Mike Joyce took mushrooms before auditioning for The Smiths, a decision he attributes to a moment of spontaneity and a desire to break free from his Catholic upbringing. "I was terrified," he recalls, describing the feeling that came with joining one of the most iconic bands in British music history.
For Joyce, it was all about embracing the chaos and uncertainty that defined The Smiths' experience. From the band's early days as a punk outfit to their eventual rise as indie rock sensations, Joyce draws on his experiences to paint a vivid portrait of the band's dynamics and creative process.
At the heart of The Smiths was the complex relationship between its members, particularly Morrissey and Johnny Marr. While Joyce acknowledges that he never fully understood Morrissey's worldview, he maintains that their artistic differences are what made their collaboration so compelling. "He was fucking great," Joyce says, describing his former bandmate as a brilliant singer-songwriter with a unique voice.
One of the most fascinating aspects of The Smiths' history is its complex web of creative and financial decisions. From the contract disputes over royalties to Morrissey's infamous court case against Marr, Joyce recounts it all with a candor that belies his years. For him, the real question isn't whether he "won" or lost in the court battle, but rather what did they truly gain from their time together as The Smiths.
Looking back on those wild and unpredictable days, Joyce remains struck by the power of music to transcend even the most bitter divisions. When asked if he wishes Morrissey ill, he responds with a characteristic sense of humor, "I don't," adding that he's been sitting here talking candidly about how brilliant the man is – it's very confusing.
In recent years, Joyce has emerged from his 21-year touring retirement to drum for Pete Doherty, while Smiths reunion rumors continue to simmer in the background. While he acknowledges that the court case may have put him at odds with some fans, Joyce remains proud of his time as a Smith and the role it played in shaping his life. As he reflects on those halcyon days, he can't help but smile: "I was in the coolest, best British band that's ever been – in my life, I definitely rolled a seven."
For Joyce, it was all about embracing the chaos and uncertainty that defined The Smiths' experience. From the band's early days as a punk outfit to their eventual rise as indie rock sensations, Joyce draws on his experiences to paint a vivid portrait of the band's dynamics and creative process.
At the heart of The Smiths was the complex relationship between its members, particularly Morrissey and Johnny Marr. While Joyce acknowledges that he never fully understood Morrissey's worldview, he maintains that their artistic differences are what made their collaboration so compelling. "He was fucking great," Joyce says, describing his former bandmate as a brilliant singer-songwriter with a unique voice.
One of the most fascinating aspects of The Smiths' history is its complex web of creative and financial decisions. From the contract disputes over royalties to Morrissey's infamous court case against Marr, Joyce recounts it all with a candor that belies his years. For him, the real question isn't whether he "won" or lost in the court battle, but rather what did they truly gain from their time together as The Smiths.
Looking back on those wild and unpredictable days, Joyce remains struck by the power of music to transcend even the most bitter divisions. When asked if he wishes Morrissey ill, he responds with a characteristic sense of humor, "I don't," adding that he's been sitting here talking candidly about how brilliant the man is – it's very confusing.
In recent years, Joyce has emerged from his 21-year touring retirement to drum for Pete Doherty, while Smiths reunion rumors continue to simmer in the background. While he acknowledges that the court case may have put him at odds with some fans, Joyce remains proud of his time as a Smith and the role it played in shaping his life. As he reflects on those halcyon days, he can't help but smile: "I was in the coolest, best British band that's ever been – in my life, I definitely rolled a seven."
so Mike Joyce went crazy and took mushrooms before auditioning for The Smiths... I mean, who needs auditions when you're just gonna be part of one of the most iconic bands of all time? 
it's like he's really okay with just letting go of the drama. And can we talk about how iconic The Smiths are? 
he's had some crazy years since touring stopped and now he's even drumming for pete doherty which is just mind boggling how many lives has one guy touched? i love how humble and down to earth he seems too, like he's genuinely grateful for the experience of being in smiths
like they had some major beef but u can tell he's really admiring him from afar 
i'm kinda jealous tbh i wish i could've been part of The Smiths' wild ride 
even though the music industry drama sounds super intense i feel bad for Mike that he got dragged into all that stuff 
anyway let's just focus on the fact that we can still jam out to "How Soon is Now?" 
. He went from being terrified to joining one of the most iconic bands ever to being part of that magic 
. Their dynamic was all about embracing chaos and creativity - love it 
, I get why Joyce never fully understood his views but their artistic differences were what made them so compelling 
. It's clear that music had a huge impact on Joyce's life and I'm loving that he's still rocking out with Pete Doherty 
#TheSmithsForever #MorrisseyIsABrilliantSongwriter #PeteDohertyDrumsAreLife
even with all the drama that went on between morrissey and johnny marr. it's crazy to think they were able to make such amazing music despite all their differences. i can see why joe strummer was a huge influence on them too, but i don't think anyone could've replicated the chemistry of morrissey and marr. what's wild is how much joyce has moved on from everything and is just living his best life 
Morrissey and Johnny Marr's dynamic is still so fascinating, even all these years later 
it just goes to show you can have the most intense creative partnerships without all the hate
. I'm just glad he's still holding it down for The Smiths, even if it means making amends with some fans who might not agree with his side of the story 
I'm still waiting for a decent social media platform where I can share my thoughts without getting trolled. Anyway, back to The Smiths... I mean, who writes a bio on Mike Joyce that's just an excuse to interview him about his 'mushroom-induced' audition story? 
It feels like they're fishing for sympathy or trying to get a rise out of fans who didn't quite understand why he retired from touring. And don't even get me started on the reunion rumors... it's always about Morrissey, never about the actual music or the band as a whole. Can we please focus on the art instead of the drama? 
man I remember when The Smiths first came out back in '85, it was like nothing anyone had heard before, Morrissey's voice just blew me away. I got tickets to see them live in Manchester and I swear it was like the whole room just melted into one person, all of us were there for that moment. And now Mike Joyce is talking about how he took mushrooms before auditioning for the band, I mean what a wild time those guys must have had 
he also talked about being in court with morrissey which must've been super stressful but it sounds like he's all good now and even thinks morrissey is BRILLIANT