The Smiths Bass Guitarist Andy Rourke Dead at 59

Andy Rourke, bassist for the legendary rock band The Smiths, has died. He was 59 years old. According to ET Canada, Rourke had been living with pancreatic cancer for some time. In a post on Instagram, Smiths guitarist Johnny Marr paid tribute to his late bandmate with a photo of the two of them and a lengthy, heartfelt message.

“Andy and I met as schoolboys in 1975,” he began. “We were best friends, going everywhere together. When we were fifteen 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.” Marr continued, “Andy and I spent all our time studying music, having fun, and working on becoming the best musicians we could possibly be. Back then Andy was a guitar player and a good one at that, but it was when he picked up the bass that he would find his true calling and his singular talent would flourish.”

Speaking about the earliest years of their musical journey, Marr shared, “Throughout our teens we played in various bands around South Manchester before making our reputations with The Smiths from 1982 to 1987, and it was on those Smiths records that Andy reinvented what it is to be a bass guitar player. 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.”

He added, “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.’”

Marr then offered, “We maintained our friendship over the years, no matter where we were or what was happening and it is a matter of personal pride as well as sadness that the last time Andy played on stage was with me and my band at Maddison Square Garden in September 2022. It was a special moment that we shared with my family and his wife and soul mate Francesca.” He concluded, “Andy will always be remembered, as a kind and beautiful soul by everyone who knew him, and as a supremely gifted musician by people who love music. Well done Andy. We’ll miss you brother.”

Marr and Rourke co-founded The Smiths in Manchester, England in 1982, along with singer Morrissey and drummer Mike Joyce. During their somewhat shortlived career, the band produced four studio albums: The Smiths (1984), Meat Is Murder (1985), The Queen Is Dead (1986), and Strangeways, Here We Come (1987). While they were only active for about five years, The Smiths are considered to be one of the most influential acts to emerge from Britain’s ’80s indie rock scene.