Review: Smiths drummer Mike Joyce, Light House, Wolverhampton

During the Manchester group's outstanding five years, it was only drummer Joyce who got to see Morrissey's dancing, Marr's coolness and Rourke grooving from behind.

And last night, the people of Wolverhampton were intimately treated to a first ever 'An Evening with' event with the man himself.

Nestled in the glorious surroundings of the Light House Media Centre, it featured a Q&A and meet-and-greet before closing with a Mike Joyce DJ set.

The gig saw him returning to the city almost 30 years after performing at the 'chaotic' first Morrissey solo gig at the Civic.

Speaking to Joyce beforehand, he was going into the unknown - he'd never done anything like this before but promised an "anything goes" rule in terms of questions.

And that was certainly the case.

From the "long" and "awful" court case the band endured over royalties to the enigma of Moz - he gave a real insight into what is was being behind the kit.

Even though he knows Morrissey's opinions of him might not be the best, he's still fond of him.

"He's f****g great, I love him, he laughed. "Regardless of the s**t that went on with the money, he's brilliant."

While thinking about a Smiths reunion doesn't keep him up at night he'd be more than up for some sort of get-together, claiming they'd sound "s**t hot".

Joyce spoke of the time his favourite band Buzzcocks asked him to join the ranks, playing with John Lydon in Public Image Ltd and when he almost joined Suede.

"There was an advert in Melody Maker saying 'Mike Joyce soundalike needed for new band'. So I thought I've got to give that a go."

He phoned them up insisting he sounded "quite a lot" like Mike Joyce and to go and get a Smiths record to see what he sounded like.

Soon after they'd worked out who it was and the former Smith ended up producing their first two tracks Be My God and Art.

It was a real pleasure being in Joyce's company - a genuine and bloody funny bloke. This Charming Man is welcome back in Wolverhampton anytime.