Happy Mondays frontman Shaun Ryder has paid tribute to The Stone Roses bassist Gary ‘Mani’ Mounfield after his death at the age of 63.
Ryder, from Little Hulton, took to social media to honour Mounfield’s memory and offer his condolences to the musician’s family.
The news of Mani’s unexpected death was announced by his brother Gregg on Facebook on Thursday. “It is with the heaviest of hearts that I have to announce the sad passing of my brother. Gary Mani Mounfield RIP,” he wrote.
In a further message left in the comments section, Greg said his brother had been “reunited” with his late wife Imelda, who died in November after a three-year battle with stage-four bowel cancer.
The pair have left behind two 12-year-old twins, Gene and George, who were the focus of Ryder’s heartfelt message.
On Instagram, he wrote: “RIP Mani – my heartfelt condolences to his twin boys and all of his family.”
His former bandmate Rowetta added to the commemorations of Mani’s life, writing on X: “Going to miss you so much. All my love to the boys, the family & all those who knew and loved him.”
The Happy Mondays and Mani’s Stone Roses were two of the defining bands in the Madchester music scene.
In Ryder’s 2011 autobiography, Twisting My Melon, he highlighted that “There was absolutely no rivalry between the Stone Roses and us from my side,” and noted that the success both bands shared added to the feeling that Manchester had caught the attention of the country.
“I thought it was great that when we first did Top of the Pops in 1989, the Roses were on the same show; it felt like Manchester was taking over.
“People still talk about it to me, blokes in their 40s saying, ‘I was at college when you and the Roses first did Top of the Pops and it was brilliant!’”
In 2018, Mani took to the stage at Salford Lads Club and Girls Club for a question-and-answer event with Broughton-born Joy Division legend Peter Hook.
The iconic Salford institution stated: “We at Salford Lads and Girls Club are saddened by the news of Gary’Mani’ Mounfield’s passing today.
“We were lucky enough to welcome Mani to our club on several occasions, including in 2018, where he took the stage in our Main Hall with fellow Manchester Music legend Peter Hook.
“We were always so grateful for Mani’s support, and he is truly a friend of the club. Our thoughts are with his loved ones during this difficult time. 💚”
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