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Mike Joyce - The Drums

A Times Book of the Year 2025

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Mike Joyce - The Drums

By: Mike Joyce
Narrated by: Mike Joyce
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A Times, Resident and Rough Trade Book of the Year

Longlisted for the Penderyn Music Book Prize 2026

‘A warm and engaging memoir’ Guardian

‘A beautifully told odyssey’ Daily Express

‘A brilliant book’ Mark Ellen, Word in Your Ear

The long overdue reflection of life in The Smiths from their legendary drummer.

As a band, the Smiths need no introduction. Formed in 1982 and disbanded in 1987, all four of their studio albums reached the top five in the UK charts. They are widely lauded as one of the most influential groups of all time.

Mike is the last member of the band to release their autobiography and this is his no-holds-barred story of what it was like to play the drums in the Smiths. Throughout his honest and witty reflections, Mike answers the question he and bassist Andy Rourke used to often ask each other: ‘Where did it all go right?’

A lot of the Smiths’ past is already canonised. Rather than retelling those well-documented iconic moments, in The Drums, Mike conveys ‘the feeling’ of his time in the band. His off-piste, frank and witty perspective allows him to re-contextualise fan favourite moments through a beautifully vulnerable, human insight into his life.

The written history of the Smiths is not missing an encyclopedic account of everything that happened over the years; but Mike’s honest, entertaining and deeply human memoir is what Smiths fans have been waiting for. This book truly conveys what it felt like to be a member of the Smiths.

In The Drums, Mike Joyce finally gives us the perspective of the self-confessed biggest Smiths fan in the world who from the start was just some lad from the suburbs of Fallowfield who played the drums. Entertainment & Celebrities Music Thought-Provoking Witty
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I really enjoyed it. I am from Salford and I have played the bass guitar all of my grown up life. The Smiths are, imho, the best of an amazing selection of bands that emerged post punk in the Manchester and Salford area. They were all the soundtrack to my teenage years but The Smiths stood out due to everything Mike describes so well in this book. To me the sound that they all created - guitar, bass, drums and vocals - will forever be unique. It was lovely to hear Mike narrate in his Manc accent as well, and it spirited me right back home. His love for Andy Rourke is evident throughout the book and it is a fitting tribute to him also.

Funny, poignant and fascinating

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Quite an interesting listen but having listened to a lot of other biographies at this stage I would’ve preferred to hear more about the recording and writing process.

OK, but not enough music detail

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The third member to put pen to paper. First came Steve in 2012, who emerged as a real-life Adrian Mole. Then Johnny (2016), mostly breezily positive, and a blizzard of conspicuously high-quality name-dropping.

Now Mike, who tells us he once nearly died of a ruptured spleen (a danger ever present for one of his former bandmates...) Hearing him read the book adds to the feel of immediacy and his engaging, down to earth tone, like someone remembering this and that, off the cuff, as it occurs to him. It doesn't sound at all ghostwritten, but amidst the anecdotes about "necking wizz" there are moments of genuine insight and curiosity about being part of something important, plus a lot of self-deprecation. Also in this book he's nailed the concept of chapters, something that evaded the singer. Three of the Smiths passed their 11-plus and went to grammar schools, just like the Beatles. Can you guess which is the odd one out? The answer may surprise you.

It's striking to hear that Mancunian-Irish pronunciation of "any" as "Annie", one of the few characteristics he shares with Steve, who is unlikely to ever be heard describing his teenaged self as "Billy big-bollocks."

Down to Earth

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Read brilliantly by Mike. Some great stories of wonderful times back in the day. Took me right back to growing up in Manchester and experiencing some of those events for myself. Thanks Mike.

Great insight

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Great stuff. Bit disappointed nothing on his later work. Especially with the much missed Gwilo.

Top fella

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