News Archive May 2011

Paul Stanley Warns Teens About Danger Of Hearing Loss: KISS Singer Headlines 'Sound Rules'
From: NYDailyNews.com

by Ethan Sacks
Posted: May 5, 2011

The irony isn't lost on Paul Stanley that the man who sang "Shout It Out Loud" is crusading to warn teens about the dangers of hearing loss.

But the KISS lead singer says he's joining forces with the non profit House Research Group precisely because some of his fans will listen to his warnings.

"I think what young people don't realize is that when you lose your hearing you don't get it back and there are easy ways of preventing that from happening," Stanley tells The News.

"If I want to listen to music loud, I slip in earplugs under my earphones," he says. "I can still turn my brain into a milkshake without melting my ears."

Stanley says he was especially jarred to learn that hearing loss has gone up 30% in just the last 15 years among teenagers. He thinks about it everytime he sees young fans walking down the street with earphones plugged in.

And most concerts, KISS' included, are amped to roughly 105 decibels, he says.

That's loud enough to damage hearing in just four minutes - the length of his band's hit, "God of Thunder."

It's a very personal issue for the 59-yearold Stanley. He was born deaf in his right ear.

"You never miss what you haven't had," says Stanley. But he quickly adds that the condition made him pay a heck of a lot attention to protecting his left ear.

Stanley headlines "Sound Rules! A Sound & Hearing Celebration," 3:30 p.m. - 5:30 p.m. today at the Director's Guild of America Theatre, 110 W. 57th St. (Visit soundrules.org for information on free tickets.)

But it's not all work for the native New Yorker - he's also looking forward to wolfing down some real pizza and shopping for guitars on 48th St.

He worked as a taxi driver before breaking big with friend Gene Simmons and their band. "I remember driving people in my cab to see Elvis, and I thought to myself, 'One of these days other people will be taking cabs to see me'," he says.

"And it happened."