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The bassist died following a long battle with the hard to spot cancer

How four Manchester lads went on to become one of the most influential bands of all time

The Smiths' former frontman has paid a touching tribute to his old bandmate

The former frontman of The Smiths said Rourke ‘didn’t ever know his own power’ in an online tribute following his death.

The Smiths were one of the most distinctive, tempestuous rock bands of the 1980s, and bassist Andy Rourke was an important part of holding it together while he could. In a band with a frontman and guitarist — Morrissey and Johnny Marr — often at each other's throats, Rourke's melodic,…

Answers on a cigarette butt PLUS exam worries AND an iconic musician

Bassist with the Smiths whose distinctive melodic style was central to the band’s sound

Many people often ignore or mistake symptoms of pancreatic cancer for other less deadly diseases

On seminal Smiths recordings in the 1980s, guitarist Johnny Marr said, "Andy reinvented what it is to be a bass guitar player." Rourke had been ill with pancreatic cancer. He was 59.

In this interview from 2016, the late low-end legend reflects on an influential career with The Smiths and beyond, why the Fender P-Bass won his heart, and how he developed his distinct playing style