Gary “Mani” Mounfield, bassist of The Stone Roses, has died at age 63. Photo / Getty Images
Gary “Mani” Mounfield, the bassist with The Stone Roses, has died at the age of 63.
The musician’s brother Greg, wrote on Facebook: “It is with the heaviest of hearts that I have to announce the sad passing of my brother. RIP RKID.”
He later added in the comments: “Reunited with his beautiful wife Imelda.” Imelda Mounfield died two years ago at the age of 52 after she had been diagnosed with Stage 4 bowel cancer in 2020. The couple had twin sons, who are aged 12.
Manchester-born Mounfield was understood to have died after collapsing at his home in Stockport following a seizure, the Daily Mail reported. Family sources told the Mail that an ambulance was called, but that he could not be revived.
Singer Ian Brown, Mounfield’s Stone Roses bandmate, wrote on X: “Rest in peace Mani. X.”
Liam Gallagher paid tribute to his fellow Manchester rocker, writing on X: “In total shock and absolutely devastated on hearing the news about Mani, my hero. RIP RKID LG.”
Happy Mondays singer Rowetta said: “Going to miss you so much. All my love to the boys, the family and all those who knew and loved him.”
Tim Burgess, the frontman of The Charlatans, shared a picture of the pair smiling together on X, writing: “I shared this photo a week or so ago on Mani’s birthday.
“It never failed to bring a smile to my face – and that was exactly the same for the man himself. One of the absolute best in every way – such a beautiful friend.”
He added: “Love you Mani … Never to be forgotten.”
Also paying tribute on X, Echo And The Bunnymen singer Ian McCulloch said his “thoughts and feelings” went out to the Mounfield family.
McCulloch said: “I’m absolutely gutted to hear the news about Mani, who I have always loved and always will love, deeply and forever. Like a brother.
“I am in shock to be honest. Please tell me I’m just having a bad, bad dream.”
Shaun Ryder, the lead singer of Happy Mondays, who were contemporaries of The Stone Roses, said in a post on X: “RIP Mani – my heartfelt condolences to his twin boys and all of his family.”
Away from music, the musician was a keen fan of Manchester United, and often spoke about the team on TV and radio.
The club posted a picture of him at their Old Trafford ground on X, with a tribute that read: “A Manchester music icon and a passionate, lifelong Red. Our deepest condolences go out to the loved ones of Gary ‘Mani’ Mounfield.”
The Stone Roses were one of the seminal bands to emerge from the Manchester indie rock scene in the 1980s, disbanding in 1996.
The Mancunian quartet recorded just two studio albums and their 1989 self-titled debut – containing tracks such as Fool’s Gold and I Am The Resurrection – is regarded as a seminal work, fusing psychedelic pop with dance music.
Mani later joined Primal Scream as bassist, before returning to the Stone Roses with Brown, guitarist John Squire and drummer Alan “Reni” Wren when they reformed in 2011 as a live act after an acrimonious 15-year hiatus.
They went on to play homecoming shows at Heaton Park, and to headline slots at California’s Coachella Festival in 2013, T in the Park in Scotland in 2016 and Wembley Stadium in 2017.
Guitarist Squire later revealed that the band split for a second time shortly after trying to make a new album in 2016, explaining that “the spark wasn’t there”.
In an interview with the Sunday Times last year, he said: “People change, relationships change. Being in a band is like a marriage, and a lot of marriages fail.”
Squire made those comments after joining forces with Gallagher for a self-titled album that was released in March last year.
The Oasis frontman said in the same interview that he would never have formed a band had The Stone Roses not “taken so long” to record their second studio album.
He said: “I was following the Roses about but, then they went on the missing list. So we formed Oasis to fill in the gap.
“At the time every band in Manchester was doing the baggy thing, so we leant towards the Roses’ more classic sound, got bang into the Beatles, added a bit of angry young man s*** and it took off.
“If the Roses hadn’t taken so long to do the Second Coming [album in 1994], there would be no Oasis.”
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