Sad News - Andy Rourke Bassplayer of The Smiths ( and others) passes away from pancreatic cancer aged 59

 R.I.P. ANDY ROURKE

THE SMITHS

 it may say it won’t play but CLICK on it anyway! It will!

This from

Decade Club 77/87

Deeply sad to hear the news that we've lost the marvellous ANDY ROURKE, renowned bassist for THE SMITHS who has died at the age of 59 following a protracted battle with pancreatic cancer (17 Jan 1964 – May 2023)

Born to an English mother and an Irish father on 17 January 1964, Rourke's musical journey began at an early age. He found a calling for bass, channeling a melodic and nuanced style that would later define The Smiths' sound. From learning the guitar at seven, he eventually settled into the rhythm section of The Smiths, forming a backbone for Morrissey’s waspish vocals and Johnny Marr's intricate guitar work.

Rourke’s relationship with Marr began long before their Smiths’ journey, with the two becoming friends at the tender age of 11. In Marr's poignant tribute, he reminisced, “We were best friends, going everywhere together...Andy and I spent all our time studying music, having fun and working on becoming the best musicians we could possibly be.”

Marr announced Rourke's passing on social media, saying, "Andy will be remembered as a kind and beautiful soul by those who knew him and as a supremely gifted musician by music fans." Mike Joyce, the Smiths' drummer, tweeted, "Not only the most talented bass player I've ever had the privilege to play with but the sweetest, funniest lad I've ever met. Andy's left the building, but his musical legacy is perpetual."

His work on Smiths’ classics like "This Charming Man" and "There Is a Light That Never Goes Out" demonstrated his boldly melodic style. Even beyond the Smiths, his musical influence reached other artists, recording with Sinéad O’Connor, the Pretenders, and Ian Brown, among others.

Rourke's bass playing also found an outlet in the supergroup Freebass, where he shared the stage with fellow celebrated Mancunian bassists, New Order's Peter Hook and the Stone Roses' Mani. Reflecting on Rourke's legacy, Suede bassist Mat Osman recalled, “I remember so clearly playing that Barbarism break over and over, trying to learn the riff, and marvelling at this steely funk driving the track along."

Yet, his life was not without its tribulations. He wrestled with heroin use in the mid-'80s and was briefly let go from The Smiths. He later confessed, "You start getting a bunch of money and don't know what to do. You start spending it on drugs.” Rourke's personal struggles played out against the backdrop of a band that was itself fracturing, as Marr's departure in 1987 marked the beginning of the end for the Smiths.

In the aftermath of the Smiths' dissolution, Rourke faced financial woes, eventually filing for bankruptcy in 1999. Yet, he remained resilient and continued to create music, his collaborations spanning numerous artists and genres, from the Manchester singer-songwriter Badly Drawn Boy to former Oasis guitarist Bonehead.

Rourke's contribution to music was not limited to the studio or the stage. In later years, he also shared his passion as a radio presenter on the rock station XFM. He was remembered by peers for his kindness and the inspiration he provided. Tim Burgess of The Charlatans, for instance, praised him as “an inspirational musician with a style that made so many of us pick up a bass guitar.”

Rourke's passing has left an irreplaceable void in the Manchester music scene and the broader indie music landscape.

“When we were 15 I moved into his house with him and his three brothers and I soon came to realise that my mate was one of those rare people that absolutely no one doesn't like,” said Johnny Marr.

“Andy reinvented what it is to be a bass guitar player...We maintained our friendship over the years, no matter where we were or what was happening...Well done Andy. We'll miss you brother.”