| Larry Mullen, Jr. | |
|---|---|
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | Lawrence Joseph Mullen, Jr. |
| Also known as | Larry Mullen Jr.; Babyface Mullen |
| Born | 31 October 1961 |
| Origin | Artane, Dublin, Ireland |
| Genres | Rock, post-punk, alternative rock |
| Occupations | Musician, songwriter |
| Instruments | Drums, percussion, vocals, synthesizer |
| Years active | 1976–present |
| Associated acts | U2 Automatic Baby Passengers |
| Website | www.u2.com |
| Notable instruments | |
| Yamaha drums & accessories, Paiste (Signature) cymbals, Pro-Mark drumsticks, and Remo drumheads. | |
Lawrence Joseph "Larry" Mullen, Jr. (born 31 October 1961) is the drummer for the rock band U2.[1] He is the founder of U2, which he later described as "'The Larry Mullen Band' for about ten minutes, then Bono walked in and blew any chance I had of being in charge." He has worked on numerous side projects during his career, including a collaboration with Michael Stipe and Mike Mills of R.E.M. to form Automatic Baby in 1993 and working with bandmate Adam Clayton on the re-recording of the theme to Mission: Impossible, in 1996.[2][3] He and U2 have won many awards, including 22 Grammy awards.[1]
Contents |
Mullen, the middle child and only son of Larry and Maureen Mullen, was born 31 October 1961 in Artane, on the north side of Dublin, Ireland, where he was raised.[1] Mullen began drumming in 1970, at the age of 9, under the instruction of Irish drummer Joe Bonnie and, later, Bonnie's daughter Monica.[1] His mother died in a car accident in November 1978, two years after U2 was founded.[4]
Before founding U2, Mullen was involved in a Dublin marching band called the Artane Boys Band now known as the Artane Band, contributing to the martial beats common in Mullen's work, such as the song "Sunday Bloody Sunday".[4] Mullen founded U2 in the fall of 1976 by placing a now famous notice on the Mount Temple Comprehensive School bulletin board, saying something to the effect of "drummer seeks musicians to form band."[5] The band, originally consisting of Mullen, Paul "Bono" Hewson, David "The Edge" Evans, his brother Dik Evans, Adam Clayton, and Mullen's friends Ivan McCormick and Peter Martin, was originally known as the "Larry Mullen Band", but the name quickly changed to "Feedback", as that was one of the few musical terms they knew. Soon after the band formed, McCormick and Martin left, and the band, by then known as "The Hype" was a 5-piece.[1][3][4] Just before they won a Limerick, Ireland talent contest, they changed their name again, for the final time, to U2, formally done at a farewell concert for Dik Evans, becoming the 4-piece band they are today.[3][4]
As U2 grew more popular, Mullen added the "Junior" suffix to his name to stop confusion with his father (also Larry Mullen), who was receiving large tax bills meant for his son.[1] Mullen is unmarried, but has lived with his girlfriend Ann Acheson for more than 30 years.[1] They have three children, Aaron Elvis (born 1995), Ava (born 1998), and Ezra [6] (born 2001).[1][4]
He is known to be the "brakes of the band", and prefers to let the other band members take the spotlight at interviews.[4] Mullen has also played synthesizer or keyboards on several songs, including "United Colours" from 1995's Original Soundtracks 1, an album that Mullen has always disliked.[4][7] Mullen loves Harley Davidson motorcycles and is a big fan of Elvis Presley. He currently lives in the Howth suburb of Dublin.
People say, "Why don't you do interviews? What do you think about this? What do you think about that?" My job in the band is to play drums, to get up on stage and hold the band together. That's what I do. At the end of the day that's all that's important. Everything else is irrelevant.
After forming U2, Mullen’s drumming style and techniques began to evolve. In the early days of the band, his contributions to the band were often limited to fills and drum rolls, but he became more involved in the writing of the songs later, particularly in conjunction with Adam Clayton, his partner in the rhythm section, with whom he has collaborated on solo projects.[4] When the band was first being signed to CBS Records, they refused to sign the band unless Mullen was fired.[4] He was not, and as a result, his drumming became more integrated into the song structures. Mullen's experience as a teenager in the Artane Boys Band now known as the Artane Band, heavily contributed to the martial beat featured in many of U2's songs, helping to evoke military imagery.
Mullen typically makes heavy use of the floor tom with his right hand, often resulting in a 'tribal' rhythmic style much in evidence on certain U2 records, such as The Unforgettable Fire.
During the recording of the album Pop in 1996, Mullen suffered from severe back problems.[3] Recording was delayed due to surgery. When he left the hospital, he arrived back in the studio to find the rest of the band experimenting more than ever with electronic drum machines, something driven largely by The Edge's interest in dance and hip-hop music, and, given his weakness after the operation, he finally gave in to The Edge and continued to use drum machines, which contributed heavily to the album's electronic feel.[3]
Mullen has had tendinitis problems throughout his career. As a means to reduce inflammation and pain, he began to use specially designed Pro-Mark drumsticks.[1] He uses Yamaha drums and Paiste cymbals. He was placed at # 21 in Stylus Magazine's list of the 50 Greatest Rock Drummers.[9]
Mullen has worked on many solo projects in his career, including collaborations with Maria McKee, Nanci Griffith, and U2 producer Daniel Lanois. Mullen played drums on many of the songs on the 1995 Emmylou Harris album Wrecking Ball. Mullen, along with bandmate Adam Clayton, recorded the soundtrack to the 1996 movie remake of Mission: Impossible, including the theme song, whose time signature was changed from the original 5/4 time signature to an easier and more danceable 4/4 time signature.[2] The "Theme from Mission:Impossible" reached #8 on the U.S. Billboard chart, and was nominated for a Grammy award in the "Best Pop Instrumental Performance" category.[2][10][11] Mullen worked with producer Daniel Lanois on his album Acadie. Mullen and Clayton also collaborated with Mike Mills and Michael Stipe from R.E.M. to form the one-performance group Automatic Baby, solely for the purpose of performing the song "One" for Bill Clinton's inauguration at MTV's 1993 inaugural ball. The group's name refers to the titles of both bands' latest albums, Achtung Baby and Automatic for the People. He provided 'marimba and inspiration' on Underworld's song Boy, Boy, Boy from their 2007 album Oblivion with Bells.
Various other percussion instruments, including LP cowbells.
Mullen and U2 have won more than 60 awards, including 22 Grammy awards.[13] At the Grammy awards, the band has won "Best Rock Duo or Group with Vocal" 7 times, "Album of the Year" twice, "Record of the Year" twice, "Song of the Year" twice, and "Best Rock Album" twice.[13]
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| Larry Mullen, Jr. | |
|---|---|
| Birth name | Lawrence Joseph Mullen, Jr. |
| Also known as | Larry Mullen Jr. |
| Born | 31 October 1961 |
| Origin | Artane, Dublin, Ireland |
| Genres | Rock, post-punk, alternative rock |
| Occupations | Musician, songwriter |
| Instruments | Drums, percussion, vocals, synthesiser |
| Years active | 1976–present |
| Associated acts | U2 Automatic Baby Passengers |
| Website | www.u2.com |
| Notable instruments | |
| Yamaha drums & accessories, Paiste (Signature) cymbals, Pro-Mark drumsticks, and Remo drumheads. | |
Lawrence Joseph "Larry" Mullen, Jr. (born 31 October 1961) is the drummer for the rock band U2.[1] He is the founder of U2, which he later described as "'The Larry Mullen Band' for about ten minutes, then Bono walked in and blew any chance I had of being in charge." He has worked on numerous side projects during his career, including a collaboration with Michael Stipe and Mike Mills of R.E.M. to form Automatic Baby in 1993 and working with bandmate Adam Clayton on the re-recording of the theme to Mission: Impossible, in 1996.[2][3] He and U2 have won many awards, including 22 Grammy awards.[1]
Contents |
Mullen, the middle child and only son of Larry and Maureen Mullen, was born 31 October 1961 in Artane, Dublin, Ireland. Mullen began drumming in 1970, at the age of 9, under the instruction of Irish drummer Joe Bonnie and, later, Bonnie's daughter Monica.[1] His mother died in a car accident in November 1978, two years after U2 was founded.[4]
Before founding U2, Mullen was involved in a Dublin marching band called the Artane Boys Band now known as the Artane Band, contributing to the martial beats common in Mullen's work, such as the song "Sunday Bloody Sunday".[4] Mullen founded U2 in the fall of 1976 by placing a now famous notice on the Mount Temple Comprehensive School bulletin board, saying something to the effect of "drummer seeks musicians to form band."[5] The band, originally consisting of Mullen, Paul "Bono" Hewson, David "The Edge" Evans, his brother Dik Evans, Adam Clayton, and Mullen's friends Ivan McCormick and Peter Martin, was originally known as the "Larry Mullen Band", but the name quickly changed to "Feedback", as that was one of the few musical terms they knew. Soon after the band formed, McCormick and Martin left, and the band, by then known as "The Hype" was a 5-piece.[1][3][4] Just before they won a Limerick, Ireland talent contest, they changed their name again, for the final time, to U2, formally done at a farewell concert for Dik Evans, becoming the 4-piece band they are today.[3][4]
As U2 grew more popular, Mullen added the "Junior" suffix to his name to stop confusion with his father (also Larry Mullen), who was receiving large tax bills meant for his son.[1] Mullen is unmarried, but has lived with his girlfriend Ann Acheson for more than 30 years.[1] They have three children, Aaron Elvis (born 1995), Ava (born 1998), and Ezra[6] (born 2001).[1][4]
He is known to be the "brakes of the band", and prefers to let the other band members take the spotlight at interviews.[4] Mullen has also played synthesiser or keyboards on several songs, including "United Colours" from 1995's Original Soundtracks 1, an album that Mullen has always disliked.[4][7] Mullen loves Harley Davidson motorcycles and is a big fan of Elvis Presley. He currently lives in the Howth suburb of Dublin.
People say, "Why don't you do interviews? What do you think about this? What do you think about that?" My job in the band is to play drums, to get up on stage and hold the band together. That's what I do. At the end of the day that's all that's important. Everything else is irrelevant.
After forming U2, Mullen’s drumming style and techniques began to evolve. In the early days of the band, his contributions to the band were often limited to fills and drum rolls, but he became more involved in the writing of the songs later, particularly in conjunction with Adam Clayton, his partner in the rhythm section, with whom he has collaborated on solo projects.[4] When the band was first being signed to CBS Records, they refused to sign the band unless Mullen was fired.[4] He was not, and as a result, his drumming became more integrated into the song structures. Mullen's experience as a teenager in the Artane Boys Band now known as the Artane Band, heavily contributed to the martial beat featured in many of U2's songs, helping to evoke military imagery.
Mullen typically makes heavy use of the floor tom with his right hand, often resulting in a 'tribal' rhythmic style much in evidence on certain U2 records, such as The Unforgettable Fire.
During the recording of the album Pop in 1996, Mullen suffered from severe back problems.[3] Recording was delayed due to surgery. When he left the hospital, he arrived back in the studio to find the rest of the band experimenting more than ever with electronic drum machines, something driven largely by The Edge's interest in dance and hip-hop music, and, given his weakness after the operation, he finally gave in to The Edge and continued to use drum machines, which contributed heavily to the album's electronic feel.[3]
Mullen has had tendinitis problems throughout his career. As a means to reduce inflammation and pain, he began to use specially designed Pro-Mark drumsticks.[1] He uses Yamaha drums and Paiste cymbals. He was placed at # 21 in Stylus Magazine's list of the 50 Greatest Rock Drummers.[9]
Mullen has worked on many solo projects in his career, including collaborations with Maria McKee, Nanci Griffith, and U2 producer Daniel Lanois. Mullen played drums on many of the songs on the 1995 Emmylou Harris album Wrecking Ball. Mullen, along with bandmate Adam Clayton, recorded the soundtrack to the 1996 movie remake of Mission: Impossible, including the theme song, whose time signature was changed from the original 5/4 time signature to an easier and more danceable 4/4 time signature.[2] The "Theme from Mission:Impossible" reached #8 on the U.S. Billboard chart, and was nominated for a Grammy award in the "Best Pop Instrumental Performance" category.[2][10][11] Mullen worked with producer Daniel Lanois on his album Acadie. Mullen and Clayton also collaborated with Mike Mills and Michael Stipe from R.E.M. to form the one-performance group Automatic Baby, solely for the purpose of performing the song "One" for Bill Clinton's inauguration at MTV's 1993 inaugural ball. The group's name refers to the titles of both bands' latest albums, Achtung Baby and Automatic for the People. He provided 'marimba and inspiration' on Underworld's song Boy, Boy, Boy from their 2007 album Oblivion with Bells.
Various other percussion instruments, including LP cowbells.
Mullen and U2 have won more than 60 awards, including 22 Grammy awards.[13] At the Grammy awards, the band has won "Best Rock Duo or Group with Vocal" 7 times, "Album of the Year" twice, "Record of the Year" twice, "Song of the Year" twice, and "Best Rock Album" twice.[13]
| Wikiquote has a collection of quotations related to: Larry Mullen, Jr. |
Larry Mullen, Jr. (born October 31, 1961 in Artane, Dublin, Ireland) is the drummer for the Irish rock band U2.
Contents |
"There were no jobs to get. It was like we were all going nowhere, so we decided to go nowhere together and form a band. It was that or whoring ourselves to death" (1986)
"I was the guy who borrowed the guitar for the first rehearsal. I borrowed the guitar for the first gig as well. I was in charge, I was the leader of this band for two days. Two days was all I lasted."
"Then Bono arrived, and he meant to play the guitar, but he couldn't play very well, so he started to sing. He couldn't do that either. But he was such a charismatic character that he was in the band anyway, as soon as he arrived. I was in charge for the first five minutes, but as soon as Bono got there, I was out of a job." (1987)
"If a student with an accordion had come along, I would've played with them ya know...that was where I was at, I was that desperate to play with somebody."
"It's a mad thing we do. There's nothing natural about it. I mean, I hit things for a living. I hit things and people clap!" (2001)
"I didn't join a band to be famous. I joined a band to hit things." (2002)
"The lyrics don't mean shit to be honest, in my opinion. It's all about the drums" (1992)
"You begin to feel like a fish bowl. You get some girls who just stare, never come near, never speak. Weird." (1987)
"It's a tough life being a pop star. You know, at the end of the day when you've paid all the bills and put the kids through college and that, you know, there's only enough left for a small island off the South Pacific." (1997)
"I have nightmares of my kids saying, Did you really look like that? Did you really make that shit? I want to make good enough records for them to be able to say I'm OK." (2001)
"I think I look cool. I don't know about the other three but I look cool, I am cool." (1997)
"I am a Christian and not ashamed of that. But trying to explain my beliefs, our beliefs, takes away from it. I have more in common with somebody who doesn't believe at all than I do with most Christians. I don't mind saying that." (1987)
| Larry Mullen, Jr. | |
|---|---|
| Birth name | Lawrence Joseph Mullen, Jr. |
| Also known as | Larry Mullen Jr.; Babyface Mullen |
| Born | 31 October 1961 |
| Origin | Dublin, Ireland |
| Genres | Rock, post-punk, alternative rock |
| Occupations | Musician, songwriter |
| Instruments | Drums, percussion, vocals, synthesizers |
| Years active | 1976 - present |
| Associated acts | U2 Automatic Baby |
| Website | www.u2.com |
Larry Mullen Junior (born October 31, 1961) is an Irish drummer. He is a member of the rock band U2. Mullen was born in Dublin, Ireland.
Besides U2, Larry has worked with other musicians, for example, Nanci Griffith, Daniel Lanois, Emmylou Harris, Robbie Robertson, Paul Brady and B.B. King. Because of the Irish National Football team's bid for the World Cup in 1990, Mullen co-wrote and co-produced the anthem "Put 'Em Under Pressure." He also worked with U2's Adam Clayton on the theme for the 1996 movie Mission: Impossible. Mullen and Clayton joined with Mike Mills and Michael Stipe to form the group "Automatic Baby" for Bill Clinton's Presidential inauguration in 1993 at MTV's Inaugural Ball.
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