U2 Drummer Larry Mullen Jr. Wasn’t Sure He’d Ever Perform Again After Neck Surgery, And Still Isn’t: ‘If I Can Play For An Hour, That’s Enough’
The band's timekeeper told Rolling Stone that post-surgery he's been "playing differently."
U2 drummer Larry Mullen Jr. has shared his long-lasting battle with neck pain, which nearly forced him to retire from the band. In a new Rolling Stone interview, the 64-year-old reveals that a neck injury during the 2019 Joshua Tree anniversary tour made him consider stepping down from his drumming role. Despite ongoing treatments, Mullen Jr. experienced excruciating pain, leading him to make the difficult decision to undergo neck surgery.
The band hired Dutch drummer Bram van den Berg to fill in for Mullen Jr. during their Las Vegas residencies, and Mullen Jr. attended his first U2 show as an audience member in March 2024, unsure if he would return to performing. He reflects on the mixed emotions he experienced while watching his bandmates play his drum parts, feeling a sense of humiliation for his own inability to continue.
Mullen Jr. credits his determination to play again for driving him through the challenging recovery process.
Written by urgent.news from Billboard's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
