Former Stone Roses guitarist John Squire has shared a new piece of artwork in tribute to Mani. See the post below.
- READ MORE: Gary “Mani” Mounfield, 1962-2025: baggy bass hero whose melodies made the Madchester movement
The late musician, who played bass for the Roses and Primal Scream, died on November 20. He was 63 years old.
It has since been confirmed that Mani (real name Gary Mounfield) passed away peacefully in his sleep due to “respiratory issues” linked to the long-standing lung condition emphysema.
Now, Squire has posted an image of a new art piece to honour his former bandmate Mani.
The guitarist is also a published artist, and has previously created the cover artwork for singles and albums by the Stone Roses – including the Jackson Pollock-influenced sleeve for the 1989 debut LP.
Squire’s tribute to Mani appears to reference his ‘Spike Island’ artwork from 1990. The new canvas design consists of numerous squares, painted in different colours. They feature the letters of Mani’s name, interspersed with some stars.
In the comments section, one follower wrote: “Wow. That is a truly beautiful painting full of love… he would absolutely LOVE that boss.” Another said: “Mani!❤️.”
On Reddit, a fan suggested that the painting should be available to buy as a print. “I’d happily buy one for charity,” they added.
However, Squire did not share any comment or further information in the caption.
The guitarist has previously exhibited his artwork in London and Oldham, with the latter hosting his first major solo exhibition, ‘Heat, Light, Death And Industry’. He explained in 2007 that he was “enjoying [art] far too much to go back to music”.
In 2012, Squire’s art studio burned down at his home in Macclesfield, Cheshire. He said he was “extremely sad” to have lost some of his work in the blaze.
Squire created the cover artwork for his 2024 collaborative album with Liam Gallagher, titled ‘Liam Gallagher John Squire’. The joint record went to Number One in the UK, and earned a four-star review from NME.
Paying tribute to Mani last month, the Stone Roses said: “RIP our wonderful brother Mani. The greatest bass player and friend we could ever have wished for.”
Mani’s funeral is due to take place at Manchester Cathedral next Monday (December 22). It’ll begin at 11:30am GMT, followed by a “private committal service”.
In an obituary to Mani, NME described how the late musician “held a rare place in the world of bass heroes” and “defined 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.
