Andy Rourke
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Andy Rourke (born 17 January 1964) is a bass guitarist and guitar player from Manchester, England.
Before joining the Smiths, Andy Rourke had played guitar and bass in various rockbands, as well as in the short lived funk band Freak Party, often with his school friend John Maher (the future Johnny Marr).
When Marr and Morrissey formed the Smiths, Rourke joined the band after their second gig, and remained with the band throughout its existence. Marr claims that Rourke's contribution to The Queen Is Dead LP was "something no other bass player could match". Rourke was briefly sacked from the Smiths over drugs abuse, resulting in a weekend prison sentence, which was posted on TV news. The brief dismissal of Rourke came in the form of a note left by Morrissey under the wind-screen wiper of his car; "Andy, you have left The Smiths. Good luck and goodbye, Morrissey".
In May of 1986 Rourke rejoined the Smiths, just before the release of "The Queen Is Dead" album. Immediately after the breakup of the band, Rourke and Smiths drummer Mike Joyce played with Sinéad O'Connor - Rourke (but not Joyce) appears on the album I Do Not Want What I Haven't Got. The duo also provided the rhythm section for two singles by former Smiths singer Morrissey, and Rourke composed the music for Morrissey's songs "Yes, I Am Blind" and "Girl Least Likely To".
Rourke has also played and recorded with The Pretenders (appearing on some of the tracks on 1994's Last of the Independents), Killing Joke, Badly Drawn Boy, Aziz Ibrahim (formerly of the Stone Roses), and ex-Oasis guitarist Bonehead (as "Moondog One").
Rourke and his Production Company, Great Northern Productions, organised Manchester Vs. Cancer, an anti-cancer concert in Manchester in January 2006. He sensationally unveiled Johnny Marr (his old bandmate in The Smiths) as one of the performers taking part. This announcement fuelled speculation that former Smiths frontman Morrissey was to join Rourke and Marr. However, Marr dispelled rumors of the reunion by posting on his official website that "THE SMITHS WILL NOT BE RE-FORMING AT [the] CONCERT" (see [link]).
Rourke will be a DJ on Xfm Manchester when it launches, broadcasting new and classic indie anthems on Saturday nights. He is currently in a band called Freebass with bass players Mani (ex-The Stone Roses) and Peter Hook (New Order). He is also working on MvC 07 which it is rumoured may well be extended to include foreign events, most notably American shows.
Andy's bass sound
Andy Rourke's bass has a very twangy sound to it. Listening to various Smiths albums, it is noted how melodically the basslines are around Johnny Marr's guitar playing, Morrissey's singing, and Joyce's drumming.
His sound is the result of two different basses:
- 64 Fender Precision Bass during live performances, and
- Yamaha BB2000 in the studio
External links
- http://www.manchestervcancer.co.uk/home.asp
- http://foreverill.com/bass.htm
- http://www.andyrourke.info/
- http://www.bassplayer.com/story.asp?sectioncode=21&storycode=13168
- [@kiraware] The Smiths & Morrissey Bootleg - Artwork for Bootlegs
| The Smiths |
| Mike Joyce - Johnny Marr - Morrissey - Andy Rourke |
| Craig Gannon - Dale Hibbert |
| Discography |
|---|
| Albums: The Smiths | Meat Is Murder | The Queen Is Dead | Strangeways, Here We Come | Rank (live) |
| Band-assembled compilations: Hatful of Hollow | The World Won't Listen | Louder Than Bombs |
| Other compilations: Stop Me |Best...I | ...Best II | Singles | The Very Best of The Smiths |
| Related |
| Rough Trade Records |
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