The Smiths’ bassist Andy Rourke, who was 59 years old, has passed away.
Guitarist Johnny Marr shared the information on social media, writing:
We announce Andy Rourke’s demise after a protracted battle with pancreatic cancer with great regret. Those who knew Andy will remember him as a kind and kind person, and music lovers will remember him as a wonderfully talented musician. We are saddened by this and ask for privacy.
Rourke contributed to the Smiths’ legendary back catalogue, which included successes like This Charming Man and There Is a Light That Never Goes Out, both of which are iconic representations of his frequently audacious melodic approach, as well as solo songs for vocalist Morrissey after the band split up.
The Smiths’ bassist Andy Rourke passes
Along with Peter Hook of New Order and Mani of the Stone Roses, he was a member of the supergroup Freebass. He also collaborated on recordings with Sinéad O’Connor, the Pretenders, Ian Brown, and the Cranberries’ Dolores O’Riordan in the ensemble DARK.
In 1982, Marr and Morrissey’s union gave birth to The Smiths. Dale Hibbert played the Smiths’ debut performance before being replaced by Rourke, a schoolmate of Marr’s since they were 11 years old. The two had previously formed the short-lived band Freak Party.
Also Read : WWE “Superstar” Bill Graham passes away at age 79.
In a letter to Rourke, Marr referred to the two of them as “best friends” who travelled everywhere together. “When we were 15 years old, he invited me to move in with him and his three brothers. I quickly realised that my friend was one of those uncommon persons that absolutely no one dislikes. In addition to having fun and learning music, Andy and I devoted all of our time to improving as musicians.
The Smiths recorded their first demo in their classic lineup later that year, including songs such as What Difference Does It Make? which set out the core Smiths sound: waspish vocals from Morrissey, complex and ringing lead guitar from Marr, and a strident, technically brilliant rhythm section in Rourke and drummer Mike Joyce, with Rourke in melodic interplay with Marr and – on tracks such as Barbarism Begins at Home – playing funky bass solos.
Andy RourkeIt produced four iconic albums, including The Smiths, Meat Is Murder, The Queen Is Dead, and Strangeways, Here We Come, as well as lauded one-off singles. This sound still characterises British indie music of the 1980s.
Rourke battled heroin addiction and was detained for possession in 1986. After being sacked from the band, he returned after two weeks (Craig Gannon, who briefly filled in for him, eventually switched to rhythm guitar and stayed with the band for a while). “You begin receiving a lot of money and are unsure of what to do. You start buying drugs with it,” Rourke added later.
Marr’s departure in 1987 led to the band’s breakup shortly after. In 2022, Rourke remarked, “When he went, the impact was immense and I think we were all traumatised and maybe still are. “No one was sure how to respond. I wasn’t sure if I should contact him or just leave him alone. Everyone involved had a dreadful experience throughout that period.
The Last of the Famous International Playboys and Interesting Drug, two songs by Morrissey that Rourke contributed to in 1989, were described by Joyce as “a big kick in the eye for Johnny” in hindsight. It was a while before we communicated again because I felt deceived by him.
In 1989, Rourke and Joyce sued Morrissey and Marr, claiming they were entitled to an equal portion of the money as they had only received 10% of the group’s performance and recording royalties apiece. Rourke swiftly reached a settlement for a flat payment of £83,000, while Joyce persisted in court and won an order of almost £1 million in backdated royalties and 25% going forward; the judge’s infamous description of Morrissey as “devious, truculent, and unreliable” was part of the case. In 1999, Rourke later declared bankruptcy.
Along with the aforementioned projects, Rourke later joined Badly Drawn Boy’s touring band and performed with the renowned Mancunian artist. His most recent endeavour was Blitz Vega, a band he formed with Happy Mondays member Kav Sandhu.
Online tributes to Rourke have been posted, including one from Suede bassist Mat Osman, who called him “a total one-off – a rare bassist whose sound you could recognise straight away.” He was described as “an inspirational musician with a style that made so many of us pick up a bass guitar” by Tim Burgess of The Charlatans.
“Watching him play those dazzling basslines was an absolute privilege and truly something to behold,” Marr concluded in his eulogy. But there is one instance that stands out in my memory: I was sitting next to him at the mixing booth and watched him play the bass on the song The Queen Is Dead. I told myself, ‘I’ll never forget this moment,’ because it was so spectacular.