Perry Bamonte, The Cure Guitarist and Keyboardist, Dies at 65

Perry Bamonte, a guitarist and keyboardist for the legendary British goth rock band The Cure, has died.

Bamonte passed away “after a short illness at home over Christmas,” the band announced in a statement Dec. 26 on the official The Cure website. He was 65.

The band’s members, who referred to Bamonte by the nickname “Teddy,” described him as “quiet, intense, intuitive” and “hugely creative,” and said he 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,” they added.

The London-born Bamonte worked with The Cure in various capacities from 1984 until 1989 before officially joining the band as a keyboardist, guitarist and occasional six-string bassist in 1990, the band said. He first appeared on the band’s 1992 album “Wish,” which featured the Billboard Top 20 hit song ″Friday I’m in Love.”

In 2005, The Cure’s leader, singer and guitarist Robert Smith, dismissed Bamonte and keyboardist Roger O’Donnell in order to reshape the band as a three-piece, Billboard reported at the time.

In 2019, Bamonte reunited with members of The Cure when the band was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

He rejoined The Cure in 2022 and can be seen performing onstage in the band’s concert film “The Cure: The Show of a Lost World,” released this month.

Outside of his work with The Cure, Bamonte played bass in the British band Love Amongst Ruin, which featured former Placebo member Steve Hewitt on drums.