Observer Music Magazine:Mike Joyce on "The Queen Is Dead" tour 1986

I am a Ghost

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Flashback: October 1986
The Smiths are on the road for the second leg of 'The Queen is Dead' tour. And sounding better than ever, despite the drama to come, as drummer Mike Joyce recalls

* Mike Joyce
* The Observer,
* Sunday October 12 2008
* Article history

We had just finished a long American tour and by the end we were absolutely rocking. We carried that into what turned out to be our last British tour. We were on fire. The introduction of Craig Gannon as a second guitarist to make the band a five-piece made a real difference - it gave Johnny Marr more freedom. It also became more of a show because we were playing much longer sets and we could dip into every album. I think we shocked a few people; they weren't expecting such a big sound. Our live album Rank was recorded on that tour, at the Kilburn National, and it sounds absolutely fantastic.

We even started being a bit cheeky, putting little medleys together - 'Rusholme Ruffians' and 'What She Said' with bits of '(Marie's the Name) His Latest Flame', that sort of thing. We were pretty cocksure. If you think you're that good, you're really going to go for it. Morrissey really came out of himself on that tour; I loved the board he waved that said 'Two light ales please'. Brilliant, absolutely brilliant!

We must have been exhausted by that point. If we weren't touring we would be in the studio, and if we weren't in the studio we would be doing TV. It was non-stop. It was hard, especially for somebody as un-rock'n'roll as Mozza. He would try and look after himself, drinking a cup of tea backstage and trying to take it easy, but that's not really on the cards when you're on tour. When I think about the mental gymnastics he was having to perform on the stage every night I can see how difficult it was. Mozza always had that added pressure of being cool and having to sing; it's such a strange thing, a lot more taxing than playing the drums. I didn't really appreciate that in the early years. Not that any of us were flippant about what we were doing. It was massively precious.

None of us knew it would be the last tour. We did one last gig at Brixton Academy that December, a charity gig for Artists Against Apartheid. We then recorded Strangeways, Here We Come, which I maintain is the best album we ever made. What would have happened next? I don't think the creativity would have dried up if we had carried on.

• A new double CD compilation The Sound of the Smiths (Rhino) is released on 10 November
 
Flashback: October 1986
The Smiths are on the road for the second leg of 'The Queen is Dead' tour. And sounding better than ever, despite the drama to come, as drummer Mike Joyce recalls

* Mike Joyce
* The Observer,
* Sunday October 12 2008
* Article history

We had just finished a long American tour and by the end we were absolutely rocking. We carried that into what turned out to be our last British tour. We were on fire. The introduction of Craig Gannon as a second guitarist to make the band a five-piece made a real difference - it gave Johnny Marr more freedom. It also became more of a show because we were playing much longer sets and we could dip into every album. I think we shocked a few people; they weren't expecting such a big sound. Our live album Rank was recorded on that tour, at the Kilburn National, and it sounds absolutely fantastic.

We even started being a bit cheeky, putting little medleys together - 'Rusholme Ruffians' and 'What She Said' with bits of '(Marie's the Name) His Latest Flame', that sort of thing. We were pretty cocksure. If you think you're that good, you're really going to go for it. Morrissey really came out of himself on that tour; I loved the board he waved that said 'Two light ales please'. Brilliant, absolutely brilliant!

We must have been exhausted by that point. If we weren't touring we would be in the studio, and if we weren't in the studio we would be doing TV. It was non-stop. It was hard, especially for somebody as un-rock'n'roll as Mozza. He would try and look after himself, drinking a cup of tea backstage and trying to take it easy, but that's not really on the cards when you're on tour. When I think about the mental gymnastics he was having to perform on the stage every night I can see how difficult it was. Mozza always had that added pressure of being cool and having to sing; it's such a strange thing, a lot more taxing than playing the drums. I didn't really appreciate that in the early years. Not that any of us were flippant about what we were doing. It was massively precious.

None of us knew it would be the last tour. We did one last gig at Brixton Academy that December, a charity gig for Artists Against Apartheid. We then recorded Strangeways, Here We Come, which I maintain is the best album we ever made. What would have happened next? I don't think the creativity would have dried up if we had carried on.

• A new double CD compilation The Sound of the Smiths (Rhino) is released on 10 November

Beat me to it, squire - no point in a scan now.

Au revoir,

Peter
 
Beat me to it, squire - no point in a scan now.

Au revoir,

Peter

Oh I don't know about that, Peter. Some folk like to see the article as it appeared.

I don't know why I buy newspapers. I bought "The Observer" this morning, but, as with practically all newspapers, the bleedin' thing is online.
 
Ok, scan soon. You know, the thing that has just struck me about this article is that it's an interview with Mike Joyce, and the new compilation is presaged at the bottom. You would almost say he's doing a bit of promotional work. Now we know Moz and Marr have been involved in the putting together of the release(s), and this raises the hoary old question - who gets money from this, and is this really a bit of Mike Joyce promotional work? Which raises a further question - are they talking now? Somehow I doubt it, but who knows?

Peter

**EDIT** - scan here...

2935082232_38806bf544_o.jpg
 
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F and Peter, thank you very much for posting the transcript and the scan.

Glad Observer picked really nice picture for the article. :)
 
so are they are all getting money for the sound of the smiths? it seems so.
has morrissey agreed to bury the hatchet? umm interesting
 
not again...

Someone posted that he saw Morrissey and Johnny in a posh pub in Manchester about a month ago.

Johnny might have said Morrissey to stop complaining about royality/court case.

We also better stop gossiping about it.
 
Ok, scan soon. You know, the thing that has just struck me about this article is that it's an interview with Mike Joyce, and the new compilation is presaged at the bottom. You would almost say he's doing a bit of promotional work. Now we know Moz and Marr have been involved in the putting together of the release(s), and this raises the hoary old question - who gets money from this, and is this really a bit of Mike Joyce promotional work? Which raises a further question - are they talking now? Somehow I doubt it, but who knows?

Peter

Mike Joyce has a radio show on Revolution here in Manchester (well it's an Oldham based thing if truth be known!). I remember him talking about the album a good year ago and he certainly gave the impression that he was involved in some way? He mentioned going through the old recordings and finding some old rareties (live stuff), many of which he gave an airing.
 
I doubt Joyce had anything to do with the production of the new CD, but he's never been shy of basking in the reflected glory has he? :D
 
Mike Joyce has a radio show on Revolution here in Manchester (well it's an Oldham based thing if truth be known!). I remember him talking about the album a good year ago and he certainly gave the impression that he was involved in some way? He mentioned going through the old recordings and finding some old rareties (live stuff), many of which he gave an airing.

Really? He played that click track on the Mark Riley show, and was given a sound bollocking by Morrissey for that (via TTY). I don't know if they'll use the quote tomorrow night, but on Eggheads, Jeremy Vine asked me if The Smiths would reform, and I replied with that Morrissey quote that Morrissey would "...rather eat my own testicles. And for a vegetarian, that's saying something." (or something like that). Will I be made to eat my own words, and indeed, testicles? I'm sensing a mild thaw. Someone tell me I'm wrong.

Peter
 
I doubt Joyce had anything to do with the production of the new CD, but he's never been shy of basking in the reflected glory has he? :D

Indeed. I'm finding it hard to believe that they are all talking, mich as I's like it to be. If they announced The Smiths were reforming tomorrow, I'd quit my job and drive to wherever the tickets were on sale. I personally asked Mike what he thought of Johnny and Morrissey. You don't want to hear the answer. It was quite late at night.

Peter
 
Mike Joyce has a radio show on Revolution here in Manchester (well it's an Oldham based thing if truth be known!). I remember him talking about the album a good year ago and he certainly gave the impression that he was involved in some way? He mentioned going through the old recordings and finding some old rareties (live stuff), many of which he gave an airing.

Brel
The Revolution has gone kapput. It now plays Abba, Madonna, Queen and other such shite. All of the DJ's - on being told of the 'shift in style' resigned on the spot, Mike included (this was in early September).
They are all hoping to start a new station called 'Radio Republic' soon.

Jukebox Jury
 
Really? He played that click track on the Mark Riley show, and was given a sound bollocking by Morrissey for that (via TTY). I don't know if they'll use the quote tomorrow night, but on Eggheads, Jeremy Vine asked me if The Smiths would reform, and I replied with that Morrissey quote that Morrissey would "...rather eat my own testicles. And for a vegetarian, that's saying something." (or something like that). Will I be made to eat my own words, and indeed, testicles? I'm sensing a mild thaw. Someone tell me I'm wrong.

Peter

Peter
I feel, that with a 6pm airing, your quote will be left on the cutting room floor;)

Jukebox Jury
 
Brel
The Revolution has gone kapput. It now plays Abba, Madonna, Queen and other such shite. All of the DJ's - on being told of the 'shift in style' resigned on the spot, Mike included (this was in early September).
They are all hoping to start a new station called 'Radio Republic' soon.

Jukebox Jury


Oh dear...Revolution is taken over by Capital Gold?
 
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