R.I.P. Gary “Mani” Mounfield of The Stone Roses

Gary “Mani” Mounfield, legendary bassist of The Stone Roses, has died at age 63, according to a report from The Guardian. No cause of death has been given.

Mounfield’s brother Greg posted the news on Facebook: “It is with the heaviest of hearts that I have to announce the sad passing of my brother.” His nephew also shared the news.

Bandmates and peers shared tributes to the late musician. The Stone Roses’ vocalist Ian Brown said on X, “Rest in peace Mani X.” The Charlatans’ Tim Burgess said Mounfield was “one of the absolute best in every way – such a beautiful friend.” And Oasis’ Liam Gallagher wrote, “In total shock and absolutely devastated on hearing the news about Mani my hero.”

Born in 1962 in Crumpsall, England, Mounfield befriended Ian Brown at age 16, and formed the band The Fireside Chaps with John Squire and Andy Couzens in Greater Manchester in the 1980s, which later featured Brown on vocals, as well as a name change, briefly, to The Waterfront. In 1984, they officially became The Stone Roses. Mounfield played guitar until the Chaps changed their name to The Waterfront, when he began playing bass.

The group quickly became popular in Manchester, and Noel and Liam Gallagher both cite the band as being hugely influential to their music. In 1989, The Stone Roses released their debut album, produced by John Leckie, whose sound was a hybrid of guitar-driven indie rock sounds with the groove of acid house and rave music. It’s frequently regarded as one of the greatest albums of the 1980s, and proved to be an influential release in the development of what eventually became Britpop.

The group followed that up with 1995’s Second Coming, which took years to write and record, and was met with a mixed reception. The group broke up in 1996, and Mani joined Primal Scream, playing bass on records such as 1997’s Vanishing Point and 2000’s XTRMNTR. In 2011, The Stone Roses reunited and performed together until 2017.

Mani had recently announced a speaking tour scheduled for 2026 and 2027, in which he revisited significant moments from his career.