Larry Mullen Jnr, true legend

[flanzer]

Lads,
I don't usually post in here so this is the first time. We were up in the Summit Inn in Howth last night at a 'going away' do that a friend of had. This chap is actually the manager of the Summit Inn also. Another friend of mine was playing in a band. Some of you might know them, Diablo. They mainly do covers of U2, Thin Lizzy and the likes but also have some of their own stuff and are based mainly around the Northside of Dublin.

Anyway as you can imagine the place was bopping, drink was flowing and the craic was mighty. Then my mate took to the stage to make an announcment and introduced Larry Mullen to the stage!! Well my jaw dropped, along with 100 or so others!!

He frequents this pub quite a bit and my mate had got to know him. Without even asking him, Larry offered to sit down behind the drums and bash a few tunes out! They did One first. It was bloody awesome to see this man applying his trade only a few feet away from me! When the song was over, my mate who's the lead singer in the band gestured a thank you and gratitude to him but Larry gestured back that he wanted to play another tune! Fcuk me, my mate nearly sh1t himself at this stage! Then they played New Years Day....another cracking U2 rock anthem, before Larry left the stage to the applause and screaming he richly deserved.

I was so proud along with the 100 or so others. This man didn't have to do this but he did, so unlike many other rock stars out there that would turn their nose up at this. But Larry has his feet stuck firmly on the ground. He has had tremendous luck over the last 25 years in the music business but has never forgotten his roots. He has never forgotten the times that U2 played and struggled to fill school halls back in the late 70s / early 80s, getting transported around in the back of a van. A true hero and great ambassador for this country.

I've attached a couple of photos from last night, I know they're a bit blurry but they were taken from the camera phone.

[MrJoeSoap]

Crap drummer all the same!

Fair play to him though.

[Karl Hungus]

Who?

[Doctor J]

There's an irrational hatred of all things U2 around here which I don't understand, personally. They always seemed to be decent enough blokes who struck it lucky but put in a lot of work too. Fair ****ing play to them, I say.

[flanzer]

Originally Posted by Doctor J

There's an irrational hatred of all things U2 around here which I don't understand, personally. They always seemed to be decent enough blokes who struck it lucky but put in a lot of work too. Fair ****ing play to them, I say.

Hear Hear.... I just hope it's not begrudgery .........

[Doctor J]

Begrudgery? In merry olde Ireland? Surely not!!!

[MrJoeSoap]

Originally Posted by Doctor J

There's an irrational hatred of all things U2 around here which I don't understand, personally.

Is it irrational because you don't understand it?

I think its perfectly rational: average band with very average musicians (in my opinion, of course) get ridiculously successful, people begin to hate it. It may be envy or whatever other term you wish to use, but its my and many peoples opinion. Clearly not as many as actually like them though.

[Doctor J]

Originally Posted by MrJoeSoap

Is it irrational because you don't understand it?

It's irrational in the sense that there is no logic behind the vitriol. Granted you may not like their music, fine, but with U2 there seems to be a malevolence towards them on a personal level which doesn't seem to exist for bands of similar status (although differing nationality). I don't see the reason to get all worked up over U2 and not get worked up over other "stadium" bands to the same extent. They seem, as I said, like decent enough blokes, I know some people who've shared pints with Dave Evans in Rathgar who continually stress him being a good bloke. I've never met any of them so I see no reason to despise them for their personalities on negative hearsay or their percieved lack of talent. They play stadiums and the last gig I did was to about 150 pissheads in Laois, so maybe it's not all about technique, eh?

[dimerocks]

****ing love u2. Bullet the blue sky, new years day and hold me thrill me kiss me kil me........love them songs. War and the Joshua Tree are magnificent albums.

[fade2black]

But anyway...back on the topic at hand

Fair play to him.

[Karl Hungus]

Originally Posted by Doctor J

Granted you may not like their music, fine, but with U2 there seems to be a malevolence towards them on a personal level which doesn't seem to exist for bands of similar status (although differing nationality).

Out of curiosity, other bands like who exactly?

[Doctor J]

Any largely successful band you like, the point being there seems to be a particular dislike of U2 which, in my eyes, doesn't fit with the whole hating hugely-successful-mediocre-musician thing.

[Karl Hungus]

Originally Posted by Doctor J

Any largely successful band you like, the point being there seems to be a particular dislike of U2 which, in my eyes, doesn't fit with the whole hating hugely-successful-mediocre-musician thing.

I'm really having a hard time thinking of any largely successful band on the same level as U2, except for Metallica, who would get easily as much, if not more criticism than U2. So I'm just wondering if you could point out a band for me?

[Doctor J]

You can't think of any successful bands who play stadiums despite their best days being behind them?

[Karl Hungus]

Originally Posted by Doctor J

You can't think of any successful bands who play stadiums despite their best days being behind them?

Not really, no.