Larry's drumming!!!

[elevation2u]

it seems that Larry is underrated as a drummer, but behold he is an amazing drummer. i know guitar and bass seems to be more popular in this forum but there has to be room for drums.

what do you guys think are larry's best drum songs, by that i mean, of course, where does his talent show more?

my list (no particular order):

bloody sunday (great distinctive military style)
rejoice (cool bass drums)
scarlet (nice soft touch ter filling)
drowning man (same^)
homecoming... (tiring)
acrobat (hard to keep up)
myterious ways (like the rhythm)
thrill me..... (everything just sounds cool)
mofo (i love watching larry play this song, great composition)
dead man (fills in the gaps wonderfully)
please (great off beat)
walk on (love the cymbals)

 

[Muad'zin]

To bad Larry doesn't do drumsolo's. That would give a good indication of what he's technically capable off. Judging from the songs he's good at laying down a good beat that keeps things interested. I wish I knew how he plays Sunday bloody sunday. I just can't get it right, although that might have something to do with the fact that I'm not a real drummer.

 

[wildwildhoney]

I think the drums totally make SBS and Pride particularly,Larry's a great drummer which seeing them live totally proves

 

[Johnny Swallow]

Larry has been a drummer for going on 25-30 years now, anyone that has been playing an instrument that long is undoubtedly someone to be respected. I'm sure that Larry's technical ability is far greater than he has ever shown in U2's music. His restraint and taste is that of a musician, not a drummer. He adds the proper part to the song without overpowering it, much the same way as Ringo Starr did with the Beatles. His role (along with Adam) in U2 has always been as a solid foundation and a driving rhythm for Edge to play off of. Without the strong and unique rhythm section that U2 has, Edge would be much more limited in what he could play, he would be forced to be a much more traditional guitarist. The 3 of them have a very symbiotic relationship.

But as a drummer, if I were to critique Larry's ability (and I have many many times) here a few comments.

His technical ability is not impressive, he has not showed an impressive display of speed, any odd-time signatures (to my knowledge), or polyrhythms.

Among his strengths are his signature Hi-Hat work, driving rhythms and untraditional parts within a basic 4/4/ framework.

Very few players ever get to the point to have a signature style on their instrument, but Larry is one of the few modern rock drummers that is easily identifiable.

Bottom line: Larry is not an amazing drummer when it comes down to ability, he is nothing to brag about. There are thousands of drummers who can play faster, harder and better than the Larry, but taste, subtlety and style are something that drummers can't practice. A musician is one who knows those qualities, and Larry is a great musician.

 

[elevation2u]

I AGREE WITH ^. Larry has a distinctive style as a drummer, he's not the fastest or the most talented but he has a broad range of techniques he uses in the songs. His drums laways seem to stand out or flow freely through the back, u2 would not sound this way if it wan't for Larry!!!!!

i love walk on, please, and scarlet!!!!!!!!!!!!
go LARRY!!!!!!!

 

[Tip Top Prince]

His drumming on Fire is great!

 

[dizzy]

Larry's drumming

Bottom line: Larry is not an amazing drummer when it comes down to ability, he is nothing to brag about. There are thousands of drummers who can play faster, harder and better than the Larry, but taste, subtlety and style are something that drummers can't practice. A musician is one who knows those qualities, and Larry is a great musician.

I'm not a drummer (though I wish I was), so I couldn't really judge the technicalities of Larry's drumming. Thanks for that critique, Johnny. I've always wanted to find out how Larry's drumming is from someone who plays the instrument.

Anyway, what I do like about Larry is how he doesn't go wild while playing it. He just looks relaxed and somewhat laid back, unlike others whose arms you can just about see everywhere. Larry looks very disciplined in what he does. He has somewhat showed us that even if he's not the greatest drummer, he has managed to be one of the best known in the music industry...and in the greatest band (of today) at that.

As for the songs where I love his drumming, they are:

Daddy's Gonna Pay...
WOWY on R&H
Mofo
Last Night On Earth
Streets
ASOH

and a couple of others which escape me at the moment.

 

[elevation2u]

pics

 

[adamswildhoney]

Bad
Streets
Pride
Angel of Harlem
SBS
Walk on
Ultra Violet
Please
Mofo
Disco
MW
Until the End of the World
New Year's Day

awww I love his drumming on all their songs!!!!

 

[DiscoJokeX]

Among his strengths are his signature Hi-Hat work, driving rhythms and untraditional parts within a basic 4/4/ framework.

Acrobat goes in 6/4.... i think

 

[CampbellMSU]

his best song for his signature driving rhythyms...

is god part ii. hands down, it's his hardest, loudest and most empowering drum part. nothing fancy, just a floor tom and a snare but he really bashes the hell out of them. no u2 song (save wtshnn) gets me going more than god part ii and this is why.

 

[Zooropa]

I think, much like The Edge, Larry has a distinct sound to his drumming. Neither Larry or the Edge are particularly excellent in a techincal sense, but they are inventive and distinct, which in my mind is more important. No doubt though that this further proves the point that no particular member of the band is replacable.

 

[pepokiss]

I'm a drummer and I'm in a U2 tribute band.
What can I say about our young-looking fellow?
He IS a great musician, and a very professional one.
When I see a U2 video, the first time I see the whole show, the others time I see it, I see Larry.
But when people ask me what great drummers I respect or I want to be, I never say Larry M?llen Jr. One reason is that not all the people know him. Other reason is that, although his drumming is great, is not something to look up to. U2's drumming, with a little practice is easy, it's not brain surgery.
Drummers "to be" are Lars Ulrich (metallica), Mike Portnoy (dream theater) or Eric Singer (Kiss, Alice Cooper), because they are just mindblowers, you keep on wandering how did they do that?.
But with this I'm not saying that Larry sucks, NO!!!. Every single time I see The Fly's drums I go nuts, the same with Ultraviolet or Exit.
If I have to choose a drummer, I really don't know, but if I have to choose a band, is U2, because the 4 of them, as a team, are the best anyone can offer, and Larry is a big BIG part of it.
Larry Rocks!!!!!!

 

[elevation2u]

wow, I was watching rattle and hum after a while of not watching it and larry is pretty impressive there are definitely some great drum beats on that record as weel as zooropa and war.

 

[Bonavoix]

I don't generally post in this forum...

But I am a musician. Currently I'm a jazz vocal major, but I've also played 5 other instruments (piano, clarinet, guitar, violin and a tiny bit of percussion). I am NOT a drummer, so my knowledge in that area is extremely limited, but I was listening to Electrical Storm today and the thought occurred to me...

It's been said already here in so many words, but what I love about Larry's drumming is even though he's technically not the most amazing player in the world, what makes him incredible as a drummer is this.

You have a lot of drummers who do their job well---that is to say keeping a steady beat and keeping the meter and tempo in check, and adding a nice little rhythmic twist on things, improving the dynamic of the song, providing a rhythmic basis for the rest of things, but sometimes it's not really much more than this...

Then you have Larry, who adds, as someone said, an entirely different musical element into a song. It's not just this nice little rhythmic thing going in the background. Not only is it a basis for Edge to go off of, but it's just as important musically as what Edge is playing. It's just as important as the guitar, as the bass and it's just as important as the melody. As a few people have said, he's a MUSICIAN. He doesn't just, as he's so eloquently put it, hit things for a living. When Larry sits down at a drumkit and plays, it's music in and of itself. And to me, that's incredible.

Just my two cents. Thanks fer reading.

~Bona

 

[sue4u2]

Excuse me, I'm not a drummer, however I play a mean air drum set. I have heard commercials ripping off his style, simply because they can't get the real thing. U2 doesn't sell its music rights yet. Even though it doesn't stop there with someone trying. With the exception of It's a Beatiful day, and maybe a couple of others-tell me if I am wrong - which was allowed for CBS to use for the promotion/airing of the Slane Castle concert. Its a Beatiful Day was even use here for backgroung music on one of the local news stations early this year. Very limited time it was used, however. Otherwise, precious little has been released for the general viewing/listening audience. We can all look forward to U2's retierment for a deluge of music on everything from more movies to commercials. Joshua Tree is a good Larry album. I hear it baby. He is unique in his own right. In the name of love, Walk on - Bang on - Larry


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