Perry Bamonte, guitarist and keyboardist for the Cure, dies aged 65 | The Cure
Perry Bamonte, the Cure’s longtime guitarist and keyboardist, has died at the age of 65.
The band’s website announced that the musician, affectionately known as Teddy, had passed away after a brief illness over Christmas.
The band described the musician as “quiet, intense, intuitive, persistent and highly creative”, calling him “a vital part of the Cure story”.
“He looked after the band from 1984 to 1989, becoming a full member of the Cure in 1990; he played guitar, six-string bass and keyboards on the albums Wish (1992), Wild Mood Swings (1996), Bloodflowers (2000), Acoustic Hits (2001) and the Cure (2004),” the band’s website reads.
Founded in 1976 by frontman Robert Smith and drummer Lol Tolhurst, The Cure are known for their influence on goth, post-punk and indie music.
Bamonte, who will play on Cure’s UK and European tour in 2026, first joined the band in 1984 as part of their road crew through his brother Daryl, who was the band’s tour manager at the time.
He became a full-time member of the band in 1990, following the departure of keyboardist Roger O’Donnell. He performed over 400 shows over the next 14 years, playing on some of the band’s most well-known tracks, including Friday I’m in Love, High and A Letter to Elise.
Born in London in September 1960, Bamonte left the Cure in 2005 following the group’s reformation as a trio. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame along with the Cure in 2019.
“He rejoined the Cure in 2022, playing a further 90 shows, some of the best in the band’s history, culminating with the Show of a Lost World concert in London on 1 November 2024,” the band wrote on their website, adding: “Our thoughts and condolences are with all his family. We will miss him dearly.”
Bamonte was also the bassist for the supergroup Love Amongst Ruin, alongside former Placebo drummer Steve Hewitt and Julian Cope collaborator Donald Ross Skinner. The band has released two studio albums, their self-titled debut album in 2010 and Lose Your Way released in 2015.
The musician was also interested in fly fishing and built a career as an illustrator, contributing to Fly Culture magazine.
Bamonte’s former bandmate, drummer Lol Tolhurst, wrote in a tribute on Instagram: “So sad to hear that Perry Bamonte has passed away. Cindy (Tolhurst’s wife) and I send our condolences to everyone who knew him. Farewell, Teddy.”
