10 Non-Smiths Songs Featuring Andy Rourke
1. Sandie Shaw, “Hand in Glove” (1984)
Okay, yes, this is a Smiths song and, yes, it features Johnny Marr on guitar and Mike Joyce on drums. But it’s Sandie Shaw singing. In other words, if you’ve spent your life saying, “I might actually like the Smiths if it wasn’t for Morrissey,” then this is a chance to find out how they sounded when someone else was doing the singing.
2. Sinead O’Connor, “Jump in the River” (1988)
In an interview with 120 Minutes circa the release of her debut album, The Lion and the Cobra, O’Connor spoke about working with Rourke and Joyce and what a thrill it was. “After the Smiths split up, there was this TV show in England that had a documentary about the Smiths and their life and their demise, and when I was watching it, I thought, ‘God, it’d be really, really good if Andy Rourke and Mike Joyce would come to play.’ But I thought, ‘Stupid dreams, child,’ y’know what I mean? And then somebody rang me up and said that they were interested, so I rang them up and they said that they were!” You can tell in the video that she still can’t believe it went down like that.
3. Morrissey, “Sister I’m a Poet” [LIVE] (1988)
When Morrissey made his live debut as a solo artist, it was about as tentative a step forward as one could imagine, since it found him using Rourke, Joyce, and the Smiths’ recurring second guitarist Craig Gannon as his band. You can also hear them on the solo singles that followed Morrissey’s debut LP, Viva Hate: “The Last of the Famous International Playboys,” “Interesting Drug,” and “November Spawned a Monster.” I’ve always loved this live version of “Sister I’m a Poet,” however, which was spotlighted on Morrissey’s first solo video compilation, Hulmerist.
4. The Pretenders, “Everyday is Like Sunday” (1995)
It’s a bit odd that Rourke plays bass on this Morrissey cover from the soundtrack to Boys on the Side, since he wasn’t on the original version, and even though Johnny Marr did a stint as the guitarist for the Pretenders, he isn’t on this track. Then again, I can’t even imagine the reaction Chrissie Hynde would’ve gotten if she’d asked him to play guitar on a Morrissey cover. Anyway, it’s a solid cover, and it’s nice to have Rourke in the mix.
5. Badly Drawn Boy, “Where Were You?” (2003)
In addition to being on this track with Badly Drawn Boy, Rourke actually went on the road with him. Upon learning of Rourke’s passing, BDB tweeted, “Touring the World with Andy Rourke was a real highlight of my music career. He was always ridiculously humble. He never once talked negatively about his past. He was always ultra proud of having been a ‘Smith.’ ‘D’you know who I used to be ?’ was his joke catchphrase.”
6. Proud Mary, “Mexico” (2004)
A bunch of fellow Mancunians, this blues-rock band had Rourke guest on a couple of tracks from this, their sophomore album, but he was also part of their touring band when supporting the album.
7. Vinny Peculiar, “Two Fat Lovers” (2005)
I’m Facebook friends with Mr. Peculiar, and when Rourke passed away, he offered up a thoughtful post remembering him. “Really sad to hear of Andy Rourke's passing he'll be rightly remembered as one of the truly great bass players, melodic, imaginative and never over complicating the song, the Smiths were very much a sum of all parts band and his part was integral and joyous. Andy played bass in the Vinny Peculiar band for a couple of years 2004-2006, touring UK and Ireland, playing Glastonbury and recording the Two Fat Lovers single in Gothenburg Sweden [making his Kazoo debut we left it in the mix]. Treasured memories indeed.”
8. Ian Brown, “Goodbye to the Broken” (2007)
On Twitter, the former Stone Roses frontman recalled his friendship with Rourke. “I first met Andy aged 17 [at] Simon Wolstencroft's party. We remained pals. One of the highlights of my music life was Andy playing on my The World is Yours album and accompanying me onstage on a UK tour and my first show in Moscow. Belly laughs all the way. RiP, Brother."
9. Freebass, “You Don’t Know (This About Me)” (2010)
This short-lived supergroup got a fair amount of press in the UK when they came into existence, owing to the fact that the lineup featured Rourke, Joy Division/New Order bassist Peter Hook, Stone Roses/Primal Scream bassist Mani, and lead singer Gary Briggs, late of the band Haven. The idea of three bassists in one band was certainly an amusing one, but in the end, the concept was short-lived, with Rourke leaving the lineup first. Still, he was part of their debut EP, and this opening track is pretty great.
10. D.A.R.K., “Loosen the Noose” (2016)
“The Smiths Meets the Cranberries.” That’s how this group was simplistically summed up, owing to Rourke’s presence alongside Dolores O’Riordan on lead vocals, but that’s not really accurate, since it leaves out the participation of Ole Koretsky, a DJ and multi-instrumentalist. When AllMusic called the collaboration “a set of dark, new wave-inspired dance-rock,” they weren’t wrong. It’s an interesting set of songs and well worth investigating.