The Smiths were an English rock band from Manchester. They formed in 1982 and split up in 1987. They released four studio albums. The band consisted of Morrissey (singing), Johnny Marr (guitar), Andy Rourke (bass) and Mike Joyce (drums). Critics have called them the most important alternative rock band to emerge from the British independent music scene of the 1980s. "Q" magazine writer Simon Goddard wrote that The Smiths were the one truly important group of the 1980s, "the most influential British guitar group of the decade" and the first independent group to become successful in the main music scene.