Drummer Mike Joyce and producer Stephen Street revisit The Smiths' album 'The Queen Is Dead' track by track for its 40th anniversary, with stories, archive footage, signings and a Q&A.
Mike Joyce and Stephen Street are coming to The Queen's Hall on Thursday 26 November, as part of a UK tour marking the 40th anniversary of The Smiths' The Queen Is Dead. Joyce was the drummer for the band, and Street produced the record, so they're the two people in the room who actually know how it came together. They'll be joined by a special guest host for the evening.
The format is a track-by-track walk through the album. They'll go through the record one song at a time, sharing stories, memories and behind-the-scenes details from the studio sessions and the creative processes that went into it. It's less of a performance and more of a conversation about how the record was made. The night also includes an audience Q&A, archive video footage, signings and memorabilia, so you'll get a fair bit more than just the talk. Crosstown Concerts is presenting it as part of the wider tour.
For a bit of context, The Queen Is Dead came out in 1986 and has stayed in the conversation ever since — NME once voted it the greatest album of all time, and it's consistently ranked among the finest records ever made. Having the drummer and the producer together on stage gives you a look at it from two different angles: the one playing the parts and the one shaping the sound.
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Doors open at 6:30pm, with the show starting at 7:30pm. Tickets are £33.35, which includes a 10% booking fee per ticket and a £2 transaction fee. The venue is The Queen's Hall, 85-89 Clerk Street, Edinburgh EH8 9JG.
