The Stone Roses defined my childhood. When I decided to compile my 100 favourite records of all time, sitting at the top, unchallenged, there they were.
Not a day went by that I didn’t listen to their debut from start to finish. Mani’s prowling bassline intro to ‘I Wanna Be Adored’ is still an absolute spine tingler.
I’ve said goodbye to heroes before; Bowie, Prince, Wilson, Cobain. But they’ve always seemed slightly detached; sad losses, sure, but somehow other-worldly and unreal. But losing Mani, that hits hard. While others were part of the eternal rock’n’roll tragedy, Mani’s passing hits me with a sense of real, tangible, human mortality. He’s my generation. He’s human. And he also happened to be part of the most important band in the world to me growing up. It genuinely feels like I’ve lost my first Beatle.
As others lost the plot amid stardom and rock’n’roll pretence, Mani kept his integrity, delivering killer bassline after killer bassline for decades, right until his day of departure. When I think of him, I can only see those images of him with that utterly disarming ear-to-ear grin, never too pompous or self-important to wear a smile.
The Roses‘ debut is rightly seen as the pinnacle of their work, but the extended mixes and 12″ productions here really allow Mani’s bass work to shine.
This weekend I’ll be playing The Stone Roses and Primal Scream loudly on repeat, in immense appreciation of a man who wore his talent and humanity with ease and inspired my generation. Thanks Mani, rest easy.
Key Tracks:
Fool’s Gold
One Love
Elephant Stone
Artwork:
5/10
Further Listening:
The Stone Roses / The Stone Roses
Primal Scream / XTRMNTR
Primal Scream / Come Ahead
