The news of Gary “Mani” Mounfield’s death at 63 “rippled through the rock world like a sudden, shattering chord,” leaving fans and fellow musicians stunned as the “cause of death remains heartbreakingly unclear.” For many who grew up with The Stone Roses, Mani wasn’t just part of the band — he was part of their lives. His bass didn’t just support the music; it “gave them swagger, soul and a pulse” that people felt deeply. Those who knew him now recall a gentle, humorous man whose kindness contrasted with the power he brought to the stage.

As tributes appear from everywhere, fans are also revisiting the difficult years he faced. The loss of his wife Imelda “had already dimmed the lights around him,” and some find comfort imagining them reunited. The initial shock of his passing is slowly becoming a quieter, lasting sadness.

The planned conversation tour meant to celebrate his 40 years in music will never happen. Still, another kind of conversation continues — found in “record grooves, in bootleg tapes, in festival recollections and in the lives of his twin sons.” His influence echoes louder now, carried by those who still listen.

Every time someone replays a track, remembers a show, or feels one of his unmistakable basslines, Mani is still there — “steady, soulful, and impossible to mute.”