Austinist Show Giveaway: Andy Rourke (The Smiths) DJ Set @ Emo's Lounge tonight!

A true legend will grace our town with his presence this evening when Andy Rourke (The Smiths) takes over the DJ booth at Emo's Lounge. We caught up with Rourke briefly yesterday over the phone prior to his DJ set in Hollywood and quizzed him on a number of things, including what we might expect to hear tonight. Rourke, who's been DJing for over five years now and also has a show on XFM Manchester, promises "a bit of everything" -- Rolling Stones, Devo, The Clash, New Young Pony Club, The Who, and Arctic Monkeys to name just a few. He also had some words of praise for the MGMT singles, specifically "Electric Feel" and "Time To Pretend" -- although "the album was a little bit of a letdown." He believes that the Arctic Monkeys are one U.K. act that could have the longevity that The Smiths have enjoyed. ("They seem to get better with age.") And what of Johnny Marr’s decision to join Modest Mouse in 2006? Rourke thinks that Modest Mouse was lacking an edge and that Marr really brought a lot to the table and colored their sound. Reflecting on a show he attended a few years ago, he said, "I was amazed by how many young kids were there."

Rourke has collaborated with many in his illustrious career but which projects stand out? His immediate response was genuine; The Pretenders hold a special place in his heart (Marr and Rourke apparently were in love with The Pretenders' debut record) and he really enjoyed working with them. More recently, his contribution to Ian Brown's Solarized album was another to merit a mention. Currently, Rourke is working with two other renowned bassists, Peter Hook and Gary "Mani" Mounfield; we had to check in for an update. Rourke calls it a "labour of love" and despite the universal problem of getting everyone in the same room at the same time, they have completed 18 backing tracks and have recruited one Gary Briggs (of Manchester band Haven) as the vocalist. He confirmed that a Freebass album should be out soon and that seven songs were near complete.

Follow the jump for more, and for a chance to win tickets to tonight's show!