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I'm partially deaf. Both my eardrums are perforated; something I only found out a few years ago. I hear fine most of the time, it's just certain frequencies are missing. Which probably explains my love for music that is overly bright and shiny - early 80s pop, Motown or records like the first Clash album - or heavy on the bass - dub reggae, dance music from the mid 90s. Occasionally when I'm drunk and lose focus I start to miss what people are saying. When I'm very drunk I stop concentrating and people's voices start to blur. But the previously low level music in the bar becomes very loud.

I suffer from tinnitus. Mostly I don't notice but late at night it sounds like somebody is playing The Jesus And Mary Chain in the next room.

My first guitar amp cost me a fiver. When you turned it up it made everything sound like The Jesus And Mary Chain. Even when you didn't want it to.

Years ago I worked at The Virgin Megastore. I was on the customer service desk and this guy wanted to return an album. He said it was a bad pressing and that he couldn't hear the songs properly. It was Psychocandy by The Jesus And Mary Chain. I laughed. A lot. He demanded to see my manager. My manager, a great guy called Geoff, laughed too. The customer looked at us both, said he would be writing to Richard Branson to complain and stormed out.

This is my favourite song from that album.

The Jesus And Mary Chain - Taste Of Cindy