It's all about the voice

Bart · 17 Jul 2005, 13:30

I remember every little thing about the Bonn concert as if it happened only yesterday.
I remember the voice, the performing and the great audience reaction on every song.
Some people say that he slurs. Well, he didn’t.
Some people say that he sings out of tone. Well, he didn’t.
Some people say that he lost it all. We he didn’t.
His performing was really good for someone who is really old. Cause he is really old for a rocker. But the stage is his. The stage is about 25 meters and he was everywhere on it.
Life is a lemon, Black Betty, Dead ringer. The voice was in a fine shape. He has sung them so damn good. Anything for love was stunning and with deep emotion. Bat was good as usual. The audience were clapping and cheering throughout the concert. They/we were amazing that night. He still had the power to perform all of these songs. He still had the stage performing as he had had for the last 30 years.
Every song, every performing had a different image. Some songs he sat, some songs he was on the left and others he was on the right. Some songs he was in the front, other songs he was more in the back. On every song the bandmembers were on different places. On every song Meat sang different. Some songs high, others he sang low. So many artists sound the same on all the songs they are singing. So many artists just stand behind their mike on all the songs they are singing. But Meat and the band were doing theatre. All of these things I have stated here above, well, Meat is the only one who does that and not everyone realize that. They don’t realize that the concept of the shows now and in the past are unique. And so it was in Bonn.
It’s a fact that his voice can’t bear a long tour. A few shows is better for him. I wonder if this tour is not too long and I think he does too many shows in too little time. He shouldn’t do that. But who am I? What do I know about touring? What do I know about tourmanagement? What do I know about how to get my voice in shape on a tour when my body is old but I really want to rock? Do I have 30 years experience on doing theatrerock? What do I know about being so long from home and family? What do I know about staying in hotels my entire life? What do I know about promoting myself and just keep on touring so my name will be remembered for my next and last album? What do I know about touring when it’s the only thing which make me feel that I really live and that I am somebody? Well, the fact is I don’t know nothing about all of these things. I can say all that I want about it. I can say that he could do better this or better that, but I don’t know shit about it. But there is one thing I know. I know that he still can do it. And that makes me a very happy fan. Cause his performing and his voice still sent shivers down my spine. I still haven’t found a singer who sings like him. His 58-years-old voice still touches me every time I listen to it. His common voice is more sensitive then ever. Not so loud as before, but it has still all the ingredients to lift me up high and there is MORE emotion in the voice then before. That’s what I know and that is what I can judge about.

Well, why I write all this? Cause two things happened the last 12 hours. First I have heard the Bonn concert once again (in my dreams). Second, I had the first conversation about Meat Loaf with my girlfriend in twelve years! Do you believe that? Well, it’s the truth. I never bother here with my Meatmania. But now she suddenly asked me if Meat has helped me put through some very scary and some tough times in my life. On that moment I got very emotional, it made me freaking out cause I realized that he did. He is every day with me for the last 21 years. Especially in this awful period he made me escape. I always listen to Meat sitting on the ground with my headphones on. I can’t listen in the car or anywhere else. I just sit on the ground. When I was 18 I could sit like that for hours. But now I am 34 and I manage to sit like that not longer than an hour and a half. Then my back and legs really hurts.
Every time when I sit there on the ground and listen I am somewhere else. I am not in the room, I am not at home, I am in a different world. Somewhere very far. I am not touched about the songs from a personal point of view. When I listen I always see him on a stage performing the songs. I never picture myself in the songs. When I am done I am still very far for at least an hour. And because of these wonderful escapes I manage to cope with tough times. My girlfriend just made me realize that because of that very simple question which I failed to ask myself. Well, enough of that crap.

How come some people say that he lost it? Are they wrong? Or am I just a freaky fan? I am a fan, but not freaky. I can imagine that some people think he lost it. Cause every concert the voice is different. Sometimes its good and during others it’s pain awful. And those people judge it on a pain awful concert. So in a way they are right. But they have to remember that his voice is not made for touring and that his voice has been pain awful on many concerts in the last 30 years. In the late seventies it was sometimes pain awful too. And so it is his entire touring existence. So the voice is also unique in this particular way: the quality is never the same.
So some people were the lucky ones on concerts were he sings great, others were not so lucky and they think that he lost it. The fact is, he never lost it. It’s just the way his voice is. Just deal with it!

Now..wtf was this good for

djfierce · 17 Jul 2005, 13:50

Some vague fans do comment about the quality of his voice during concerts but fail to realise that his voice is always different live cos his performances are always different i personally relish in the fact that i never hear the same song performed the same way twice.THAT'S WHAT HE DOES BEST FOLKS!!if you want to hear a polished vocal performance go see Will Young or Westlife but understand that you won't experience half the entertainment that you experience with Meat.I Don't believe you will ever see anyone else put anywhere near the effort he puts in,he runs himself ragged on that stage when quite frankly he could have retired years ago and forgot about the critisicms from so called fans.True fans should know what he sounds like at best and should be able to look past any vocal flaw and enjoy the performance as a whole cos on that front Meat Loaf rules the concert roost!

dottie · 17 Jul 2005, 15:15

Bart my friend you've said it all a fantastic piece of journalism

love dottie
xxx

krolok · 17 Jul 2005, 15:27

We (Susi and I) saw 4 Concerts in Germany, Hannover, Bonn, Mainz and Hamburg, they were alle fantastic !!!!!!
The People who say his voice was bad or something else, should better go to a Britney Spears Playback conert !!!

I wish i could turn back time and see every Concert again and again.

I just can say : Thank you Meat for visiting germany again, hope to see you again !!!!!!!

*Nicole* · 17 Jul 2005, 18:30

Hey Ingo toll gesagt...

MEAT THE BEST THEN THE REST!!!

Love
NICOLE

Keep Rocking · 17 Jul 2005, 19:10

Bart, your story put goose-bumps all over my body!

There is nothing more to add!!!

dukesofhazard · 17 Jul 2005, 22:23

Very well said Bart, as the great man said "Couldn't have said it better myself" If only more fans thought the way you did the world and especially this forum would be a much nicer place (not that this forum isn't nice or anything!!!

just mean there wouldn't be so many arguments etc

)

Michel · 18 Jul 2005, 21:13

Great story Bart. You've had to go to Hamburg, that show was also very good and more interaction than in Bonn.

PanicLord · 18 Jul 2005, 21:48

Hi - thanks for the story - it was so true to me too - although I usually do see myself in the songs - my favourite is I'm Gonna Love Her For Both Of Us, cause I can imagine myself storming in some over protective father's house and taking his girl away. That song always sends shivers down my spine, and Read Em and Weep makes my cry. Dead Ringer makes me get up and boogie, and leaves a big grin on my face. (My fave album, in case you hadn't guessed!)

And that (I think) is the point about Meat Loaf, especially when he sings a Steinsong - they affect everybody differently, but they AFFECT you. So much bland music is put out these days - I am not saying that I don't enjoy eg Westlife, but as soon as the song is finished, I feel no different. Meat's voice carries you with it. He lifts you up or brings you down. Because he really BELIEVES in what he is singing, and makes it personal to you.

As for the quality of his voice, the last time I saw him live was Wembley 03, when he was very ill. But just watch the concerts in Australia with the MSO -WOW! I personally believe that he sings all those Bat1 songs at least as well as the original studio album. In fact, I prefer BOOH live on that album than the original. THE VOICE IS STUNNING!

I can imagine at the end of a long tour it gets tired - why wouldn't it? But let's face it, he has the most incredible voice I ever heard, and if he does mistreat it, it's only because he is doing it to be the ultimate and best for his fans.

Bat3 is the most exciting piece of music for me coming up for a very long time (probably until Bat4 :) ).

Meat Loaf rocks now, he always has, and I hope he never stops rocking!

Caelan · 18 Jul 2005, 21:58

great thing you wrote there..i agree with you..

fantastic voice , great man..

Michel · 19 Jul 2005, 00:30

Quote:

Originally Posted by TRex2003

As for the quality of his voice, the last time I saw him live was Wembley 03, when he was very ill. But just watch the concerts in Australia with the MSO -WOW! I personally believe that he sings all those Bat1 songs at least as well as the original studio album. In fact, I prefer BOOH live on that album than the original. THE VOICE IS STUNNING!

I agree, BOOH on MSO is amazing, His voice sounded sometimes a little bit like 1993.

SuperLoafMan · 19 Jul 2005, 00:37

Quote:

Originally Posted by Caelan

great thing you wrote there..i agree with you..

fantastic voice , great man..

CHSIB - Agreee with you 110%....

Meat Loaf is one hell of a man!

SteinLoaf · 19 Jul 2005, 02:13

Bart, reading what you said makes having met you more important. To put the person to the writing! Well said and thanks for sharing those sentiments with us all. There is something there for everyone to learn

Jackoutofhell · 17 Jun 2006, 23:19

I think he still sounds terrific. I've never understood how anyone can think otherwise. What is your opinion on this, Pudding?

sunneke · 18 Jun 2006, 00:01

I am glad to see everytime to see a different show, hear a different voice from Meat! He's human you know, not a machine!!!! I know that when he stands on the podium, he is doing the best he can and more!!! In the time that he was touring, and seriously ill, he still did not want to let his fans down, and again give it all that he had!!! How many people do you see performing with a high fever, and still give it all???? So... thank you Meat for giving it all, everytime you perform!!!

Kathy · 18 Jun 2006, 00:22

Thanks for bumping this thread to the top, because I had somehow missed Bart's eloquent post the first time around!
-Kathy

heat · 18 Jun 2006, 08:58

Bart,

I too have only just read this...

Thank you for sharing something so personal with us - i can totally see where you're coming from when you said that Meat's music has helped pull you through some dark times. The man himself will never know just how much he saved me over the past couple of years, and your post just echoed this for me.

sunneke · 18 Jun 2006, 10:56

Reading Bart's post, made me very emotional. Reading that i am not the only one who sometimes thinks: i cant go on, and listen to some songs from Meat and just push a little bit harder to fight back! When i first heard life is a lemmon, i was laying in bed for months, after a operation. This song made me smile, believe me or not, when i listened to it i was thinking: it aint that bad, common!!! The years after that i had to fight for trying to find a doctor who did believe me when i said: i know the operation went wel, but why am i in pain. It took me 13 years but thank god, they believe me now. And has a name: pain syndrom. In those years of fighting, the songs of Meat Loaf, hearing his voice, read the lyrics made me go on. At this point i'v had again a small operation. I was in a lot of pain again, even thinking why did i agree on this... Then i heard The Monster is loose. My msn name is: this game is win or lose - This monster is loose!!!!

Euh oke stop being emotional

Jackoutofhell · 18 Jun 2006, 11:42

If you're upset with Meat's current voice, you're either a victim of perpetual Bat nostalgia, or you're a victim of pop culture. I wouldn't let either one of those get to me. A few of the members of Rockman have at times upset me with their comments, but I've learned to ignore them. Most people with a mind of their own enjoy his voice, and a lot prefer his newer, more mature vocals. For an example, check this out:

http://groups.google.com/group/alt.m...6c00ab9b3798d2

Several posters on that thread love his voice, and who can blame them? Meat is terrific. I'll acknowledge that, on some tour dates, he may have problems due to physical exhaustion, but I BET they're far in between. Honestly, he probably shouldn't even do a Bat 3 tour. From what I've heard ( I definitely wasn't around), he nearly killed himself on both the Bat 1 and Bat 2 tours. Now we have another HUGE album, it's somewhat dangerous, as he's a lot older. Of course, there is going to be a tour, and his voice will be perfect. We'll all enjoy it. To me, his voice hasn't changed much since the WTTN album. That's amazing. He is holding up extremely well for his age, and we should all support him! Ha, and as for him slurring, go check out Bruce Springsteen. I can't understand one-fifth of what that guy says.

In other words....

MEAT IS THE BEST SINGER KNOWN TO MAN!!!

Paul191 · 18 Jun 2006, 12:11

Great story! I'm 18 years old at the moment and I know exactly what you mean about sitting there hours on end with the headphones on.

AndrewG · 18 Jun 2006, 21:18

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jackoutofhell

A few of the members of Rockman have at times upset me with their comments, but I've learned to ignore them.

There is not much to learn when people insult or hate me just for being a fan. Rockman used to be a very different place.

17 Jul 2005, 13:30	#1
Bart Bald Mega Loafer Join Date: 06.03.2003 Location: Holland, but I prefer Greece Posts: 2,243	It's all about the voice I remember every little thing about the Bonn concert as if it happened only yesterday. I remember the voice, the performing and the great audience reaction on every song. Some people say that he slurs. Well, he didn’t. Some people say that he sings out of tone. Well, he didn’t. Some people say that he lost it all. We he didn’t. His performing was really good for someone who is really old. Cause he is really old for a rocker. But the stage is his. The stage is about 25 meters and he was everywhere on it. Life is a lemon, Black Betty, Dead ringer. The voice was in a fine shape. He has sung them so damn good. Anything for love was stunning and with deep emotion. Bat was good as usual. The audience were clapping and cheering throughout the concert. They/we were amazing that night. He still had the power to perform all of these songs. He still had the stage performing as he had had for the last 30 years. Every song, every performing had a different image. Some songs he sat, some songs he was on the left and others he was on the right. Some songs he was in the front, other songs he was more in the back. On every song the bandmembers were on different places. On every song Meat sang different. Some songs high, others he sang low. So many artists sound the same on all the songs they are singing. So many artists just stand behind their mike on all the songs they are singing. But Meat and the band were doing theatre. All of these things I have stated here above, well, Meat is the only one who does that and not everyone realize that. They don’t realize that the concept of the shows now and in the past are unique. And so it was in Bonn. It’s a fact that his voice can’t bear a long tour. A few shows is better for him. I wonder if this tour is not too long and I think he does too many shows in too little time. He shouldn’t do that. But who am I? What do I know about touring? What do I know about tourmanagement? What do I know about how to get my voice in shape on a tour when my body is old but I really want to rock? Do I have 30 years experience on doing theatrerock? What do I know about being so long from home and family? What do I know about staying in hotels my entire life? What do I know about promoting myself and just keep on touring so my name will be remembered for my next and last album? What do I know about touring when it’s the only thing which make me feel that I really live and that I am somebody? Well, the fact is I don’t know nothing about all of these things. I can say all that I want about it. I can say that he could do better this or better that, but I don’t know shit about it. But there is one thing I know. I know that he still can do it. And that makes me a very happy fan. Cause his performing and his voice still sent shivers down my spine. I still haven’t found a singer who sings like him. His 58-years-old voice still touches me every time I listen to it. His common voice is more sensitive then ever. Not so loud as before, but it has still all the ingredients to lift me up high and there is MORE emotion in the voice then before. That’s what I know and that is what I can judge about. Well, why I write all this? Cause two things happened the last 12 hours. First I have heard the Bonn concert once again (in my dreams). Second, I had the first conversation about Meat Loaf with my girlfriend in twelve years! Do you believe that? Well, it’s the truth. I never bother here with my Meatmania. But now she suddenly asked me if Meat has helped me put through some very scary and some tough times in my life. On that moment I got very emotional, it made me freaking out cause I realized that he did. He is every day with me for the last 21 years. Especially in this awful period he made me escape. I always listen to Meat sitting on the ground with my headphones on. I can’t listen in the car or anywhere else. I just sit on the ground. When I was 18 I could sit like that for hours. But now I am 34 and I manage to sit like that not longer than an hour and a half. Then my back and legs really hurts. Every time when I sit there on the ground and listen I am somewhere else. I am not in the room, I am not at home, I am in a different world. Somewhere very far. I am not touched about the songs from a personal point of view. When I listen I always see him on a stage performing the songs. I never picture myself in the songs. When I am done I am still very far for at least an hour. And because of these wonderful escapes I manage to cope with tough times. My girlfriend just made me realize that because of that very simple question which I failed to ask myself. Well, enough of that crap. How come some people say that he lost it? Are they wrong? Or am I just a freaky fan? I am a fan, but not freaky. I can imagine that some people think he lost it. Cause every concert the voice is different. Sometimes its good and during others it’s pain awful. And those people judge it on a pain awful concert. So in a way they are right. But they have to remember that his voice is not made for touring and that his voice has been pain awful on many concerts in the last 30 years. In the late seventies it was sometimes pain awful too. And so it is his entire touring existence. So the voice is also unique in this particular way: the quality is never the same. So some people were the lucky ones on concerts were he sings great, others were not so lucky and they think that he lost it. The fact is, he never lost it. It’s just the way his voice is. Just deal with it! Now..wtf was this good for

17 Jul 2005, 13:50	#2
djfierce Mega Loafer Join Date: 15.06.2005 Location: Posts: 3,596	Some vague fans do comment about the quality of his voice during concerts but fail to realise that his voice is always different live cos his performances are always different i personally relish in the fact that i never hear the same song performed the same way twice.THAT'S WHAT HE DOES BEST FOLKS!!if you want to hear a polished vocal performance go see Will Young or Westlife but understand that you won't experience half the entertainment that you experience with Meat.I Don't believe you will ever see anyone else put anywhere near the effort he puts in,he runs himself ragged on that stage when quite frankly he could have retired years ago and forgot about the critisicms from so called fans.True fans should know what he sounds like at best and should be able to look past any vocal flaw and enjoy the performance as a whole cos on that front Meat Loaf rules the concert roost!

17 Jul 2005, 15:15	#3
dottie queen post- whore extraordinaire Join Date: 29.01.2003 Location: Still Rockin' at "72" Posts: 13,181	Bart my friend you've said it all a fantastic piece of journalism love dottie xxx

17 Jul 2005, 15:27	#4
krolok Senior Loafer Join Date: 28.03.2003 Location: Bielefeld / Germany Posts: 100	We (Susi and I) saw 4 Concerts in Germany, Hannover, Bonn, Mainz and Hamburg, they were alle fantastic !!!!!! The People who say his voice was bad or something else, should better go to a Britney Spears Playback conert !!! I wish i could turn back time and see every Concert again and again. I just can say : Thank you Meat for visiting germany again, hope to see you again !!!!!!!

17 Jul 2005, 18:30	#5
Nicole Loafer Join Date: 13.03.2005 Location: Schorndorf/Germany Posts: 57	Hey Ingo toll gesagt... MEAT THE BEST THEN THE REST!!! Love NICOLE

17 Jul 2005, 19:10	#6
Keep Rocking Super Loafer Join Date: 06.11.2003 Location: Sitting on the steps outside, looking so restless and reckless and lost! Posts: 820	Bart, your story put goose-bumps all over my body! There is nothing more to add!!!

17 Jul 2005, 22:23	#7
dukesofhazard Super Loafer Join Date: 24.09.2003 Location: Cardiff, Wales, UK Posts: 478	Very well said Bart, as the great man said "Couldn't have said it better myself" If only more fans thought the way you did the world and especially this forum would be a much nicer place (not that this forum isn't nice or anything!!! just mean there wouldn't be so many arguments etc )

18 Jul 2005, 21:13	#8
Michel Mega Loafer Join Date: 14.04.2002 Location: Stadskanaal, The Netherlands Posts: 1,631	Great story Bart. You've had to go to Hamburg, that show was also very good and more interaction than in Bonn.

18 Jul 2005, 21:48	#9
PanicLord Mega Loafer Join Date: 18.06.2003 Location: At The End Of The Line Posts: 2,653	Hi - thanks for the story - it was so true to me too - although I usually do see myself in the songs - my favourite is I'm Gonna Love Her For Both Of Us, cause I can imagine myself storming in some over protective father's house and taking his girl away. That song always sends shivers down my spine, and Read Em and Weep makes my cry. Dead Ringer makes me get up and boogie, and leaves a big grin on my face. (My fave album, in case you hadn't guessed!) And that (I think) is the point about Meat Loaf, especially when he sings a Steinsong - they affect everybody differently, but they AFFECT you. So much bland music is put out these days - I am not saying that I don't enjoy eg Westlife, but as soon as the song is finished, I feel no different. Meat's voice carries you with it. He lifts you up or brings you down. Because he really BELIEVES in what he is singing, and makes it personal to you. As for the quality of his voice, the last time I saw him live was Wembley 03, when he was very ill. But just watch the concerts in Australia with the MSO -WOW! I personally believe that he sings all those Bat1 songs at least as well as the original studio album. In fact, I prefer BOOH live on that album than the original. THE VOICE IS STUNNING! I can imagine at the end of a long tour it gets tired - why wouldn't it? But let's face it, he has the most incredible voice I ever heard, and if he does mistreat it, it's only because he is doing it to be the ultimate and best for his fans. Bat3 is the most exciting piece of music for me coming up for a very long time (probably until Bat4 :) ). Meat Loaf rocks now, he always has, and I hope he never stops rocking!

18 Jul 2005, 21:58	#10
Caelan life is one big adventure Join Date: 23.06.2005 Location: some town in Alberta called Leduc Posts: 5,550	great thing you wrote there..i agree with you.. fantastic voice , great man..

19 Jul 2005, 02:13	#13
SteinLoaf Korg Powered! Join Date: 18.11.2004 Location: Way back into Hell Posts: 230	Bart, reading what you said makes having met you more important. To put the person to the writing! Well said and thanks for sharing those sentiments with us all. There is something there for everyone to learn

17 Jun 2006, 23:19	#14
Jackoutofhell Super Loafer Join Date: 13.03.2006 Posts: 369	I think he still sounds terrific. I've never understood how anyone can think otherwise. What is your opinion on this, Pudding?

18 Jun 2006, 00:01	#15
sunneke Mega Loafer Join Date: 17.01.2006 Location: Amersfoort Posts: 2,263	I am glad to see everytime to see a different show, hear a different voice from Meat! He's human you know, not a machine!!!! I know that when he stands on the podium, he is doing the best he can and more!!! In the time that he was touring, and seriously ill, he still did not want to let his fans down, and again give it all that he had!!! How many people do you see performing with a high fever, and still give it all???? So... thank you Meat for giving it all, everytime you perform!!!

18 Jun 2006, 00:22	#16
Kathy Super Loafer Join Date: 02.10.2003 Location: Columbus, Ohio USA Posts: 610	Thanks for bumping this thread to the top, because I had somehow missed Bart's eloquent post the first time around! -Kathy

18 Jun 2006, 08:58	#17
heat Rampant Loafer... Join Date: 29.07.2002 Location: welshy wales Posts: 5,706	Bart, I too have only just read this... Thank you for sharing something so personal with us - i can totally see where you're coming from when you said that Meat's music has helped pull you through some dark times. The man himself will never know just how much he saved me over the past couple of years, and your post just echoed this for me.

18 Jun 2006, 10:56	#18
sunneke Mega Loafer Join Date: 17.01.2006 Location: Amersfoort Posts: 2,263	Reading Bart's post, made me very emotional. Reading that i am not the only one who sometimes thinks: i cant go on, and listen to some songs from Meat and just push a little bit harder to fight back! When i first heard life is a lemmon, i was laying in bed for months, after a operation. This song made me smile, believe me or not, when i listened to it i was thinking: it aint that bad, common!!! The years after that i had to fight for trying to find a doctor who did believe me when i said: i know the operation went wel, but why am i in pain. It took me 13 years but thank god, they believe me now. And has a name: pain syndrom. In those years of fighting, the songs of Meat Loaf, hearing his voice, read the lyrics made me go on. At this point i'v had again a small operation. I was in a lot of pain again, even thinking why did i agree on this... Then i heard The Monster is loose. My msn name is: this game is win or lose - This monster is loose!!!! Euh oke stop being emotional

18 Jun 2006, 11:42	#19
Jackoutofhell Super Loafer Join Date: 13.03.2006 Posts: 369	If you're upset with Meat's current voice, you're either a victim of perpetual Bat nostalgia, or you're a victim of pop culture. I wouldn't let either one of those get to me. A few of the members of Rockman have at times upset me with their comments, but I've learned to ignore them. Most people with a mind of their own enjoy his voice, and a lot prefer his newer, more mature vocals. For an example, check this out: http://groups.google.com/group/alt.m...6c00ab9b3798d2 Several posters on that thread love his voice, and who can blame them? Meat is terrific. I'll acknowledge that, on some tour dates, he may have problems due to physical exhaustion, but I BET they're far in between. Honestly, he probably shouldn't even do a Bat 3 tour. From what I've heard ( I definitely wasn't around), he nearly killed himself on both the Bat 1 and Bat 2 tours. Now we have another HUGE album, it's somewhat dangerous, as he's a lot older. Of course, there is going to be a tour, and his voice will be perfect. We'll all enjoy it. To me, his voice hasn't changed much since the WTTN album. That's amazing. He is holding up extremely well for his age, and we should all support him! Ha, and as for him slurring, go check out Bruce Springsteen. I can't understand one-fifth of what that guy says. In other words.... MEAT IS THE BEST SINGER KNOWN TO MAN!!!

18 Jun 2006, 12:11	#20
Paul191 Mega Loafer Join Date: 26.11.2005 Location: Posts: 1,530	Great story! I'm 18 years old at the moment and I know exactly what you mean about sitting there hours on end with the headphones on.