Stone Roses bassist Gary ‘Mani’ Mounfield dies at 63

Gary “Mani” Mounfield, the celebrated bassist best known for his work with The Stone Roses, has died at the age of 63. Local reporting by the Manchester Evening News first publicized his passing, and his brother Greg confirmed the news on Facebook on Thursday, November 20, 2025.

Ian Brown, the band’s frontman, also acknowledged Mani’s death on his X account, offering a brief tribute to the musician’s life and influence.

Mani was born in Crumpsall, Manchester, on November 16, 1962. At this time no official cause of death has been announced.

Career and Legacy

The Stone Roses formed in Manchester in 1983 when Ian Brown and guitarist John Squire began collaborating; drummer Alan “Reni” Wren joined in 1984, and Mani completed the classic lineup in 1987. The band mixed psychedelic rock with the city’s emerging dance sensibilities—an aesthetic that became central to Britain’s late‑1980s scene and influenced a generation of bands.

The group’s self-titled debut, released in 1989, remains widely regarded as a landmark record. It climbed to No. 5 on the U.K. Official Albums Chart and helped inspire musicians across the region, including members of Oasis, who have cited The Stone Roses as formative to their own ambitions.

Despite early acclaim, the band endured legal battles with their first label, Silvertone, before signing to Geffen in 1991. Their 1994 follow-up, The Second Coming, received mixed reviews and coincided with internal tensions that culminated in lineup changes: Reni departed in 1995 and John Squire left the band in 1996. After a difficult appearance at the Reading Festival that year, The Stone Roses disbanded.

Later Work and Reunions

Following the split, Mani became the bassist for Primal Scream in 1996 and remained with that band until 2011. He also collaborated with fellow Manchester bassists Andy Rourke and Peter Hook in the project Freebass, which released an album in 2010.

In 2011, Brown and Squire reconciled at a family funeral, and The Stone Roses reunited for a series of high-profile shows at Heaton Park in Manchester in June and July 2012. The band issued a single, “All for One,” in May 2016 but ultimately did not complete plans for a full comeback album; they continued touring periodically through 2017.

Mani’s wife, Imelda, died in 2023 following a battle with bowel cancer.

Recent Announcements and Tributes

On November 14, 2025, Mani had announced a U.K. speaking tour titled The Stone Roses, Primal Scream and Me – An Intimate Evening With Gary “Mani” Mounfield, a series of events that was scheduled to run from September 2026 through June 2027.

Tributes from fellow musicians quickly followed. Liam Gallagher expressed his shock and sorrow on social media, calling Mani a hero and saying he was devastated by the news. Tim Burgess of The Charlatans remembered Mani as a constant source of joy and an enduring friend.

Survivors

Mani is survived by his twin sons, Gene Clark and George Christopher.

Sources: Manchester Evening News; public posts from family and band members on social platforms.

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