One of the most revered bass players in alternative music, Andy Rourke helped craft the iconic sound of the ’80s with The Smiths, who critics have called the most important alternative rock band to emerge from the British independent music scene of the 1980s. Based in NYC since 2009, composing, writing and recording on various projects. He recently guested live with fellow Smiths member Johnny Marr and over the years has toured and collaborated with The Stone Roses’ Ian Brown & Mani Mounfield, Sinead O’Connor, The Pretenders, Badly Drawn Boy, Killing Joke, Peter Hook, Bonehead from Oasis and, most recently, the band D.A.R.K. featuring Dolores O’Riordan who passed away unexpectedly last year.
Based out of Los Angeles since 2010, KAV helped Shaun Ryder re-form the legendary Manchester band Happy Mondays in 2004, getting the band back together and onstage to 10,000 people on London’s Clapham Common (their first show in several years). He went on to tour internationally with the Happy Mondays for four years, co-writing their album Unkle Dysfunctional as well as the title track “Playground Superstar” from the soundtrack to the soccer film GOAL! After playing Coachella with Happy Mondays in 2007, he spent some time in LA, which started his love affair with California. KAV released his debut album The Man With No Shadow in 2012 and has toured around the US, UK, Europe with his solo project. He’s guested live with Datarock several times, released a track “Mr Nice” in conjunction with Howard Marks and recorded a music project with the late, international fashion icon Zombie Boy.
“We have so much more music ‘in the bag’,” concludes Andy. “Lots of releases coming at you soon, plus more live shows & festivals in the works. I’m beyond excited and proud of this band! We hope to see you soon!” Blitz Vega is Andy Rourke (bass) and KAV Blaggers (lead vocals/guitar). The live band is Thomas Arizmendi (guitar/backing vocals), Asa Brown (keyboards/backing vocals), Greg Gent (guitar/ backing vocals) and Craig Eriksson (drums).
