The Stone Roses, a defining band of the late 1980s and early 90s “Madchester” indie scene, featured an iconic lineup with Mani on bass, Ian Brown on vocals, John Squire on guitar, and Alan “Reni” Wren on drums. Their debut album, released in 1989, showcased classic tracks such as “I Wanna Be Adored,” “She Bangs The Drums,” and “I Am The Resurrection,” largely driven by Mani’s distinctive basslines. The band’s follow-up, “Second Coming,” arrived in 1994, also reaching the UK top five.
The Stone Roses disbanded in 1996, after which Mani joined Scottish rock band Primal Scream. His contributions were pivotal on the album “Vanishing Point,” which featured the krautrock-influenced single “Kowalski.” Over the years, he recorded four more albums with Primal Scream before reuniting with The Stone Roses in 2011.
The band enjoyed a brief resurgence, releasing two singles in 2016, although they did not produce a full-length album. Internal tensions led to another split in 2017, following a series of UK gigs that included a notable concert at Glasgow’s Hampden Park, which would mark the classic lineup’s final performance. At that concert, Brown encouraged fans to cherish the band’s legacy, stating, “Don’t be sad that it’s over, be happy that it happened.”
The enduring influence of The Stone Roses continues to resonate, reminding music lovers of their pivotal role in shaping the indie rock genre and the cultural landscape of their time.