Say It With Garage Flowers: Mike Joyce interview / Q&A (September 27, 2022)

‘Strangeways… seems to be everybody in the band’s favourite album – it’s one of the very few things we all agree on nowadays’

‘Strangeways… seems to be everybody in the band’s favourite album – it’s one of the very few things we all agree on nowadays’

This week, Strangeways, Here We Come, the fourth and final studio album by influential ’80s Manchester indie-rock band The Smiths – Say It With Garage Flowers’ favourite group of all ti…

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Regards,
FWD.

 

[Light Housework]

Simples.
"I think there’s a quote that Morrissey said: ‘Why would I go on stage with people that I don’t even know?’ Well, that’s exactly how I feel. I don’t know Morrissey and Johnny – I know Andy, because I’ve seen him since The Smiths split and up to the present day, but I haven’t seen Morrissey or Johnny, or sat down or spoken to them for 30-odd years. Why would I want to do that?"

 

[SuedeMoz]

Seems like a well-adjusted guy. For some reason, I'd assumed he'd be in favor of a Smiths reunion although that seems not to be the case.

I liked this quote:

‘If The Smiths reformed now and went and played, you wouldn’t be seeing The Smiths. I like the idea of us not reforming. And even if they did, they might do it, but minus me! I was surprised it didn’t happen earlier’

 

[Anonymous]

Tumbleweed from the Joyce haters!

 

[ACTON]

Seems like a well-adjusted guy. For some reason, I'd assumed he'd be in favor of a Smiths reunion although that seems not to be the case.

I liked this quote:

‘If The Smiths reformed now and went and played, you wouldn’t be seeing The Smiths. I like the idea of us not reforming. And even if they did, they might do it, but minus me! I was surprised it didn’t happen earlier’

I love how in The Insatiable Ones documentary about SUEDE Mike said that bands form young and break up, "but what about the rhythm section?" and laughs cos they almost always get forgotten. Mike and Andy were great.

 

[SuedeMoz]

Tumbleweed from the Joyce haters!

Was anyone really a Joyce hater before the lawsuit and Morrissey said all that he did about him? I agree with @ACTON - it's really a shame that Mike and Andy's roles have come to be viewed as minimal and unimportant.

 

[Jamie]

Was anyone really a Joyce hater before the lawsuit and Morrissey said all that he did about him? I agree with @ACTON - it's really a shame that Mike and Andy's roles have come to be viewed as so diminished and unimportant.

I think Andy Rourke's musical contributions to the Smiths are criminally unheralded, even amongst the most passionate acolytes. It's akin to Elliot Easton's masterful guitar work for The Cars - everyone goes on about Ric Ocasek and Ben Orr without giving him his just dues.

 

[Anonomous]

If Mike and Andy were no big deal, why were they hired ? What's wrong with wanting to be paid fairly ?
Funny, Morrissey who champions the cause of many minority people's and animals, can't see fit to realize that equality and equity goes for all on stage and pay should be a reward for a job well done. The Smiths were all 4 of these guys playing the instruments that made The Smiths music heard. It seems Morrissey didn't like Mike, Andy, Craig and in the end Johnny. Gee...who seems to be the jerk here, when the other 4 got along o.k. ?
Had The Smiths done what R.E.M. did and all paid the same and just chill on the money issue, things may have turned out better and a few more Smiths albums made. Who knows.....

 

[Seymour Glass]

If Mike and Andy were no big deal, why were they hired ? What's wrong with wanting to be paid fairly ?
Funny, Morrissey who champions the cause of many minority people's and animals, can't see fit to realize that equality and equity goes for all on stage and pay should be a reward for a job well done. The Smiths were all 4 of these guys playing the instruments that made The Smiths music heard. It seems Morrissey didn't like Mike, Andy, Craig and in the end Johnny. Gee...who seems to be the jerk here, when the other 4 got along o.k. ?
Had The Smiths done what R.E.M. did and all paid the same and just chill on the money issue, things may have turned out better and a few more Smiths albums made. Who knows.....

Morrissey and Marr wrote the songs, so they deserve a larger share than Joyce and Rourke. What about that is difficult to understand?

 

[Skinny'sBradfordMates]

Morrissey and Marr wrote the songs, so they deserve a larger share than Joyce and Rourke. What about that is difficult to understand?

Except the argument and fallout/courtcase was never about songwriting royaltes. Morrisssey and Marr each gor 50%, They fell out because of the band earnings which is monies from things like royalties, touring, record sales etc.....

Always makes me laugh that Marr paints himself as this leftwing man of the people, but really he's the guy that shit on his mates (along with Morrissey) for $$'s. Socialist my arse

 

[Blobby]

Except the argument and fallout/courtcase was never about songwriting royaltes. Morrisssey and Marr each gor 50%, They fell out because of the band earnings which is monies from things like royalties, touring, record sales etc.....

Always makes me laugh that Marr paints himself as this leftwing man of the people, but really he's the guy that shit on his mates (along with Morrissey) for $$'s. Socialist my arse

You realize that the band were still teenagers when that deal was made, Moz the only grownup amongst them. I’d say he was the most money conscious and it’s a miracle he gave Johnny the same percentage as him. This is truly an indication of how highly Moz thought of him.

 

[Skinny'sBradfordMates]

You realize that the band were still teenagers when that deal was made, Moz the only grownup amongst them. I’d say he was the most money conscious and it’s a miracle he gave Johnny the same percentage as him. This is truly an indication of how highly Moz thought of him.

They may well have been teenagers when the deals was made..... they weren't when they 'apparently' changed the terms of the contract and were grown adults when they went to court.

Marr is as much of a capitalist as the next man.

 

[ACTON]

You realize that the band were still teenagers when that deal was made, Moz the only grownup amongst them. I’d say he was the most money conscious and it’s a miracle he gave Johnny the same percentage as him. This is truly an indication of how highly Moz thought of him.

I don't mean to disparage our Moz but charging £250 for a signed record is obscene and is a blatant rip-off of die-hard fans. For £250 I'd expect signed record, meet and greet, concert ticket and backstage pass. That would still be a rip off but at least you'd get something approaching value for your ££.