The legendary band’s bassist has died of pancreatic cancer.
Andy Rourke is dead. The former The Smiths bassist has died of pancreatic cancer, former bandmate Johnny Marr has announced. Rourke was 59 years old. Marr wrote on Twitter:
“It is with deep sadness that we announce the death of Andy Rourke, who died after a long illness from pancreatic cancer. Andy will be remembered as a kind and beautiful soul by all who knew him, and a tremendously gifted musician by music fans. We ask for privacy at this sad time.”
With the legendary Smiths, for which he worked from its inception in 1982 until its end in 1987, he formed a rhythm team on bass with drummer Mike Joyce; Without his powerful, concise playing, songs like “That Joke Isn’t Funny Anymore” or “Barbaris Begins At Home” would have sounded different.
After the Smiths broke up, Rourke played on some of Morrissey’s singles, including albums by Sinead O’Connor and the Pretenders. Most recently he went back into the studio with Johnny Marr.
After Abba’s reunion, the Smiths were probably the last superstar band to have fans (or bookies) desperate for a reunion. After Rourke’s death, this is now out of the question, even if Morrissey had categorically ruled out a reunion of the quartet anyway. In the 1990s there was also a court case in London because Rourke and Mike Joyce wanted to be involved in the song rights of the Smiths. Rourke was then awarded £83,000 plus 10 per cent of all future royalties. Morrissey foamed.