U2 Drummer Larry Mullen Jr. Discusses Health Challenges and Future in Music

<figure><img alt="The Edge, Bono, Larry Mullen Jr., and Adam Clayton of U2 pose in a portrait on April 7, 2001, in Los Angeles." src="https://thedailybeast-thedailybeast-prod.web.arc-cdn.net/resizer/v2/3HLB7JFEHVAWZDLL3HQRYWIXFA.jpg?auth=04aa9cf9391c1073049f9cdd41398e3fbbfcb1215c72ad71d365b1c3a7728c1e&amp;smart=true&amp;width=7832&amp;height=4405" /><figcaption>Lester Cohen / Getty Images</figcaption></figure><p>Larry Mullen Jr., the drummer for U2, has shared details about a rare medical condition that has raised concerns about his future in music. Mullen, who co-founded U2 at the age of 14, has experienced health issues related to a congenital fusion that has worsened over his 50-year career.</p><p>In a September 24 interview with <a href="https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-features/u2-cover-story-carnaval-de-luz-larry-mullen-dolly-parton-1235631171/" rel="" target="_self" title="https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-features/u2-cover-story-carnaval-de-luz-larry-mullen-dolly-parton-1235631171/">Rolling Stone</a>, Mullen, 64, explained, “If you don’t do my job, you wouldn’t really notice. And I got away with it for years.”</p><p>The congenital fusion affects a facet joint in his spine, which limits his mobility. Mullen has been aware of this condition for years, but it became more severe during U2's <i>Joshua Tree</i> tour in 2019.</p><p>“By the time I came off the road, I was really in a bad way,” he said, noting that he had hoped to recover quickly.</p><p>During the COVID-19 pandemic, Mullen's condition worsened, preventing him from playing altogether. He stated, “I realized that I was physically damaged beyond repair… I shut down, everybody had, and my body just went, ‘You’ve had enough.’”</p><p>In 2022, when U2's Sphere residency was announced, Mullen signed up despite medical advice against it. His physiotherapist warned, “You won’t make it through rehearsals.”</p><p>When the band proceeded with the residency without him, Mullen began to seriously consider surgery. He noted that many doctors were hesitant to discuss the surgical option due to the risks involved, including the potential for paralysis.</p><p>“Most people were, ‘You know what? You’ve done incredibly well. Just retire. Sail off into the sunset. Why would you do this to yourself?’” he recounted, adding that even his family advised against it.</p><p>However, Mullen's passion for playing music motivated him to pursue the surgery. He remarked, “It’s only when you are faced with the possibility that you may not be able to do the thing that you love... It’s funny what your brain will do, and your body. It goes into a different mode.”</p><p>Eventually, he found a Dublin-based neurosurgeon willing to perform the surgery. Following a successful operation, Mullen resumed playing, although he noted that his body does not function the same way as before.</p><p>He expressed uncertainty about how long he can perform during tours but is committed to giving it his best effort. “Even if I can’t play for two and a half hours, if I can play for an hour, that’s enough,” he stated.</p><p>U2 is preparing for a global stadium tour coinciding with the release of <i>Carnaval De Luz</i>, their first album with new material in nine years, scheduled for November 13.</p><video id="DnMrDKWv" poster="https://cdn.jwplayer.com/v2/media/DnMrDKWv/poster.jpg"><source src="https://cdn.jwplayer.com/videos/DnMrDKWv.mp4" type="video/mp4" /></video><p></p><p><a href="https://www.thedailybeast.com/u2-drummer-larry-mullen-jr-64-reveals-career-threatening-injury/">Read more at The Daily Beast.</a></p>