I have to say that I'm pretty freakin' pissed right now! It seems the more threads I read about past members of the Smiths, the more I find that most people (probably ignorant posers who just learned about the Smiths this year in some stupid litte coffee shop) dis the hell out of Andy Rourke. If these people had any idea about how much his bass playing influenced a lot of todays acts inside and outside of Britain then they would shut the hell up. If you people were real Smiths fans then you would realize that they were a BAND, not just a singer and a guitarist, and the great music this BAND produced was largely in part to the staccato pentatonic bass grooves that mirrored Johnny's playing. Learn about the music you claim to enjoy, respect the makers of that music and grow the fuck up you pieces of shit...or you just might see me in that coffee shop handing out beat downs to all of you little whiners!

Who here has been slagging off Andy Rourke? Why don't you reply to them directly instead generalising about us all? And what's with the Ali G impersonation eh? 'Diss' indeed.

Watcha homie,

LMC

> I have to say that I'm pretty freakin' pissed right now! It seems the more
> threads I read about past members of the Smiths, the more I find that most
> people (probably ignorant posers who just learned about the Smiths this
> year in some stupid litte coffee shop) dis the hell out of Andy Rourke. If
> these people had any idea about how much his bass playing influenced a lot
> of todays acts inside and outside of Britain then they would shut the hell
> up. If you people were real Smiths fans then you would realize that they
> were a BAND, not just a singer and a guitarist, and the great music this
> BAND produced was largely in part to the staccato pentatonic bass grooves
> that mirrored Johnny's playing. Learn about the music you claim to enjoy,
> respect the makers of that music and grow the fuck up you pieces of
> shit...or you just might see me in that coffee shop handing out beat downs
> to all of you little whiners!

Andy Rourke's bass playing is superb, an essential and obviously in the case of some people underrated affair. If you listen to any Smiths record, Andy is playing his own little song in the background and seems to bounce around Johnny's guitar melodies adding subtle melodies and driving power at the same time. He obviously loved the band and always seemed to play his best for the song.

I was watching the Young Guns Go For It documentary today and it is pretty disgusting how Morrissey, and Marr to a lesser extent treated the other two members of the band. In Fact, it saddens me to come to terms with the fact that the "four lads against the world" thing was a total myth. Morrissey had no respect for any of the band, and I find it unbelievable that they ever recorded anything at all. I mean, fair enough, Moz and Marr wrote the basic words and music but the input from Rourke and Joyce cannot be discarded. How could you treat other human beings with such disrespect, and then spout off in the press about how corrupt the music business is and how much of a sensitive caring person you are? The guy literally fired anybody that tried to involve themselves in any way with the band, managers, promoters you name it.

Personally, if I was in that position and I knew that my bass player and drummer had given up their lives to join the band and relied on it to earn a living I just couldn't rip them off like that. How the hell did Morrissey have the nerve to face them again after telling Johnny to inform Mike and Andy that if they did not accept a pittance for their work, he would leave? That is not business, that is cruel and selfish. The band were earning millions. Surely, anybody who comes from such a background would be happy with a quarter of the money the band earnt, so why not Morrissey? The truth is that Morrissey never really changed throughout The Smiths career, he probably never had an agenda so it makes you wonder why he bothered getting into the business at all, unlike the rest of the band who were all ambitious musicians. He always was a selfish, awkward person who wanted everything his own way. A total control freak. This is what pushed Johnny out in the end, he had slowly begun to realise what Morrissey was really like and wouldn't put up with it anymore.

Johnny is a fantastic musician who would have made it without Morrissey, he clicks well with other musicians and was technically very gifted with ruthless ambition and focus. He should not be lambasted by everybody for getting out of a horrendous personal situation by refusing to be controlled and manipulated. He never went into the business to gobble up to somebody else's every whim. He loved music, simple as that. Mike and Andy are only just getting the recognition they deserve because Moz is no longer what he used be, important.

Just like Rob Krieger and Ray Manzarak did after years of languishing behind the crap of Morrison for years with The Doors. When you listen to that band now, the music is fantastic and Jim is just the singer. A great band all in all, but you see the whole picture much better in time.

> The Doors. When you listen to
> that band now, the music is fantastic and Jim is just the singer

::: retching in the corner at such a statement :::

> I have to say that I'm pretty freakin' pissed right now! It seems the more
> threads I read about past members of the Smiths, the more I find that most
> people (probably ignorant posers who just learned about the Smiths this
> year in some stupid litte coffee shop) dis the hell out of Andy Rourke. If
> these people had any idea about how much his bass playing influenced a lot
> of todays acts inside and outside of Britain then they would shut the hell
> up. If you people were real Smiths fans then you would realize that they
> were a BAND, not just a singer and a guitarist, and the great music this
> BAND produced was largely in part to the staccato pentatonic bass grooves
> that mirrored Johnny's playing. Learn about the music you claim to enjoy,
> respect the makers of that music and grow the fuck up you pieces of
> shit...or you just might see me in that coffee shop handing out beat downs
> to all of you little whiners!

Just watch the silly bastard onstage with Jeep or Specter and realise what an embarrasment he has become. I take it you are not from Manchester and have the misfortune of seeing him beg people for session work (he is a bit of a joke in some circles ie: Badly Drawn Boy) and sit puffing away in the passenger seat of Mike Joyce's BMW waiting for Mike to finish his life and get back to helping Andy find a job.

Yeah, great bass playing with the Smiths, but he lets the legend down by being such a complete drip around town. It's laughable.

Referring to people as 'shits' and taking that higher muso ground should stand you in good stead to recieve a few coffee shop thrashings yourself. I look forward to bumping into you.

I also think the songs Andy wrote music for are great- "Yes, I am Blind" and "Girl Least Likely to"

Makes me want to go listen to that funky bass line in Barbarism Begins at Home

(he is a bit of a joke in some circles ie: Badly Drawn Boy)

That's funny, considering he is playing with them. How can you explain that one?