Select (Feb 00)

The Pro-Joyce Campaign

The Smiths' Mike Joyce gears up to write a book of his experiences, but as he categorically states, it won't be called Morrissey And Marr: The Twats

Morrissey once sang, "I bear more grudges than lonely high court judges". You couldn't say the same for ex-Smiths drummer Mike Joyce. He won ƒ1 million in back royalties from Morrissey and Johnny Marr in a court case in 1997, and is now set to write the account of his life as a Smith. Anyone expecting a hatchet job, however, will be disappointed."

I don't hate Morrissey," says Mike down the phone from his Manchester home. "A lot of people think it's going to be called Morrissey And Marr: The Twats, but it won't be a vitriolic rant. I had a great time in The Smiths. You get a very different perspective from behind the drums than being the singer."

While stressing that Johnny Rogan's The Severed Alliance was "95 percent accurate", Mike considers most of the programmes and books about The Smiths to be wrong. Promising much ephemera to interest the fans (he has kept all the Smiths set lists), he adds that he'll also address the deification of Morrissey. "All these lads on stage, hugging him," says Mike dismissively of a post- Smiths show in Wolverhampton in '88, "like he was the Messiah."

So if Morrissey rang up today and asked for a Smiths reunion, how would he react?

"Well, first I'd check it wasn't Jeremy Beadle," laughs the man described by Julian Cope as 'a huge vibe'. "Then I'd agree to do it. Just do one gig in the Bricklayer's Arms. just for a bit of fun." He adds, however, that he didn't go and see Moz playing old Smiths songs on his recent British dates. "I was in The Smiths," says Mike. "I don't rate Morrissey on his own."

Now, with the spirit of contentment that only ƒ1 million can bring, Joyce is involved in a new project. He's got a new band with Smiths bassist Andy Rourke and ex-Roses guitarist Aziz Ibrahim. Called Aziz, the group is recording an LP with a rolling cast of musicians including Paul Weller and Noel Redding, the bassist from The Jimi Hendrix Experience.

"I know people might be put off," ponders Joyce. "It is a bit like a super group. But the music's passionate. It's difficult, but we want to start with a clean slate."

JOHN MULLEN

Additionally, from Torr:

Fans of Mike and Andy or Aziz can watch a webcast of their show (at nme.com) from a couple weeks back.