One of my favourite bands ever - still listen to them even though the drugs wore off a long long time ago!
Such a shame
Sh#t, came on here for some light reading but was not expecting this.
Spent many an hour listening to Mani, RIP fella
I was just listening to his interview on the Rockonteurs! well, when it came out a few weeks ago. He seemed in great form and had just announced a nationwide speaking tour.
its upsetting listening now as he was talking about looking after his twin boys as a single parent 🙁
here's the interview - a month ago
Gutted to hear this as Id class Stone Roses my favourite band and listen to them regularly. Managed to see them twice live....Wolverhampton back in the 90s then Finsbury Park for the reunion
Was just reading his wife died in 2023 so that makes their 12 year old twin boys orphans ☹
John Robb has just been interviewed and was saying how he was just a big music fan and he'd still go to tiny gigs in town. I remember going watching my mates band (who's name I can't even remember. He's been in a few) in the Ruby Lounge in Manchester. Half way through the gig, in an audience of probably a hundred people, tops, I looked at the guy next to me who was stood having a pint and a shuffle, like the rest of us, and it was Mani.
I also remember him playing the Ritz in Manchester with Primal Scream on the XTRMNTR tour. Even though they could have sold out miles bigger venues, Mani apparently insisted on playing the Ritz as it was his favourite Manchester venue. It was undisputedly the loudest gig I've ever been to. They took the ****ing roof off the place!
RIP. An absolute legend!
sad news 🙁
Seemed like one of the worlds genuinely decent people, only ever heard good things about him.
John Robb has just been interviewed and was saying how he was just a big music fan and he'd still go to tiny gigs in town. I remember going watching my mates band (who's name I can't even remember. He's been in a few) in the Ruby Lounge in Manchester. Half way through the gig, in an audience of probably a hundred people, tops, I looked at the guy next to me who was stood having a pint and a shuffle, like the rest of us, and it was Mani.
I also remember him playing the Ritz in Manchester with Primal Scream on the XTRMNTR tour. Even though they could have sold out miles bigger venues, Mani apparently insisted on playing the Ritz as it was his favourite Manchester venue. It was undisputedly the loudest gig I've ever been to. They took the ****ing roof off the place!
RIP. An absolute legend!
With Alabama 3 in support? That was a great night
Ahh that's really bad news. Always seemed a likeable guy and brought a lot to both the Stone Roses and Primal Scream
The bass-line intro amidst the swirling sounds of "I Wanna Be Adored."
So, so embedded and unforgettable.
(Don't even get the started on the genius of "I am the resurrection.")
Absolutely gutted hearing this news on tbe radio on drive home. A real hero of mine and was only playing along to "I am the resurrection" on my bass last weekend, itself prompted by accidentally coming across his Youtube interview with Guy Pratt and Gary Kemp few nights earlier, which was a riveting listen with some real banter but also showed what a sound bloke he seemed to be. Then saw he was doing a spoken word tour and thought I'll have a bit of that....:( As others have said, very sad he was a real musical inspiration, but also for his twin boys
The bass-line intro amidst the swirling sounds of "I wanna be adored."
So, so embedded and unforgettable.
Literally just listening to that right now. Love Spreads, Waterfall, Sally Cinnamon - soundtrack to some of the happiest times in my life. Thanks Mani.
Just been flipping between Stone Roses, XTRMNTR and Beautiful Future. So many chunky baselines. Will stick on the (instrumental version of) the Freebass album later to come down.
I also remember him playing the Ritz in Manchester with Primal Scream on the XTRMNTR tour.
It was undisputedly the loudest gig I've ever been to. They took the ****ing roof off the place!
saw them on that tour at Rock City, and as you say it was ****in loud. one of the few gigs ive been to where i could feel the bass shaking my insides!
Really gutted. Had a bit of a tear in my eyes listening to Waterfall.
Saw him with Primal Scream at Reading around the XTRMNTR time. Mani very much centre stage. Possibly the best thing I've ever seen live. Visceral experience. Oasis came on after and couldn't hold a candle to them.
What a bloody shame - stone roses provided the soundtrack to some of happiest times of my life, thanks for the music Mani!
Cigs, booze, and lots of drugs. Maybe we should all learn from Mani and save the tax payer a mint.
Feeling really down at the moment with this news. As previously posted, this is how I want to remember him.
a beautiful soul
rip
saw them on that tour at Rock City, and as you say it was ****in loud. one of the few gigs ive been to where i could feel the bass shaking my insides!
I'm fairly sure that gig is the cause of the permanent ringing in my ears"
That's terrible news.
A friend had just booked him for a show next October too.
Such a shame. Especially what happened to his wife only a few years ago. My thoughts are with his two twin boys. They've been through enough already.
I had the privilege of meeting Mani a few times over the years i worked at the Hac. Such a genuine fella and incredibly well lliked.
Very sad news.
He really did seem like one of lifes good guys.
Came here for the anecdotes as I guessed some of you guys may have bumped into him. Please keep them coming, if you have one to share.
The Podcast above is well worth a listen, but in hindsight is sad. He sounds so full of life and excited, I really hope his boys will be OK.
Always thought Mani, Ashcroft, Marr were/are the proper rockstars that the Gallaghers are tryin to be.
Although TBF .... those guys only have good things to say about Oasis.
Sorry tried to edit the above.... but let me add.
You Manchester lads have sooo many bands/artist to be "proud" of ?
It must be a nice to know these guys came from your area of just down the road ??
I'd imagen any funeral/remembrance will be very well supported.
Can confirm he genuinely seems like a cool guy. There used to be free festival in the middle of Manchester called DPercussion and I remember seeing Mani walking past me in the crowd so I discreetly nodded at him and he ran over and hugged me. This was in like maybe 2006 or something so at that point you'd kind of forgive him if he was totally over the fact that random strangers would let on to him in public but he still seemed genuinely really friendly and happy about it.
Of course it was Saturday afternoon at a free festival so he may have been smashed, but still.
Pretty gutted to be fair - I didn't realise the stuff about his wife and kids. ****g hell... makes it even worse.
Big fan of the Stone Roses - theres a lot of their stuff on my random favourites playlist. She Bangs The Drums is one of my favourite songs of all time... I was listening to a LOT of their stuff around the time me and the wife met and she still associates their music with that time of our lives.
John Robb was mentioned above - his book about the Stone Roses is well worth a read.
Sat in the car on Tesco carpark and listened to I Am The Resurrection all the way through with tears in my eyes last night.
Never met the or even saw him, but that album in 1989 was the theme to the best and most influential summer of my life. It will be with me forever. So many happy, and sad memories.
RIP Mani
Very sad news. I'm just listening to the Rockonteurs pod with Mani. He sounds so full of life and happy.
Their first album is still in my top 3 of all time, and This is the One will be the last song played at my funeral as its possibly my favourite song ever
Still crazy to think they only released 2 proper albums..
Rip Mani..A true legend
RIP Mani. Stone Roses album stood the test of time and then some.
Saw him in the Co-op a few times as he lived local to me in S Manc - had time for everyone. Would get people coming up to him chatting about Utd or the Roses and no problem at all with it, seemed a really genuine fella.
Just remembered the Tony Iommi at rock field studios encounter, from the rockonteurs pod
Not heard that one before 🤣
A pictorial tribute from the (Manchester) Guardian - https://www.theguardian.com/music/gallery/2025/nov/20/gary-mani-mounfield-a-life-in-pictures
A pictorial tribute from the (Manchester) Guardian - https://www.theguardian.com/music/gallery/2025/nov/20/gary-mani-mounfield-a-life-in-pictures
Superb
I bought their first album at 17 then saw them at Spike Island at 18 and still now remember how in awe me and my mates were about the band, totally blown away by their utter coolness and attitude in interviews (Rapido & Transmission yes I know i'm getting on!)
Ian Brown and John Squires always seemed a bit arty and Reni a bit aloof, Mani was the council estate jack the lad we all wanted to be, pony tails and Chipie jumpers etc.
I was driving when I heard the news and felt like i'd had the wind kicked out of me, hit a bit harder than I thought it would probably because I knew he'd recently lost his wife and had two young kids.
R.I.P. Mani thanks for the music and being a hero to most young lads in the North from the late 80's onwards.