The Smiths' Drummer Breaks 33-Year Silence on Bitter Feud
In a dramatic revelation, former drummer Mike Joyce of the iconic band The Smiths has opened up about a decades-long rift with frontman Morrissey. This feud, which began in 1989, has left a lasting impact on the band's legacy and its fans.
The story unfolds with a lawsuit that rocked the music world. Joyce and bassist Andy Rourke took legal action against Morrissey and guitarist Johnny Marr, demanding a larger share of the band's royalties. But here's where it gets controversial—Moz and Marr refused, arguing that Joyce and Rourke were not equal contributors to the band's success. This led to a bitter court battle, with Joyce ultimately winning his case in the early 1990s.
"I hit the hi-hats in court," Joyce reminisced in a recent interview, reflecting on the sound of the band's unique chemistry. He hasn't spoken to Morrissey since 1992, and the reasons are deeply personal. "I wanted what was rightfully mine," he explained, adding that he faced relentless harassment from Morrissey's fans on social media.
The emotional toll of the lawsuit extended beyond the courtroom. Joyce and Marr reconnected at Rourke's memorial service in 2023, after Rourke's tragic death from pancreatic cancer. The reunion, however, was bittersweet. Joyce was unaware of the potential Smiths reunion and the substantial payday it could have brought, as he had distanced himself from the band's affairs.
And this is the part most people miss—the human cost of legal battles within creative partnerships. The Smiths' story serves as a cautionary tale, highlighting the fragility of artistic relationships and the lasting consequences of unresolved disputes. Could this feud have been avoided? What could have been done differently? These questions linger, leaving fans to wonder what might have been.
