U2 Pay Fan For Hearing Loss

Something must definitely be said for the invention of earplugs because a Frenchman who attended a 1993 U2 concert in Marseilles, France has lost nearly all of his hearing after standing too close to the speakers. The 34-year-old concert-goer sued the band claiming they were responsible for his hearing loss. A court in Marseilles ruled last Friday in the man's favor, saying U2 must now pay him $34,000 in damages -- even though the man ducked security to stand right next to the sound system. Court-appointed doctors said the man suffered 75 percent hearing loss in his left ear and nearly 50 percent in his right -- declaring him legally deaf.

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Song Stories

“Time to Pretend”

MGMT | 2008

Listening to MGMT’s breakthrough song, one might interpret it as being about the excesses of rock stardom, but it’s actually about the duo’s pet praying mantis. Ben Goldwasser and Andrew VanWyngarden told Rolling Stone they got the idea from the insect's jerky movements. The mantis died, but the two bandmates kept the egg sack and allowed the hundreds of eggs to hatch. “We tried to name them all, but they died after a day,” said Goldwasser, with VanWyngarden chiming in, “But the praying mantis dance inspired us.”

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