The music world is in mourning following the death of Perry Bamonte, the guitarist and keyboard player for iconic British band The Cure. He was 65 years old.
A Creative Force in The Cure's History
The band confirmed the sad news in a statement posted on their official website, expressing "enormous sadness". They revealed that Bamonte, affectionately known as 'Teddy', passed away "after a short illness at home".
Describing him as "quiet, intensive, intuitive, constant and hugely creative", the statement highlighted his "warm hearted and vital" contribution to The Cure's story. His journey with the group began long before he became a full member.
From Road Crew to Key Member
Bamonte first worked with The Cure as part of their road crew from 1984. He officially joined the band in 1990 following the departure of keyboardist Roger O'Donnell. This promotion came after he had already been looking after the band for several years.
As a full member, his musical versatility shone. He played guitar, six-string bass, and keyboards on several seminal albums, including:
- Wish (1992)
- Wild Mood Swings (1996)
- Bloodflowers (2000)
- The Cure (2004)
He performed on classic tracks like "Friday I'm In Love", "High", and "A Letter To Elise". Over an initial 14-year period, he played more than 400 shows with the band.
A Lasting Legacy and Personal Tributes
After leaving the band, Bamonte re-joined The Cure in 2022, adding another 90 shows to his tally. The band noted these included "some of the best in the band's history", culminating in The Show Of A Lost World concert in London on 1 November 2024.
His former bandmate, drummer Lol Tolhurst, posted a personal tribute on Instagram, writing: "So sad to hear about Perry Bamonte passing. Cindy and I send our condolences to all that knew him. Farewell Teddy."
Outside of The Cure, Bamonte was also the bass player in the supergroup Love Amongst Ruin. He had a keen interest in fly fishing and built a successful second career as an illustrator for Fly Culture magazine.
Formed in Crawley in 1976 by Robert Smith and Lol Tolhurst, The Cure have experienced several line-up changes. They are revered as one of the most influential bands of the 1980s indie and goth scenes and were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2019.
The band's statement concluded: "Our thoughts and condolences are with all his family, he will be very greatly missed."
