THE HEATH BOOKSHOP LITERATURE AND MUSIC FESTIVAL –

Join us for this event with Mike Joyce, former drummer with The Smiths and self-confessed ‘Biggest Smiths fan in the world’. Mike will be in conversation with author Catherine O’Flynn about his long-awaited autobiography The Drums.

As a band, The Smiths need no introduction. Formed in 1982 and disbanded in 1987, all five of their studio albums reached the top five in the UK charts. They are widely lauded as one of the most influential bands of all time. This is Mike’s open-hearted story of what it was like to play the drums in The Smiths. Throughout his honest and witty reflections, Mike answers the question ‘where did it all go right?’ – a question he and bassist Andy Rourke, with whom he had a deep and very special relationship, used to often ask each other.

Rather than simply retelling the well-documented iconic moments of the history of The Smiths, in The Drums, Mike conveys ‘the feeling’ of his time in the band. His off-piste, frank perspective allows him to recontextualise the canonised stories with beautifully vulnerable, human insight. His story will resonate with the millions of Smiths fans who will rejoice in joining Mike in his love and admiration for the band that changed lives and provided such rich inspiration to the musicians that followed them.

Mike’s honest, entertaining and deeply human memoir truly conveys what it felt like to be a member of The Smiths when you are the self-confessed biggest Smiths fan in the world. Mike Joyce said: ‘I’ve been asked numerous times, ‘What was it like being in The Smiths?’ That’s one hell of a question to answer! On most occasions, my answer’s been, ‘Have you got a couple of days to spare?’ It felt like going into any detail to explain what it was really like would be impossible. The only way it seems to do that would be to commit to paper. It’s been quite a journey going back forty years to re-live some of the experiences encountered during my time with the band. I hope readers feel I’ve answered that question.’

Mike Joyce is an esteemed English drummer who has played with Sinead O’Connor, Public Image Ltd, Buzzcocks, Suede, Julian Cope, Pete Wylie and most recently has been occupying the drum seat with Peter Doherty, as well as being a member of The Smiths for the entire duration of the lifetime of the band. Mike also has a successful DJ career playing clubs worldwide.

Catherine O’Flynn is a novelist for adults and children. She is author of critically acclaimed novels: What Was Lost; The News Where You Are and Mr Lynch’s Holiday, and her books have been published in over 20 countries. Her writing has received various awards including the Costa First Novel Award and the Guildford Arts Book Prize, and been listed for the Booker, the Orange and the Bollinger Everyman Wodehouse Prize. Catherine’s Lori and Max novels for children based on her own experiences as a child detective were shortlisted for Blue Peter and UKLA book awards. Catherine has been described as ‘the JG Ballard of Birmingham…finding poetry and meaning where others see merely boredom and dereliction.”

Catherine says of interviewing Mike Joyce ‘I was so lucky to have been alive and a massive fan whilst The Smiths were still together. I saw them at Birmingham Hippodrome when I was 14. I was committed – I had the records, I had the posters, I had the coat and (somewhat regrettably) I had the hair. Non-Smiths fans never really understood how joyful the whole experience was. I can’t wait to talk to Mike Joyce. ‘

This event will be BSL interpreted.

This event is part of The Heath Bookshop Literature & Music Festival and is supported by National Lottery Grants Funding through Arts Council England.

Tickets for this event will be released in January 2026.