Mike Joyce (born Michael Joyce on 1 June 1963) is a drummer from Fallowfield, Manchester, England.

The Smiths provided Joyce with his first taste of success, although he had previously drummed for Manchester band The Hoax, and Irish punks Victim. Joyce was a member of the Smiths throughout the band's existence (1982 - 1987).

Immediately after the breakup of the band, Joyce and Smiths bassist Andy Rourke played with Sinéad O'Connor, and also provided the rhythm section for two singles by Smiths singer Morrissey. Work with Buzzcocks, Public Image Limited, Julian Cope, P.P. Arnold and Pete Wylie followed throughout the 1990s.

Joyce and Rourke reunited to work on a project with fellow Manchester musician Aziz Ibrahim (formerly of the Stone Roses), ex-Oasis guitarist Bonehead (as "Moondog One"), and Vinny Peculiar (alongside Craig Gannon also briefly in the Smiths).

In 1996, Joyce sued former Smiths' colleagues Johnny Marr and Morrissey for an equal share of performance and recording royalties (see The Smiths for more detail). He won the case. He was therefore not invited to the Manchester v Cancer benefit concert which was organised by Andy Rourke because Johnny Marr was playing.

In the documentary, "The Importance of Being Morrissey", Morrissey describes it as a "terrible miscarriage of justice", declaring that he wishes "the very, very worst for Joyce for the rest of his life".

In July 2007 Joyce along with former bandmate Andy Rourke released 'Inside The Smiths', a DVD which chronicled their experiences of being in the band. Both speak highly of both Morrissey and Marr in the film and convey how special they believed The Smiths were and still are to them.

External links

• http://foreverill.com/drums.htm
• http://www.mikejoyce.com/