It's one of the most famous U2 songs, one of the most recognizable drum beats of all time, and Larry Mullen Jr.'s most well known groove.Īfter the 16th note pickup, the entire groove is based on alternating single strokes on the hands and a quarter note kick keeping the pulse. In this 10 minute video, we break down some of the U2 drummer's most famous parts – some of which you won't find anywhere else on the internet. You might even say he… elevated the band. so great? Not only was he making decisions on the drums in the 70s and 80s that were surprising for the era, but he's always made decisions that make musical sense.
#Bullet the blue sky drums plus#
Nearly 200 million album sales later – plus pop culture immortality with features on The Simpsons and Friends – this drummer has seen successes the rest of us can only dream about.
Then the song takes us to the eerie nighttime depths of the synthesized ocean, where Bono is Poseidon and The Edge rides on the back of a giant winged dolphin, surfacing from time to time to whip up a minor guitar-driven monsoon.How many drummers can say they've been in a band for 50 years? For U2's Larry Mullen Jr., it's been almost that long. "Exit" begins with a beautiful hymnal chorus that's bordering on gospel. I think I tend to like U2's darker songs, as evidenced by my immediate affection for "Bullet the Blue Sky" and the penultimate "Exit," a strangely disjointed cut that travels through some interesting and different musical landscapes. Suddenly, I'm excited to explore the album in greater depth.
These subtle touches add a new dimension to The Joshua Tree. There's the harmonica howling, a guitar twanging or imitating a banjo, and all the varied rhythmic explorations, such as those on "One Tree Hill." Going back through the album now, I'm shocked I didn't hear it before. But when "Trip Through Your Wires" comes on, I start to hear something I've been missing: a serious nod to American folk music. "Red Hill Mining Town" and "In God's Country" could be the same song. I can even hear hints of The Mars Volta.Īs the album enters its second half, I'm hoping for something that surprises me, but I'm having trouble differentiating one song from the next. You can hear Zack de la Rocha in Bono's vocals, Tom Morello in the guitar work, Tim Commerford in the bass and Brad Wilk in the drums. I don't think there's any way that Rage Against the Machine, which formed four years after this song came out, could deny that it was a direct influence. Bono begins by growling out a few verses, but his theatrics serve this type of song well. Larry Mullen starts it with that solid beat, and then the song really takes off into grungier, more dangerous territory.
It's a refreshing departure from the sentimental, syrupy quality of "With or Without You," and I like the direction it's going. That said, "Bullet the Blue Sky" is a pretty sweet song. The '80s, defined by characters like Morrissey, Michael Jackson and Madonna, had different standards for what you might consider "overly dramatic." But their schmaltz seems sincere, while to me, Bono's doesn't. It's hard to put my finger on what it is about U2 that doesn't do it for me, but I'm beginning to think it's just Bono's melodramatic theatrics. As I get into the second cut, "I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For," an inkling of apathy starts to creep back.
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