Celebrity
The Smiths Bass Guitarist Andy Rourke, Dead At 59
LONDON, England – Andy Rourke, bass guitarist for The Smiths, one of the most prominent British bands of the 1980s, died Friday after a long battle with pancreatic cancer, according to former bandmate Johnny Marr. He was 59.
In a lengthy Instagram post, guitarist and songwriter Marr paid respect to Rourke, whom he first met as a youngster in 1975.
“Throughout our teens, x, and it was on those Smiths records that Andy reinvented what it is to be a bass guitar player,” Marr explained.
During their brief tenure as a four-piece band, The Smiths purposefully avoided the mainstream of popular music, establishing a cult following on the indie music scene.
Though much of the focus was on Marr’s songwriting connection with frontman Steven Patrick Morrissey, better known as Morrissey, the sound of The Smiths was heavily influenced by Rourke’s bass and his rhythm section partner, drummer Mike Joyce.
As their fame grew, the band recorded some of the most memorable British songs of the 1980s, including “Heaven Knows I’m Miserable Now” and “Girlfriend In A Coma.”
The Smiths purposefully avoided the mainstream of popular music, establishing a cult following on the indie music scene.
The Smiths’ songs were thought to be melancholy, yet they were darkly hilarious and accompanied by rousing and uplifting guitars. Their albums, including “The Queen is Dead” and “Meat is Murder,” are still required listening for every self-respecting music listener, and they are at the vanguard of the vinyl record revival.
“I was present at every single one of Andy’s bass takes on every Smiths session,” Marr explained. “Sometimes I was the producer, and other times I was his proud mate and cheerleader.” Watching him play such amazing baselines was a true honor and something to behold.”
Marr claimed he and Rourke kept in touch after the band broke up, recalling that Rourke played in his band at Madison Square Garden as recently as September 2022.
“It was a special moment that we shared with my family, as well as his wife and soul mate Francesca,” Marr said. “Everyone who knew Andy will remember him as a kind and beautiful soul, and people who love music will remember him as a supremely gifted musician.” Andy, congratulations. We’ll miss you, dude.”
Following The Smiths, Rourke worked with The Pretenders and Sinead O’Connor, the Stone Roses’ Gary Mounfield and New Order’s Peter Hook in the supergroup Freebass.
SOURCE – (AP)