Ex-Smiths singer Morrissey lost his appeal of a 1996 court ruling Friday (Nov. 6)

and may be forced to pay more than $2 million -- equivalent to a quarter of the

band's profits -- to drummer Mike Joyce, according to the British Press

Association. In the original court ruling, a High Court judge described the singer

as "devious, truculent and unreliable" and ordered him to pay the band's former

drummer for royalties Joyce allegedly never received. Morrissey had appealed

on the grounds that the ruling was an unfair attack on his character; it is not yet

known if he plans to take his case further, to the House of Lords.