Sound Can Transform or Destroy

Some of the crowd crouched on the floor holding their ears. I stuffed mine with cotton and covered them with two programs and my hands. Still, most of us just stood and listened. That was The Fillmore West when Lee Michaels opened with "You Know What I Mean" on his 'beefed-up electronic organ' with pre and power amps and JBL speakers so powerful, the walls of that huge auditorium vibrated. Although less amplified Ron Wood, Ronnie Lane and Rod Stewart with The Faces followed, it's still surprising anyone left with their hearing intact.
      I love sound. Here the wind is almost as thrilling as it was in the California desert. And although thunderstorms are not as powerful or frequent as they were, they're still exquisite. Sometimes I can hear the sound of rain on the roof and wonder How can anyone not be enthralled?
     I was raised on music in the nightclubs of childhood and the many accomplished musicians and vocalists I've known. Sound is a transformative sense that can fill a day with wonder.
    So if I say that three of the most ethereal voices I've heard were, coincidentally, where I was living, I know they were extraordinary.
    Unfortunately, we are bombarded with sounds that would be better off unheard, which is when I wear the strongest earplugs and noise-canceling headphones I can find. It is well-documented that noise can not only destroy our hearing but make us ill. So listen when you can to the magic of natural sound. And remember to wear earplugs to rock, hip hop, new wave - anything but classical concerts so that like me you will still be able to appreciate the nuances of the gift of sound.