With the passing of bassist Andy Rourke, many have been drawn back to The Smiths, an 80s rock outfit fronted by Morrissey and Johny Marr.

The band was extremely successful, achieving 18 top 40 hits and three top 10s in the UK Charts.

The indie rock group, which lasted from 1982 to 1987, rejected much of the mainstream, refusing to use synthesisers and adopting a rather unique style of music.

When did The Smiths form?

The Smiths formed in the early 1980s when Johnny Marr and his friend Steve Pomfret visited the home of Steven Morrissey in Stretford to invite him to join a new band.

The two had met at a Patti Smith Gigg in Manchester in 1978 with the pair bonding over their love of poetry and literature.

In 1982, Morrissey chose to name the band The Smiths with Andy Rourke and others joining the group to produce songs.

Why did The Smiths break up?

The Smiths broke up following the release of Strangeways and Here We Come after the relationship between Johnny Marr and Morrissey soured.

This was attributed to Morrissey's irritation with Marr's collaboration with other artists and Marr's annoyance with Morrissey's inability to be more musically flexible.

What songs did The Smiths sing?

The Smiths have a large discography but are best known for their song How Soon Is Now, The Queen Is Dead, This Charming Man, Sheila Take a Bow, What Difference Does It Make and Panic (On The Streets Of London).

The band's longest-lasting chart song was This Charming Man which stayed on for a whole 18 weeks.