Gary “Mani” Mounfield, the much loved bassist of The Stone Roses and later Primal Scream, has died at the age of 63. News of his passing has shaken fans and musicians across the UK, especially those who grew up with the sound he helped create. For many people, Mani wasn’t just a bassist. He was a defining part of the music that shaped a generation in Manchester and far beyond.
Mani was born in Crumpsall in 1962 and grew up surrounded by the city’s distinct musical culture. After leaving school at 16, he moved gradually into the world of bands and rehearsal rooms. By the early eighties, he had already crossed paths with John Squire and Andy Couzens in a group called the Fireside Chaps, which in hindsight feels like an early spark of what The Stone Roses would later become.
In 1987 he officially joined The Stone Roses. That lineup became iconic: Ian Brown on vocals, John Squire on guitar, Reni on drums, and Mani on bass. Together they created a sound that fused groove, melody, swagger, and something that felt both northern and unexpected. Mani’s bass was central to it. Those lines in tracks like I Wanna Be Adored, She Bangs the Drums, and I Am the Resurrection almost walk on their own. They move forward with a kind of soulful confidence that feels immediately recognizable to anyone who ever fell in love with that first album.
After The Stone Roses split in the mid nineties, Mani simply kept going. He joined Primal Scream and became an essential part of their next creative chapter. His playing added depth to albums like Vanishing Point and XTRMNTR, both of which showed how naturally he slipped into whatever musical world he stepped into. He stayed with Primal Scream for years, eventually returning to The Stone Roses when the band reunited.
Outside of music, Mani lived a quieter life, firmly connected to family and friends. He married Imelda, with whom he had twin boys, Gene and George. When Imelda died from cancer in 2023, Mani responded with the kind of heart and generosity people knew him for. He helped raise money for cancer charities by auctioning memorabilia donated by friends across the music world, from fellow band members to footballers. People always described him as grounded, funny, and deeply loyal.
Only a few days before his death, he had announced a UK speaking tour planned for 2026, where he intended to look back on his life, the stories behind the music, and the long road from early Manchester gigs to global stages. The timing now feels painfully ironic, as if he was preparing to share a chapter of his story that will never fully be told.
The announcement of his death came from his brother Greg, who described the loss with visible heartbreak. Many of Mani’s closest peers responded with the same shock. Ian Brown called him a brother. Liam Gallagher spoke about how much Mani meant to him personally. Tim Burgess remembered him as one of the best friends anyone could hope to have. Musicians from Joy Division, New Order, the Happy Mondays, and beyond all shared stories about his warmth, his humor, and his unmistakable presence.
What set Mani apart was the way he combined musicianship with soul. His basslines were more than rhythm. They were a living part of the song, almost like a second voice tucked beneath the main melody. He could push a track forward or hold it steady, but he always did it with feeling. He helped shape the Madchester sound, and you can hear his influence in the bands that came after, from indie rock outfits to groups that lean more toward groove driven music.
People close to him often said that success never went to his head. He stayed very much a lad from Manchester who loved his city, his music, his family, and his football team. Even in interviews, he carried that mix of sharp wit and down to earth charm that made him easy to like and impossible to forget.
Losing Mani feels like losing a piece of Manchester’s musical heartbeat. His lines still thrum through the speakers every time someone plays the opening notes of a Stone Roses track, and they continue to inspire musicians who grew up studying how he created movement and melody on the low end. His legacy lives on in the albums he made, the people he touched, and the unique energy he brought into every room he walked into.