If U2 goes on the road in 2023, Larry Mullen Junior might not be behind the drum kit.
The band did an interview with The Washington Post ahead of being honored Sunday at the Kennedy Center Honors in Washington, D.C. and when speaking about the reclusive drummer the paper says 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 mention the 61 year-old Mullen's physical ailments in the article, or offer up thoughts on touring next year. They do say that a collection of 40 stripped-down versions of the songs featured in Bono's memoir Surrender will be released next year.
If they do tour without Mullen, it will spell the end of them being the last major heritage band on the road without its original or most famous line-up.
Source: Washington Post and Premiere