Gary ‘Mani’ Mounfield, the bassist whose low end swagger helped crystallise the sound of The Stone Roses and later powered Primal Scream’s wildest, most genre blurring years, has died at 63, leaving a massive hole in the landscape of British alternative music.
The news was confirmed by his brother Greg Mounfield, who shared a heartfelt statement on social media: “It is with the heaviest of hearts that I have to announce the sad passing of my brother,” he wrote, adding that Mani has now been “reunited” with his late wife Imelda, who passed away from cancer in 2023. A cause of death has not yet been announced.
For many fans, Mani wasn’t just another musician in the scene, he was the rhythmic anchor behind some of the most era defining tracks to come out of Manchester’s late eighties and nineties explosion. His work in The Stone Roses helped shape a generation of indie, baggy, and crossover rock bands, while his time in Primal Scream dragged him through the hedonistic, genre hopping renaissance of the band’s Screamadelica and beyond. Onstage, his playing always felt warm, grounded, and unshakeable, the work of someone who lived and breathed groove, not glory.
Heartfelt Tributes
Tributes have poured in quickly, Ian Brown, frontman of The Stone Roses, posted: “REST IN PEACE MANI X.” Long time friend Tim Burgess shared a memory filled tribute: “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 Love you Mani x x Never to be forgotten.”
Mani had recently been gearing up for a UK speaking tour scheduled for September 2026, giving fans a chance to hear stories from a life lived in the thick of two of Britain’s most influential bands. Now, that tour becomes another reminder of how sharply this loss will be felt.
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