Larry's Drumming

This might seem like a massive nitpick to some, but as a drummer it is kind of irritating. I noticed on SOI that Larry was using the same 12312312 pattern for alot of fills on songs like California, Lucifer's hands, Ordinary love, etc. This didn't really bother me though as it was just the occasional fill. The drums are starting to sound uninspired on these SOE songs though as he is now using this same drum beat in 3 of the new songs. This same pattern is played through the entire ending of TLTTGYA, the after chorus of GOOYOW, as well as the after chorus of The Best Thing. It kind of seems like he's just phoning it in at this point.

Ja, I noticed I find the drums pretty uninteresting the latest albums and songs

To add not so much a point about his drumming but how he has been mixed on record...

Live his drums propel the songs on record too often they are buried too far back in the mix and too quiet.

I am all for subtlety but Larry has been invisible all too often for me on u2 records especially of late.

To add not so much a point about his drumming but how he has been mixed on record...

Live his drums propel the songs on record too often they are buried too far back in the mix and too quiet.

I am all for subtlety but Larry has been invisible all too often for me on u2 records especially of late.

It's as though U2's producers have swapped their approaches to Larry and Bono: In Larry's case where there used to be backbone and bombast there is now quiet, and where Bono used to show subtlety it's now all screeching and bluster.

As a drummer I've always found Larry's drumming a bit...predictable, for lack of a better word. That's not a bad thing, per se, but it's fairly easy to predict what he'll do or how he'll string his fills and beats together. He tends to "bark" on the hi-hat on every other beat, which is something he's been doing for decades. His use of the toms was great back in the 80's but lately he tends to use them in the same way over and over again. Songs like Iris and FEZ are so great because he changed things up a bit and really put some energy into it.

Like others have already mentioned, his drums are being buried in the mix and they often sound muddy or tinny on record. I appreciate his desire to keep things simple but I wouldn't mind hearing him push himself from time to time. I miss the power of songs like ASOH and LNOE or the diversity of DGPFYCC and Mofo.

Really good call on the hi hat bark...He has done it seemingly forever even on the bands best (to me) 90's work and i have at times found it mildly distracting when listening closely....

Glad someone else brought it up.

Not saying it is always a bad thing but just seems a habit almost

As a drummer I've always found Larry's drumming a bit...predictable, for lack of a better word. That's not a bad thing, per se, but it's fairly easy to predict what he'll do or how he'll string his fills and beats together. He tends to "bark" on the hi-hat on every other beat, which is something he's been doing for decades. His use of the toms was great back in the 80's but lately he tends to use them in the same way over and over again. Songs like Iris and FEZ are so great because he changed things up a bit and really put some energy into it.

Like others have already mentioned, his drums are being buried in the mix and they often sound muddy or tinny on record. I appreciate his desire to keep things simple but I wouldn't mind hearing him push himself from time to time. I miss the power of songs like ASOH and LNOE or the diversity of DGPFYCC and Mofo.

Four of my favorite songs right there!

Larry is a great drummer with a unique style: he’s not technically proficient, but when he plays you know its him. He’s written countless of memorable drums parts that are true hooks within the song.

He has always devoted himself to serve the songs instead of taking the spot, but I agree that lately he’s on autopilot like the rest of the band.

Only Adam is still coming up with cool parts.

Larry is a great drummer with a unique style: he’s not technically proficient, but when he plays you know its him. He’s written countless of memorable drums parts that are true hooks within the song.

He has always devoted himself to serve the songs instead of taking the spot, but I agree that lately he’s on autopilot like the rest of the band.

Only Adam is still coming up with cool parts.

I agree. Adam seems to be the only one who's evolving with each album and stretching himself.

I like the fact that Larry plays the songs instead of the instrument. Many drummers would be be tempted to overplay on songs like NYD or WOWY; I appreciate Larry's restraint in those moments. It would just be nice to see him branch out a bit more, because he's proven in the past that he's capable of it.