Hearing Loss and Hearing Aids with Alice Cooper

Hearing Loss and Hearing Aids with Alice Cooper

Rockstar legend Alice Cooper is back on tour and not letting hearing loss get in his way. He talks with Dave about how hearing loss is an unfortunate reality for many professional musicians — particularly rockers from his generation — and shares stories from his long and storied career, including working with Johnny Depp and Paul McCartney. A proud wearer of “clearing aids,” Alice encourages young musicians to put their hearing first and not let the stigma of hearing aids and hearing protection be a barrier to better hearing health.

00:00 Introduction
02:33 Rockstars and their hearing
03:21 Differentiating yourself as an artist
04:51 Alices' music defies description
10:32 Alice meets Bill and Tani Austin
13:08 Musicians and hearing loss
18:56 Alice and his Starkey hearing aids
24:38 Solid Rock Foundation

[starkeyhearingaids]

What was your favorite part of Dave's conversation with Alice Cooper? Let us know below! #HearBetterLiveBetter

[flyonwall]

Now, this was a great interview. I remember as a kid in the 70s, we would get stoned and play Alice Cooper's Telephone is Ringing on 78. But, on a serious note, as an art major and guitar player, I always knew the importance of protecting your ears. In the 1980s, I joined the Army for college money and had no idea that I would suffer with permanent hearing loss. Hearing protection was always a big part of Army training. However, hearing protection does not stop the concussion from a 105mm howitzer. Half of what I used to hear was tinnitus. I was about to give up playing guitar, and then I received a new set of hearing aids from the VA. Unlike my old hearing aids that amplified everything, these are full-blown sound processors. I even have an app to control everything. Now I can hear things that the other band members can't. God bless Alice Cooper for his involvement with hearing awareness.

[BlaiseDelfino]

Love this conversation between Alice and Dr. Fabry!

[winstonsizemore]

I started listening to Alice Cooper when I was 11, they quickly became my favorite band. And still are. Alice himself is truly a fine human being. I had a happenstance meeting with a beautiful woman late night at an exclusive Asian restaurant in Atlanta. She was stunningly beautiful and started to tell me her life story. She came from a horrible broken home with a drug-addicted mother, in fact at 18 she was running away and cutting through the corner of a golf course. Alice was playing golf and saw her, hey you yeah you come here! He said to her. As soon as he realized her situation and heard her story he took her in. She said that he gave her work working for his label and really gave her a life. Allowing her to move forward in life go back to school and have children and be successful. I'm sure there's so many more great needs that Alice has done that no one knows about. But I felt it was my duty to bring at least this Jewel for about this great human being an artist. Much love to you❤

[kevinbarry]

I've interviewed several hundred music artists and performers--including Alice in 1989. Alice is one of the nicest, funniest, and most down to earth people on the planet. God speed Alice!

[dwhilmer]

I'm 72 now, I saw Alice in 1971 in Denver when he was touring the Killer shows. He is still my all-time favorite Rock star. As a drummer, I've never played or covered any of his songs. Only with ear buds playing my kit to some of his old songs, mostly from the Killer album. I did go to his bar in Phoenix in about 2001 or 2. There was a special room I stayed in and enjoyed for over an hour. Never even got a drink.

[ellenengbers]

My husband is looking at Starkey for his first hearing aids. Sold!! God bless you all~

[highbidder]

I slammed Bass, Guitar, Drums in bar bands all my life and was a Beatle's baby. Now I'm 70 years. I went through the same story. My wife of 50 years finally talked me into hearing aids and the hole world opened up. I was missing so much. The story of Alice is the same thing of what happened to me in my past. Now I can hear.

[lnywstu]

Good interview and discussion with two people who know what they are talking about. I helped on a Starkey mission in Peru in 2016 and it was very much as Alice describes. Those little 90 year-old grandmas were very gracious and got a kick out of an almost 60 year-old American white guy who spoke Spanish. And, most importantly, I received blessings by the sign of the Cross after hugs; a very powerful and moving experience I was very humbled and grateful for, and still am.

[davidanderson]

I had temporary tinnitus after concerts from my 20's. It would always disappear the next day until one day I went shooting. I only had earplugs and emerged with permanent tinnitus. I can't empathize how much hearing aids help. Nice interview. I have the Costco behind the ear ones and wish I could go to a small shop that has all the latest and greatest hearing instruments.

[mr.g]

My main man always. I'm going to have "I am Made of You" at my funeral. Love this man and so glad he is a professing Christian.

[DonHalli]

What a great person Alice Cooper is! Brilliant interview.

[ListenCarefullyOrg]

EXCELLENT episode, Dr. Fabry and Alice!

[jazminratzlaff]

Great conversation, love Alice Cooper! A true artist and actor/ rock and roll icon in every sense of the word. His sense of humour is so awesome! 😍🥰😘👑⚜️🏆🌟✨🤩💎 👂🏻 🤣😂😆🖤

[jeffj]

I've love Alice Cooper from the 60s. Great guy.

[JaySmith-utwf]

Great interview! I’m retired and disabled at 68 years old. I started in High School and College playing then running sound for bands. This went on for about 20 years. I also worked in an Aluminum factory for 37 years. Both careers led to about a 50-60% hearing loss. I’ve also been a Professional Nikon Photographer since the 1970’s. In the beginning I shot major Rock Concerts like Led Zeppelin and The Rolling Stones with no hearing protection. I now for the last 21 years have been a Volunteer for the WVDNR and the OHDNR doing Bald Eagle nesting research. My wife talked me into going to have a hearing appointment with my local Audiologist. I ended up with the Starkey AI hearing aids. It was life changing. I can hear things that I had forgotten were all around me, like the small songbirds but more importantly, I now can hear everything that my very small Grandchildren say to me. I had forgotten what it was like to hear everything around me at normal volumes! Thank you Starkey for such a great product!
Jay Smith👍❤️🎶🦻🏻😊🙏

[NICKAnthonyHeadway]

Alice is a smart dude can really listen to him all day

[skeeterman]

The first thing out of Coopers mouth was his dissatisfaction with battery life. I’ll never give up my 10 year old Halos that lasts 7 days on one battery. The Halo is smaller than any of your new versions too. No recharging required. The worst thing Starkey did was to go rechargeable. Causing us to lug around a separate charger. These Halos are excellent and extremely durable. BTW, I’m a musician.

[billkirchner]

Very good interview, Dave & A.C. !! I picked up my first guitar in 1954. Played in bands since 1959. Met well over 100 famous people and musicians. Got married in 1968 and we're still together (56 years). My hearing loss started about 25 years ago, and am glad I found the Starkeys brand. About every 7 or 8 years, I advance to the latest tech - but nothing has made my tinnitus completely go away. Maybe the next pair that I get (March of 2025) will come closer.

[kennymik]

So cool on several levels!!! Thank you for sharing.