After it became clear that U2 would be taking up their residency in Las Vegas without the support of Larry Mullen, Jr., some fans were concerned about the future of the band: could the quartet soon become a trio – is Mullen Jr .but also not represented in the current U2 documentary “Kiss the Future”?
When asked about these worries, The Edge revealed in an interview his tried and tested way of dealing with thoughts of the band’s possible demise. The guitarist admits that there are sometimes big differences between the four Irish. But they are never so big that a split is imminent. Apart from that, Edge wouldn’t want to make music alone either.
“Do I want to be a solo artist? Probably not,” said The Edge. No matter how you twist and turn it, he always ends up with his old friends as the best possible band members. “I need a good singer. Ok, so I’m working with Bono then. But we also need a totally unique rhythm section that doesn’t sound like every other rock band’s. I suppose that would be Adam and Larry.”
The quote comes from an interview with the 62-year-old, which provided the background for an article in “telegraph“, which was published last Saturday (March 4th). Writer Neil McCormick posted it on Twitter, alongside some of the guitarist’s comments about the Las Vegas gigs.
I really don’t know how much clearer Edge could be about his faith in the future of @U2. But because some fans are still doubtful, I’m going to share quotes that didn’t make the @Telegraph article, clarifying why Bono, Edge & Adam are playing Vegas without Larry (thread…) pic.twitter.com/00qPos57tN
— Neil McCormick (@neil_mccormick) March 4, 2023
Still to Las Vegas
Despite his apparent belief that the original line-up provided the best musical environment, at least for himself, the guitarist reiterated the group’s determination to perform without Mullen Jr. The opportunity to play live for the first time since 2019, the promise to fans and their unwillingness to postpone what was promised were all factors that influenced the decision. For the shows in Las Vegas, where the Irish will present their 1991 album “Achtung Baby”, they have engaged drummer Bram van den Berg from the alternative rock band Krezip.