Behind a drummer is hard. Year after year, you’re perched on your tailbone with all four limbs independently operating. These aren’t normal actions for the human body. If you’re not careful, you can end up with career-ending injuries like chronic carpal tunnel (Neil Peart) or issues with the neck and back (Phil Collins).
Larry Mullen Jr. of U2 has being dealing with back issues since at least the mid-90s. One of the reasons 1997’s Pop album had so many electronic rhythms was because Larry had health issues. There have been other problems since, but since he’s the least talkative member of the band, we don’t hear much.
Back and neck issues were why Larry wasn’t with U2 when they played that 40-night stand at The Sphere in Las Vegas was because he physically couldn’t. He was still getting treatment. It’s also probably why we haven’t seen a new U2 album in forever.
So what’s happening? In a statement this week, U2 says that he’s doing better. Speaking at a charity event in Oklahoma, Bono summed up things like this about his bandmates: “They are in mighty form — and Larry has been just playing at his absolute best….his drumming is just incredible.” (See below for video.)
Larry has been in the studio over the last year working on new tracks, some with producer Brian Eno. He’s also appeared with the band in public several times, but not in any real drumming capacity. (At one appearance back in May, was onstage when the band performing an acoustic version of “Angel of Harlem,” but he just tapped things out on the body of a guitar. That was the first time he’d played with the band in five years.)
So, reason for optimism, then.