Imagine a band so iconic that their music still resonates decades later, yet their members haven’t spoken in over three decades. That’s the reality for Mike Joyce, the drummer of The Smiths, who hasn’t exchanged a word with Morrissey since 1992. But here’s where it gets controversial: this silence isn’t just about time—it’s rooted in a bitter lawsuit that tore the band apart. Back in 1989, Joyce and bassist Andy Rourke filed a lawsuit against Morrissey and Johnny Marr, claiming they were owed a larger share of the band’s royalties. While Rourke settled out of court, Joyce took the case to trial and won, a decision that still sparks heated debates among fans today. In a recent interview with The Guardian, Joyce, now a successful radio DJ, reflected on his time with The Smiths and the fallout from the lawsuit. ‘I think it sounded like The Smiths because of the four of us,’ he explained, defending his decision to pursue legal action. ‘I just wanted what I thought was fair.’ But this stance hasn’t come without a cost—Morrissey fans still harass Joyce online, spewing vitriol like, ‘I wish you were dead.’ And this is the part most people miss: despite the drama, Joyce and Marr reconnected in 2023 at the memorial service for Andy Rourke, who tragically passed away from pancreatic cancer. ‘It wasn’t about court cases or blame,’ Joyce said. ‘It was about Andy.’ Yet, Joyce remains in the dark about recent rumors of a lucrative Smiths reunion offer, which he believes he forfeited due to the lawsuit. Is justice worth the price of silence? As fans, we’re left to wonder: could time ever heal these wounds, or is the light of The Smiths truly gone for good? Let’s discuss—do you think Joyce made the right call, or is there another side to this story?
