Primal Scream are recording their new album without a bass player.

The ‘Kill all Hippies’ group recently lost their bassist Mani, as he left to rejoin his first band The Stone Roses, and they aren’t planning to find another one until after finishing recording on their tenth album.

Frontman Bobby Gillespie said: “We haven’t thought about it [who to replace Mani]. We’re gonna finish the record first and then think about it then. We’ve got a few ideas. We’re not short of people who want to join, put it that way. High-calibre players as well. You’ve got to be good to join our band.”

Bobby also joked that he’d asked ex-Happy Mondays member Bez – famed for being the group’s ‘dancer’ and never playing an instrument other than the maracas – if he’d play bass for them.

He added: “I was at an awards ceremony and Bez said to me, ‘What are you gonna do now Mani’s gone?’ and I said, ‘Can you play bass Bez?’ How cool would that be, bass and maracas! He was like, I’d love to do it Bob, but I can’t f***ing play.”