Before joining The Smiths, Andy Rourke had played guitar and bass in various rock bands, as well as in the short lived funk band Freak Party, often with his school friend John Maher (the future Johnny Marr).
When Marr and Morrissey formed the Smiths, Rourke joined the band after their second gig, and remained with the band almost throughout its existence. Marr claims that Rourke's contribution to The Queen Is Dead LP was "something no other bass player could match".

Andy has also played and recorded with The Pretenders (appearing on some of the tracks on 1994's Last of the Independents); Killing Joke, Badly Drawn Boy, Aziz Ibrahim (formerly of the Stone Roses), and ex-Oasis guitarist Bonehead as Moondog One, which also included Mike Joyce and Craig Gannon.

His Production Company with long time Manager Nova Rehman, Great Northern Productions, organised Manchester Vs. Cancer. He is currently in a band called Freebass with bass players Mani (ex-The Stone Roses) and Peter Hook (New Order) and vocalist Gary Briggs. He organised Manchester Vs. Cancer 2007, which took place on March 31st 2007, and has announced the 2008 gig. He has also been playing bass for Ian Brown on his recent tour and djing worldwide.