Stone Roses, Primal Scream Bassist Gary "Mani" Mounfield Passes Away, Aged 63

Gary “Mani” Mounfield, the bassist of The Stone Roses and Primal Scream, has passed away at the age of 63.

Mani’s brother, Greg Mounfield, confirmed the musician’s passing on Facebook. However, no cause of death was shared. “It is with the heaviest of hearts that I have to announce the sad passing of my brother,” Greg Mounfield wrote. The bassist’s nephew also shared the sad news.

Along with John Squire and Andy Couzens, Mani formed the band Fireside Chaps in Greater Manchester in the early 80s. The band underwent numerous name and line-up changes, eventually introducing singer Ian Brown, and became The Stone Roses. The group performed their first official show in October 1984.

Following the band’s disbandment in 1996, Mani joined Primal Scream as bassist. He remained with the rockers until The Stone Roses reformed from 2011 to 2017. In addition to his main projects, Mani was a member of the bassist supergroup Freebass with The Smiths’ Andy Rourke, New Order/Joy Division’s Peter Hook, and Haven’s Gary Briggs.

The Guardian notes that before his passing, Mani was planning a busy 2026 and 2027, having booked an extensive speaking tour of the UK. He would have discussed pivotal moments throughout The Stone Roses’ career, including their infamous gig at Spike Island in 1990 and their reformation.

The Stone Roses’ Ian Brown led the tributes to Mani, who wrote on X (formerly known as Twitter), “Rest in peace Mani.” The band’s account shared, “RIP our wonderful brother Mani. The greatest bass player and friend we could ever have wished for.”

Oasis star Liam Gallagher, who, along with his brother Noel Gallagher, was inspired to form a band after seeing The Stone Roses perform live, wrote: “In total shock and absolutely devastated on hearing the news about Mani, my hero RIP.”

Record label Rough Trade also shared a tribute for Mani on social media. “The perfect example of how a bassist can be the beating heart of a band,” the post began.

“A legendary player with Primal Scream, the backbone of The Stone Roses' groove. RIP Gary ‘Mani’ Mounfield.”

RIP our wonderful brother Mani. The greatest bass player and friend we could ever have wished for. X pic.twitter.com/szEc70OZTN

— The Stone Roses (@thestoneroses) November 20, 2025