The Smiths guitarist Johnny Marr today paid a moving tribute to his former bandmate Andy Rourke after the ‘gifted’ musician died aged 59.
Writing on Twitter this morning, Marr said the bassist had passed away “after a long illness with pancreatic cancer.”
He said: “Andy will be remembered as a kind and beautiful soul by those who knew him and a supremely gifted musician by music fans.”
Along with drummer Mike Joyce, Rourke provided a punchy, melodic rhythm section underlying Marr’s pioneering chords as the Smiths became one of Britain’s most influential bands during the 1980s.
In a lengthy Instagram post, Marr said it was an “absolute privilege” to play alongside Rourke. He wrote about moving in with Rourke when he was a child and how he was “one of those weird people that absolutely no one likes.”
Smiths guitarist Andy Rourke has died at the age of 59, it was announced this morning.
The Smiths outside the Salford Lads Club. Pictured left to right: Marr, Morrissey, Rourke and Joyce
Rourke with his wife Francesca Mor (left) and Martene Rourke (right) at a New York premiere in October 2022
He said: ‘Andy and I met at school in 1975. We were best friends, we went everywhere together. When we were fifteen years old, I moved into his house with him and his three brothers and I soon realized that my partner was one of those rare people that absolutely no one dislikes.
Andy and I spend all our time studying music, having fun, and working to become the best musicians we can be. Back then, Andy was a guitarist and good at it, but it was when he took up bass that he found his true calling and his unique talent blossomed.’
Marr continued: “Throughout our teenage years we played in various bands around South Manchester before making our reputation with The Smiths from 1982 to 1987, and it was on those Smiths records that Andy reinvented what it is to be a bassist.
“I was there for every one of Andy’s bass takes at every Smiths session. Sometimes I was there as a producer and sometimes just as his proud partner and cheerleader. Watching him hit those dazzling baselines was an absolute privilege and truly something to behold.
“But one time that always comes to mind is when I sat next to him at the mixer and saw him play bass on the song The Queen Is Dead. It was so impressive that I said to myself: “I will never forget this moment.”
Marr also recalled the last time the two played together, in New York City last year.
“We kept our friendship through the years no matter where we were or what happened and it is a matter of personal pride and sadness that the last time Andy played on stage was with me and my band in Maddison (sic) Square” . Garden in September 2022,’ he wrote.
“It was a special moment that we shared with my family and his wife and soul mate Francesca.”
He added: ‘Well done, Andy. We will miss you brother.
Suede guitarist Mat Osman, brother of Pointless presenter Richard, paid tribute today to a ‘total one off’.
He tweeted: ‘Oh man. RIP Andy Rourke. Totally unique – a rare bass player whose sound you might immediately recognize.
“I remember so clearly playing that Barbarism break over and over again, trying to learn the riff and marveling at this steely funk that drove the track.”
Music producer Stephen Street, who worked with the band, said he was “very sad” to hear the news.
He wrote: ‘Andy was an excellent musician and a lovely chap. I haven’t been able to read any other news about the details yet, but I send my deepest condolences and thoughts to his friends and family.”
Folk singer Billy Bragg described Rourke as “an amazing bass player” in a tribute on Twitter.
He tweeted: ‘So sorry to hear that Smiths bassist Andy Rourke has passed away.
“I have great memories of him playing with Johnny Marr and me on the Red Wedge tour. He was a lovely guy and an amazing bass player.
‘My condolences to his family and friends.’
Meanwhile, Charlatans frontman Tim Burgess hailed him as “an inspiring musician.”
“Sad, sad news about Andy Rourke: he was an inspiring musician with a style that made many of us pick up a bass; and Manchester’s driving force against cancer,’ he tweeted.
‘Our thoughts are with everyone who knew him. Travel well x’
The bassist performs onstage at the Hammersmith Palais in west London on March 12, 1984.
His former bandmate, Johnny Marr, announced the tragic news on Twitter, describing Rourke as a “supremely gifted musician.”
Suede guitarist Mat Osman and producer Stephen Street were among those paying tribute today.
Born on January 17, 1964, to an English mother and an Irish father, Rourke showed a passion for music from an early age, learning to play the guitar at the age of seven.
He met Marr at age 11, with the pair bonding and playing their guitars together in their school’s music room.
After leaving school at 15, Rourke formed The Smiths in Manchester with Marr, Morrissey and drummer Mike Joyce in 1982.
The group became Manchester’s seminal act of the 1980s and an icon of British alternative rock, with hits including This Charming Man, Heaven Knows I’m Miserable Now and Girlfriend In A Coma.
Rourke was briefly laid off for two weeks in 1986 for his heroin addiction, but returned to record The Queen Is Dead album the same year.
The band released four albums and scored three top 10 hits between 1982 and 1987 before a dispute over royalties from their now-cavernous repertoire led to a bitter legal dispute.
His disappearance was one of the most spectacular in the UK music world, although Rourke settled out of court and his the friendship with Marr survived the case.
Rourke formed The Smiths in Manchester with Marr, Morrissey and drummer Mike Joyce in 1982.
Today, Marr wrote a touching post on Instagram reminiscing about how he and Rourke met and the last time they played together.
Morrissey, who has flirted increasingly with far-right politics in recent years, was virulent with his former bandmates before taking a more conciliatory tone in his book ‘Autobiography’.
Rourke then went on to perform solo singles with Morrisey. He also played with the likes of Sinead O’Connor and Ian Brown of The Stone Roses.
Morrisey reunited the band’s feud last year with an open letter attacking Marr on his Morrissey Central blog.
‘This is not a tirade or hysterical bombast. It’s a polite and quietly measured request: Could you please stop mentioning my name in your interviews? he said.
‘Could you please talk about your own career, your own unstoppable solo achievements and your own music? If you can, could you leave me out of this?
The fact is that you don’t know me. You don’t know anything about my life, my intentions, my thoughts, my feelings.
“Yet you speak as if you were my personal psychiatrist with constant, uninterrupted access to my instincts.”
Left to right: Marr, Morrissey, Mike Joyce and Rourke before their first show in Detroit during the 1985 Meat Is Murder Tour
Marr and Rourke on stage during the ‘Manchester Versus Cancer’ benefit concert, held at the Manchester Evening News Arena