Mike Joyce, drummer with The Smiths, comes to Limerick next week for an intimate evening in conversation about his new memoir, The Drums, at Dolans Warehouse on Thursday April 2.
The event, hosted by University of Limerick Professor Eoin Devereux, will see Joyce reflect on his years as the rhythmic backbone of one of the most celebrated and influential bands in British music history.
Audience questions will be welcomed, and signed copies of the book will be available on the night.
The Drums offers what Joyce describes as the feeling of life inside The Smiths, rather than a simple retelling of the band’s well-documented story.
His account is candid and affectionate, shaped in large part by his deep friendship with the late bassist Andy Rourke.
Together, the pair were fond of asking one another a question that gives the book much of its warmth: where did it all go right?
Formed in Manchester in 1982 and disbanded in 1987, The Smiths released five studio albums, each of which reached the top five of the UK charts. Their influence on subsequent generations of musicians remains immense.
Professor Devereux, who has organised the long-running Manchester Night at Dolans for the past 15 years, is well placed to lead the conversation.
Speaking ahead of the event, he said “I am really looking forward to chatting with Mike Joyce.
“As the rhythm section of The Smiths, Mike contributed so much to the sound of one of the most important groups ever. It will be great to welcome Mike Joyce back to Limerick.
“The Smiths played here only once – on November 16th 1984 – at the old Savoy. Fans of The Smiths of which there are many should not miss this event.”
Joyce’s memoir has been critically acclaimed for its vulnerable, human perspective – one that recontextualises familiar stories from the band’s canon with honesty and wit.
It is, above all, the account of a man who readily admits to being the Smiths’ biggest fan, and who happened to be playing the drums.
Mike Joyce: The Drums takes place at Dolans Warehouse, on Thursday April 2. Doors open at 8pm.