'Unbelievable love after my brother Mani's death'

The brother of the late Stone Roses and Primal Scream bassist Gary "Mani" Mounfield has spoken of the "outpouring of love" he has felt since he died last year.

Mani died in his sleep on 20 November at his home in Heaton Moor, Greater Manchester, of "respiratory issues" linked to the lung condition emphysema. He was 63.

The musician's brother, Greg Mounfield, told BBC Radio Manchester: "It was unbelievable. We were all in shock."

He added: "So many people wanted to be at his funeral - it was amazing."

The funeral, on 22 December, saw some of the biggest names of British 1980s and 90s music attend the service at Manchester Cathedral.

His former bandmates Ian Brown and Bobby Gillespie stood alongside Oasis frontman Liam Gallagher, Paul Weller and former Manchester United footballers Sir David Beckham and Gary Neville.

Greg said life had been difficult for the Mani's twin sons who were now orphaned as their mother Imelda died in 2023.

He added: "But they are doing well."

One twin was recently a mascot for his team Manchester United. His brother is a City fan.

Greg said: "We are just in the process of trying to get the other one to walk out with City."

He added: "It would have been great on derby day if both did it, but they'd end up fighting on the pitch!"

Greg also spoke about a crowdfunder started by GRIT Studios, the not-for-profit art studios organisation, which is raising money for a mural of Mani in his hometown of Failsworth, and for the Maggie's Centre, Manchester, which was a charity Mani and his wife supported.

He said: "When our kid's wife Imelda was diagnosed with cancer, she was under Maggie's Cancer and our kid and Imelda did two massive charity events and raised a hell of a lot of money for Maggie's.

"So we might as well carry on that legacy and donate all the profits."

John Macaulay, co-founder of GRIT, spent considerable time with Mani just before The Stone Roses reunited in 2011.

"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," he said.

Macaulay said the studio was using the same artist who created a mural of the Gallagher brothers on the wall of the record shop immortalised in Oasis's song Shakermaker.

The Mani mural will be on the wall of a pub where he and his brother used to dirnk in Failsworth.

The crowdfunder, A Mural for Mani, has raised more than £8,000 so far.

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