Andrea
Have you ever seen the U2 perform? Then you may have noticed it only has one member who resembles a rock star. And that is Larry Mullen.
Larry Mullen is one of the oldest drummers in the industry, having gotten his bearing in the late Seventies. Larry has one of the most amazing and inspirational stories about his career because he did not start very famous, as many would think.
He was only a post-punk amateur working in the security industry. There was even a time when his bandmates considered kicking him out because they thought he had nothing much to offer.
Little did they know this was a move that would lead to the recording of U2’s first demo. In this case, Mullen’s dodgy timekeeping skills become apparent, bringing out an executive aghast in the record.
This was Mullen’s turning moment because he was able to take on the challenge with the whole of his mind. His performance shocked all those who had thought of eliminating him, and they knew just how much they needed him in the band ever since Mullen has never stopped serving as one of the most influential kinsmen in rock.
Mullen is described as technologically savvy and surprisingly funky. It is this personality that has earned him a spot in the world of rock drummers. And to make his styles known across the globe, Mullen keeps the band’s grooves pushing one towards the future.
The drummer has a way of hitting the snare until it feels as though it has a message to pass – like, “Sunday Bloody Sunday.”
Mullen is your solution if you are looking for a drummer who can find the human heartbeat in the middle of Achtung Baby’s clubby electronics. And he pulls along with him the whole team so that everything is in perfect harmony.
Another thing that makes Larry stand out is his way of getting along with others. He is simply likable and makes everyone around him feel like they can approach him with all their problems, and he will find a solution for them. This is a very important character for a drummer since they hold the band together.
Mullen has been playing drums for a very long time, and his experience has taught him to always be innovative. This is why you will never easily find him using the same style for different projects.
Mullen once argued to producer Brian Eno that “Sunday Bloody Sunday” track was a click track with a fraction of a beat off the band. This made the producer listen more keenly to the song, and he discovered it was askew by six milliseconds. And when Eno was interviewed by The New Yorker, he confessed that he was adjusting the track to two milliseconds to the wrong side when Mullen advised him to come back.
There are very few drummers who have such a keen ear and rhythm flowing through their blood. It takes more than just practice and talent to get where Mullen has.
