Electronic music veterans Andy Cato and Tom Findlay have revealed the significant toll that three decades in the music industry has taken on their hearing, despite continuing to perform at venues across the United Kingdom and internationally.
Both men remain active performers, delivering DJ sets at festivals and clubs to audiences comprising both long-standing admirers and new listeners.
Findlay, who is 53 years old, now relies on hearing aids to compensate for his impaired hearing.
The musician underwent a formal hearing assessment approximately 18 months ago and subsequently began using the devices when required.
He had, however, suspected for several years that he was experiencing difficulties.
The 53-year-old acknowledged that he had been aware of significant hearing loss for some time prior to seeking professional assessment.
He described frequently needing to request that others repeat themselves during conversations and experiencing particular difficulty following discussions in environments characterised by background noise or reverberation.
He admitted to having entered a state of denial about the issue during his late thirties and early forties.
The introduction of hearing aids has proved to be a transformative development for Findlay.
He expressed hope that the social stigma traditionally associated with wearing such devices might diminish, noting that the technology had substantially improved his quality of life.
The reluctance to use hearing aids frequently stems from their perceived association with ageing and physical vulnerability, a connection that does not appear to apply to spectacles, which are widely accepted and can even be regarded as fashionable.
The prevalence of earbuds and similar devices in contemporary society has rendered hearing aids less conspicuous, he observed.
Findlay reported that he no longer avoids social situations where he anticipated struggling to hear, a change that had considerably boosted his confidence.
Cato, who is also 53 and manages a farm located on the border between Oxfordshire and Wiltshire, has been diagnosed with tinnitus, a condition characterised by persistent ringing in the ears.
He expressed the view that managing the condition requires acceptance, while emphasising that prevention would have been preferable.
During DJ performances, both musicians position themselves between two substantial speaker arrays that are independent of the main sound system installed in clubs or on festival stages.
In the earlier stages of their career, the pair would frequently emerge from venues being unable to hear one another despite standing directly outside the entrance.
At that time, neither gave consideration to the potential harm that sustained exposure to such elevated noise levels might be causing their hearing.
They subsequently adopted in-ear monitoring systems and later incorporated hearing protection into their performance routine.
The protective equipment specifically attenuates low-frequency sounds, which are responsible for considerable damage while contributing minimally to the listening experience.
Following implementation of this measure, neither performer typically leaves a venue experiencing the ringing sensation that previously accompanied their performances.
Cato, however, continues to be affected by tinnitus-related sounds.
Findlay stated that while some degree of damage continues to occur, the extent is substantially reduced compared to their earlier years.
He expressed the view that hearing protection would prove essential for any musicians seeking to extend their careers.
Both artists have expressed interest in promoting greater openness regarding hearing loss and reducing the embarrassment that some individuals feel about using hearing aids.
They have established a collaboration with Specsavers aimed at encouraging people aged over 50 to complete a brief online hearing assessment.
Groove Armada is scheduled to headline the inaugural Testlist event at Phonox in London on October 15.
The musicians, who established their collaboration in 1996, are integrating this performance into a demanding schedule of tour dates encompassing locations in the United Kingdom, Spain, Ibiza and the United States.
Cato noted that the upcoming summer would prove exceptionally busy, describing it as a privilege to continue their work three decades after commencing their partnership.
While many of their original supporters emerged from the rave scene of the 1990s, younger audiences have also embraced their music.
Cato observed that the average age of attendees at their most recent performance was approximately 20 years old, describing the energy displayed as remarkable and noting that music produced only a week prior continued to resonate strongly with audiences.
Despite their intensive touring commitments, both performers maintain separate professional activities.
Cato operates a farm in France and also manages a National Trust holding situated on the Buscot and Coleshill estate in Oxfordshire.
The 729-acre property is cultivated using regenerative agricultural techniques, with wheat, oats and barley among the primary crops.
He is also a co-founder of Wildfarmed, a business focused on sustainable food production and farming practices.
Cato explained that their farming approach aims to build resilience against drought and flood conditions while supporting environmental recovery.
He noted having access to a plentiful supply of home-produced bread and maintained a vegetable garden, although time constraints occasionally prevented adequate attention to it.
Combining the demands of musical performances with agricultural schedules presented particular challenges during periods of dry weather.
Findlay has found that his own secondary professional pursuits have necessarily taken a reduced role as Groove Armada continues to attract substantial audiences.
Following a prolonged period of depression around 2010, he underwent cognitive behavioural therapy, an experience that proved so beneficial that he chose to pursue training as a therapist himself.
He noted that he may not have recognised the full extent of his difficulties at the time, as mental health discussions were not conducted as openly then as they are currently.
He subsequently worked as a counsellor within the National Health Service and later at King’s College London, though he has recently decided to leave that position.
He explained that his initial motivation for undertaking therapeutic training stemmed partly from a belief that his musical career might soon conclude, prompting him to seek an alternative source of income.
However, given that performances have continued to thrive and audiences have remained loyal, he intends to continue providing counselling services on a voluntary basis.
He noted the difficulty of balancing therapeutic work with music production and live performances, having rarely experienced periods of rest, but expressed satisfaction with the opportunity to support others through significant personal developments.
Findlay reported that his therapeutic training has also proved personally valuable, noting that while difficult periods still occasionally arise, he now possesses the ability to recognise and address them through targeted adjustments to his thinking and behaviour.