Paul Simon on his hearing loss: ‘I haven’t accepted it entirely’

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Paul Simon was at the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) over the weekend to premiere In Restless Dreams: The Music of Paul Simon, a documentary by Alex Gibney. I know Gibney for his hard hitting docs like Going Clear: Scientology and the Prison of Belief and The Crime of the Century (about the opioid crisis). But somehow I’ve missed that he’s also directed music documentaries on The Eagles, James Brown, and Frank Sinatra. And now, of course, Paul Simon. Simon and Gibney participated in a Q&A while at TIFF, where Simon spoke candidly about his hearing loss:

Paul Simon may not yet have come to terms with the hearing loss in his left ear, but he is “beginning to.” The 81-year-old singer-songwriter talked about his ailment and ability to continue performing at a post-screening Q&A for In Restless Dreams: The Music of Paul Simon, which premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival on Sunday.

In the panel discussion alongside documentary director Alex Gibney, Simon told the audience “I haven’t accepted it entirely, but I’m beginning to,” when asked about his hearing loss.

“I play the guitar every day,” he added. “It’s the instrument that allows me to express myself creatively. But it’s also where I go for solace. If I’m feeling… ‘whatever.’ So it’s a very crucial thing to me. You know, something happens to you when you have some sort of disability that changes your awareness or changes how you interact with life.”

According to Simon there has been no improvement in his left ear, which has made a return to performing a challenge. “Usually when I finished an album I went out and toured with it, and then I have the opportunity to really investigate the piece. And then it evolves to another standard, and goes further,” he said. “Although a week from now I’m going to try and work with two guitarists who will play the parts that I played on the record, and see if I can sing the piece. I’m not sure how I can integrate my voice with the guitars.”

His ailment has not however kept Simon from composing new music. “I wrote a new song called ‘When I Learned to Play Guitar,’ but I don’t know if I’ll ever do anything with it,” he said at the TIFF premiere.

In May, the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame artist, half of American folk duo Simon & Garfunkel, opened up about his hearing loss during an interview with the Times. Simon said his hearing loss happened while he was penning music for his new album, Seven Psalms. “Quite suddenly, I lost most of the hearing in my left ear, and nobody has an explanation for it,” he said. “So everything became more difficult.”

[From Yahoo! Entertainment]

Hearing loss among musicians is so prevalent, for obvious reasons. In the last couple years Dave Grohl and Huey Lewis have shared their hearing loss experiences, each one with his own devastating details. I started out thinking that it must be even more heartbreaking for a performer to lose a sense so innately tied to their craft, given the odds stacked against anyone trying to make it in the arts. But I was wrong about that, it’s not being a performer that makes the loss more intense. It’s being anyone who absolutely loves what they do being forced to watch it slipping away. My father was not in the arts, he was an academic. When he had a stroke last winter, it was painful for all of us, including him, to see how his mind was altered. He knew he’d lost the capacity to continue his work, and I think that realization is what drove him to let go. It was a mentality of “who am I if I can’t work anymore?” We lost him two weeks ago, on his 81st birthday. I couldn’t write the day he died, but I came back the day after. (Don’t worry, I took more than a week off from my day job.) I love being sassy here with you, and I figure the best way I can honor my father is to keep working on what I love doing. It’s not his fault that that happens to be sarcasm and laughing at public displays of stupidity.

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17 Responses to “Paul Simon on his hearing loss: ‘I haven’t accepted it entirely’”

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  1. Lady Esther says:

    I am so sorry for your loss Kismet – I hope you can continue to take the time to grieve and honor his memory.

  2. Maxine Branch says:

    Sorry to read about the loss of your father. I completely understand your fathers mindset. Stay well while continuing to do what you enjoy.

  3. Anna says:

    I’m so sorry for your loss Kismet, may his memory give you comfort

  4. Nx2 says:

    Condolences to you, Kismet – so very sorry for your loss.

  5. SarahCS says:

    I’m so sorry for your loss Kismet and I couldn’t agree more with the importance of keeping doing what you love as long as you can. When you find something that inspires you it’s important to make the most of every opportunity. We easily lose sight of this when we get caught up in the daily grind. I have been very fortunate in that I only really started losing people close to me in my late 30’s and it has reframed my view of life.

  6. Amy T says:

    Aww, Kismet. May your father’s memory be for a blessing.

  7. DeeSea says:

    Kismet, I’m so sorry about your dad. My dad is 88 and has Alzheimer’s, so I’m bracing myself for what’s to come. I really enjoy and appreciate your writing! You’re right that those who loved us would absolutely want us to continue doing what makes us feel good and productive. I’m glad that you’re here doing what you love because it brings all of us joy too. I also hope that you’ll take the time you need when the waves of grief make that necessary. Grieving is never a straight line. I’m sending you a virtual hug.

    • Angela says:

      I’m so sorry for you loss Kismet. Lost my dad two years ago. Sometimes delving into a project or work can provide a brief respite from the grief. This site has certainly been mine since my dad died, and long before that, after my son died. Thanks to you and all of the Pajiba writers, sarcasm and snark have been a healing balm during some of my darkest days. Your grief will never go away. But I promise it will get softer.

  8. Kim says:

    Kismet, you have my deepest sympathy. Thank you for inspiring such poignant reflection on identity and purpose.

  9. KrystinaJ says:

    Condolences, Kismet, I’m so sorry for your loss :'(
    As someone who performed (Singer) a lot over the course of my adult life, my biggest fear was always hearing loss. So I definitely understand why he’s struggling to accept it.

  10. KitKat says:

    I’m in my late 40’s and recently started wearing hearing aids. My hearing had been declining for the past decade due to environmental (military, etc) and genetic factors. My world was becoming much smaller because I struggled to hear people in social situations, outside, on the phone, process deep voices and unfamiliar accents, etc.

    A lot of people in my age demographic are becoming more aware of hearing loss at a younger age than previous generations and there is a lot less stigma for us around wearing hearing aids.

    I have some empathy for Paul Simon and his sudden hearing loss. I didn’t realize how much I was missing out on until I got my hearing aids because my hearing loss had been gradual over several years. It’s probably been a jarring experience for him.

    However, I’m not surprised and I don’t know how he is surprised that he has hearing loss at 81 years old after 60+ years of being a touring musician. Add in “lifestyle factors” such as alcohol and substance use when he was younger and I’m surprised his hearing lasted as long as it did.

    • Krista says:

      I’m glad you’re hearing sids are helping you, this is terrific!
      We shouldn’t speculate on what causes someone’s hearing loss, nor do we know how long he’s been receiving treatment, or what he has is going through. Not everyone likes sharing their healthcare journey until they’ve learned to accept it themselves. There are many medical conditions that cause hearing loss – Huey Lewis has spoken about this, as he has a medical condition that has caused his hearing loss.

  11. Krista says:

    I’m sorry for your loss. Hearing health is important- hearing loss can’t be reversed, and hearing loss isolates people, causes depression, progresses dementia and causes a cognitive decline. Sad fact: Most people in the USA have no medical coverage for hearing aids. Hearing aids are like eyeglasses- sure you can buy readers over the counter, but if you have vision loss not fixed by readers you need a professional to customize glasses for your specific vision loss. This is how heating aids/hearing loss work too, very individualized and customization is required for many hearing problems.
    Protect your hearing! It’s like sunscreen- by the time you realize you should have been using it all along, it’s too late, Turn headphones down. Wear earplugs at concerts. Lawn work, hunting/shooting – anything that causes your ears to ring causes irreversible damage.

    • AnneL says:

      My mother has needed hearing aids for years, and it’s insane how expensive they are. She has good insurance. It should be covered. And they’re easy to lose, too. They’re small and can fall out.

  12. Jennifer says:

    Oh my gosh, Kismet, thank you for sharing about the loss of your father and I am so sorry for your loss. I’ll keep you and yours especially close. When you lose someone so foundational, grabbing onto things that help you to laugh and take a step back so you can live with the absurdity of a new world is so helpful. Wishing you light and peace.

  13. Nicegirl says:

    Wishing you comfort during this time of deep loss of your father. Air hugs your way rn

  14. bisynaptic says:

    So sorry for your loss. May his memory be a blessing to you.