News : Happy Mondays singer Shaun Ryder calls for statue in Manchester in honour of late Stone Roses legend Mani

Happy Mondays frontman Shaun Ryder has called for a statue in Manchester to honour late Stone Roses legend Mani.

The 63-year-old singer was close friends with Mani and he has called on the Major of Manchester Andy Burnham to create a permanent tribute to the bass player as well as other music icons from the city in North West England, such as late Factory Records boss Tony Wilson and The Smiths bassist Andy Rourke, who passed away in May 2023 aged 59.

Appearing on Absolute Radio show Bush and Richie on Hometime with his bandmate Bez, Shaun was asked by presenter Andy Bush if Mani should be honoured with a statue in Manchester.

Shaun responded: “Well, look, we haven’t got a statue for Tony Wilson yet. We’re not Liverpool where there’s (lots of) statues.

“You’ve got The Bee Gees in the Isle of Man, you’ve got Morecambe and Wise (Eric Morecambe) in Morecambe, you’ve got The Beatles statues in Liverpool. We don’t have statues. Manchester doesn’t do statues like that. There’s a call for Tony Wilson to be honoured like that but it’s not happening.

“It doesn’t take a big business brain to go, 'Well, if we throw a few of these statues up like Mani and Andy Rourke or (Factor Records') Martin Hannett, and stick them around central Manchester, they’re gonna bring in tourists who then go in your hotels.’”

Mani’s funeral took place in Manchester on December 6, 2025, drawing an outpouring of grief and affection from across the music world and beyond. Among those who attended to pay their respects were Mani's Stone Roses bandmates Ian Brown, John Squire and Alan "Reni" Wren, as well as Oasis singer Liam Gallagher, former Manchester United players David Beckham and Gary Neville, Paul Weller, Bez and Mani's Primal Scream bandmate Bobby Gillespie.

Bez, 61, praised Mani - who died on November 12, 2025, aged 63 - as just "one of the lads" despite the huge success he achieved in The Stone Roses and Primal Scream.

Bez - who is joining Shaun on the Happy Mondays Pills 'n' Thrills and Bellyaches tour this year - said: "He had time for everybody. He treated everyone equally. And you know, he had an infectious laugh.

“He was like genuinely one of the lads. You could see that from the people that turned up at the funeral for him. From every walk of life, they were all there for him. He treated everybody as equals, and he could talk to anybody and that’s what was magic about him. And he was a passionate (Manchester) United fan as well."