Andy Rourke

Best known as the bassist for the Smiths, Andy Rourke's funky and melodically adventurous playing contributed as much to the band's sound as Johnny Marr's glistening guitar work or Morrissey's brilliant moping. After the Smiths broke up in 1987, Rourke continued performing straight through until the time of his death in 2023, playing onstage and on-record with the Pretenders, Sinéad O'Connor, Blitz Vega, Freebass (a project with New Order's Peter Hook and ex-Stone Roses bassist Mani), and even on some of Morrissey's earliest solo material. Andy Rourke was born in Manchester, ...