An original member of The Smiths just hammered another nail in the reunion coffin, leaving fans to ask, “How soon is never?“
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Mike Joyce, the founding drummer for the iconic English rock band, knows “that joke isn’t funny anymore“—he’s accepted that “the band can’t reform.” Still, he wouldn’t hold a grudge if his former bandmates reunited without him.
The 62-year-old looked back on his time in the band and shared thoughts on the future during a recent interview about his book, The Drums.
The musician from Fallowfield, Manchester, spoke warmly about his former bandmates Morrissey, Johnny Marr, and the late Andy Rourke, but admitted he likely wouldn’t knock back a few with them again.
“I know The Smiths can’t reform because Andy’s not here, but Morrissey and Johnny, if they want to get it together and do something, fair enough,” he explained on the BBC’s North West Tonight.
“I saw Johnny at Andy Rourke’s memorial, and then I saw him at the West Ham game, and we had a chat and stuff, and that’s fine – just keep it like that,” Joyce added.
Hopes for a Smiths Reunion Have Persisted Since Their 1987 Breakup
Chatter of a reunion of the beloved band has been around for decades.
The Smiths formed in Manchester in 1982 and released four studio albums before breaking up in 1987. Marr left the band shortly before their final album’s release, reportedly due to frustration with Morrissey. Morrissey was also said to be annoyed by Marr working with other groups.
Joyce’s new book focuses on the band’s “overnight” success between 1983 and 1987.
“The time that I was in the band was such an incredible experience, and we were such good friends; we saw each other every day for four years,” he told the outlet.
The Smiths released four albums during that time and toured extensively, which Joyce described as both “relentless” and an “incredible experience.”
“A lot of bands they start off and try to be successful, but with The Smiths, it was first single and bang, we we’re off. It happened overnight really,” he recalled.
He said the band’s “meteoric rise” was obvious from their three shows at Manchester’s Haçienda nightclub, where the audience size changed dramatically over just eight months.
“The first time there was just one woman clapping, and she was one of our friends,” Joyce explained. “Eight months later, we played again, and St John’s ambulance was there carrying people out, fainting.”
Joyce’s memoir, The Drums, is available now.