Perry Bamonte, guitarist and keyboardist with The Cure, dies aged 65
He played with the band from 1990 to 2005 before officially rejoining in 2022
Perry Bamonte, guitarist and keyboardist with
The Cure, has died at the age of 65.
The news was announced earlier today (December 26) with
an announcement on the band’s official website, which confirmed that their “great friend and bandmate” had passed away “after a short illness at home over Christmas”.
“Quiet, intense, intuitive, constant and hugely creative, ‘Teddy’ was a warm hearted and vital part of The Cure story,” the tribute read. “Our thoughts and condolences are with all his family. He will be very greatly missed.”
Born Perry Archangelo Bamonte in London on 3 September 1960, he initially became a member of The Cure’s road crew in 1984, after his brother Daryl was appointed as their tour manager, and he went on to become frontman
Robert Smith’s guitar technician and personal assistant.
When keyboardist Roger O’Donnell left the band in 1990, Bamonte became a full-time Cure member, playing guitar and keyboards – having been taught the latter by Smith’s sister Janet – as well as six-string bass and percussion on occasion.
He played on a string of albums, from 1992’s ‘Wish’ to 2000’s ‘Bloodflowers’,
before being dismissed in 2005. He joined the band Love Amongst Ruin in 2012 alongside members of
Placebo and
Julian Cope’s band, before reconnecting with The Cure for
their induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2019.
He officially rejoined the band in 2022, playing on the entirety of the ‘Shows Of A Lost World’ tour, including
their most recent show at London’s Troxy in November 2024, which has now been immortalised in the concert film
The Show Of A Lost World. He did not contribute to final album ‘
Songs Of A Lost World’, however, as the recording had been completed before he rejoined.