Legendary Drummer Kicks Off Energizer® EZ Change® It's Hip to Hear™ Program by Hosting "World's Quietest Concert" at Rock and Roll Hall of FameSt. Louis, April 11, 2005 - After years of entertaining the baby boomer generation, rock musician Mick Fleetwood is now drumming out an important message for his fans' hearing health - how to keep rockin' responsibly.
The Fleetwood Mac icon and Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Inductee is teaming up with the popular hearing aid battery manufacturer to kick off the Energizer® EZ Change® "It's Hip to Hear™" program. Fleetwood launches the national cause-related initiative today at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum. The program educates baby boomers and music fans about the importance of hearing loss prevention and treatment, offering practical, everyday solutions to preserving hearing health.
"Having spent my career behind a drum set, I know how hazardous noise - including music - can be to your hearing," said Fleetwood. "But musicians aren't the only ones affected by hearing loss - there are millions of baby boomers who have experienced some form of damage. That is why I'm encouraging people to listen to loud music responsibly, so they can hear it for years to come."
Although hearing loss is an issue this group is often quick to dismiss, they have more reasons now than ever to acknowledge it. After spending decades at rock concerts, listening to blaring car stereos, and enjoying the newest home theater systems, boomers are feeling the effects of hearing loss - which are often cumulative, permanent and in most cases, irreversible.
Despite the fact that more than 16 million boomers have some degree of hearing damage, only one percent of this group cites hearing loss as a health concern, according to a survey conducted by Energizer. The reality is that there are more baby boomers aged 46-64 with hearing loss than there are people over the age of 65 with this condition,i and there is 26 percent more hearing loss among baby boomers than in previous generations.ii
Legendary rocker Mick Fleetwood takes part in the "World's Quietest Concert" on Monday, put on by Energizer at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum in Cleveland. The event kicked off the Energizer EZ Change "It's Hip to Hear" program, a national hearing health campaign aimed at educating baby boomers and music fans everywhere about rocking responsibly to prevent hearing loss.
"As a hearing health professional, I witness how detrimental hearing loss is to an individual and his or her family," said Pam Mason, director of Audiology Professional Practices with the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA). "We're thankful to Energizer for urging people to "tune in" to this health issue with everyday practices that can help prevent hearing loss. The "It's Hip to Hear" campaign makes the issue of hearing loss relevant by appealing to the boomer generation's love of music and technology."
To turn up the volume on "responsible listening" and reach out to an even broader audience, Energizer EZ Change is producing the "world's quietest concert." Hosted by Mick Fleetwood at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum, the event features a special performance by an up-and-coming rock band called the Eagles of Death Metal. The concert audience will hear the band's live vocals and music simulcast through portable FM radio headsets, rather than speakers or amplifiers used in traditional concerts.
"Instead of rocking out to standard 110-130 decibel levels, this concert will be so quiet, the applause will be the loudest part of what you're hearing," Fleetwood said. "Our point? You can enjoy the music and the experience while being good to your ears at the same time."
In fact, there are several ways to reduce the risk of hearing loss without taking the fun out of everyday activities. Mason says that the single most important step to preventing hearing loss is getting hearing tested once every year or two, after age 30. She also urges her patients to wear hearing protection, such as noise canceling earphones or headphones when listening to portable music players or mowing the lawn; purchase quiet household equipment, such as noise-limiting hairdryers; and take action to regulate the volume of stereos and televisions, for parents and children alike.
An audience of 200 students from Cleveland State University rocked out to the "World's Quietest Concert" as part of Energizer's "It's Hip to Hear" program, a national hearing health campaign that educates people about rocking responsibly. Up-and-coming rockers Eagles of Death Metal performed as the audience listened to a simulcast performance broadcast through portable FM music players instead of speakers.
After the concert event, Energizer is providing opportunities for boomers and their families to learn more about their hearing health so they can protect it. Energizer is unveiling two exhibits at the Rock Hall that will educate visitors about music, technology and hearing. The Energizer EZ Change "It's Hip to Hear" program's Sound Check exhibit is an interactive kiosk that allows visitors to guess the lyrics of famously misunderstood songs, learn about the latest hearing technology and ways to listen to music responsibly.
Powered in part by Energizer® e2® Titanium Technology® batteries, the second exhibit is called Listen to the Music: Rock and Roll and the Evolution of Audio Technology. It examines the development of audio technology over the last century, its impact on the evolution of rock and roll and on the experience of listening to rock music.
In addition to the Museum exhibits, the program also features a free Energizer EZ Change "It's Hip to Hear" Survival Guide that provides insight from Fleetwood and information on everyday lifestyle changes that can help prevent hearing loss. The brochure is available free of charge on Energizer's web site, at the Museum, in audiologists' offices, and at retailers where hearing aid batteries are sold.
"We're extremely excited to be educating consumers about hearing loss through the Energizer EZ Change "It's Hip to Hear" program," said Ernie Petrus, director of marketing for Energizer Miniature Batteries, U.S. "With Mick Fleetwood's help, we are reaching music fans directly through the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum, while supporting groups like ASHA to reach people across the country on a grass-roots level."
A young rock fan wearing an headset, right, listens to the Eagles of Death Metal perform during the "World's Quietest Concert," put on by Energizer at the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland, Monday, April 11, 2005. The event featured an audience that heard the concert through the headsets, instead of the usual loud amplifiers traditionally used during concerts.
Energizer is proud to support ASHA and other non-profit organizations that promote the quality of hearing health, and is providing a monetary donation to the organization for May's Better Hearing and Speech Month. To get your hearing checked by an ASHA-certified audiologist in your area, go to www.asha.org. To request a free Survival Guide, go to www.energizer-ezchange.com.
About Energizer® EZ Change®
Energizer EZ Change is the world's only hearing aid battery dispenser, which allows hearing aid users to insert their batteries precisely without having to handle the tiny batteries or tabs. This eliminates the frustration of dropping, fumbling and losing the small batteries and makes it possible to change them quickly and conveniently. Energizer EZ Change is manufactured by St. Louis, Mo.-based Energizer Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: ENR), one of the world's largest manufacturers of primary batteries and flashlights and a global leader in the dynamic business of providing portable power. In addition, Energizer is the parent company of Schick-Wilkinson Sword, the second largest manufacturer of wet shave products in the world. Visit www.energizer.com for more information.
About ASHA
The American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) is the national professional, scientific, and credentialing association for more than 115,000 audiologists, speech-language pathologists, and speech, language, and hearing scientists. Audiologists specialize in preventing and assessing hearing disorders as well as providing audiologic treatment including hearing aids. Speech-language pathologists identify, assess, and treat speech and language problems including swallowing disorders. For more information, log on to ASHA's Web site at www.asha.org or call the Action Center at 1-800-638-8255.
About the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum
The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum exists to educate its visitors, fans and scholars from around the world about the history and significance of rock and roll music. The Museum carries out this mission through its efforts to collect, preserve, exhibit and interpret this art form. The Museum is open seven days a week from 10:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. On Wednesdays the Museum is open until 9:00 p.m. Museum admission is $20.00 for adults, $14.00 for seniors (60+), $11 for children (9-12) and children under 8 and Museum members are free. For more information, visit www.rockhall.com.
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i Self Help for Hard of Hearing People, Inc.
ii National Center for Health Statistics
