The Smiths bassist Andy Rourke has died aged 59 following a battle with pancreatic most cancers.
His former bandmate Johnny Marr introduced the tragic news on Twitter this morning.
He described Andy, from Manchester, as a “supremely gifted musician”.
The tweet mentioned: “It is with deep sadness that we announce the passing of Andy Rourke after a lengthy illness with pancreatic cancer.
“Andy will be remembered as a kind and beautiful soul by those who knew him and as a supremely gifted musician by music fans.
“We request privacy at this sad time.”
Suede bassist Mat Osman – brother of TV presenter Richard – additionally paid tribute to a “total one off”.
He wrote on Twitter: “Aw man. RIP Andy Rourke. A total one-off – a rare bassist whose sound you could recognise straight away.
“I remember so clearly playing that Barbarism break over and over, trying to learn the riff, and marvelling at this steely funk driving the track along.”
While Stephen Street, who labored with the The Smiths as a music producer, mentioned he was “so saddened” by Rourke’s loss of life.
He wrote on Twitter: “Andy was a superb musician and a lovely guy. I send my deepest condolences and thoughts to his friends and family. RIP.”
Born January 17, 1964, to an English mom and an Irish father, Rourke confirmed a ardour for music from an early age – studying guitar aged simply seven.
He met Johnny Marr aged 11 they usually turned friends jamming within the music rooms at college.
Rourke left college at 15 and later fashioned The Smiths in 1982 alongside frontman Morrissey, guitarist Marr and drummer Mike Joyce.
Considered some of the influential different rock bands ever, The Smiths modified the face of indie music with their haunting lyrics and hypnotic melodies.
The spine to all of this was Rourke’s means to inject advanced funk-style bass strains which fashioned the muse to a few of The Smiths’ most iconic hits like This Charming Man and How Soon Is Now?
Rourke performed on all 4 of The Smiths’ studio albums: 1984’s The Smiths, 1985’s Meat Is Murder, 1986’s The Queen Is Dead and 1987’s Strangeways, Here We Come.
But he was briefly sacked from the band for 2 weeks in 1986 for his heroin dependancy earlier than re-joining to launch The Queen Is Dead album the identical yr.
He left The Smiths in 1987 when the band broke up.
Rourke’s music would go on to encourage the Britpop motion which birthed Oasis and Blur.
In a profession spanning over 40 years, he carried out with the likes of Sinead O’Connor, Ian Brown from The Stone Roses and thoughout Morrissey’s personal solo profession.
This article first appeared in The Sun and was reproduced with permission.
Source: www.news.com.au
