Watching Rattle and Hum, you really appreciate Larry's drumming...

[GibsonGirl]

I've read that the more "seasoned" a musician gets, the more he/she tends to play the song, not the instrument.

That's not true at all. Seasoned musicians can still play the instrument and inject feeling into the song at the same time. I hate that whole bloody argument - if something is difficult to play, it's emotionally devoid or doesn't contribute to the overall feeling of the song. That is simply not true.

 

[bgmckinney]

That's not true at all. Seasoned musicians can still play the instrument and inject feeling into the song at the same time. I hate that whole bloody argument - if something is difficult to play, it's emotionally devoid or doesn't contribute to the overall feeling of the song. That is simply not true.

I don't think that's what the argument is suggesting. Playing the song instead of the instrument simply means that the musician is focusing on what works best for the song, whether it is simple or complex. The argument that "if something is difficult to play, it's emotionally devoid or doesn't contribute to the overall feeling of the song" is a different argument altogether.

 

[thrillme]

I don't think that's what the argument is suggesting. Playing the song instead of the instrument simply means that the musician is focusing on what works best for the song, whether it is simple or complex. The argument that "if something is difficult to play, it's emotionally devoid or doesn't contribute to the overall feeling of the song" is a different argument altogether.

That was my take it. It came from someone who's been a musician for awhile, though not a famous musician.

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Does highly complex, difficult to play compositions=better song?

There's many well-written songs that are not highly complex to play, some Beatles songs for one. I've heard many people cover Beatles songs so they can't be that complex otherwise you'd only hear a few because only the highly skilled musicians could nail their songs.

The overall feeling of the song, or any emotion it may or may not elicit, is up to the listener, I would argue.

Jazz is often more complex than other genres of music, but does that mean everyone will feel some emotion to the music, or feel anything at all?

I know full well there are better musicians than any member of U2, but whether or not I liked the better musician's songs would not be because of their technical abilities, it would be because some part/s in that song appealed to me. Regardless of the complexity or ease of that part. Sometimes it's a lyric, sometimes it's a drum part, sometimes it could just be the tempo. Unless the lyrics are so truly awful to me, not even a killer guitar part, bass part, drum part, whatever, could keep me interested. That or get the karoake version of the song sans lyrics.

I liked the Clash song "London Calling" for that opening bass line alone, that was the hook for me.

It was a guitar part in "hold me thrill me kiss me kill me" that was the hook for me for that song.

I've heard a remix of 'With or Without You' without the original drum and bass parts, and it sounded pretty flat with the drum machine beat and barely-there different bass lines. Perhaps I was biased because I'm not used to any other version, but it definitely changed the feel of the song.

 

[cobl04]

October is his finest album in my opinion. Brick, Rejoice, Fire, Tomorrow... awesome.

 

[prideofzootv]

What did happen to Larry? i keep hearing he was injured and he has a soar back/ arms or something

for someone with pains, he is very good at drumming still, look at the bootlegs of:- (from vertigo tour)

-Gloria (pheonix arizona)
-I Will Follow (Milan)
-City Of Blinding Lights (Chicago)
-Bad (any in general)
-With Or Without You (the way he plays it sounds like the album, great!)

etc etc, he is still an awesome drummer! he can still do anything!

 

[RademR]

Larry's drumming in In God's Country.

He used to be such an interesting drummer. What happened?

i agree....talk about running through the motions.

i acually really like Clayton's work...I thought his bass playing on POP beat anything from the early years. I mean, theres New Years Day, but that's like the greatest thing ever....

I've never been the biggest fan of LMJ, he's a good, solid drummer. like gibson girl said, get's the job done. but he hasn't done anything exciting lately, sometimes i wonder if he still wants to be in the band. the early years brought his best stuff.

 

[Devlin]

He's tired.. physically, that is. As someone who lives in constant pain, I can tell you that energy is something you conserve, even if it means you don't get up to any tricks.

 

[skott100]

Some brief thoughts from a drummer who's been playing for just over 20 years...

Young drummers tend to overcompensate by making parts extremely complicated and sticking fills in everywhere. I know I did, and when I hear the first 4 albums, I hear Larry taking a simiilar approach. But after awhile you learn to do whatever the song requires and 9 times out of 10, that usually means laying back a bit on the flashy stuff and supporting the melody. So sometimes that means doing something very simple for a song like "In A Little While" or something a little more complex and unexpected like "Please". Let's also keep in mind that U2 have grown tremendously as songwriters and for the last few albums have been focusing on tighter and more straightforward arrangements so a midsong freakout ala "Rejoice" just doesn't fit with what they're doing now.

I can't speak for Larry, but I know at a certain point for me, I wanted people to not even notice the drums until the fourth or fifth listen. I want the listener to hear the whole song and connect to the melody before taking it apart piece by piece and focusing on the individual parts. Drums should be something you feel inside, not a distraction from the melody. Observing Larry's playing over the course of his career, I can't help but think that perhaps he is coming from a similar place.

Also, as a rule, drummers get better with age and experience especially when they spend the better part of two years playing 2+ hour shows several times a week. To suggest that Larry has "gotten worse" is... well I'll be nice and just say that I disagree and leave it at that.

 

[toscano]

To suggest that Larry has "gotten worse" is... well I'll be nice and just say that I disagree and leave it at that.

I think the majority here, and I agree, have said he has gotten "less interesting", not "worse"

 

[cstar]

Larry's drumming on One Step Closer --

I also love the "heartbeat" on Beautiful Day...

 

[xaviMF22]

Larry's drumming on Bass Trap --

 

[U2girl]

I think the majority here, and I agree, have said he has gotten "less interesting", not "worse"

Yes well, less interesting = worse in these forums.

Can't wait for Larrs Ulrich to get out.

 

[U2Man]

Lars Ulrich?

 

[xaviMF22]

Lars Ulrich?

Lars Ulrich vs Larry Mullen Jr.

 

[U2Man]

but what has lars ulrich got to do with this thread?

 

[Canadiens1131]

I don't blame Larry.

U2 is no longer a post-punk rock band and no longer requires abrasive drumming to propel their songs. Considering Larry did some marshal-style drumming before U2, that's what bled through to those early records before he refined his sound. You could say he's grown to be a more well-rounded drummer and no longer needs to rely on the snare to kick a song into gear.

As far as the whole showiness vs. playing for the song argument - it's a load of bullshit. Listen to Keith Moon on most Who tracks, or Bonham on early Zeppelin like the debut album. It's completely possible to play for the song while having the chops to add some flair to an intro or a gap before the chorus.

"Playing for the song" is a very justifiable mantra for leaving a solo out of the album version of WOWY, but it is too often used as an excuse to justify Edge resting on his laurels for the last 8 years with the same old sound.

 

[skott100]

I don't blame Larry.

U2 is no longer a post-punk rock band and no longer requires abrasive drumming to propel their songs. Considering Larry did some marshal-style drumming before U2, that's what bled through to those early records before he refined his sound. You could say he's grown to be a more well-rounded drummer and no longer needs to rely on the snare to kick a song into gear.

As far as the whole showiness vs. playing for the song argument - it's a load of bullshit. Listen to Keith Moon on most Who tracks, or Bonham on early Zeppelin like the debut album. It's completely possible to play for the song while having the chops to add some flair to an intro or a gap before the chorus.

"Playing for the song" is a very justifiable mantra for leaving a solo out of the album version of WOWY, but it is too often used as an excuse to justify Edge resting on his laurels for the last 8 years with the same old sound.

Those are two great examples but I would argue that those songs/bands/arrangments demanded that kind of playing not unlike what Larry brings to U2. Eitehr way, I'll take great songs over great musicians any day of the week. When you can get two for one (the who, led zep etc.), even better. As a matter of preference, I'll take a band like Echo & The Bunnymen (talk about interesting drumming, check the first four albums) over a band like Yes (or even Tool for you young folks) every time.

And (this isn't necessarily directed at your post) he still has chops. He ripped it up on Electric Co. early on in the tour when they were playing a lot of songs off of Boy.

 

[Canadiens1131]

And (this isn't necessarily directed at your post) he still has chops. He ripped it up on Electric Co. early on in the tour when they were playing a lot of songs off of Boy.

I really liked his reworking of the drum part for The Fly this tour. He was playing it really showy with lots of flourish instead of the usual booming stuff on the toms from ZooTV and it really gave the song new legs.