The Cure guitarist and keyboardist Perry Bamonte has passed away at the age of 65, with the band confirming his death in a statement posted to their official website. Bamonte died at his home over Christmas following a short illness.
“It is with enormous sadness that we confirm the death of our great friend and bandmate Perry Bamonte,” The Cure wrote in a statement on their official website. “Quiet, intense, intuitive, constant and hugely creative, ‘Teddy’ was a warm hearted and vital part of the Cure story… Our thoughts and condolences are with all his family. He will be very greatly missed.”
The Cure – ‘Alone’ (The Show of a Lost World – Live from Troxy 2024)
Bamonte’s story with The Cure is one of the most quietly remarkable in the band’s history. He didn’t walk straight into the spotlight – he earned his place from the road up. His younger brother Daryl worked as the band’s tour manager, which led Perry to join the crew in 1984 before becoming Robert Smith’s guitar tech and personal assistant. Over the years, he became part of the band’s inner sanctum, officially stepping into the lineup in 1990 after the departure of keyboardist Roger O’Donnell. After Porl Thompson left in 1993, Bamonte took on lead guitar duties, shaping some of the band’s most beloved eras.
During his 15-year tenure, Bamonte played guitar, six-string bass and keyboards across albums including Wish, Wild Mood Swings, Bloodflowers, Acoustic Hits and The Cure, and performed more than 400 shows worldwide. Though he was dismissed by Robert Smith in 2005, Bamonte would later return to the fold, rejoining the band in 2022 and going on to play another 90 shows – including what would become his final performance with the group at London’s Troxy in November 2024.
He also appears in The Show Of A Lost World, the band’s concert film released just last week.
A figure who helped shape The Cure’s sound across decades – often from the shadows – Perry Bamonte leaves behind an extraordinary legacy that will live on in the music forever.
Further Reading
The Cure To Release Expanded Version Of ‘Wish’ For 30th Anniversary
Love Letter To A Record: Soft Powder On The Cure’s ‘Disintegration’
The Cure Bassist Simon Gallup Says He’s Back in the Band, Months After Announcing His Exit
