Truth be told, I blame Blue Öyster Cult. Most of the frustrating and painful auditory issues I suffer from as an old man (I believe) are a direct result of the brutal punishment I endured from attending numerous BÖC concerts as a teenager. The unrelenting kick and snare assault at the hands (and feet) of drummer Albert Bouchard would pierce my skull for 75 minutes at a time — leaving me with (an estimated) 67% hearing loss. Also, the ungodly decibel level at which the keyboard work of Allen Lanier was unleashed over the band’s mega-watt sound systems ultimately would affect my equilibrium throughout this life, and possibly the next. And as I would learn (the hard way), choosing to purchase and consume pharmaceuticals from unlicensed reps in the parking lot at any BÖC show never would prove...
