While the music world has often turned Sugar Ray's Mark McGrath into a punchline, the singer's recent health diagnosis is no laughing matter. McGrath has revealed he is "going deaf," explaining that his life on the stage may soon be over.
McGrath made the reveal in a new interview with U.K. publication the Daily Mail. When the interviewer asked the 51-year-old singer a question, McGrath replied that he was struggling to hear what was asked. He then admitted, "I'm deaf now. I cannot hear anymore."
McGrath went on to say, "I'll be listening to people [now] and they'll tell me their names and I just can't hear anymore."
He laid blame squarely on his decades of performing live with Sugar Ray, saying he often has resisted using in-ear devices to protect his ears.
"It's years and years of being on the road and being two feet in front of cymbals and drums, [high] frequencies. I can't hear anymore," he explained. "It's scary because my job is hearing. Fortunately for the new generation, they have in-ears. I'm dumb enough not to use them though. I still need the sounds and smells of a concert, and that includes the auditory part, but unfortunately, mine's going."
While McGrath has slowly shifted from life in a band to serving as a TV host, it's those early rock'n'roll ambitions that have caught up with him.
"It's funny," he said. "I got into music and rock'n'roll so I wouldn't have to worry about any of this. I wanted to party. I'm in a band, that's just what you do."
He continued, "But life catches up to you and reality happens. You just can't repair your hearing. Once it goes, it goes. You can only hope to stop the damage."
While Sugar Ray haven't released an album since 2009's Music for Cougars, the band still regularly tours. McGrath also has popped up onstage recently alongside acts such as the Smashing Pumpkins.
McGrath made the reveal in a new interview with U.K. publication the Daily Mail. When the interviewer asked the 51-year-old singer a question, McGrath replied that he was struggling to hear what was asked. He then admitted, "I'm deaf now. I cannot hear anymore."
McGrath went on to say, "I'll be listening to people [now] and they'll tell me their names and I just can't hear anymore."
He laid blame squarely on his decades of performing live with Sugar Ray, saying he often has resisted using in-ear devices to protect his ears.
"It's years and years of being on the road and being two feet in front of cymbals and drums, [high] frequencies. I can't hear anymore," he explained. "It's scary because my job is hearing. Fortunately for the new generation, they have in-ears. I'm dumb enough not to use them though. I still need the sounds and smells of a concert, and that includes the auditory part, but unfortunately, mine's going."
While McGrath has slowly shifted from life in a band to serving as a TV host, it's those early rock'n'roll ambitions that have caught up with him.
"It's funny," he said. "I got into music and rock'n'roll so I wouldn't have to worry about any of this. I wanted to party. I'm in a band, that's just what you do."
He continued, "But life catches up to you and reality happens. You just can't repair your hearing. Once it goes, it goes. You can only hope to stop the damage."
While Sugar Ray haven't released an album since 2009's Music for Cougars, the band still regularly tours. McGrath also has popped up onstage recently alongside acts such as the Smashing Pumpkins.