Who was Gary ‘Mani’ Mounfield? Stone Roses and Primal Scream bassist dies at 63

Gary Mounfield, widely known as Mani, the influential bassist of The Stone Roses and Primal Scream, has died at the age of 63. His passing was confirmed by former Stone Roses bandmate Ian Brown on social media, who wrote: “Rest in peace Mani.”

Madchester pioneer

Mounfield was a key member of The Stone Roses’ classic lineup alongside Ian Brown, John Squire, and drummer Alan “Reni” Wren. He played on their 1989 self-titled debut album, which included iconic tracks like I Wanna Be Adored, She Bangs The Drums, and I Am The Resurrection. The album helped define the Madchester sound of the late 1980s and early 1990s, blending rock and dance rhythms, and influenced future Britpop acts such as Oasis, Blur, and Pulp.

From Stone Roses to Primal Scream

After recording the Roses’ second album, Second Coming (1994), Mani joined Primal Scream in 1997 following The Stone Roses’ split in 1996. He became central to the band’s evolving sound, notably powering the krautrock-influenced single Kowalski from Vanishing Point, and recorded four more albums with the group.

Musician Tim Burgess of The Charlatans shared a photo with him, saying: “It never failed to bring a smile to my face — and that was exactly the same for the man himself.”

Beyond music

Mounfield also appeared in the 2002 film 24 Hour Party People and later joined the bass supergroup Freebass with Andy Rourke (The Smiths) and Peter Hook (New Order). He had planned a 2026 speaking tour titled The Stone Roses, Primal Scream, And Me, reflecting on his decades-long career in rock.

Personal life

Mounfield was married to his late wife Imelda, whom he met during the recording of Second Coming at Rockfield Studios in Wales. The couple had two sons.