Andy Luke, bassist of British rock band The Smiths, has died, aged 59.

Last Updated on 05/21/2023 by てんしょく飯

Bassist of legendary British band dies, aged 59, pancreatic cancer, tumultuous life.

　Guitarist Johnny Marr, who played with the band, tweeted the news of his friend’s death.

‘It is with deep sadness that I inform you that Andy Luke has passed away after a long battle with pancreatic cancer. Andy will be remembered by those who knew him as a kind and beautiful soul and by music fans as a wonderfully talented musician. We ask that you respect our privacy at this time of grief.”

The Smiths were formed in 1982 with Morrissey as frontman and Johnny as core member. Andy joined after their first concert. His playing style was a cornerstone of the band, which originated in Manchester, and continues to be a major influence on later bands such as The Killers and The 1975.

Due to heroin addiction, Andy left the band for only two weeks in 1985, but returned before the release of The Queen Is Dead. Johnny praised Andy’s performance on that album as ‘something no other bass player could imitate’. The band then completed the album Strangeways, Here We Come in 1987, but broke up before its release.

In addition to this band, Andy also played with Sinead O’Connor and Ian Brown of The Stone Roses.

In 1989, Andy and drummer Mike Joyce won a court case against Morrissey and Johnny for more than 10% of the band’s royalties, and the feud was known to be ongoing.