Happy Mondays lead heartfelt tributes after death of former member Paul Wagstaff
Wagstaff played guitar for Happy Mondays and was also part of Black Grape.
Happy Mondays star Bez has led tributes following the death of his former bandmate, Paul Wagstaff.
The musician’s cause and exact date of death are currently unknown.
Wagstaff played guitar for Happy Mondays and was a member of 90s band Black Grape.
The latter was a project comprising members of Happy Mondays (including Bez and Shaun Ryder) and Ruthless Rap Assassins.
Taking to Instagram in the wake of the sad news, Bez – real name Mark Berry – wrote: ‘Mr Paul Wagstaff (Wags), remembering the good times. RIP my friend.’
Bez and Wagstaff also worked together for Domino Bones.
Wagstaff’s cause of death is currently unknown (Picture: Scruffy Geetar/Facebook)Scott Carey, bassist for Paris Angels, joined in the tributes as he shared his sadness, writing: ‘His talent was innate as was his ability to sniff out a good time at 50 paces.
‘He had a wonderment about his soul. A one off x.’
Wagstaff was a guitarist for Paris Angels, with Carey recalling the first time they met ahead of playing together in the Mancunian band: ‘Instant camaraderie ensued and I was bowled over by the Wags charm.’
He continued in his post: ‘He said lets start a band – I said I couldnt but the day I got sacked from the Inspirals, Rikki Turner was there he said lets start a band – I said and I know who’s is going to play guitar! [sic]’.
Meanwhile, presenter Terry Christian wrote on X: ‘R.I.P Paul ‘Wags’ Wagstaff guitarist with Manchester bands Paris Angels and of course Black Grape and more recently Happy Mondays. Like asking where the music goes when it stops playing – that Manchester vibe Paul was a part of will always be in ‘the area’.’
Blackheads frontman Mike Bennett penned: ‘Legendary Paul Wagstaff also known as Wags was an important part of Paris Angels, Black Grape and Happy Mondays.
Black Grape comprised former Happy Mondays members, including Bez and Shaun Ryder (Picture: @bezmondays/Instagram)‘I knew him for years and he was not just a musician but a literary scholar, and always had a kind heart and a lightness of touch with the disenfranchised.
‘Needless to say I dipped in and out of that category and I have to say that his advice, kind heart scholastic words stopped me from making wrong decision and venturing through dark corridors.
‘Despite his own physical deliberations I found him self deprecating, upbeat and creatively of genius proportions.’
Fans of Wagstaff’s music also sent their condolences to his family, declaring that his creations still ‘sound fantastic today’.
Wagstaff leaves behind his long-term partner, Tamara Smith, who is an actress for the Royal Shakespeare Company.
The late star joined Black Grape along with Paul ‘Kermit’ Leveridge, Carl ‘Psycho’ McCarthy, Ged Lynch, and Oli ‘Dirtycash’ Dillon shortly after Bez and Ryder established the group in 1993.
They signed with Radioactive Records in 1995, and their debut album, It’s Great When You’re Straight, topped the UK charts.
Black Grape enjoyed major success from their first record, which also produced three top 20 singles and went platinum in April 1996.
Their next album, Stupid Stupid Stupid, went gold in January 1998 but didn’t quite reach the same dizzying heights.
That same year, however, they disbanded as Ryder fired the other members mid-tour.
In the years since, Black Grape has reunited for live gigs and has even released new material.
They were even due to hit the road later this year and play 11 dates in November and December.
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