The UK music world woke up today to news it never wanted to hear. Gary “Mani” Mounfield — one of the defining bassists of British alternative music, the rhythmic heartbeat behind The Stone Roses and later Primal Scream — has died at the age of 63. For Manchester’s musical lineage, this one hits like a punch to the chest.
His brother Greg announced the news on Facebook, writing, “It’s with a heavy heart that I announce the sad passing of my brother Gary.” No further details have been shared, and the cause of death remains unknown at this time.
What is clear is the size of the void he leaves behind. Mani wasn’t just a bassist. He was a cornerstone of two of the most influential bands to ever come out of the UK — bands that shaped entire generations, rewrote rules and carried the swagger of Manchester across decades.
From Crumpsall to Indie Immortality
Born in Crumpsall, just north of Manchester, Mani grew up surrounded by the city’s gritty charm and its brewing creative revolution. When he joined The Stone Roses in the 1980s, the band was on the cusp of becoming a cultural supernova. Mani didn’t just slide into the lineup — he became part of the group’s DNA.
His bass lines on tracks like “She Bangs the Drums,” “Waterfall,” and the era-defining “I Am the Resurrection” weren’t just background. They were fluid, melodic, almost vocal. The kind of playing that lingers in your bones long after the song ends. Mani was the groove beneath the myth.
Throughout the late 80s and early 90s, The Stone Roses became the face of Madchester — that electrified mix of rock, psychedelia and club-facing hedonism that still echoes through today’s indie and dance scenes. And Mani’s low-end pulse sat right in the middle of it.
When the band dissolved in 1996, fans mourned. But Mani didn’t fade; he simply shifted the shape of his legacy.
A New Chapter With Primal Scream
Most musicians are lucky to be part of one legendary band. Mani somehow pulled off two.
In 1996, he joined Primal Scream, and the timing was perfect. The band was deep into its metamorphosis — moving between rock, rave, soul, noise, gospel and everything in between. Mani fit into that chaos with total ease. His warm tone and instinctive playing grounded their most ambitious work and turned live shows into full-blown rituals.
Albums like XTRMNTR and Evil Heat carried his fingerprints everywhere. Onstage, he was the calm at the center of Primal Scream’s storm — relaxed, locked-in, radiating that unshakeable Mancunian cool.
Even in a band known for shapeshifting, Mani always felt like a steady anchor. Fans knew it. Critics knew it. The band definitely knew it.
The Return of the Roses
In 2011, after 15 years with Primal Scream, Mani shocked the music world by leaving to rejoin The Stone Roses for their long-awaited reunion. For a certain generation of fans — the ones who grew up waiting for the Roses to rise again — Mani’s return was the emotional missing piece.
When the band announced their reunion shows, tickets evaporated instantly. The energy was feverish, like Manchester was reclaiming its mythology in real time. Mani stood on those massive stages not as a nostalgic callback, but as a reminder of what the Roses meant — the sound, the attitude, the era they built from scratch.
The reunion may have eventually ended, but seeing Mani, Ian Brown, John Squire and Reni share a stage again was something fans will brag about forever.
A Bassist Loved by Fans and Musicians Alike
Part of what made Mani so beloved wasn’t just his playing, but his presence. He carried the vibe of someone who never cared about rock-star theatrics. Just music. Just the groove. Just the joy of being in the band.
He was known for his warmth, his humour and his unfiltered honesty — the kind of traits that turn musicians into folk heroes. In interviews, he could be chaotic and hilarious. Onstage, he was the definition of chill. No ego, just effortless cool.
In a scene full of frontmen and larger-than-life characters, Mani earned a different kind of respect. He was the guy holding everything together.
A Loss That Hits the Heart of UK Music Culture
The death of Mani feels bigger than an obituary moment. It hits at the core of Mancunian identity — at the lineage of bands that shaped Britain’s music culture and still influence everything from guitar bands to modern dance-leaning indie.
Both The Stone Roses and Primal Scream have fanbases that treat their catalogs like holy texts. Mani was on every page.
His contributions sit in the DNA of countless musicians today, most of whom likely learned their first bass line from a Stone Roses track and didn’t even realize how deeply Mani shaped them.
This loss is going to ripple through the UK music world for a long time.