As a band, The Smiths need little introduction. Formed in 1982 and disbanded in 1987, all five of their studio albums reached the top five in the UK charts. They are widely lauded as one of the most influential bands of all time, despite their brief existence. Mike Joyce was there from start to bitter finish, and this is his story of what it was like to play drums for one of the most iconic bands of all time. The Drums follows Morrissey’s disappointing memoir, Autobiography, released in 2013, and guitarist Johnny Marr’s rather excellent Set the Boy Free in 2016, both of which Joyce claims to have never read, with each adding a layer to not only the band’s myth but the understanding of what an extraordinary band they were and how influential their music was, and remains.
The Drums is Joyce’s open-hearted story of what it was like to play the drums in The Smiths and be a part of the creation of music which has become a cultural reference point. Throughout his honest and witty reflections, Mike answers the question ‘where did it all go right?’ – a question he and bassist Andy Rourke, with whom he had a deep and special relationship, used to often ask each other. This focus on the positive is behind Joyce’s decision for the book to only cover the period until 1987, thus avoiding the unpleasantness which has tainted the Smiths’ legacy since then. Whilst it would have been interesting to hear his take on the infamous court case, you have to admire Joyce’s commitment to telling the story of the Smiths as they should be remembered, as one of the very best bands to have emerged.
Throughout the book, Joyce offers insights and memories that bring to life how special the music and lyrics were. He describes how, when Morrissey recorded his vocals, it would often be the first time he would hear the lyrics and how “He never had any light in the studio. It would always be pitch black so we couldn’t see him”, going on to describe the experience of recording Strangeways Here We Come as “like pure music instinct”.
Rather than simply retelling the well-documented iconic moments of the history of The Smiths, in The Drums, Mike conveys ‘the feeling’ of his time in the band. His off-piste, frank perspective allows him to recontextualise the familiar stories with beautiful vulnerability and human insight. He shares plenty of amusing, and personal, anecdotes such as meeting Mick Jagger backstage at a show or waking up on a US tour to find himself covered in chickenpox and Andy Rourke shouting “You’re going to die!”
His story will resonate with the millions of Smiths fans who will rejoice in joining Mike in his love and admiration for the band that changed lives and provided such rich inspiration to the many musicians who followed them.
The Drums by Mike Joyce is published on November 7th 2025 by New Modern.
