Larry Mullen Jnr, true legend

flanzer · 26-05-2006 3:43pm #1

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 · 26-05-2006 3:45pm

Crap drummer all the same!

Fair play to him though.

Karl Hungus · 26-05-2006 3:49pm

Who?

Doctor J · 26-05-2006 3:51pm

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 · 26-05-2006 3:54pm

Doctor J wrote:

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 :rolleyes: .........

Doctor J · 26-05-2006 3:56pm

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

MrJoeSoap · 26-05-2006 3:56pm

Doctor J wrote:

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 · 26-05-2006 4:03pm

MrJoeSoap wrote:

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 · 26-05-2006 4:15pm

****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 · 26-05-2006 4:23pm

But anyway...back on the topic at hand:rolleyes:

Fair play to him.

Karl Hungus · 26-05-2006 4:27pm

Doctor J wrote:

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 · 26-05-2006 4:30pm

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 · 26-05-2006 4:32pm

Doctor J wrote:

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 · 26-05-2006 4:36pm

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

Karl Hungus · 26-05-2006 4:38pm

Doctor J wrote:

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

Not really, no.

Doctor J · 26-05-2006 4:42pm

OK, for the sake of discussion (and I'm not besmirching any of the following) lets say the likes of REM, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Coldplay, The Eagles, Bon Jovi, **** what have the Rolling Stones done in the last 30 years, etc, etc etc... any band who continue to enjoy success despite not being the greatest musicians in the world, not having reinvented the wheel in the last while, just look at any gig listing

Maccattack · 26-05-2006 4:53pm

I agree. He is a crap drummer. He also has an ego the size of Bono's.I met him once and he just seemed like a guy of below average intelligence who thought he was awesome.

So what if he jumped up and played with another band. That in itself doesnt mean he's a nice bloke. He might have been ego tripping.

If he wanted to be 'nice' he could have covered the bands expenses.

Earthhorse · 26-05-2006 4:57pm

The annoying thing about this whole "U2 are crap, and they can't even play their instruments and that's not even the Edge's real beard" trend (which, by the way, there is no point in fighting) is that it rears its head on every second thread created these days.

Here's one quarter of one of the biggest bands in the world sitting down to play with a band who cover them. Don't you think they'd be honoured, even awed, by that? Don't you think it's pretty sound of him?

No, all ye can think of to post, is that you don't like U2 for the umpteenth time and make irrelevant comments about covering the band's expenses. We get it. You don't like U2. Now shut the f*ck up about it. Please.

Karl Hungus · 26-05-2006 4:58pm

Doctor J wrote:

OK, for the sake of discussion (and I'm not besmirching any of the following) lets say the likes of REM, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Coldplay, The Eagles, Bon Jovi, **** what have the Rolling Stones done in the last 30 years, etc, etc etc... any band who continue to enjoy success despite not being the greatest musicians in the world, not having reinvented the wheel in the last while, just look at any gig listing

Yeah, maybe it's this hangover, but I just couldn't think of anything.

Coldplay haven't been around as long as U2, so I don't know if you could compare them. The Chillies I suppose are quite talented, Flea at least is a very, very talented bassist, so again I'm not sure are they as comparible to U2. But yeah, never mind that, it's just semantics.

Something else could be that U2 are really the only big Irish band. Maybe people just don't like the idea of them representing the nation, so to speak? I don't know, personally, the only reason I dislike them is that I think they're just a thoroughly mediocre band.

Maccattack · 26-05-2006 5:00pm

Earthhorse wrote:

The annoying thing about this whole "U2 are crap, and they can't even play their instruments and that's not even the Edge's real beard" trend (which, by the way, there is no point in fighting) is that it rears its head on every second thread created these days.

Here's one quarter of one of the biggest bands in the world sitting down to play with a band who cover them. Don't you think they'd be honoured, even awed, by that? Don't you think it's pretty sound of him?

No, all ye can think of to post, is that you don't like U2 for the umpteenth time and make irrelevant comments about covering the band's expenses. We get it. You don't like U2. Now shut the f*ck up about it. Please.

Who the hell do you think you are telling me to shut the f*ck up. Free country. Free speech. Mein Fuhrer.

Doctor J · 26-05-2006 5:00pm

I'm no great fan myself, but **** it they've done well where so many others have failed. Fair play to them. I'd take them over any generic miming boyband anytime.

Karl Hungus · 26-05-2006 5:03pm

Maccattack wrote:

Who the hell do you think you are telling me to shut the f*ck up. Free country. Free speech. Mein Fuhrer.

Calm down there Mac, no need to drag this into a flamefest, we've got enough debate on our hands.

Earthhorse · 26-05-2006 5:06pm

Ah, the STFU comment wasn't aimed at you directly Macattack.

I just think this U2 thing has been done a million times this week alone and is sh*tting up what could have been a nice little thread.

Mushy · 26-05-2006 10:33pm

As much as i hate U2, that is a really cool thing to do. At least he has showed he isnt a snob towards people when all they doin is havina good laugh, and coverin his songs even! Fair play to him again

dead air · 26-05-2006 10:45pm

I've always thought Larry Mullen is quite a decent drummer. Sure, he's not Danny Carey or John Bonham but he's tight and he's capable of writing an original and instantly recognisable beat (sunday bloody sunday, bullet the blue sky, and so on...).

Whatever you're opinion of the man's personality, he is a good drummer.

Mushy · 26-05-2006 10:59pm

Whatever you're opinion of the man's personality, he is a good drummer.

For me about him, its personality..good, drumming...not so good(to be kind).

dave_lee_roth · 27-05-2006 9:26pm

U2 bore me to tears....zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

Sofaspud · 27-05-2006 9:59pm

Diablo are legends themselves in any case. They regularly play my local, and a couple of months ago they were having their usual half-time break, and my (quite drunk) friend asked them if we could have a go, so meself, himself and another chap beat out a couple of tunes. Again, we were very drunk, and I think the mics were off, and we were very drunk, but it was a good larf in any case.
They're an excellent band too.

(not U2, I don't like them very much, but I don't want to get into this

)

So Glad · 28-05-2006 2:10pm

Sofaspud wrote:

Diablo are legends themselves in any case. They regularly play my local, and a couple of months ago they were having their usual half-time break, and my (quite drunk) friend asked them if we could have a go, so meself, himself and another chap beat out a couple of tunes. Again, we were very drunk, and I think the mics were off, and we were very drunk, but it was a good larf in any case.
They're an excellent band too.

(not U2, I don't like them very much, but I don't want to get into this )

That was a good night. The mics were off but I don't think it would have helped us if they were on.

A Primal Nut · 28-05-2006 4:42pm

Doctor J wrote:

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?

This is exactly the important point. Not every music fan plays an instrument, not everyone cares about technique. Technique is only a means to an end. Its only good if you use it to write some decent songs. Of course U2 are rubbish musicians but they are amazing songwriters. The fact they can write such amazing songs despite limited technique is even more impressive. Very few songs are written which literally everyone likes, but U2 have songs of that unique quality such as One and Without Or Without You. That takes talent. Better musicians would probably have never written songs like that, particularly as the best musicians tend to play Metal.

There are few few bands who were as consistent over four albums as U2 were with Unforgettable Fire, The Joshua Tree, Rattle And Hum and Achtung Baby. Sure, nearly everything they have done since then sucked, but a band should always be judged by their best material, not their worst. They are the most consistent Irish band ever and its great that such a small country can produce the most popular band in the world.

Beer is Life · 29-05-2006 2:50am

Thats a fantastic story. Would have loved to have been there

Fair play to the man!

gizmo · 29-05-2006 9:36am

Karl Hungus wrote:

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?

Creed.

They're actually rather similar. Asshole frontman that everyone hates, great musicians, decent music ruined by preachy lyrics and a fanbase whos love of the band is in most cases only equally by the irrational hatred the rest of the world have for them.

flanzer · 30-05-2006 10:29am

Only back after a being away for the weekend and I can't believe the contempt I'm reading!!

Jeez, to be fair, with 120 million worldwide album sales, 120 million people can't be wrong!

Edit: That figure was taken back from 2004 by the way! It's probably up around 150m by now!

gizmo · 30-05-2006 11:32am

flanzer wrote:

Jeez, to be fair, with 120 million worldwide album sales, 120 million people can't be wrong!

Edit: That figure was taken back from 2004 by the way! It's probably up around 150m by now!

A) That sales figure is for all their albums, the people who bought one album are more than likely going to have bought the others so you might want to cut that figure down abit.

Yes, yes they can.

powermac · 30-05-2006 12:12pm

i thought this was a rock/metal thread...............
So why are U2 being talked about ??

Should they not be in another new thread such as TOP of the Cocks, or whinge whinge whinge.

Outdated, outspoken and too fookin old.
The music stinks of sporadic kak!

Doctor J · 30-05-2006 12:43pm

U2 are as relevant as any other rock band discussed in here. If you don't like that please feel free go elsewhere.

powermac · 30-05-2006 1:43pm

Doctor J wrote:

U2 are as relevant as any other rock band discussed in here. If you don't like that please feel free go elsewhere.

oohhhh!!!... since when were you made the king of the threads then eh?, Doctor Jerkoff.

Everyone is entitled to an opinion, hense the reason for these forums.
Im sure you'd be glad to help Bone-O' "suck it 'til its soft".

MrJoeSoap · 30-05-2006 1:45pm

powermac wrote:

oohhhh!!!... since when were you made the king of the threads then eh?, Doctor Jerkoff.

Well he is the mod... :rolleyes:

Doctor J · 30-05-2006 1:55pm

powermac wrote:

oohhhh!!!... since when were you made the king of the threads then eh?, Doctor Jerkoff.

Everyone is entitled to an opinion, hense the reason for these forums.
Im sure you'd be glad to help Bone-O' "suck it 'til its soft".

Everyone is indeed entitled to their opinion, however the forum is better off without this kind of immature drivel, so you are banned until such a time as you can exchange such opinions without resorting to moronic profanities and ignorant name-calling.

Drummo · 30-05-2006 1:57pm

I've no time for U2 or their music but I thought it was a very good gesture and I'm sure the band were stoked!

Maccattack · 30-05-2006 4:19pm

flanzer wrote:

Jeez, to be fair, with 120 million worldwide album sales, 120 million people can't be wrong!

120 million people bought one album each?

flanzer · 30-05-2006 4:44pm

Maccattack wrote:

120 million people bought one album each?

OK, I stand corrected. Obviously 120m people didn't buy one each but if people repeatedly buy their albums, surely they must be good!!!

Maccattack · 30-05-2006 4:56pm

flanzer wrote:

OK, I stand corrected. Obviously 120m people didn't buy one each but if people repeatedly buy their albums, surely they must be good!!!

well... I took my kids to see Hi5 in concert earlier this year. Im sure each one of the kids there had multiple Hi5 products.

We also went to see Busted some time ago. They sold a lot too.

U2 did have something interesting once upon a time but that was a long time ago. Everything since maybe Achoo Baby has been pretty drab. It has certainly followed a formula anyway.

John · 30-05-2006 5:02pm

Pop was deadly. The newer albums were good, not earth shattering but U2 don't pretend to be harbingers of a new musical revolution. They're great at what they do, they've had lots of success, not just from mindless people buying albums like manufactured pop groups but from many other musicians and critics. If you don't like them, fair enough but you can't deny they are a good, hard working band that have made it big not through clever marketing (they're staying big through clever marketing before anyone mentions iPods) but through the quality of the their songs. Larry Mullen got on stage with a local band and played with them, how many other bands that you listen to would do that? Not many.

Closing Doors · 31-05-2006 10:19am

John2 wrote:

Pop was deadly. The newer albums were good, not earth shattering but U2 don't pretend to be harbingers of a new musical revolution. They're great at what they do, they've had lots of success, not just from mindless people buying albums like manufactured pop groups but from many other musicians and critics. If you don't like them, fair enough but you can't deny they are a good, hard working band that have made it big not through clever marketing (they're staying big through clever marketing before anyone mentions iPods) but through the quality of the their songs. Larry Mullen got on stage with a local band and played with them, how many other bands that you listen to would do that? Not many.

Very very true. It's sickening the amount of people grumbling about them (while typically believing their own only-practise-at-weekends-bands capable of changing the face of music).

If he refused to play with the band, he'd be an asshole. Since he did, he was apparently looking for attention. :rolleyes:

gizmo · 31-05-2006 12:29pm

John2 wrote:

The newer albums were good, not earth shattering but U2 don't pretend to be harbingers of a new musical revolution.

Thats my problem with them, in many interviews Bono has been a complete tard regarding their music and the effect it has on people, talking it up and saying how important it is.

John2 wrote:

They're great at what they do, they've had lots of success, not just from mindless people buying albums like manufactured pop groups but from many other musicians and critics.

Its what they do that I don't like. And yes, I'll agree with The Edge influencing many guitarists however the rest of them, meh, they're all decent musicians but theres nothing outstanding about them.

John2 wrote:

If you don't like them, fair enough but you can't deny they are a good, hard working band that have made it big not through clever marketing (they're staying big through clever marketing before anyone mentions iPods) but through the quality of the their songs. Larry Mullen got on stage with a local band and played with them, how many other bands that you listen to would do that? Not many.

Nope, I find that many people will buy their albums yet not really like them as a band. They buy them becuase they are a big band and that automatically means they're great. Most of the people I know who bought "How To Dismantle An Atomic Bomb" listened to it only while there was a buzz about it and then promptly moved onto the next big thing. THATS what bugs me about U2 and their ilk. They are no longer popular due to their new releases but becuase of the cult they have built around them. As has been said before, they could release the worst CD of their careers next and it would still sell like hot cakes.

I suppose I don't really hate U2 per say. However I dislike Bono, I dislike the fact that they are popular for the above reasons and I dislike the "OMFG" factor about them. That said, there rest of the lads in the band, as was expressed by the OP, seem to be sound enough blokes so good for them really. It still doesn't mean we have to like U2 though.

lodgepole · 31-05-2006 2:11pm

Nobody can argue the fact that U2 have sold an assload of albums.

Nobody can argue the fact that their music has a profound effect on millions of people around the world.

All you can argue is your personal opinion on the band. Good or bad, it makes no difference. Playing with a local band in a local pub when you're the drummer in the biggest band in the world is a sound thing to do.

peter1892 · 31-05-2006 2:41pm

I met Larry once, briefly. Came across as a sound enough bloke, especially when he was having loads of people coming up to him in a busy pub!

That said, I'm not fussed on U2. They're good live & some of their albums are good (Achtung Baby is brilliant) but they're more recent material has been (IMO) absolutely dire.

Playing with a local band in a local pub when you're the drummer in the biggest band in the world is a sound thing to do.

When did Nicko do that?

No, fair play to him for doing that...

gizmo · 31-05-2006 3:27pm

Lodgepole wrote:

Nobody can argue the fact that their music has a profound effect on millions of people around the world.

Heh, when I read that I remembered Maddox's article from awhile back, it made me laugh anyway...

Anyway, back to Vertigo: this song sucks so much because of the unique tag-team trio of ****ty music, the forced chic of iPod ads, and its stupid fan base. I looked around on some U2 message boards to see what the fans were saying about this song and its turgid lyrics, here's what fan member "Bob" has to say:

"Vertigo actually has some seriously heavy lyric - but I bet most of mainstream radio listeners will never know what they mean - I love that! It makes me feel priviledged [sic] to know what the man has to say - there are so many invaluable messages in their albums, certainly this one will be another thought provoking and life influencing scripture."

Here's a sample of the "seriously heavy lyrics" in Vertigo:

WoooAoo! WoooAoo! WoooAoo! WoooAoo!

And who could forget this poignant verse:

Yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah,
Yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah.

And on a more serious note, alot of people that dislike U2 do so because they can't stand Bono and his "attitude". One of my mates asked me what this "attitude" was and I pointed him to this lovely quote.

"I don't know why, but we always had this belief that there was something sacred about our music, that it was almost holy."

That's the kind of crap that can make people hate a band if they don't like them already...

Doctor J · 31-05-2006 5:07pm

Wow, imagine a musician believing their music to be something extraordinary :eek:

So you dislike them because of what you read, rather than the music you hear? Here's a novel idea, turn off the tv, stop reading the NME and just listen to music for what it is, rather than what some journalist tells you what it is. This doesn't apply to just U2, this is for anyone who actually likes music. Ignore the bull****. The music is what matters, not the peripheral irrelevant ****e which is printed only to fill column inches.

MrJoeSoap · 31-05-2006 5:14pm

Doctor J wrote:

The music is what matters

Though with U2 I sometimes wonder...

Larry Mullen Jnr, true legend

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