Andy Anderson, Drummer for the Cure, Iggy Pop, Dead at 68

Andy Anderson, the drummer who enjoyed stints with Iggy Pop and the Cure while assisting an array of artists as a session musician, died Tuesday. He was 68.

Just last week, Anderson revealed on Facebook that he had terminal cancer. Despite the diagnosis, he wrote, “[P]lease, no boo hooing here, just be positive, for me it’s just another life Experience and Hurdle, that one has to make yet another Choice in life, be cool, I most definitely am and positive about the situation.”

Founding member of the Cure Lol Tolhurst confirmed the news of Anderson’s death. “Andy Anderson was a true gentleman and a great musician with a wicked sense of humor which he kept until the end, a testament to his beautiful spirit on the last journey. We are blessed to have known him,” Tolhurst tweeted.

It's with a heavy heart, I have to report the passing of a Cure brother.
Andy Anderson was A true gentleman and a great musician with a wicked sense of humor which he kept until the end, a testament to his beautiful spirit on the last journey. We are blessed to have known him.

— Lol Tolhurst (@LolTolhurst) February 26, 2019

Anderson joined the Cure in 1983 after original drummer Laurence “Lol” Tolhurst switched to keys. His first contributions were two cuts off the band’s 1983 singles collection, Japanese Whispers, “Speak My Language” and the “The Love Cats” which became the Cure’s first Top 10 hit in the U.K. Anderson also helped Robert Smith and Tolhurst record their 1984 record The Top, and he appeared on their live album, Concert, as well.

Born in the West Ham neighborhood of London in January 1951, Anderson got his start as a professional musician when he teamed up with members of Hawkwind on their various side projects. He contributed to Nik Turner’s Sphynx’s 1978 album Xitintoday – credited as “Android Anderson” – and also played on Steve Hillage’s three LPs, Green, Live Herald and Open. Anderson did play with Hawkwind on their 1983 tour, but he never recorded with them. Instead, he left the group to join Robert Smith and Siouxsie and the Banshees’ 1983 side project, the Glove, which released their first and only album, Blue Sunshine, in 1983.

After his stint with the Cure, Anderson embarked on a long and successful career as a session musician. Over the course of his career he worked with Iggy Pop, Jeffrey Lee Pierce, the Sex Pistols’ Glen Mattlock, Edwin Collins, Peter Gabriel and Isaac Hayes. More recently, Anderson was working extensively as a solo artist, and though he didn’t release any proper albums, he put out an array of tracks under the moniker AAMuzik.