Smiths Drummer Breaks Silence on Bitter Lawsuit Aftermath

Nearly 34 years after the Smiths' acrimonious split, former drummer Mike Joyce is breaking his silence on the band's infamous lawsuit over royalties. In a new interview, Joyce reflects on the 1989 court battle he and bassist Andy Rourke initiated against Morrissey and Johnny Marr, claiming they were owed a higher percentage of the band's earnings.

The lawsuit ultimately led to the Smiths' demise, with Morrissey and Marr arguing their bandmates were not equal partners. While Rourke settled out of court, Joyce won his trial, but the fallout has continued to haunt him. He reveals he hasn't spoken to Morrissey since 1992, and still faces regular harassment from the singer's fans on social media.

Despite the bitterness, Joyce says he simply wanted what he believed was rightfully his. "I thought that if I didn't, then nobody would ever know what happened. I just wanted what I thought was due to me, and what was right," he explains.

In a poignant moment, Joyce reconnected with Marr at the 2023 memorial service for Rourke, who passed away from pancreatic cancer that year. "It was good to see him," Joyce says. "Because it wasn't about court cases or who did what. It was about Andy."

The Smiths' legacy continues to cast a long shadow, with Joyce even learning about the band's rumored reunion offer only when the news broke. "I think I forfeited that with the court case," he adds ruefully. The light, indeed, has gone out.