U2 gives update on Larry Mullen Jr.’s health, shares what’s next for the band

ABC/Randy Holmes

U2 has offered a health update about their drummer Larry Mullen Jr., who was forced to sit out of their Sphere residency after having surgery.

Guitarist The Edge and bassist Adam Clayton chatted with Apple Music’s Zane Lowe on a variety of subjects, with The Edge sharing the latest on Larry. 

“So the great news is Larry is getting better every week and we’ll be making a racket with him in no time,” he said. “So we’re very excited about that.”  

Meanwhile, the pair revealed what’s next for the band, and it sounds like they may be going back to basics with their next release.

“If all the world is a loop, I think we’ve got to the point where we’ve pushed things as far as we can in terms of adding extra things into the band,” Adam shared. “And now we want to go back and take the layers off and get down to what the band does really well, which is to play live in a room.” 

The Edge notes, “I do think that sort of music made in real time has been underserved for the last number of years and it’s started to feel really fresh again. … And I think albums that have that energy and that quality, I think are going to be really interesting for people over the next little while.” 

He shares, “I think we’re in a good place to make an album like that because that’s what we started out doing. We, as a band, found our creative chops by playing live in front of an audience and by necessity had to keep things quite simple. And I think that’s hopefully the hallmark of the next collection of songs.”

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