Andy Rourke, bassist for the influential British rock band the Smiths, has died after a protracted sickness resulting from pancreatic most cancers. He was 59.
The Smiths’ guitarist, Johnny Marr, posted on Twitter on Friday: “It’s with deep unhappiness that we announce the passing of Andy Rourke after a prolonged sickness with pancreatic most cancers. Andy shall be remembered as a sort and exquisite soul by those that knew him and as a supremely gifted musician by music followers. We request privateness at this unhappy time.”
The Smiths had been fashioned in Manchester in 1982 by singer Morrissey, Marr, Rourke and drummer Mike Joyce. Morrissey and Marr had been the band’s songwriters.
When the band broke up in 1987, Rourke continued to work with Morrissey, enjoying on his first few solo singles however through the years, Morrissey and Rourke’s friendship crumbled. This was primarily resulting from Rourke and Joyce suing Morrissey and Marr in 1989 over royalties, with each arguing they had been owed an equal share of earnings since they solely earned 10% every of the group’s efficiency and recording royalties. Rourke ended up settling the case and continued to work with Morrissey on songs like “The Final of the Well-known Worldwide Playboys” and “November Spawned a Monster.”
Later in Rourke’s profession, he performed with FreeBass, D.A.R.Ok., Sinéad O’Connor, the Pretenders, Ian Brown and Badly Drawn Boy.
