Mike Joyce on ending his feud with Johnny Marr, The Smiths’ reunion row and a mural for Andy Rourke
nme.comThe Smiths‘ drummer Mike Joyce has spoken to NME about ending his decades-long feud with Johnny Marr, as well as the recent reunion row and plans for a mural in memory of late bassist Andy Rourke.The pair hadn’t spoken since Joyce sued Marr and Morrissey in 1996 over The Smiths’ royalties.
The drummer won the case and was awarded £1million damages.Now, Joyce has told NME he met Marr at a private service in Manchester back in May to mark a year since the death of Andy Rourke from pancreatic cancer.“I’d seen Johnny at Manchester City games and we’d keep it civil, but there’d be no conversation,” said Joyce. “I knew Johnny was going to be at Andy’s service and I thought: ‘This isn’t about me or Johnny, it’s nothing other than Andy’.
With that in mind, I was quite comfortable about seeing Johnny. It wasn’t tough when I saw him, it was just unusual, as I hadn’t spoken properly to Johnny for years and years.
But we had a good chat there.”By coincidence, Joyce and Marr met again at a Man City game less than a week later – thanks to Noel Gallagher.
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