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Jul 14, 2023

The Smiths’ bassist Andy Rourke dies age 59

Share this article Musician Andy Rourke attends the screening of IFC Films'

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Musician Andy Rourke attends the screening of IFC Films' Asthma hosted by The Cinema Society and Northwest at the The Roxy Hotel in 2015 in New York City. Photo / Getty Images

Bassist for The Smiths Andy Rourke has died after a lengthy illness with pancreatic cancer, bandmate Johnny Marr says.

In a short statement on Twitter, Marr said Rourke's passing was announced with "deep sadness".

"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."

Marr and Rourke had reunited in 2022 for their first recording together in 35 years, Rolling Stone reported.

Rourke's website states that he "spent his early years honing his bass and guitar skills at the tender age of eleven, before joining the funk group Freak Party alongside his school friend, John Maher a.k.a Johnny Marr.

"It was Marr who introduced Rourke to The Smiths in 1982 ... It was obvious from those early audiences that The Smiths would emerge as one of the most significant alt-rock bands of the era's British independent music scene."

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

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. (pic - K Cummins) pic.twitter.com/c3iBdsstpC

The Smiths ~ There Is A Light That Never Goes OutThe Tube 1986RIP Andy Rourke🖤 pic.twitter.com/gDzPBySEcP

After The Smiths split, Rourke went on to play and record with artists including Morrissey, Sinead O’Connor, The Pretenders, Badly Drawn Boy, and Aziz Ibrahim, his website states.

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