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Mani mural unveiled in Manchester as Stone Roses bassist is honoured in Failsworth
A permanent mural for Stone Roses bassist Mani has been unveiled in Manchester, with tributes continuing across the city and beyond.
A permanent mural celebrating Gary “Mani” Mounfield has now been unveiled in Manchester, giving the late Stone Roses bassist a lasting tribute in the city that shaped him.
Mani, who also played with Primal Scream from 1996 to 2011, died from respiratory issues in November aged 63. The following month, he was laid to rest at Manchester Cathedral at a funeral attended by Liam Gallagher, Paul Weller, Ian Brown and others. In the weeks after that service, a crowdfunder was set up to pay for a permanent mural in his honour, a move sparked in part by Ian Brown’s emotional eulogy, where the Stone Roses singer said he would love to see a 50-foot gold statue erected for him instead.
The finished piece has been painted in Failsworth, where Mani grew up, by artist Chris, also known as Pic.One.Art. Chris has previously made murals of Oasis and the late Foo Fighters drummer Taylor Hawkins, and here he’s depicted Mani smiling and holding his bass, a direct and fitting image for a musician whose sound is still everywhere in Manchester’s memory.
The crowdfunder was launched by the not-for-profit art organisation GRIT Studios, with all proceeds going to the cancer charity Maggie’s. Donations are still open here.
A mural to honour the life of Gary “Mani” Mounfield. From the thunder and groove he brought to @thestonerosesofficial & @primalscreamofficial, to the tales of how grounded and generous he was as a human; Mani was, and will always be adored. pic.twitter.com/owTGZ8hpZe
— Madchester (@madchester_mdcr) May 8, 2026
When the campaign was first announced, GRIT Studios co-founder John Macaulay spoke warmly about his friendship with Mani, saying: “Mani was one of the warmest, funniest and most generous people I’ve ever known,” he said in a statement. “The work we did together in China over a decade ago genuinely changed the course of my life, and without Mani, GRIT Studios probably wouldn’t exist.”
Macaulay and Mani spent time together before The Stone Roses reunited in 2011, and he also acknowledged Brown’s words at Manchester Cathedral, calling the statue idea a dream worth keeping alive.
“We loved Ian Brown’s beautiful words about Mani in Manchester Cathedral and his suggestion of a 50-foot gold statue! You never know – it might happen in the future, but for now we’ll focus on a mural – it feels like the least we can do,” Macaulay added.
“This mural will be a way for fans to come together, pay tribute and create something very special for the community, as well as raising funds for Maggie’s which was so important to Mani and Imelda.”
In its own tribute to Mani, NME noted that he “held a rare place in the world of bass heroes” and helped define a scene with some of the most infectious and hypnotic basslines ever recorded.
“Both weighty and melodic, Mani’s bewitching basslines became the bedrock and, often, the driving force of The Roses’ breakthrough tracks ‘Elephant Stone’, ‘Made Of Stone’ and ‘She Bangs The Drums’, and underpinned the band’s low-slung funk development on ‘Fools Gold’ – arguably a four-minute encapsulation of the entire late-’80s dance rock scene,” it read.
Tributes have continued to roll in from across music. My Bloody Valentine dedicated the first tour in seven years to Mani, Oasis played ‘Live Forever’ in his honour, and Richard Ashcroft performed a cover of ‘She Bangs The Drums’.
Manchester United also paid their respects before an Arsenal game last month, with players wearing custom jackets reading ‘Mani 1962-2025’ alongside artwork that echoed the first Stone Roses album.
Elsewhere, Mani’s family recently clarified a “misunderstanding” around a tribute gig in Manchester, saying the issue “has now been resolved”. The event, titled ‘Manichester’, is due to take place at the 5,000-capacity Diecast venue in his home city on Saturday May 30.
