Andy Rourke and Mike Joyce were the legendary rhythm section behind The Smiths. Here, for the first time on film, they tell the story of their time in the group. Speaking with candour, honesty and humour, they offer a unique insight into the private life of the groundbreaking band.

"The DVD is a very real account of what happened when we were in The Smiths," says Joyce. "We wanted people to know what it was really like. It is more truthful than anything we have revealed in interviews before because we were relaxed with how it was done and who was doing it."

This is the first documentary about The Smiths to be released on DVD and begins with the story of the band's origins in Manchester. The film takes us through the trip to London that secured their record deal, the eventful recording of their debut album, the tours, the trips to the US and the superfandom. But this is no puff piece: Rourke and Joyce speak frankly about what it was really like to be in a band with Morrissey and Marr, about Joyce winning his wife back by telling her he was going to be on Top Of The Pops, and about Rourke's heroin addiction that briefly ended his career in the band.

"It isn't about attacking Johnny or Morrissey," says Rourke. "Despite the fact that the band ended in a messy way we shared a lot of things and we adopted an almost gang-like mentality. We still have many loyalities to each other as a result of that."

Produced and directed by Manchester-based friend Stephen Petricco, and introduced by Mark Standley, Inside The Smiths is peppered with archive photos (shot by original Smiths photographer Stephen Wright), exclusive interviews and footage of Mike and Andy today. Alongside in-depth interviews with the former Smiths, friends and fans including New Order's Peter Hook, The Fall's Mark E Smith, Buzzcocks frontman Pete Shelley, Ricky Wilson and Nick Hodgson of The Kaiser Chiefs and Ordinary Boys singer Preston offer their own unique insight into what made The Smiths so special.