Andy Rourke

(image from Johnny Marr's Twitter account)

When I first starting listening to the Smiths, I was listening to the words that Morrissey sang. That was the most immediate, most important thing to me. I had been listening to music my entire life but wasn't a musician, so didn't know much about guitar, bass, keyboard, drums. But I knew that I wouldn't be able to experience the songs if the music weren't also something I liked.

As I got deeper into music, as I found music that affected me like the Smiths, as I continued to listen to the Smiths long after they no longer existed, I started to pay attention to the musicianship. I came to understand how incredible Johnny Marr's music was - especially when later both he & Morrissey abandoned that sound. Songs that I had listened to hundreds of times, I discovered, became new to me when I focused on individual instruments. In the case of the Smiths, it was Marr's shimmering guitar - & then, Rourke's melodic bass.

It turns out I have a thing for bass players whose instrument sings instead of simply keeping time. I think of Bruce Thomas of the Attractions & Mark Monnone of the Lucksmiths. There are moments in Smiths song where the guitar & bass seem to be singing a duet. Rourke's playing was never showy, but it always felt essential. I am not a musician but I thought if I were a musician I would love to be playing along with someone like Andy Rourke.

He was four years older than I am. It seems a little selfish to say 59 is too young to die. But it surely is.

Gosh, I wish I could've said thank you to him for being such an amazing part of so much music I love. But I suspect lots of people - scores of people - hundreds of people - told him that. & so tonight I'll play some Smiths on the radio, because thank you Andy Rourke.