Drumming News :
Out November 6 via New Modern (Putman Publishing)
Mike Joyce, drummer for legendary indie band The Smiths, is stepping into the spotlight with his forthcoming autobiography, The Drums, set for release on November 6 through New Modern, an imprint of Putman Publishing.
Described by the publisher as “honest, entertaining and deeply human,” The Drums promises a fresh perspective on The Smiths’ rise and fall from someone who lived it from behind the kit. Unlike Morrissey’s Autobiography (2013) and Johnny Marr’s Set the Boy Free (2016), Joyce’s memoir steers clear of rehashing every well-documented moment. Instead, it delves into what it felt like to be in the band—capturing the personal highs, tensions, and disillusionments that shaped their brief but seismic five-year run (1982–1987).
The book will also touch on the infamous 1996 royalties lawsuit, in which Joyce and bassist Andy Rourke challenged Morrissey and Marr over earnings. The court sided with Joyce, awarding him £1 million in back pay and a 25% future share, while labeling Morrissey “truculent and unreliable.”
With bassist Andy Rourke having passed away in 2023 and Marr ruling out any reunion due to personal differences with Morrissey, a full Smiths reunion remains virtually impossible. Joyce himself has acknowledged this, stating that without Rourke, it simply couldn’t happen.
Recently performing with Pete Doherty’s solo band, Joyce now offers fans a long-awaited, unfiltered look into his life and time in one of Britain’s most iconic bands. As the publisher puts it: “The Drums is the perspective of the biggest Smiths fan in the world—who just happened to be their drummer.”
Pre-orders for The Drums are available now.
Pre-Order on Amazon HERE
