Andy Rourke has left the building. The musician and DJ, best known as bassist of legendary Manchester band The Smiths, has died “after a lengthy illness with pancreatic cancer,” according to his former bandmate Johnny Marr. Rourke was 59.
The new was posted early Friday (May 19), with Rourke’s official social media pages confirming the news. “Andy will be remembered as a kind and beautiful soul by those who knew him and as a supremely gifted musician by music fans,” the statement read. “We request privacy at this sad time.”
Rourke, along with Marr, vocalist Morrissey, and drummer Mike Joyce, formed The Smiths in 1982, en route to becoming one of the most influential bands of all time. He performed the bass on each of The Smiths’ four studio albums: Their 1984 self-titled debut; Meat Is Murder (1985); The Queen Is Dead (1987); and Strageways, Here We Come (1989).
His driving force as part of The Smiths’ dynamic rhythm section was one of the many definable aspects of the band, particularly on tracks like “Barbarism Begins At Home,” “This Charming Man,” and “There Is A Light That Never Goes Out.” For many, the mere sound of his propulsive and playful bass notes flirt with memories of youth spent in the best ways possible.
“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,” tweets Joyce. “Andy’s left the building, but his musical legacy is perpetual. I miss you so much already. Forever in my heart mate.”
An active collaborator and friend to all who met him, Rourke also performed and/or worked with Badly Drawn Boy, Sinead O’Connor, Ian Brown, Pretenders, Killing Joke, and Freebass, a supergroup with Peter Hook of New Order and Mani of The Stone Roses. Over the past several years he was a part of a new band called Blitz Vega, and toured globally as a DJ, performing multiple times around the Boston area.
Rourke’s colleagues were quick to pay tribute on social media following the news.
“A total one-off — a rare bassist whose sound you could recognise straight away,” tweets fellow bassist Mat Osman of Suede. “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.”
Tim Burgess of The Charlatans tweets: “He was an inspirational musician with a style that made so many of us pick up a bass guitar; and the driving force for Manchester Versus Cancer. Our thoughts are with everyone who knew him. Travel well.”
On Instagram, Marr wrote a lengthy tribute, stating in part: “I was present at every one of Andy’s bass takes on every Smiths session. Sometimes I was there as the producer and sometimes just as his proud mate and cheerleader. Watching him play those dazzling baselines was an absolute privilege and genuinely something to behold. But one time which always comes to mind was when I sat next to him at the mixing desk watching him play his bass on the song ‘The Queen Is Dead’. It was so impressive that I said to myself ‘I’ll never forget this moment.’ …Well done Andy. We’ll miss you brother.”
Read his full tribute below.
RIP.