In a much anticipated development for fans of The Smiths, drummer Mike Joyce is set to publish his candid and heartfelt memoir ‘The Drums’ on November 6, 2025, via New Modern.
Joyce’s memoir arrives as the final member of the band to share his story, following frontman Morrissey’s ‘Autobiography’ (2013) and guitarist Johnny Marr’s ‘Set the Boy Free’ (2016). The late bassist Andy Rourke, who passed away in 2023, never penned a memoir.
Described by the publisher as “no-holds barred,” ‘The Drums’ promises more than a recitation of well known events. Instead, Joyce aims to evoke the emotional truth of his time with the band, not iconic moments, but what it felt like to be a member of The Smiths. According to MusicRadar, he and Rourke often pondered, “Where did it all go right?”, a reflective question at the heart of his narrative.
A significant part of the memoir is Joyce’s personal account of the infamous 1996 High Court case, where he and Rourke sued Morrissey and Marr over royalties. The dispute stemmed from disproportionate earnings, Morrissey and Marr had been taking 80% between them, leaving only 10% each to Joyce and Rourke. The court ruled in Joyce’s favour, awarding him approximately £1 million in back royalties and a 25% share going forward. A judge notably called Morrissey “truculent and unreliable” in the ruling
The memoir also reflects on why a reunion of The Smiths remains unlikely. Marr has reportedly dismissed recent offers, citing principle and a sense that “the vibe’s not right,” while Joyce has declared reforming the band would be “impossible” without Rourke.
Joyce is now largely retired from active performance but has recently been making guest appearances playing with Pete Doherty’s band on his most recent tour. On stage, Joyce and Doherty delivered memorable renditions of The Smiths classics. Notably, they closed shows with a full-band performance of “Panic”, and occasionally mixed in a segment of “How Soon Is Now?”, the latter intertwined with Doherty’s own song “The Last of the English Roses”
His writing promises warmth, wit, and vulnerability, from the perspective of a Fallowfield lad who found himself at the beating heart of one of the most influential bands of the 1980s.
