Andy Rourke talks about The Smiths in Costa Rica (video) - ticotimes.net

In Costa Rica, Andy Rourke declares 'never say never' about reuniting The Smiths - ticotimes.net

Costa Rica's Hoxton recently hosted the legendary former bass player of The Smiths in his first appearance in Central America. Before the DJ set, The Tico Times sat down with Rourke to talk about what still is one of the greatest bands to have hit the stage.

Excerpt:

"Just a second," Hoxton co-owner Tom Dalby said on the other end of the phone. Sounds muffled, then some scratching and hissing, and a deep voice snarled over the line, "You're a wanker. Andy just called you a wanker," said Andy Rourke before promptly hanging up.

That was my first introduction to the legendary former bass player of The Smiths, a 1980s Manchester band that produced more mind-blowing music in its short five-year span than most bands produce in a lifetime. It was a fitting – and highly complimentary – first impression for someone I'd admired since before I could grow facial hair.

A couple hours later came my next interaction with Rourke, this time in person. Dressed in a weathered Union Jack (the same thing I had spray-painted on my bedroom wall when I was 14) covered by a light sport coat, Rourke burst into an upstairs room at Hoxton and declared, "You've eaten the grapes!"

 

[ASLEF shrugged]

The Eagles said they'd never re-form, not even if "Hell Freezes Over"

They called their re-union tour "The Hell Freezes Over Tour"

The Pistols said "never trust a hippy". As for Andy, the mouth says "never" but the face says "two hopes and one of them's Bob", typical sarky Manc wit.

 

[Anonymous]

This Pauly D. Wannabe needs to come on here and apologize for his comments about this site's support of his stalker. Then thank the posters on here for contacting her Father, Police, and DWP that ultimately led to her to stop stalking him.

 

[Claude]

there's only one BrummieBoy, Claude, your attempts at copying him are ridiculous.

Yeah Anonymouse, now...to the point...you obviously have FA to say about it.

 

[homeless chihuahua]

The Hoxton owners are real nice guys and let me meet Andy right after this interview. We did a bit of small chat. I asked him if Costa Rica weather reminded him of Manchester and he was like 'Oh well I live in New York now'. I told him Barbarism was one of the best basslines I'd heard and he said he was thinking of playing it , which he didn't. I asked him what he was up to now and he said he was collaborating with James Franco on a project blah blah. I said it was funny how actors thought they could easily be good musicians and mentioned Jared Letto as an example, which I think he didn't like as he kept silent! People went crazy during the Smiths songs he spinned (Bigmouth, How Soon Is Now and Sweet and Tender Hooligan) as if the Smiths were there lol.... As far as partying, let's just say he is still the rock star he once was.
Viva Costa Rica !

 

[MORRIZSEY]

The Hoxton owners are real nice guys and let me meet Andy right after this interview. We did a bit of small chat. I asked him if Costa Rica weather reminded him of Manchester and he was like 'Oh well I live in New York now'. I told him Barbarism was one of the best basslines I'd heard and he said he was thinking of playing it , which he didn't. I asked him what he was up to now and he said he was collaborating with James Franco on a project blah blah. I said it was funny how actors thought they could easily be good musicians and mentioned Jared Letto as an example, which I think he didn't like I as he kept silent! People went crazy during the Smiths songs he spinned (Bigmouth, How Soon Is Now and Sweet and Tender Hooligan) as if the Smiths were there lol.... As far as partying, let's just say he is still the rock star he once was.
Viva Costa Rica !

Excellent

 

[Anonymous]

The Pistols said "never trust a hippy". As for Andy, the mouth says "never" but the face says "two hopes and one of them's Bob", typical sarky Manc wit.

Andy Rourke isn't a hippie, he is a Mancunian with a dry wit, he tells lies and can get nasty with people. Real hippies can be ok.

 

[Anonymous]

Andy Rourke reminds me of Andy Scott (born Andrew David Scott, 30 June 1949, Wrexham, Wales) is a British musician and songwriter. Andy Scott is best known for being the lead guitarist and a vocalist in the 1970s glam rock British band the Sweet.

 

[Anonymous]

Has he really told all?
So Johnny was writing the tunes.
Moz was crafting the words.
Rourke was scratching his arms, clucking and trying to chase the dragon at every opportunity and he thinks people give a dry shit if he tells anything? Besides crying like a girl 'cause everyone sussed he was a filthy junkie..... what else can he tell?
More importantly, who cares?
Have a whaaaa burger and some french cries you filthy, drug dependent z list 'd.j.'......

Couldn't agree more. Never trust a z list 'celebrity'. I always saw Andy Rourke more of a mod than a hippy. A Liam Gallagher wannabe. Andy Rourke eats a lot of meat.

 

[Anonymous]

Andy Rourke is a womanizer and he uses the fact that he was in The Smiths to get the young girls, the fan girls and the groupies. Also uses The Smiths for his so called 'DJ' career and in paid interviews. Andy Rourke is nasty and he swears. I see the rebel Andy Rourke and his friends upset people in his new home New York. Does he still even play the bass or make any music anymore? Beyond Smiths and Morrissey fans no one has even heard of Andy Rourke. Sick of hearing about him on Moz-solo.

 

[celibate]

whatever Rourke says now

I got 4 studio 1 best of and 1 live album, and 2 albums with great songs from a band called The Smiths

Morrissey- voice
Marr Johnny- guitar and aditional instuments
Rourke Andy- bass
Joyce Mike- drumms

 

[Anonymous]

The Hoxton owners are real nice guys and let me meet Andy right after this interview. We did a bit of small chat. I asked him if Costa Rica weather reminded him of Manchester and he was like 'Oh well I live in New York now'. I told him Barbarism was one of the best basslines I'd heard and he said he was thinking of playing it , which he didn't. I asked him what he was up to now and he said he was collaborating with James Franco on a project blah blah. I said it was funny how actors thought they could easily be good musicians and mentioned Jared Letto as an example, which I think he didn't like as he kept silent! People went crazy during the Smiths songs he spinned (Bigmouth, How Soon Is Now and Sweet and Tender Hooligan) as if the Smiths were there lol.... As far as partying, let's just say he is still the rock star he once was.
Viva Costa Rica !

About James Franco he made that REM video about Los Angeles and stardom with Lindsay Lohan in it and Jared Leto and 30 Seconds to Mars jsut released a video about Hollywood and stardom with Lindsay Lohan in it. So now I guess James Franco is copying Jared Leto who copied James Franco?




It's only a matter of time until Andy Rourke works with Riff Raff.

 

[Anonymous]

whatever Rourke says now

I got 4 studio 1 best of and 1 live album, and 2 albums with great songs from a band called The Smiths

Morrissey- voice
Marr Johnny- guitar and aditional instuments
Rourke Andy- bass
Joyce Mike- drumms

I don't like what Andy Rourke does and says these days. Maybe back in The Smiths days he was alright, but then he was thrown out of the group, and the drugs, drink, smoking and the groupies were still around back then.

To me The Smiths were Morrissey and Johnny Marr. The bass player could of been anyone but I guess people have said this many times. Andy Rourke was very lucky in my view to be wear he is today.

 

[Anonymous]

Andy Rourke is nasty and he swears.

Andy says naughty words? Noooooooooooo---oooooooooo!!!! All my dreams are crushed! <faints with the shock and horror of it all>

 

[SteveA]

Thought it a good point to re-introduce my Andy Rourke story of 2006. I was in Boston Logan Airport waiting for my flight home back to Manchester, listening to The Smiths on my iPod, when lo and behold - Andy Rourke walks past me. Cut a long story short, I sidled up to him after a lot of fretting and introduced myself as a massive fan of The Smiths and asked what he was up to in Boston (he'd been DJing all over the US). He couldn't have been more polite and charming and did me a very nice autograph that I still hold very dear. I then found myself sat in the seat in front of him on the plane where a loud American chap bored him for 7hrs about his son in the Blue Man Group in London. The Yank asked Andy just once what he did for a living and our boy nonchelanty replied 'I'm a musician' and offered nothing more. I felt like turning round and saying 'he's done a lot more than your bald f**king son, mate!' but did not. I've also met Johnny Marr and Andy Rourke fleetingly and found them to be stand-up chaps. I've tried to steal Moz's ring down the front many a time since '95. So I have seen The Smiths basically, just all at different times / locations. Bah.

 

[Anonymous]

I don't like what Andy Rourke does and says these days. Maybe back in The Smiths days he was alright, but then he was thrown out of the group, and the drugs, drink, smoking and the groupies were still around back then.

To me The Smiths were Morrissey and Johnny Marr. The bass player could of been anyone but I guess people have said this many times. Andy Rourke was very lucky in my view to be wear he is today.

Don't you mean Andy Rourke is very lucky to be where he is today.

Anyway I agree with you about Moz and Marr they were the creative force behind The Smiths.

 

[celibate]

I don't like what Andy Rourke does and says these days. Maybe back in The Smiths days he was alright, but then he was thrown out of the group, and the drugs, drink, smoking and the groupies were still around back then.

To me The Smiths were Morrissey and Johnny Marr. The bass player could of been anyone but I guess people have said this many times. Andy Rourke was very lucky in my view to be wear he is today.

you haven't read Morrissey's Autobiography

you haven't heard live bootlegs

Rourke and Joyce were a tight rythm team where Johnny could rely on

at the time the press said Rourke was out 'cause of drugabuse, Johnny talked to Morrissey
if Andy would do a methadon programme would he come back, and so Rourke was back in
with in a month, Gannon stayed for a while to do 2nd guitar, but Johnny fired him for
being lazy and uninspired.

ta


and they say he's mentall... autobiography starts at home

 

[Anonymous]

you haven't read Morrissey's Autobiography

you haven't heard live bootlegs

Rourke and Joyce were a tight rythm team where Johnny could rely on

at the time the press said Rourke was out 'cause of drugabuse, Johnny talked to Morrissey
if Andy would do a methadon programme would he come back, and so Rourke was back in
with in a month, Gannon stayed for a while to do 2nd guitar, but Johnny fired him for
being lazy and uninspired.

ta


and they say he's mentall... autobiography starts at home

Andy Rourke ain't done nothing good since The Smiths back in the 1980s. Maybe Andy Rourke was a good bass player back then but he ain't good now today in 2013. Maybe Andy Rourke don't do drugs no more but he drinks a lot of alcohol and smokes.

 

[Anonymous]

To me The Smiths were Morrissey and Johnny Marr. The bass player could of been anyone but I guess people have said this many times.

Only if you were insane, or had no idea how the musical side of the equation in the Smiths worked. Andy wrote his own basslines, which had a major impact on the sound of the band, and even Johnny has been emphatic about how important he was to the band's sound. Whether you like him as a person is irrelevant - if he wasn't in the lineup it would have had a MAJOR impact on the band, and the songs we are familiar with would have come out sounding very different.

 

[Uncleskinny]

Andy Rourke is nasty and he swears.

Oh no!

P.

 

[Anonymous]

Only if you were insane, or had no idea how the musical side of the equation in the Smiths worked. Andy wrote his own basslines, which had a major impact on the sound of the band, and even Johnny has been emphatic about how important he was to the band's sound. Whether you like him as a person is irrelevant - if he wasn't in the lineup it would have had a MAJOR impact on the band, and the songs we are familiar with would have come out sounding very different.

Johnny Marr wrote the basslines and told Andy Rourke what to do. Anyway what good bass playing has Andy Rourke done since he left The Smiths and left working for Morrissey? I can't name one track.

I don't like Andy Rourke on a personal level because I don't think he treats women well, he seems like a bit of a bad man from what I've heard.