Larry Mullen Jnr
Biography
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Biography

Born on October 31, 1961 in Dublin (Eire)
Drums, bakcing vocals.


Larry was born and was high in Artane, a very quiet district in the northern suburbs of Dublin, more exactly to the 60 of Rosemont Avenue. Larry add the "Junior" at the end of his name, in order to facilitate the distinction with his father, Larry Mullen Sr. who was beginning to receive HIS tax bills!

Larry played his first concerts while playing of the drums with a group of the workers of the mail service and briefly for Artane Boy' S Band. He played even for the procession of Saint-Patrick in O' Connell Street in 1975. Larry's beginnings with the drums date in fact from 1971, when it took courses with the legendary Joe Bonnie, one from the most talented drummers from Ireland. Bonnie taught the technical bases to the rather undisciplined Larry, who was annoyed by the theory, and which preferred to play "feeling".   It was his sister, Cecilia, which bought to him its first drum in 1973.

But what changed Larry's life was the placing of an advert on the walls of Mount Temple during autumn 76, in which it said to seek a bass player, a guitarist, and a singer to form a group of rock'n'roll. The answers were not very abundant, in truth, but through steps, Larry succeeds in convincing turbulent Adam Clayton, then Dave Evans, and Paul Hewson, the Bono future. Although everyone knows the group under the name of U2 today, Larry affirms that its true name is "The Larry Mullen Band".

Larry's has endured the pain of tendonitus since the Unforgettable Fire tour.   After a change in the drums stick he was using, his hand did get a little better.  He received a great deal of advice about tendonitus and how to care for his hands from Brucs Springsteen drummer, Max Weinberg during the Amnesty International tour in 1986.  Larry also injusred his back in 1996.  Due to his recuperation period many of the rhythm tracks on POP were developed by producer, Flood.   

Larry is also known for its passion of Harley Davidson.  Larry is also famous for its admiration for Elvis Presley, as one might remember this scene of the film Rattle and Hum, where Larry is very moved to visit the house of King with Graceland, and where Bono is obliged to use of its charms to have the authorization to take his/her friend in photograph on Elvis' Harley.

Finally, although he he seems to ofter be very serious or shy, Larry is actually quite funny and warm - just reserved.  He is known to pick up his round and is also fond of Karaoke.

Larry and Ann have been together since the beginning of the band and have three children together.  

Biography: Larry Mullen, Jr.

courtesy of www.atu2.com

Larry Mullen, Jr.
(b. October 31, 1961)
(Alias: Duke Dalton, Babyface Mullens)

Larry was born and raised in Artane, located the north side of Dublin, at 60 Rosemount Avenue. He had to add the "Junior" to the end of his name to distinguish himself from his father, Larry Mullen, Sr. As Larry's career blossomed, so did his tax bills and his father was the unlucky recipient of them. Larry's past gigs included playing drums for the Post-Office Workers Union Band and the Artane Boys' Band. He even played at the St. Patrick's Day Parade in O'Connell Street.

Larry began drumming in 1971, taking classes with Ireland's best-known drummer, Joe Bonnie and afterward by his daughter Monica. However, Larry has said that his drumming style is "unteachable" and that spirit and instinct are what guides his drumming style. His sister, Cecilia, bought him his first drum-kit in 1973 for £17. He placed a notice at the infamous Mount Temple Comprehensive School in the fall of 1976, and his life has not been the same since. Although everyone knows the band as U2, Larry claims that the band's name is really "The Larry Mullen Band."

Larry waving

His award-winning career includes 14 Grammy Awards, the Rory Gallagher Musician of the Year Award from Hot Press Magazine, 8 Brit Awards, as well as many others. He has also served as a judge for the Shortlist Music Prize.

Although he has been plagued with a battle with tendonitis it has been curbed by specially-designed drumsticks from ProMark.

Besides U2, Larry has done some side projects with artists like Nanci Griffith, Daniel Lanois, Emmylou Harris, Robbie Robertson, Paul Brady and B.B. King among others. In honor of the Irish National Football team's bid for the World Cup in 1990, Larry co-wrote and co-produced the anthem "Put 'Em Under Pressure." He also worked with fellow band mate Adam Clayton on the theme to Mission: Impossible for the film's release in 1996. Larry and Adam also teamed up with Mike Mills and Michael Stipe to form the group "Automatic Baby" for Bill Clinton's Inauguration in 1993 at MTV's Inaugural Ball.

Known for his love of Harley Davidson, he has been known to drive his Harley from gig to gig, clocking over 10,000 miles on the Zoo TV tour alone. He is also known for his fandom for Elvis Presley. Other hobbies he has been interested in include practicing karate, following the Irish National Football team, playing pranks on people, as well as stealing the spotlight with a karaoke machine.

He has been with his partner, Ann, for over 20 years. Together they have 3 children, Aaron Elvis (born October 4, 1995), Ava (born December 23, 1998) and a son born in February 2001. He has also been a dog owner, thanking his Labradors JJ and Missy on past albums.