Johnny Marr has recalled the moving moment he learned from Noel Gallagher of Mani's death. The beloved Stone Roses and Primal Scream bassist passed away on November 20 last year at the age of 63, with his funeral at Manchester Cathedral on December 22 attended by Manchester's music legends including Ian Brown and Liam and Noel Gallagher.
Smiths guitarist and songwriter Johnny Marr, who was friends with Mani, has shared the moment he learned of his death while recording his latest album.
Phone call in the studio
Speaking on Virgin Radio UK today (October 5) while promoting album The Age of Everything, Marr was asked by presenter Ben Jones which song he wanted people to listen to. He cited track Beyond the Rain.
"When we came to record it it was about 11am. We hadn't played it yet but were stood there with our headphones on and were ready to go," he remembered.
"My phone went, I usually never answer the phone in the studio but I could see it was Noel Gallagher. He knew I was in the studio and he was in South America so I knew there was a big time difference, he was on the Oasis tour."
"Why's he calling in the middle of the night?"
"I thought, why's he calling in the middle of the night for him? It must be important. So I just said hang on a minute, all the band are stood there. I answered the phone and he called me to tell me that Mani had died."
"I was stood at the microphone ready to record this song that was already my favourite. About going to a better place and everything."
"I had to make this decision. Mani was a friend to all the band and everyone in Manchester and I think everyone on the planet. Everybody loved him and we're all still a bit in shock now. I could hear Mani saying to me, 'Mr Marr, Mr Marr. You're not gonna stop rocking are you?'"
Recording through grief
"So I just went with it impulsively and me and the band did the take. Everyone was sort of in a daze. I thought, OK, do we go again?"
"We did one more take of it and then no-one could carry on playing. A couple of the band had tears in their eyes."
"When I came to sing it the next day there were a couple of lines in there that I amended a little bit. There's a line there: 'Shine like a northern son. Back to where I once belonged.' So I put that in there as a bit of a nod to Mani."
"It was a different line before then but this idea of going to a better place took on a new significance to me really."
