Gary ‘Mani’ Mounfield, the Stone Roses bassist, dies at 63

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Gary Mounfield, known as “Mani” and the bassist for the iconic British rock band the Stone Roses, has passed away at the age of 63.

Musician’s brother, Greg Mounfield, announced the sad news of his passing on Facebook. He didn’t share the cause of death.

Last week, a founding member of The Stone Roses announced a U.K. tour featuring The Stone Roses, Primal Scream, and Me. The British bassist planned the tour, scheduled from September 2026 to June 2027, as a series of intimate shows where he would share stories about key moments in his career.

Born in Crumpsall, Manchester in 1962, Mani Mounfield first started a band in the early 1980s with guitarists John Squire and Andy Couzens, calling themselves the Fireside Chaps. When Ian Brown joined as singer, the group became the Stone Roses. After Andy Couzens left, Alan “Reni” Wren joined as drummer, and in 1989 they released their first album, also titled The Stone Roses.

This album is considered highly influential in the Madchester scene – a musical movement that originated in Manchester and blended psychedelic dance music with indie rock. Reaching number 5 in the UK charts, it helped pave the way for the Britpop bands of the 1990s, including Oasis, Blur, and the Charlatans.

Following the success of their debut album, the Stone Roses encountered a legal issue with their record label, Silvertone. They subsequently signed a new contract with Geffen Records in 1991. Their second album, “Second Coming,” proved to be their final complete project as the band began to fall apart. By 1996, the members had all pursued separate musical paths, with frontman Ian Brown eventually joining the Scottish rock group Primal Scream.

The bassist stayed with Primal Scream until the Stone Roses announced they were getting back together in 2011. They released a new single, “All for One,” in 2016 and continued to tour and play shows until 2017.

Following the news of Mounfield’s passing, many musicians shared tributes online. Brown posted on X simply, “Rest in peace Mani.” Tim Burgess of The Charlatans described him as “one of the absolute best in every way — such a beautiful friend.” Liam Gallagher of Oasis expressed his shock and devastation, calling Mani his hero. Shaun Ryder of Happy Mondays also offered his condolences to Mani’s twin sons and family.

Mounfield is survived by his twin sons, Gene Clark and George Christopher, following the death of his wife, Imelda, who passed away from cancer in 2023.

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2025-11-21 00:01