Mike Joyce - The Drums

A Times Book of the Year 2025

Mike Joyce

$55

Hardback

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QTY:

English

New Modern
06 November 2025

Music: styles & genres; Percussion instruments; Autobiography: arts & entertainment

A Times Book of the Year 2025

“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.

By: Mike Joyce
Imprint: New Modern
Country of Publication: United Kingdom
Dimensions: Height: 234mm, Width: 153mm,
ISBN: 9781917923224
ISBN 10: 1917923228
Pages: 258
Publication Date: 06 November 2025
Audience: General/trade , ELT Advanced
Format: Hardback
Publisher's Status: Active

Mike Joyce is an English drummer and a member of The Smiths between 1982-1987. Widely regarded as one of the most important British groups of the 20th century, all of their albums reached the Top Five in UK charts. Joyce continues to play drums and is a radio DJ in Manchester.

Reviews for Mike Joyce - The Drums: A Times Book of the Year 2025

“The insight Joyce brings to the table here delivered with love and affection is worth its weight in gold. Joyce captures that world and that time magically” * The Irish Examiner * “(Joyce) frames his memoir as a love story. Joyce's memories of The Smiths ascent capture the strange energy of the time. The whole thing unspools like a black and white dream” * Uncut * “Plenty of tantalising revelations and astute observations ... with a delightfully direct, easy to read and warm style, Joyce testifies to the astonishing greatness of the best four-piece guitar band to ever hail from these islands ... A terrific read and wonderful reconnection to a lost world” * The Irish Times * “Where Moz's memoir was high minded, Mike Joyce's take is candid and piss takery, telling it straight with all the rat-a-tat directness of his fills. Insightful” * Classic Rock * “Stands apart from most rock memoirs in that it is remarkably lacking in ego. Scoured through with warmth and Mancunian wit. It reads like the wide eyed work of somebody who still can't quite believe his luck that he ended up playing in his favourite band. Sharp, affable and full of stories” * The I-Paper * “(Joyce's) new memoir casts his band's mid 80's mastery as miraculous and life affirming” * Mojo * “(Joyce) revisits key moments with a fresh perspective balancing humour and vulnerability while capturing the emotional core his years with the band” * Louder than War * “If you need to be reminded of all the glorious, tremendous achievements of The Smiths, this is the book. A brilliant book” * Word In Your Ear * “Mike is a fantastic storyteller and his new book is a great, inspiring rock 'n' roll read” -- Chris Hawkins * BBC Radio 6 *