Gary “Mani’ Mounfield, best known for his role as bassist in The Stone Roses, tragically passed away in his Stockport home on November 20, aged 63. His funeral service took place this week in Manchester Cathedral.
Countless fans and close relatives attended the ceremony, among the mourners were Liam Gallagher, Peter Hook, Paul Weller and David Beckham. Fans offered as much light and support as possible over the dark day. Mounfield’s beautiful coffin resembled the cover of the very first Stone Roses album ‘The Stone Roses’ and was gracefully carried out the cathedral by Ian Brown, Gallagher, Primal Scream’s frontman, Bobby Gillespie, the band’s guitarist, Andrew Innes, and his Stone Roses band mates John Squire and Alan Wren.
The cortège arrived accompanied by a a wide array of motor scooter riders aiding a safe transportation through a sea of decimated fans.
Fans have globally offered support for Mounfield’s immediate family and friends celebrating his musical career and the lasting impact he will continue to have on the British music scene for all eternity. Mounfield was a crucial part of The Stone Roses’ original lineup alongside singer Brown, guitarist Squire and Drummer Wren, the band has developed a cult following over their active years.
The funeral was held at Manchester Cathedral, the very birthing place of the notorious band. The outpouring of love towards Mounfield was overwhelming as countless fans piled into the Manchester streets to say their own farewells. British music legends attended to share their up most support for Mounfield’s family, particularly his young twin sons. Familiar football legends, David Beckham and Gary Neville were spotted paying their respects in the crowd as not only was Mounfield a significant lasting musical influence he also left his print on English culture as a whole.
The Stone Roses’ self titled debut 1989 album is considered one of the greatest British albums of all time, frequently ranked highly in the hearts of many. The notorious single, ‘I Wanna Be Adored’ has amounted over 185 million streams on spotify and that number only seems to continue rising with each day.
After The Stone Roses breakup, Mounfield joined the band Primal Scream, playing bass across numerous albums, he withheld a significant role in the band for 15 years, contributing to their creative evolution through the late 90’s and 2000s
Mounfield’s death came almost two years after losing his wife Imelda, who passed away November 18, 2023, aged 50 following her diagnosis with stage four bowel cancer in November 2020.
His death came as a shock to countless individuals, arriving shortly after he had announced an in-conversation tour of a number of UK venues, which consisted of plans to share memories and songwriting experiences with enthusiastic crowds.
Mounfield may have passed however he will live on in the hearts of his fans and his contribution to music will forever reign superior in English musical history. The Sone Roses will remain an extremely well known band and fans are guaranteed to pass on their music to younger generations for years to come.
