U2 Drummer’s Disability Makes Counting ‘Like Climbing Everest’

U2
drummer
Larry
Mullen
Jr.
has
revealed
a
learning
disability
that
causes
him
to
struggle
with
counting.

“I’ve
always
known
that
there’s
something
not
particularly
right
with
the
way
that
I
deal
with
numbers.
I’m
numerically
challenged,”
the
rocker
explained
during
a
conversation
with


The
Times.
“And
I
realized
recently
that
I
have
dyscalculia,
which
is
a
sub-version
of
dyslexia.
So
I
can’t
count
[and]
I
can’t
add.”

Dyscalculia
is
a
learning
disability
that
impacts
a
person’s
capacity
to
comprehend
all
things
number-related,
including
math,
telling
time
and
–
most
notably
in
Mullen’s
case
–
reading
music.
As
a
result,
the
drummer
often
struggles
while
performing.

“When
people
watch
me
play
sometimes,
they
say,
‘you
look
pained’.
I
am
pained
because
I’m
trying
to
count
the
bars,”
Mullen
said.
“I
had
to
find
ways
of
doing
this
—
and
counting
bars
is
like
climbing
Everest.”

READ
MORE:

10
Best
U2
Songs

Mullen
was
only
recently
diagnosed
with
dyscalculia,
but
he
has
been
struggling
with
the
issue
for
most
of
his
life.
In
addition
to
music,
he
noted
the
“counting
challenges”
impacted
his
education
as
a
child.

Mullen
further addresses
his
struggle
with
dyscalculia
in
a
new
documentary
called

Left
Behind.
The
film
chronicles
five
mothers’
efforts
to
establish
the
first
state
school
in
New
York
City
for
children
with
dyslexia.

According
to
studies,
dyscalculia
affects
roughly
5-8%
of
the
U.S.
population.

Is
U2
Working
on
New
Music?

Mullen
wasn’t
able
to
participate
in
U2’s
celebrated
2023
residency
at
the
Sphere
as
he
recovered
from
surgery,
but
he’s
back
with
the
Irish
band
now
as
they
prep
their
next
album
alongside
producer

Brian
Eno.

“We’ve
got
[Mullen]
in
the
studio,”
guitarist

the
Edge
reported
during
a
recent
conversation
with
BBC
Radio
2.
“He’s
good.
He’s
taking
it
easy,
but
he’s
back
in
the
saddle
on
the
drums
[and]
doing
some
recording
with
us.
And
so
we’ll
be
doing
a
bit
more
of
that
before
the
end
of
the
year.”