U2’s Larry Mullen Jr. has issues with numbers, and it’s more than just not being good at math.
In an interview with the U.K.’s Times Radio, the U2 drummer shared that he’s recently been diagnosed with dyscalculia, a learning disability that results in difficulty learning or comprehending arithmetic, sometimes referred to as “math dyslexia.”
“I’ve always known that there’s something not particularly right with the way that I deal with numbers. I’m numerically challenged,” he shared. “And I realized recently that I have dyscalculia, which is a subversion of dyslexia. So I can’t count [and] I can’t add.”
His issues with numbers can cause a problem when playing music, with Mullen sharing it’s often the reason he seems to have a “pained” face while drumming with the band.
“When people watch me play sometimes, they say, ‘You look pained.’ I am pained because I’m trying to count the bars,” he explained. “I had to find ways of doing this — and counting bars is like climbing Everest.”
This is the first time Mullen has talked about his learning disability, and he made the revelation while promoting the new documentary Left Behind, which he co-produced. He also wrote two songs for the film, “Between The Lines” featuring GAYLE and “One of Us” featuring Welsh singer Donna Lewis, which are out now.
The film tells the story of the New York City mothers who fought to open the city's first public school for dyslexic children. The subject of the film is a personal one for Mullen; his son is dyslexic.
Left Behind is set to open Jan. 17 for a weeklong engagement at New York City's QUAD Cinema. It will then expand to select theaters nationwide.