Larry Mullen Jr. Risked Paralysis to Drum for U2 Again

A congenital neck injury nearly ended Larry Mullen Jr.'s decades-long career as U2's drummer, until he made a risky choice, one that even his doctors and family tried to talk him out of.

For years, U2 drummer Larry Mullen Jr. had been getting away with a neck injury, but it eventually took a toll on him after decades of drum beating. Mullen admitted, if it wasn’t for his job, he wouldn’t even have noticed it.

U2 drummer Larry Mullen Jr. (center) leaving the Metropolitan Palace on May 13, 2026 | Source: Getty Images

But by 2019, during U2's Joshua Tree tour, the pain had become unbearable, requiring nightly treatment just so he could keep playing.

"By the time I came off the road, I was really in a bad way," Mullen told Rolling Stone in the band’s recent cover story.

Thinking the pain would subside in time, Mullen didn’t realize that the pandemic would change that. The pain, caused by a congenital fusion in a facet joint in his neck, was so bad that he was forced to stop playing the drums completely.

Larry Mullen Jr. performing at the National Stadium during U2's Joshua Tree Tour on November 30, 2019 | Source: Getty Images

"It was through COVID that I realized that I was physically damaged beyond repair," he said. "I shut down, everybody had, and my body just went, 'You've had enough.'"

This meant skipping U2’s 40-date Las Vegas residency upon the advice of his physical therapist who warned that he wouldn't survive rehearsals. The band eventually brought in a substitute drummer, Bram van den Berg, for the entire run.

Mullen, who admitted it was difficult knowing the band had pursued the residency without him, only saw the show on its 39th performance. "I just didn't want to draw attention," he said. Though he insisted he held no resentment, he acknowledged, "We all have feelings. So I'm not gonna lie that it wasn't difficult, but nobody imposed it."

Larry Mullen Jr. on "The Kelly Clarkson Show" in January 2025 | Source: Getty Images

Meanwhile, his bandmates weren’t sure about their future with Mullen. "We didn't know if Larry was gonna come back," bassist Adam Clayton said. "Could we keep going? Would we wanna keep going? That's still an open question."

But Mullen was determined to play again, so he decided to undergo a risky surgery, one that doctors warned could leave him paralyzed. "Most people were, 'You know what? You've done incredibly well. Just retire,'" he recalled. But against his family’s wishes, he decided, "Override it."

Describing himself as “a head guy,” Mullen said his determination to play again 'overwrote' the logic. He eventually found a neurosurgeon in Dublin who was willing to operate, only because she believed Mullen was a “national treasure.”

Larry Mullen Jr. attends the Left Behind Film Premiere at Woodstock Film Festival on October 18, 2024 | Source: Getty Images

Fortunately for Mullen, the surgery was a success, though he realized something in his drum performance had changed. "Everything was different. My body didn't work the same way as it used to," he said. Rather than relearning through formal lessons, he returned to the most efficient, basic version of his technique.

Rejoining the band was also filled with uncertainty. "I haven't played for a few years. I don't know if it still happens, that creative thing," he recalled thinking.

But according to Bono, Mullen’s performance had only improved. "With more authority," he said. "But it was playful. Very playful." Clayton agreed, noting a shift in Mullen's whole demeanor. "Old Larry would've been more of a veto merchant," he said. "This new Larry, he's much softer. He's much gentler."

U2 band members Bono, Larry Mullen Jr., Adam Clayton, and The Edge in Mexico City filming a music video on May 12, 2026 | Source: Getty Images

Guitarist The Edge said the album, “Carnaval De Luz,” might never have happened without Mullen's return. "I don't think we would've made an album if Larry hadn't been able to play," he said.

Now, with a stadium tour in the works, Mullen has more realistic expectations about his participation. "Even if I can't play for two and a half hours, if I can play for an hour, that's enough," he said. "I've had it so good that I'll accept that."