Footballing royalty and music icons gathered in Manchester this morning to pay their final respects to Gary 'Mani' Mounfield, the beloved bassist for The Stone Roses and Primal Scream. Sir David Beckham was among the first to arrive at the solemn service held at Manchester Cathedral.
A Manchester Music Legend Laid to Rest
The funeral for Mounfield, who died last month at the age of 63 after reportedly collapsing at his home in Stockport, commenced at 11.30am. Fans were encouraged to line the streets as the procession made its way to the cathedral, with the band's iconic track I Wanna Be Adored playing as mourners arrived.
Mounfield was a cornerstone of the Manchester music scene, joining The Stone Roses in 1987 and performing on their two seminal albums before the band's initial split in 1996. He then spent 15 years as the bassist for Primal Scream, later rejoining The Stone Roses for their celebrated reunion.
Stars from Sport and Music Gather
Sir David Beckham arrived alongside fellow football legend Gary Neville. The service drew a who's who of British music, including Stone Roses bandmates Ian Brown and John Squire, and Primal Scream's Bobby Gillespie. Oasis's Liam Gallagher and modfather Paul Weller were also in attendance, highlighting Mounfield's profound influence. Oasis have often credited The Stone Roses as a major inspiration from their Manchester upbringing.
Other notable figures paying their respects included Stone Roses guitarist Aziz Ibrahim, The Smiths' drummer Mike Joyce, Happy Mondays' Bez, and The Charlatans' frontman Tim Burgess. Bez remembered his friend as "a proper one of the boys" and "part of the Manchester heritage."
A Life Remembered with Love
Mounfield is widely remembered as one of the warmest and most genuine musicians of his generation. His brother, Greg, announced the tragic news on Facebook last month, writing it was "with the heaviest of hearts" that he shared the news. He added that Mani was now "reunited with his beautiful wife Imelda," who died from cancer two years ago at age 52, leaving behind Mani and their twin sons.
The bassist was also a member of the supergroup Freebass alongside The Smiths' Andy Rourke and Joy Division's Peter Hook, though the project split before releasing an album in 2010. Today's emotional gathering in the heart of Manchester served as a powerful testament to the lasting impact and beloved nature of Gary 'Mani' Mounfield.
