If U2 does go on the road in 2023, Larry Mullen Junior may not be playing drums with them.
The band recently did an interview with The Washington Post before being honored Sunday at the Kennedy Center Honors in Washington, D.C. When speaking about Mullen, the paper saud he's "a powerhouse who now struggles with the physical toll of a lifetime of pounding" and that "he’s blunt -- he says if the band plays live in 2023 it will probably be without him, as he needs surgery to continue playing."
None of the other members of U2 mentioned the 61 year-old Mullen's physical problems in the article, or any thoughts on touring next year. They did say that a collection of 40 stripped-down versions of the songs featured in Bono's memoir Surrender will be released sometime next year.
If U2 does tour without Mullen, it would mark the end of U2 being the last major heritage band on the road without its original or most famous line-up.
[Source: Classic Hits Today]