Gary “Mani” Mounfield, legendary bassist for the Stone Roses, has died at 63. His brother Greg announced the heartbreaking news on Facebook, saying, “It is with the heaviest of hearts that I have to announce the sad passing of my brother Gary Mani Mounfield.” Paramedics were reportedly called to a property believed to be his home on Thursday morning, though no cause of death has been released. Just weeks earlier, Mounfield had posted on Instagram that he might be heading out on his “final road trip,” hinting at new reflections on his life and loyalty to his former bandmates.
Tributes quickly poured in from across the music world. Stone Roses frontman Ian Brown wrote, “REST IN PEACE MANi X,” while the band called him “the greatest bass player and friend we could ever have wished for.” Liam Gallagher said he was “in total shock,” calling Mani his hero. Born in 1962 in Crumpsall, England, Mounfield helped form the band that became the Stone Roses in the early ’80s, contributing to their influential 1989 debut before their split in 1996. He later joined Primal Scream, playing on several major albums, and remained a beloved figure in British music. New Order remembered him as “a great guy, good fun and a father to two boys,” while tributes from fans and fellow artists continue to highlight his legacy as one of Manchester’s true icons.