Mike Joyce & Stephen Street: The Queen Is Dead 40th Anniversary

Mike Joyce is at Foundry on Thursday 12 November, and he's not coming alone. He's joined by producer Stephen Street and a special guest host for an evening that marks the 40th anniversary of The Queen Is Dead, the 1986 album by The Smiths that NME once voted the greatest of all time.

It's not a gig in the usual sense. Joyce and Street will walk the audience through the making of the record, talking through it track by track, the studio sessions, and the creative processes that helped define a generation. Joyce was the drummer on the album; Street produced it. Having the two of them in the same room to talk about how it actually came together is a rare thing, and the track-by-track format means you'll hear about the specific decisions that shaped each song rather than just a general overview of the whole.

The talking is only part of it. The night also includes an audience Q&A, archive video, signings, and memorabilia, so there's a fair bit to sink your teeth into beyond the main discussion. It's a deep dive into one of the most influential records of the eighties, told by two of the people who were there when it was being made.

Foundry is at the University Student Union on Western Bank, Sheffield S10 2TG. Doors are at 19:00, and tickets are £27.50 face value, £30.94 including fees. The show is 14+, with under-16s needing to be accompanied by an adult, and seating is unreserved.