The music world is mourning the loss of Gary 'Mani' Mounfield, legendary bassist for The Stone Roses and Primal Scream, who has died aged 63. The rock star's passing leaves his twelve-year-old twin children, Gene Clark and George Christopher, orphaned following the death of his wife Imelda from cancer in 2023.
A Band Divided
Before their emotional reunion, The Stone Roses had been torn apart by a bitter feud between guitarist John Squire and singer Ian Brown. The band played their final gig together in 2017, with Squire confirming the split two years later in 2019. Insiders pointed to a series of bust-ups between the former friends as the primary reason for the iconic Madchester band's long separation.
Despite the animosity, the band members shared a deep history that would ultimately prove stronger than their disagreements. They had pioneered the Madchester scene with legendary tracks including I Am The Resurrection, Waterfall, Made Of Stone and Fools Gold, inspiring a generation of bands including Oasis.
The Turning Point
The trajectory of the band changed dramatically in 2011 following a devastating personal tragedy for Mani. When the bassist's beloved mother passed away earlier that year, his feuding bandmates put their differences aside to support him during his time of profound grief.
Ian Brown and John Squire were both spotted together at Mani's mother's funeral, marking the first time they had properly spoken in years. The emotional reunion at the funeral became the catalyst that would eventually bring the legendary band back together after fifteen years apart.
Healing Through Tragedy
Mani later revealed that this heartbreaking loss became what he described as "the cloud that gave us the silver lining". In an interview with The Sun, the bassist explained the extraordinary moment that changed everything.
"It's weird how it can be one mad thing that starts a chain of events," Mani reflected. "It was amazing and bizarre when John and Ian started speaking at my mum's funeral. I always wanted them to do it, even if we never reformed I wanted them to reform the friendship. Rock 'n' roll is more than just music."
A source close to the band added at the time: "It was an emotional reunion. There were no harsh words. It was a heartwarming breaking of bread. They had a lot to catch up on and have been in regular contact since."
John Squire, who had previously stated he had no wish to "desecrate the grave" of The Stone Roses, confirmed the remarkable turnaround. "Everything changed when me and Ian started seeing each other again," Squire revealed. "It was surreal, we went from crying and laughing about the old days to writing songs. It's a friendship which defines us both, and it needed fixing. We did, and two phone calls later the band was no longer dead."
The band's reunion saw Mani leave Primal Scream to rejoin The Stone Roses for their triumphant 2011 comeback tour, delighting fans who had waited fifteen years to see the iconic band perform together again.
In one of his final interviews before his death, Mani had expressed excitement about returning to music, perhaps inspired by Oasis's recent reunion. He mentioned visiting his lock-up to look at his bass guitars and receiving encouragement from fellow musicians to pick up his instrument again.
The story of The Stone Roses' reunion stands as a powerful testament to how personal tragedy can sometimes heal old wounds, creating beauty from heartbreak and reminding us that friendship can ultimately transcend even the most bitter of disputes.
