Gary ‘Mani’ Mounfield, bassist in the classic lineup of The Stone Roses, has died at the age of 63.
Writing on Facebook, his brother, Greg, said: “It is with the heaviest of hearts that I have to announce the sad passing of my brother Gary ‘Mani’ Mounfield. RIP R kid.” No cause of death was immediately publicly shared.
Ian Brown, lead singer for The Stone Roses, followed the news with a brief tribute on X, writing: “Rest in Peace Mani X.”
Born in Crumpsall, Manchester, Mounfield joined The Stone Roses in 1987, four years after the band was formed, and soon established himself as the bassist in the group’s classic lineup of himself, Brown, John Squire and Alan ‘Reni’ Wren. He played on both of the band’s two studio albums: 1989’s The Stone Roses and 1994’s Second Coming.
When The Stone Roses disbanded in 1996, Mounfield joined Primal Scream, and remained a full-time member of the band until 2011 when he left to take part in The Stone Roses’ reunion shows. He played on several key Primal Scream albums while part of the group, including Vanishing Point (1997), XTRMNTR (1999), Evil Heat (2002) and Riot City Blues (2006).
The Stone Roses’ reunion saw the band play 50 shows across Europe, Asia, North America and Oceania, including three initial homecoming gigs at Manchester’s Heaton Park. Plans for a new album by the group were mooted but ultimately never came to fruition.
Mounfield was also part of a short-lived super-group, Freebass, with The Smiths’ Andy Rourke and Joy Division and New Order’s Peter Hook. The project disbanded shortly before the release of their 2010 debut album, It’s A Beautiful Life.
Mounfield is survived by his twin sons. His wife, Imelda, who he met while recording The Stone Roses’ second album, passed away in 2023 following a battle with cancer.
