In Memoriam: The Legendary Gary "Mani" Mounfield Has Died Aged 63

Gary "Mani" Mounfield, bassist for The Stone Roses and Primal Scream, has died aged 63. The news was announced by his brother Greg on Facebook, in a statement that said: "It is with the heaviest of hearts that I have to announce the sad passing of my brother Gary Mani Mounfield. RIP RKID."

He later added in the comments: “Reunited with his beautiful wife Imelda.”

A cause of death has yet to be disclosed.

Stone Roses frontman Ian Brown also confirmed the news, writing a brief tribute on X that said: “REST IN PEACE MANI X.”

Raised in Crumpsall, Manchester, Mounfield joined The Stone Roses in 1987, having previously been a member of rival band The Waterfront, and performed with the band until their split in 1996.He then teamed up with Primal Scream and was a full-time member of the band, finding a kindred spirit in guitarist Robert "Throb" Young, with whom he made a memorable appearance on the Scottish TV show Trout ‘n’ About in 2004. 

Talking about Primal Scream that band was "most of a democracy", whereas with the Stone Roses we were more looking over our shoulder seeing if Ian and John Squire were pleased. Because they were writing the songs and being touted as the Lennon-McCartney, Jagger-Richards kind of thing. For me now there's a lot more freedom. 

He rejoined The Stone Roses with core members Brown, John Squire and Alan  "Reni" Wren for their reunion shows between 2011 to 2017. Ed Power for The Independent noted how it was the recruitment of Mounfield that seemed to  "change" something for the band. Brown, Squire and drummer Reni were dreamers, he wrote.

Mani was a rocker. Now the tweeness that characterised early singles such as "Sally Cinnamon" evolved into something slicker, sleeker, groovier. Aside from music, Mounfield was a keen angler, having first started fishing as a boy around the canals of his native Manchester. 

Mounfield’s death comes almost two years to the day since his wife Imelda Mounfield died from cancer, on 18 November 2023. He and Imelda raised money for a cancer charity by organising auctions of memorabilia donated by friends including members of Oasis and David Beckham.

They shared twin sons, Gene Clarke and George Christopher, born in 2012.

Mounfield had also just announced that he would be embarking on a national in-conversation tour from September 2026, for talks in which he would reflect on his 40-year career in music.