Andy Rourke started playing the acoustic guitar, a present from his parents, at age seven. He was born on January 17, 1964. He met music-loving 11-year-old John Maher (Johnny Marr). Both played guitar during lunch.
After forming a band, Marr suggested Rourke try the bass guitar, which he loved and played for the remainder of his career. Marr and Morrissey formed the Smiths. Rourke joined the band after their first show and stayed most of the time. The Queen Is Dead, the band’s best album, was recorded after he was fired for heroin addiction.
He was the rock band’s melodic bassist. He played on all four studio albums. His smooth bass playing helped The Smiths grow from Manchester, England, to an important and popular indie rock band.
Rourke steadily rose to fame. He amplified his Fender Precision Bass, Squier Precision Bass, Fender Jazz Bass, and Yamaha BB2000.
He used Peavey Mark III Head, Ampeg SVT cabinet, and Trace Elliot GP-11. He played bass for Sinead O’Connor, Ian Brown, Badly Drawn Boy, and Morrissey.
The Smiths bassist died tragically. Andy Rourke, 59, died on Friday, May 19, 2023.
The versatile guitarist died of pancreatic cancer at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York City, according to sources.
The news of his demise was announced by guitarist Johnny Marr:
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 pic.twitter.com/KNehQxXoFz— Johnny Marr (@Johnny_Marr) May 19, 2023
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Andy Rourke’s Net Worth
At the time of his death, Andy Rourke, an English singer, was worth $2 million. Andy Rourke was born in January 1964 in the English city of Manchester, Lancashire. He was most well-known for playing bass in the band The Smiths.
The group got together in 1982 and split up in 1987. In 1984, they put out an album called “Self-Titled,” which went to #2 in the UK and was certified Gold there. The band’s second album, Meat Is Murder, came out in 1985.
It went to number one in the UK and was given a Gold record. In 1986, The Smiths put out the album The Queen Is Dead, which went to #2 in the UK. In 1987, they put out their last album, Strangeways, Here We Come, which also went to #2 in the UK.
Andy Rourke also played on albums by Morrissey, FreeBass, D.A.R.K., Sinead O’Connor, The Pretenders, and Ian Brown. He went to New York City and started working as a DJ.
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