The Smiths bassist Andy Rourke dies
Andy Rourke, the bassist for the Smiths, has died aged 59.
The band's guitarist Johnny Marr announced on Twitter on Friday morning that Rourke had passed away after a battle with pancreatic cancer.
"It is with deep sadness that we announce the passing of Andy Rourke after a lengthy illness with pancreatic cancer," he wrote alongside a throwback photo of Rourke playing the bass guitar. "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."
Drummer Mike Joyce also paid tribute to his former bandmate by tweeting, "Not only the most talented bass player I've ever had the privilege to play with but the sweetest, funniest lad I've ever met. Andy's left the building, but his musical legacy is perpetual. I miss you so much already. Forever in my heart mate."
The bassist performed on all four 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. He then played on some of frontman Morrissey's solo songs after the group disbanded in 1987.
Rourke also played and recorded with the Pretenders, Killing Joke, Sinead O'Connor, Aziz Ibrahim, and Badly Drawn Boy, while he also performed in the latter's touring band for two years.
Later in his career, Rourke formed the supergroup Freebass with Gary 'Mani' Mounfield from the Stone Roses and Peter Hook from New Order, and the alternative band D.A.R.K. with Olé Koretsky and Dolores O'Riordan.
