SIMON RAYMONDE
In 2003, while producing the Duke Spirit’s debut mini-album Roll, Spirit, Roll, I noticed my ear was getting blocked, as if I was coming down with a cold. A week or two later, it was still bothering me, but I didn’t feel at all ill. I went to the doctors to get my ears syringed, hoping that might do the trick. Nothing doing. the doctor sent me for a hearing test. I began to wonder… 20 years of loud monitors on stage, listening to music on Walkmans and iPods – was this having an ethect? I failed the test miserably in the problem ear, my right. Within a few minutes, I was sent for an MRI scan that day, and gured pretty soon that something was up. “What do you think it is?” I asked the audiologist. “Wouldn’t like to speculate, but always best to get these things checked thoroughly,” he replied. “An MRI scan will quickly tell us if there’s anything to be concerned about, but hopefully, it’ll all be fine.”