Larry, Adam, Edge. Who is the best?

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I'm pretty sure that you can't be pretty sure that I can't play them the way Larry does, cause I'm pretty sure you haven't heard me. I'm 100% sure that I never claimed to be as good as a professional drummer; and if I was, I'm pretty sure I'd be a drummer and not a guitarist. And it's true that I can play some of their songs on drums rather decently (Keyword: Decent). I'd also challenge you to drum off, but yea.. idk who u iz.
Then you have to be a natural talent, because it's quite hard to learn to play the drums in a month and a half. You stated you can play a lot of U2 songs decently. What do you mean with decently? Some basic technics and basic patterns?

And I can't play as good as Larry, that's because Larry is a better drummer than many people (also on this forum) think. Like I stated above, he's like a living metronome.
 
I took drum lessons for two months and I can play every single U2 song.

I'm gonna call BS on this one. I've seen seasoned drummers not be able to play MOFO or some of his earlier work.

Plus try playing to multiple sequencers, a lot of drummers can't do it.

I've seen a handful of U2 tribute, the drummers can get through the songs, but they aren't playing exactly like Larry played it
 
Then you have to be a natural talent, because it's quite hard to learn to play the drums in a month and a half. You stated you can play a lot of U2 songs decently. What do you mean with decently? Some basic technics and basic patterns?

And I can't play as good as Larry, that's because Larry is a better drummer than many people (also on this forum) think. Like I stated above, he's like a living metronome.

I don't really know how to explain it to be honest. If I play to songs like Sunday Bloody Sunday or Gloria, what I'm playing on drums matches up more or less to what I hear in the song; I don't know if that explains what I mean by decent, but that's as close as I can get.

And you should know that I'm not trying to demean any of what Larry has done. I love his drumming, and it's what got me listening to U2 in the first place; War was my first album, and Sunday Bloody Sunday was my first favorite song of theirs. I was just trying to say that there's really nothing too complex that he's come up with, generally speaking.
 
The edge is the best musician in the band- no question about it. I dont believe that you are necessarily a better guitar player if you can solo as well as clapton or hendrix. Edge's guitar abilities come not with his speed but with the texture of the sound he produces. Edge is the best musician in the band because he has created his own unique sound and wonderfully melodic and ambient tones that hardly any other guitar player before him has created. I believe that is what makes him a good guitar player. The musicianship of the band is not how well each plays their instruments but rather what they do with their instruments and how the compose their music, that is where U2 truly shines.
 
No one has yet mentioned Larry's drumming on Please, either version, which is probably my favorite U2 song for drums. Yeah, it's a marching band beat (both times) but it sounds fantastic and matches the song well. Alot of drumming is just timekeeping, but being able to have your own voice in the music while doing it is Larry's forte.

I think the one who is getting underrated here is Adam. Trust me, crappy bass can ruin a good song. And yeah, he didn't take lessons until Pop, but does that mean anything he did earlier wasn't good? He gave NYD and 2H their style, Exit its mystery - and alot of the B-sides from the 1980's feature great bass lines (Deep In the Heart and Race Against Time come to mind).

I like alot of heavy metal, so I've heard some rippin' bass lines, but being able to play hard and fast does not a good bass player make. It's the ability to warmly fill in the gaps, create the cushion against which the other instruments and vocals rest, and set the underlying tone for the whole song. Adam does this effortlessly.

Other than in a few very early songs, which, to be honest, his bass playing err... sucks, he is the glue which holds everyone else together. And in songs like Lemon, IYWTVD, Vertigo, and GOYB, he makes the song happen. To say that "...just not very far you can go with a Bass guitar and creativity" is plain wrong.

Speaking of creativity, Edge's real skill is taking effects and blending them into "WOW!" moments. He's more of a technician than a guitar player, but just listen to his early work and demos and you can tell he really loves to just play. He can rock with the best of them - super-fast finger work is just not his style. Strictly talking about his guitar work, though, I wouldn't say he's the best in the band - they all run about even in my book. But when you add in his vocals and piano skills, he is certainly the best all-around musician.

Just my two-cents.

goat
 
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Adam and Larry are not particularly talented musicians, so it's basically Edge by default.

And for anyone who wants to ask, yes, I'm a musician. And I listen to a lot of music.
 
No one has yet mentioned Larry's drumming on Please, either version, which is probably my favorite U2 song for drums. Yeah, it's a marching band beat (both times) but it sounds fantastic and matches the song well. Alot of drumming is just timekeeping, but being able to have your own voice in the music while doing it is Larry's forte.

I think the one who is getting underrated here is Adam. Trust me, crappy bass can ruin a good song. And yeah, he didn't take lessons until Pop, but does that mean anything he did earlier wasn't good? He gave NYD and 2H their style, Exit its mystery - and alot of the B-sides from the 1980's feature great bass lines (Deep In the Heart and Race Against Time come to mind).

I like alot of heavy metal, so I've heard some rippin' bass lines, but being able to play hard and fast does not a good bass player make. It's the ability to warmly fill in the gaps, create the cushion against which the other instruments and vocals rest, and set the underlying tone for the whole song. Adam does this effortlessly.

Other than in a few very early songs, which, to be honest, his bass playing err... sucks, he is the glue which holds everyone else together. And in songs like Lemon, IYWTVD, Vertigo, and GOYB, he makes the song happen. To say that "...just not very far you can go with a Bass guitar and creativity" is plain wrong.

Speaking of creativity, Edge's real skill is taking effects and blending them into "WOW!" moments. He's more of a technician than a guitar player, but just listen to his early work and demos and you can tell he really loves to just play. He can rock with the best of them - super-fast finger work is just not his style. Strictly talking about his guitar work, though, I wouldn't say he's the best in the band - they all run about even in my book. But when you add in his vocals and piano skills, he is certainly the best all-around musician.

Just my two-cents.

goat

Good post:up:
 
So, Larry Mullen Jr., Adam Clayton and The Edge. Which one is the best at what they do?
I mean this like this:
Is Edge better in playing guitar then Larry is playing drums etc.

So who do you think is the best at what they do? (bono not included)

None of the above. But they work great together.

Why not include Bono ? He wins this one.
 
Why not include Bono ? He wins this one.

Best as what he does? Hardly. If you count his voice as an instrument, that's a no. Yes, he has improved dramatically from his early days, but he actually has a mediocre voice - Edge's is better, more melodious. Bono sings no better than Larry - just a slightly different sound. Remember, he uses effects like reverb on his voice - without it, his voice is fairly flat. Showman? He wins hands down. Musician? No comparison - the rest of band beats him out.

goat
 
I doubt that...and assuming that you're being serious- even if you could play them (and I doubt you know enough about the instrument to even make this judgment), I'm sure it would sound sloppy, out of time, and basically sound like crap... kind of an ignorant thing to say. :shrug:

You can doubt whatever you want, you don't know me and haven't heard me play. How are you "sure" it would sound sloppy, out of time and like crap? Those are pretty harsh words to use for music playing you haven't even heard. Its sort of like those people who say "U2 sucks" without even having heard a song. I think thats pretty ignorant.

What I said wasn't really ignorant because as you can see in my post that I praised Larry's work in the band because its not easy to keep the drumming simple without destroying the song. Whether you're a great drummer or an average drummer, the temptation to make a song more complicated than it needs to be is very high.

I also should have mentioned that while his drumming is relatively easy to replicate, its still creative. Like others have said, Streets is a very creative drum line, in that nobody else would have thought of that. The same should be noted for Please, SBS, The Fly, and many others.
 
I'm gonna call BS on this one. I've seen seasoned drummers not be able to play MOFO or some of his earlier work.

Plus try playing to multiple sequencers, a lot of drummers can't do it.

I've seen a handful of U2 tribute, the drummers can get through the songs, but they aren't playing exactly like Larry played it

Same as my above post. And yes I can play Mofo.
 
I think by saying that I took lessons for two months and can play every song is misleading. My actual lessons were for two months, but I continued with a lot of practice for some months afterwards. And after that kept playing on and off.
 
I think by saying that I took lessons for two months and can play every song is misleading. My actual lessons were for two months, but I continued with a lot of practice for some months afterwards. And after that kept playing on and off.

Well obviously I can't say for certain if you can play the songs or not I've never heard you, you might just be a natural. That's awesome and I would love to hear you play sometime.

But I've heard a lot of seasoned drummers make the same statements, get the rhythm right and be able to play a version that would pass with most audiences but were never really playing it exactly like Larry.
 
My answer is Edge. Hands down.

But the other 2 are highly, highly underrated as musicians here and always have been!


People are so biased to show offs, but my reaction is a big yawn when Flea, a great bassist who I enjoy very much, does a 3 minute solo. Ditto for when Neal Peart or anyone else do a 9 minute drum solo. What the hell does it prove?

As someone else said, 30 years of some of the most commercially and critically acclaimed music in history, all the while being innovative and highly versatile, counts for something!


Larry is getting underrated here, there's a reason he's often mentioned with the greatest drummers, the same reason Edge gets mentioned alongside shredders and solos masters, they both have created a distinctive style that supports and complements the style of music they write, it's why U2's parts always gel like no other band, Adam does a great job of supporting/complementing as well, but I would not say he has developed a unique style of playing.

Nothing to add to this!:up:

Originally Posted by rivergoat
No one has yet mentioned Larry's drumming on Please, either version, which is probably my favorite U2 song for drums. Yeah, it's a marching band beat (both times) but it sounds fantastic and matches the song well. Alot of drumming is just timekeeping, but being able to have your own voice in the music while doing it is Larry's forte.

I think the one who is getting underrated here is Adam. Trust me, crappy bass can ruin a good song. And yeah, he didn't take lessons until Pop, but does that mean anything he did earlier wasn't good? He gave NYD and 2H their style, Exit its mystery - and alot of the B-sides from the 1980's feature great bass lines (Deep In the Heart and Race Against Time come to mind).

I like alot of heavy metal, so I've heard some rippin' bass lines, but being able to play hard and fast does not a good bass player make. It's the ability to warmly fill in the gaps, create the cushion against which the other instruments and vocals rest, and set the underlying tone for the whole song. Adam does this effortlessly.

Other than in a few very early songs, which, to be honest, his bass playing err... sucks, he is the glue which holds everyone else together. And in songs like Lemon, IYWTVD, Vertigo, and GOYB, he makes the song happen. To say that "...just not very far you can go with a Bass guitar and creativity" is plain wrong.

Speaking of creativity, Edge's real skill is taking effects and blending them into "WOW!" moments. He's more of a technician than a guitar player, but just listen to his early work and demos and you can tell he really loves to just play. He can rock with the best of them - super-fast finger work is just not his style. Strictly talking about his guitar work, though, I wouldn't say he's the best in the band - they all run about even in my book. But when you add in his vocals and piano skills, he is certainly the best all-around musician.

Just my two-cents.

goat

Or this!:up:
 
Well obviously I can't say for certain if you can play the songs or not I've never heard you, you might just be a natural. That's awesome and I would love to hear you play sometime.

But I've heard a lot of seasoned drummers make the same statements, get the rhythm right and be able to play a version that would pass with most audiences but were never really playing it exactly like Larry.
:up:
 
What's so special about U2 is that they were a band before they could play, which is pretty unique. So they might not be the best musicians but they're the best band, for me at least.
 
Best as what he does? Hardly. If you count his voice as an instrument, that's a no. Yes, he has improved dramatically from his early days, but he actually has a mediocre voice - Edge's is better, more melodious. Bono sings no better than Larry - just a slightly different sound. Remember, he uses effects like reverb on his voice - without it, his voice is fairly flat. Showman? He wins hands down. Musician? No comparison - the rest of band beats him out.

goat

"who is best at what they do" - that was the first post in the thread.

Bono is a better singer/performer than the other three are with bass/drums/guitar.
 
What's so special about U2 is that they were a band before they could play, which is pretty unique. So they might not be the best musicians but they're the best band, for me at least.

I agree... I hate when people try to draw the argument that they suck because they cant/couldnt play instruments. At the same time, it's well known that they werent the best at it.

To me it's an inspiration. You dont have to be the next Jimi Hendrix to be good at what you want to do, not only referring to music.

And in the end, is it not the final product that matters?
 
I don't really know how to explain it to be honest. If I play to songs like Sunday Bloody Sunday or Gloria, what I'm playing on drums matches up more or less to what I hear in the song; I don't know if that explains what I mean by decent, but that's as close as I can get.

And you should know that I'm not trying to demean any of what Larry has done. I love his drumming, and it's what got me listening to U2 in the first place; War was my first album, and Sunday Bloody Sunday was my first favorite song of theirs. I was just trying to say that there's really nothing too complex that he's come up with, generally speaking.

But that's one of the things that makes his drumming so brilliant. It meshes perfectly with everything else going on in the song. Larry's drumming serves the music, as does Edge's guitar playing. In the same way Edge is brilliant without Clapton-like solos, Larry is brilliant without cluttering up the music and showing off how complex he can make a song. You ever notice session drummers or drummers from other bands who try to play One, for example... It just doesn't sound the same.

I know other people have already mentioned this as well, but just the fact that Larry is able to play concerts in huge stadiums and keep basically perfect time is incredible.
 
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