Veteran rockstar reveals learning disability that’s made making music ‘like climbing Everest’

U2 drummer Larry Mullen Jr has revealed he has a learning disability that makes counting the beats in music feel as hard as ‘climbing Everest’. 

The 63-year-old admitted that he has dyscalculia, which makes counting, adding and any mathematical skill extremely difficult. 

The condition, which affects about six per cent of people in the UK, can present challenges when performing calculations, managing time, finances and even staying in rhythm.

The musician told Times Radio: ‘I’ve always known that there’s something not particularly right with the way that I deal with numbers. I’m numerically challenged.’

‘And I realised recently that I have dyscalculia… so I can’t add, I can’t count.

‘I had to find ways of doing this, and counting bars is like climbing Everest.

‘And when people watch me play sometimes, they say “You look pained”. I am pained because I’m trying to count the bars.’

The star revealed that after years with struggling with numbers he has recently been diagnosed with the learning disability.

U2 drummer Larry Mullen Jr has revealed he has a learning disability which he says makes ‘counting bars’ like ‘climbing Everest’

The 63-year-old admitted that he has dyscalculia which makes counting, adding and any mathematical skill extremely hard

The condition is closely related to dyslexia — which makes it difficult to read, write and spell. In fact, 60 per cent of people with dyslexia also have difficulties with maths. 

Research into what causes dyscalculia is about 30 years behind studies looking into dyslexia, according to the British Dyslexia Association.

But experts say the lack of number sense is connected to the function of the connectivity hub of the brain called the intraparietal sulcus, and the front lobe, which deals with reasoning.

This suggests it can be hereditary but also can be connected to developmental conditions like Foetal Alcohol Syndrome — a lifelong condition that occurs when a mother drinks alcohol during pregnancy. 

It’s estimated that a quarter of the population have a maths learning difficulty, but this isn’t always due to dyscalculia. 

It can also be caused by external issues such as a traumatic learning experience related to maths or school absence.

Take That star Robbie Williams has also previously opened up about his experiences with dyslexia and dyscalculia.

The 50-year-old said phone numbers even give him anxiety. 

In an Instagram post in June 2023 he said: ‘A month or so ago I was with some new friends and I offered to pay for lunch.

‘There was an option to leave a 15 per cent tip 20 per cent tip or 25 per cent. None of which I could work out.

‘I started to sweat. Got the sum wrong. Scribbled it out and in the end I had to ask for help. My new friends were very cool about it.

‘I didn’t feel embarrassed.’

Singer Sophie Ellis-Bextor, who is the ambassador for the charity Dyscalculia Network, has two sons who were diagnosed with the learning difficulty by an educational psychologist while at primary school.

The organisation has warned that millions of people across the country are likely to unknowingly have the condition. 

Experts say early identification of the learning disability is vital to help young people develop number awareness.