Biography
Best known for anchoring the Smiths on bass, Andy Rourke supplied a funky, melodically adventurous foundation whose impact on the group’s identity matched the sparkle of Johnny Marr’s guitar lines and the pointed introspection of Morrissey’s vocals. Following the Smiths’ 1987 dissolution, he maintained an uninterrupted career of live and studio work that lasted until his death in 2023, contributing to projects by the Pretenders, Sinéad O’Connor, Blitz Vega, the supergroup Freebass alongside New Order’s Peter Hook and former Stone Roses bassist Mani, and several of Morrissey’s earliest solo recordings.
Born in Manchester, England, in 1964, Rourke shared a childhood friendship with Johnny Marr that began with informal music-making. He entered the Smiths in 1982, replacing the bassist who had appeared at the band’s debut performance, and stayed through the group’s final shows five years later. Prior to joining, he had already formed a heroin habit that grew increasingly disruptive; this led to a brief dismissal in 1986, followed by swift reinstatement. Rourke later recalled receiving a terse postcard from Morrissey informing him of the firing, a detail Morrissey has publicly disputed. After the Smiths disbanded, he supplied bass for two 1989 Morrissey singles, “Interesting Drug” and “The Last of the Famous International Playboys.” Alongside Smiths drummer Mike Joyce, he also appeared on Sinéad O’Connor’s 1990 album I Do Not Want What I Haven’t Got. During the 1990s and 2000s he collaborated with the Pretenders, members of the Stone Roses, Killing Joke, Badly Drawn Boy, Freebass, and additional artists. In 2016 he formed D.A.R.K. with Cranberries vocalist Dolores O’Riordan, releasing the band’s only album, Science Agrees; after O’Riordan’s death in 2018 he launched Blitz Vega with Happy Mondays guitarist Kav Sandhu. Rourke died of pancreatic cancer on May 19, 2023.
Born in Manchester, England, in 1964, Rourke shared a childhood friendship with Johnny Marr that began with informal music-making. He entered the Smiths in 1982, replacing the bassist who had appeared at the band’s debut performance, and stayed through the group’s final shows five years later. Prior to joining, he had already formed a heroin habit that grew increasingly disruptive; this led to a brief dismissal in 1986, followed by swift reinstatement. Rourke later recalled receiving a terse postcard from Morrissey informing him of the firing, a detail Morrissey has publicly disputed. After the Smiths disbanded, he supplied bass for two 1989 Morrissey singles, “Interesting Drug” and “The Last of the Famous International Playboys.” Alongside Smiths drummer Mike Joyce, he also appeared on Sinéad O’Connor’s 1990 album I Do Not Want What I Haven’t Got. During the 1990s and 2000s he collaborated with the Pretenders, members of the Stone Roses, Killing Joke, Badly Drawn Boy, Freebass, and additional artists. In 2016 he formed D.A.R.K. with Cranberries vocalist Dolores O’Riordan, releasing the band’s only album, Science Agrees; after O’Riordan’s death in 2018 he launched Blitz Vega with Happy Mondays guitarist Kav Sandhu. Rourke died of pancreatic cancer on May 19, 2023.
Albums
