Johnny Marr on how Noel Gallagher called him to tell him Mani had died, and how it shaped his album
Johnny Marr has recalled how he found out from Noel Gallagher that Gary “Mani” Mounfield had died, and explained how the news helped shape some of the lyrics on his new album ‘The Age of Everything’.
Mani originally found fame as bassist for the Stone Roses, joining in 1987 and playing on both their iconic albums, until they first disbanded in 1996. He then went on to join Primal Scream and stayed with them until 2011, when the Stone Roses reformed. He passed away on November 20, aged 63, due to respiratory issues linked to long-standing emphysema.
News of his passing led to countless tributes for the beloved bass player pouring in on social media from fans and fellow musicians, including from Stone Roses frontman Ian Brown, New Order, Courteneers’ Liam Fray, Elbow, Richard Ashcroft, Tim Burgess and Peter Hook.
Now, Johnny Marr has revealed that he heard the news from fellow Manchester music icon Noel Gallagher, who called up while Marr was working on his new solo album, ‘The Age of Everything’.
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Speaking to Radio X, Marr said that he was working on the second song on the tracklist ‘Beyond The Rain’ when he got the call.
“It was about 11 o’clock in the morning. We all got our headphones on and we’re like, OK, let’s go for ‘Beyond the Rain’,” and my phone goes and I could see it was Noel,” he shared. “Normally I wouldn’t pick my phone up, but Noel’s calling. He didn’t usually call, he usually text.
“I pick up the phone, all the band are stood there, and he tells me that Mani’s died,” Marr continued. “I remember everyone was really in shock. Everyone was really upset. Of course, me and my band knew Mani very well for a long time.
He shared that the band then debated whether to “call it [and] just forget the session,” but ultimately decided to continue with it, but consider amending some of the lyrics.
“I could hear Mani immediately [saying] ‘Come on, Mr. Marr, come on, you gotta keep rocking,’ So, I don’t know, maybe we’re in shock [but] we did the song,” he shared. “When I came back the next day to do the vocals, there were a couple of lines that I kind of changed a little bit.
“There was a line about the sun coming out, and I just changed it to, ‘I shine like a northern son, back to where I once belonged’… there’s a couple of lines like that in the song that I changed. It took on a much more poignant and meaningful message, that song. So I didn’t write about Mani, but he was on our minds as I was singing it.”
The former Smiths guitarist released his fifth solo record on October 2 via BMG, and it marked the follow-up to 2022’s ‘Fever Dreams Pts 1–4’, a ‘best-of’ compilation in 2023, and live album ‘Look Out Live!’ in 2025.
He has also contributed to Gorillaz‘ latest record ‘The Mountain’ – and made an appearance with the band in London in June – as well as working on the star-studded ‘Help(2)’ charity album for War Child, and joining Pet Shop Boys on stage in London to perform some deep cuts and rarities in early April.
At the end of last month, the songwriter and guitarist also spoke to NME about his new solo record, as well as his love of The Cure and Fontaines D.C., hopes for the future, and why PM Andy Burnham isn’t forbidden from listening to The Smiths.
“When I’m asked about the album title, everyone jumps to the conclusion that it’s about overwhelm, overuse and overstimulation,” he told us. “That is entirely true, but because I’ve lived with it and I’m a songwriter and at heart a pretty positive person, I think about it differently.
“If you were telling a five-year-old what ‘The Age Of Everything’ meant, you’d be saying something very different. If you start thinking culturally about Buddhism or new age-ism, then ‘The Age Of Everything’ takes on a different slant.”
Check out the full interview here, and watch the NME video of Marr blind ranking songs from his discography above.
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