that he would no longer tour, citing a hearing condition that has plagued the performer for years. That said, I believe “Tarzan” has the greatest soundtrack ever, and on this issue I will not budge.

7. George Martin

Evidently, not only the musicians themselves are susceptible. Martin, of course, was catapulted to worldwide fame as a producer for The Beatles. Exhibiting heavy influence on the group, Martin has been referred to by various sources as the “Fifth Beatle.” Of course, he shares this ‘distinction’ with about twenty other people. Aside from working with the world’s greatest rock band, Martin also produced hits by many distinguished artists, including Elton John and America. Like Collins, Martin was recently forced to retire because his ears lost the precise touch that made the producer famous.

6. will.i.am

Critics may not necessarily believe that he is a great artist, but nobody can deny the massive influence will.i.am has exerted over the musical world, both as a founding member of The Black Eyed Peas and as a producer. He has released highly successful albums, such as Monkey Business and Elephunk, and in the latter utility has produced artists as distinguished as Michael Jackson, Rihanna and Britney Spears. According to will.i.am, every silence is interrupted by a painful ringing, which drives him to create music at all hours of the day.

5. Brian Wilson

Whereas most musicians on this page owe their hearing damage to loud music over the span of many years, Wilson has had little to no hearing in his right ear since his early days. Despite this condition, he orchestrated one of the most sonically gorgeous albums of all time, The Beach Boys’ “Pet Sounds.” Such an accomplishment was especially impressive, considering he essentially recorded them with one working ear, a fact Bob Dylan pointed out in his usual acerbic way, by saying, “Jesus, look at that ear. He should donate it to the Smithsonian.”

4. Jeff Beck

Through his fervent desire to achieve the ultimate sound, Jeff Beck has put his guitars through every possible test. His influence is expansive, branching out to heavy metal, electronica and progressive rock. He was ranked as the fourteenth greatest guitarist of all time by Rolling Stone. Here again, years of loud music day in and day out left Beck with a moderately painful onset of tinnitus. It should be noted that Beck got his big break playing lead guitar for the hugely influential Yardbirds. Of course, he replaced a legend…

3. Eric Clapton

How can one start to describe a legend? Let’s just say that Clapton made the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame three times, the only artist to accomplish this feat. By catapulting acts like The Yardbirds, Cream and Derek & The Dominoes to worldwide fame, Clapton has made a name for himself as, well, an immortal. Little did we know that he has had to face drug addiction, alcoholism and incessant tinnitus while creating such timeless music. He lived hard, he rocked hard, and now he’s hard of hearing. Much like…

2. Pete Townshend

Who? PETE TOWNSHEND! You know, that guy who composed the first rock opera, made smashing one’s guitar a cultural phenomenon, and wrote some of the most timeless songs, such as “My Generation,” “Won’t Get Fooled Again,” and “Pinball Wizard.” A penchant for being the world’s loudest band gave all four members of The Who lifelong battles with hearing loss, an issue most problematic with Townshend. The loud music, in conjunction with pyrotechnic equipment demolishing acts, such as their infamous performance on the Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour, has given the rock star a debilitating case of hearing loss. Despite this difficulty, he, like every other member of this list, has persisted, continuing to play extravagant live shows.

1. Ludwig van Beethoven

Who else but history’s most legendary deaf composer? Whereas most members of this list have dealt with frustrating inconveniences, Beethoven was completely shut off from the world of noise by 1814, although he continued creating masterpieces, such as his Ninth Symphony. Historians have debated endlessly over the cause of his deafness, pointing to potential culprits such as the high amount of lead in his body, and his ritual of dousing himself with frigid water to remain awake. Why he lost his hearing may remain a mystery; however, his music will live on forever, heard and enjoyed by every new generation.

via listverse.com

Top 10 Myths About Metal

For over 40 years people across the world have explored Metal and it’s many subgenres. So many misjudgements popped up over time that I believe it is important to let people know how misunderstood the music really is. Here are my top ten myths about Metal and the truth that comes with them. Please note that these are not my personal opinions.

10. Heavy Metal

Myth: The music is called “Heavy Metal”
So I thought I’d start you off with an easy one. Most people believe that the name of the harsh-sounding screams and heavily distorted guitars is “Heavy Metal”. In actuality, Metal has hundreds of subgenres and “Heavy Metal” is barely even one of them. Bands such as Cream, Led Zeppelin, and Black Sabbath paved the way for metal bands by creating a unique sound. But while these bands can be called heavy metal, an alarming majority of non-metalheads, especially elderly people and teenage girls, refer to all rock music as heavy metal. Simply because they know nothing of the diversity in the genre.

9. Barbarian

Myth: Metal musicians are uneducated freaks who can’t form sentences
Another common one. Most people view metal lyrics and music as simple and stupid. In reality, most metal musicians are highly intelligent, highly focused people who are capable of writing deep, meaningful lyrics and music. For example, the black metal band Bathory derived much of their music from classical composers. And most metal lyrics are surprisingly literate.

8. Anti-Religion

Myth: All metal is against religion
In most non-metalhead opinions, metal bands religion deserves to be hated, but such is not the case in metal. In most cases, metal is not anti-religious in general, but it is often against Christianity or forms of Christianity. However, many artists are religious, like the American Metalcore band As I Lay Dying, or David Dramian of Disturbed. It is safe to say that Religion is not well liked in metal, but it’s not exactly hated. Although there are exceptions to all rules…

7. Satanic

Myth: Metal promotes Satanism
The genre of music that does feature lots of satanic themes and imagery is called Black Metal, derived from Venom’s thrash album; Black Metal. Although some death and thrash metal, like Slayer, Cannibal Corpse, and Morbid Angel features Satanism. However, very few black metal musicians actually have satanic beliefs, and the ones that do tend to try not to promote it.

6. Crime

Myth: Metal promotes criminal activity, like murder
While a few people in the metal community have been tied into crime and murder, only one predominant case; that of Varg Vikernes, is relevant. Most metal bands that do have violent or disturbing lyrics and imagery have stated that their content is not to be taken seriously. Most notably Cannibal Corpse, who are infamous for their lyrics, which often elaborate on the more gruesome depictions of murder, death, and sexual fetishism.

5. Sexism

Myth: Metal is sexist
While it seems that much of metal, especially in the late 80’s, was designed to trivialize sex and women, now the issue is much less common. And many bands, especially of the Black, Grind, and Doom metal genres avoid the topic of sex completely.

4. Fascist

Myth: Metal musicians have fascist, racist, or neo-Nazi beliefs
While many musicians say they believe certain races or ethnic groups are better or worse than others, and while some have legitimate beliefs, it is most common that it is part of a stage presence. A good example of this is former Gorgoroth vocalist Gaahl, who is not only homosexual, but has stated that he has racist views, but that he is not serious about them and tries not to express them openly.

3. Children

Myth: Metal is bad for children
Much of metal is oriented towards children and teens as a less serious way to cope with stress than other means available. Although people may tell you that metal poisons the minds of our children, keep in mind that those people are generally very closed-minded and don’t understand.

2. Talentless

Myth: Metal takes no skill to play
Any professional will tell you that metal and jazz are the two most difficult genres of music to play. And while it seems that metal musicians just thrash around while hiding behind distortion, the fast riffs and extreme percussion are almost always 100% real, without any synthesized material. The subgenres of music that tend to edit their music digitally are metalcore, industrial, and grind. Most everything else is legitimate.

1. Screamo

Myth: Metal vocals is just screaming
If you like metal, you’ve probably heard someone say, “Wow, can’t he actually sing?” This really annoys metalheads as it is a fact that metal vocals are extremely difficult. And while it seems like it’s effortless, metal vocals range greatly, from growling, to screaming, to shrieking, and everything in between. Next time someone says metal vocals are not singing, simple reply; “It’s just different.” So that concludes my list, and to all those who believe these stereotypes and think metal is dumb. We’ve had a great 40 years, and were getting along just fine without you.

source : http://listverse.com/2011/07/09/top-10-myths-about-metal/
Metal, Music, Hardcore, Quad Core, Metalcore, Scream, Dork, Jazz, Rap, RnB, Rapper, Bass, Guitar, Post Hardcore, Dual Core, Core 2 Duo, Vocal, VocaList, Microphone

Lagy Gaga bankrupt

Lagy Gaga bankrupt

Lady Gaga: 'I went bankrupt' and was '$3 million in debt' after extending my Monster Ball tour

There's plenty of perks that come with being one of the world's rising pop superstars, but not having to pay the bills isn't one of them.

"I actually went bankrupt after the first extension of The Monster Ball," Lady Gaga said in an interview with Stephen Fry for the Financial Times.
"And it was funny," she continued, "because I didn't know!"
Gaga described calling various people and asking, "Why is every­one saying I have no money? This is ridiculous; I have five No. 1 singles …"
"And they said, 'Well, you're $3 million in debt,' " she recounted.
At that point, the high costs associated with every revision made to her concert tour were paid for by Gaga herself.
"It's honestly true that money means nothing to me," she told Fry. "The only big things I've purchased are my dad's heart valve and a Rolls-Royce for my parents, for their anniversary."

he singer even explained that she bought the new car just so her dad would no longer have a "Lady Gaga" license plate, which caused him to get "followed everywhere"
"Other than that," she said, "I put everything in the show."
The extravagance – of everything from her stage décor to her costumes – isn't a frill that Gaga is willing to do away with anytime soon. It's art.
"I live halfway between reality and fantasy at all times because I choose to, and anyone can choose that," she explained. "I believe everybody has something so magical about themselves."
"Why, as a society, are we so afraid of magic? Why is magic synonymous with artifice? Why is the fantastic synonymous with a lie?" she wondered aloud.
"If art is a lie," she told Fry, "then I will tell that lie every day until it's f--king true."

Read more: Nydailynews

Brain-tickling optical illusions ever

Brain-tickling optical illusions ever

Psychedelic Swirl

 One of the most amazing "fake motion" illusions. Believe it or not, this is a still image! (source)

Is It Green?

 The square in the center of this image by Professor Akiyoshi Kitaoka appears to have a green tint. But is that actually its color?  (source)

On The Beach

 This is a cycling image. Focus on the red dot and wait for the image to change to a shot of the beach. It's in black and white, but it will appear to be in color because of the after-image in your eyes!(source)

Wiggling Bugs

 These 'bugs' seem to be moving, but this is actually a static image. Note that whenever you focus on a particular 'bug,' it seems to stop moving.(source)

Lots of Legs

 This image by Shigeo Fukuda is a lovely essay in balance and contrast. Where do you think one set of legs ends, and the other begins?(source)

White Circles

 This image shows the brain's tendency to "fill in" negative space with shapes. Do you see a series of white circles between the black crosses? In reality, they don't exist.(source)

Pack of Wolves

How many wolves can you see in this illustration?(source)

See the answer here

Pointing Fingers

 Can you tell which of these two fingers is pointing at the exact center the vertical line? (source)
Click here for the answer.

Squirrels

 This isn't just a picture of two squirrels on a branch. Can you see the hidden image within?(source)

Broken Grid

Stare at the center of this grid for a while, and the outer edges will seem to "repair" themselves.(source)

Mysterious Forest

 How many tigers can you see in this landscape? (source)

Two Spheres

 Here's a perspective illusion. Which of these spheres appears to be bigger? Wait for the animation to remove them from their context. Now how do their sizes compare?(source)

Mysterious Landscape

 Can you spot the mythical creature hidden in this landscape?(source)

Click here for a little help.

Mount Rushmore

 We all know the four presidents carved into Mount Rushmore, but can you spot the fifth face?(source)

Turning the matter on its side may help.

Anamorphic Edgar

 Can you spot the distorted picture of Edgar Allen Poe hidden in this illustration inspired by 'The Raven'?(source)

A metal cylinder in the center reveals the hidden portrait.

Haunted

 Scan the negative space in this whimsical illusion by Culpeo. Can you see what's haunting this fox?(source)

Click here for a little help.

Lady Gaga Hair New Song

Lady Gaga Hair New Song

Lady Gaga Wears Penis Shoes On American Idol

Lady Gaga pulled a fast one on "American Idol" producers this week, wearing a pair of booties with, well, Lucite male members for heels that made it onto viewers' screens.

Various media outlets (who probably couldn't sit through the clip) reported that GaGaloo's phallic footwear was covered up by an "Idol" logo, however, here at HuffPost Style, we powered through the entire segment -- not necessarily something we're proud of -- and you can see her see-through shafts around the 4:38 mark.
So, what's the deal with Gaga's latest style statement? They're made by Void of Course and reportedly ring in around $4,500.

Lady Gaga Sheer Blue Outfit 2011

Lady Gaga certainly knows how to raise the blood pressure of her fans.
The pop superstar dared to bare in a see-through blue dress yesterday as she posed for puictures at a photo call in Mexico city.
Leaving little to the imagination, Gaga – real name Stefani Germanotta – only had two strategically-placed pieces of striped tape preserving her modesty.

The 25-year-old superstar, who was in the Mexican capital city to promote her new album Born This Way, also debuted a new do, wearing what appeared to be a wig styled in a short bleach blonde bob with a blunt fringe.
The fringe and other strands were dyed black and she completed her wild look with her signature red lipstick, black eye make-up and a pair of outlandish platforms.
The singer recently revealed how she had witnessed the tragic events that occurred in new York on September 11 2001.
At the age of 15 Lady Gaga saw the Twin Towers collapse from the roof of her school, the Convent of the Sacred Heart in Manhattan, New York.

Lady Gaga Respond To Osama Bin Laden Death

In an exclusive new radio interview the pop queen said that Osama bin Laden’s death earlier this week was: ‘An historical moment in the fight against hatred’.
She also recalled her father, Joseph, coming to collect her from school on foot on the historic day.
The worried pair then waited in fraught desperation for ten hours before they finally learned that Gaga’s mother was safe.
The Poker Face singer’s mother Cynthia worked right across the street from the World Trade Center an had been caught in the terrible commotion ten years ago.
‘The whole city was covered in ashes,’ Gaga told the radio host Toby Knapp in the interview on Washington, DC’s Hot 99.5 on Friday.
Gaga, now 25, said she experienced conflicting feelings after she learned bin Laden had been killed.
‘It’s a difficult thing,’ she said
‘Nobody wants to celebrate anyone’s death. But I know it was something that meant a lot to the people of New York, especially those who lost loved ones that day.’
Lady Gaga is heading back to Los Angeles this weekend and will serve as the latest superstar mentor for the final four contestants on next week’s  American Idol.

 

 

Kanye West Illuminati Exposed

Kanye west, Illuminate puppet master is clearly showing that he is the devil in this video .. Just stop with the conspiracies and Enjoy good music.

lluminati Kany West runaway movie Illuminati Analysis

 

Kanye West Sold his soul illuminati

 

Source: Google & Youtube

Gaga named godmother to megastar baby

Elton John And David Furnish Confirm Lady Gaga As Godmother

This week Sir Elton John, 64, and husband David Furnish, 48, confirmed that superstar Lady Gaga is the godmother of their 4-month-old son, Zachary Jackson Levon Furnish-John.
During a "20/20" interview that aired Friday, host Barbara Walters asked the couple about their decision to select the controversial "Judas" singer for the special honor.
"A lot of people said, 'Oh, that's crazy,'" Elton revealed. "And they don't know her, and we do."
Elton suggested that the public not judge the singer born Stefani Joanne Angelina Germanotta by her stage persona alone. "When you get to the real person underneath, there's a simple girl who loves her parents," he said.
Elton And David Open Up On Fatherhood
David anticipates Lady Gaga helping navigate Zachary's future interest in music. "Zachary's going to inherit an incredible musical legacy from his father one day, and she will be a good person to guide him through the ins and outs of the music business, 'cause she sure knows everything about the business now," he said.

Clearly, Lady Gaga is not the only celebrity ever picked to oversee the physical and spiritual well being of a child in the event the parents are no longer able to do so. The following is a list, compiled by Parade magazine, of other famous godparents. Elton reportedly has several godchildren himself, among them, Brooklyn and Romeo, the sons of Victoria and David Beckham. U2 frontman Bono is the godfather to Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie's twins, Vivienne Marcheline and Knox Leon. Sting and wife Trudie Styler accepted the honor to be godparents to Madonna and Guy Ritchie's son, Rocco. The late Michael Jackson was the godfather of Lionel Richie's famous daughter Nicole.

Aside from Gaga's good news this week, she also experienced backlashes when her manager denied Weird Al's initial requests to make a parody of "Born This Way" and when she responded in an angry rant to NME when the magazine compared "Born This Way" to Madonna's "Express Yourself." But there were more shocking news stories this week. Judges in the manslaughter hearing of Michael Jackson physician Conrad Murrary will allow autopsy photos of the king of pop to be used in court. Leann Rimes wed actor Eddie Cibrian, and Rihanna tied a chart record with the Supremes.
This was a great week for news. Be sure to check back in seven days for more water cooler talk. See you then.

Source: Yahoo Music

Nicki minaj attend royal wedding

Nicki minaj attend royal wedding

Nicki Minaj is reportedly flying into the UK especially for the Royal Wedding.

The US rapper is currently on tour across America and Canada but is said to have hired a private jet to fly her in and out of the country for the special occasion, as she wants to witness the ceremony firsthand.

Minaj does not have an invite to the wedding, but has apparently booked an apartment near to Westminster Abbey, where the nuptials will take place, and from where she can watch the day's events unfold.

It is rumoured she has even selected a regal outfit to wear for her visit.

Prince William and Kate Middleton will tie the knot on Friday, April 29.

Source: ITN

Rebecca Black biography and pictures gallery 2011

Rebecca Black biography and pictures gallery 2011

 Rebecca Black (born June 21, 1997) is an American teen pop singer who gained worldwide notoriety with her 2011 single "Friday" through the record label ARK Music Factory. The song received negative critical response, with many music critics and viewers dubbing it the "worst song ever." The negative criticism and use of social media can be credited for Black's success. The music video, uploaded to YouTube, has received over 109 million views as of April 18, 2011, causing Black to gain international attention as a "viral star

 Rebecca Black was born on June 21, 1997, in Anaheim Hills, a neighborhood in Anaheim, California. She is the daughter of John Jeffery Black and Georgina Marquez Kelly, both veterinarians, and is of Spanish, Italian, Polish, and English descent. An honor student, Black studied dance, auditioned for school shows, attended music summer camps, and began singing publicly in 2008 after joining the patriotic group Celebration USA

 In late 2010, a classmate of Black and music-video client of Ark Music Factory, a Los Angeles label, told her about the company. Black's mother paid $4,000 for Ark Music to produce her daughter's music video while the Blacks retained ownership of the master. The single, "Friday," written entirely by Ark, was released on YouTube and iTunes. The song's video was uploaded to YouTube on February 10, 2011, and received approximately 1,000 views in the first month. The video went viral on Friday, March 11, 2011, acquiring millions of views on YouTube in a matter of days, becoming the most-talked-about topic on social networking site Twitter, and garnering mostly negative media coverage. As of April 18, the video had received more than 2.1 million dislikes on YouTube compared to about 290,000 likes. As of March 22, 2011, first-week sales of her digital single were estimated to be around 40,000 by Billboard. Black appeared on the March 22, 2011 episode of The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, during which she performed the single and discussed the negative reaction to it. The song has peaked on the Billboard Hot 100 and the New Zealand Singles Chart at number 58 and 33, respectively. In the UK, the song debuted at number sixty-one on the UK Singles Chart.
By March 25, Black had hired a publicist and a manager. Her manager confirmed that he has been contacted by songwriters and record labels with ideas for more songs and an album. In an interview with The Sun, Black said that she is recording a new song called "LOL," which is considered for release as a single, and material for her debut album at Flying Pig Productions studio in Los Angeles. However, on her official Twitter account, Rebecca announced that the song will not be called "LOL." At least one celebrity news website reports that no new single is in the works, citing Black's manager saying "Rebecca does not have a new single titled 'LOL.' Just to be clear she does not have any new single recorded at this time."  She is currently working without a record deal. She also said that the album would contain songs with themes similar to that of "Friday", as she wants it to be "appropriate and clean." Black teamed up with Funny or Die on Friday, April 1 for April Fools Day (the site was renamed Friday or Die) for a series of videos, including one which addresses the controversy about the driving kids in her music video, stating "We so excited about safety." She has also stated that she is a fan of Justin Bieber, and expressed interest in performing a duet with him

 Source : Wikipedia

Son writes off dad's £275,000 supercar

Son writes off dad's £275,000 supercar

20-year-old writes off dad's £275,000 supercar

It's never pleasant telling someone you've crashed their car - but imagine telling dad you've just written off his £275,000 Gumpert Apollo.
That's what a 20-year-old German man has to do - after he was lucky to escape with his life.
The man, who has not been named, was driving his father's rare supercar when he lost control of it. A 19-year-old girl was with him in the passenger seat.
Amazingly, both escaped with only minor injuries, despite the car being a complete write off.
The driver lost control of the car on a bend and came off the road, spraying parts of the car up to 100-foot away.

Police are currently investigating if excessive speed caused the crash, which happened in the German town of Brokdorf, around 50 miles north of Hamburg. The road has a 50mph limit.
The Gumpert Apollo is famous in Britain for taking the Top Gear track lap record in 2008, with a time of 1:17.1. The Bugatti Veyron Super Sport and the Ariel Atom V8 have since usurped it.
The Apollo has a 225mph top speed and is powered by a 4.2-litre twin turbo V8 engine, from Audi. Three versions are available: a basic one with 641bhp, a Sport version with 690bhp and a Race version with 789bhp. It's capable of hitting 62mph in under three seconds.

 Source : Yahoo