The Cure Guitarist/Keyboardist Perry Bamonte Dead at 65

Photo Credit: Perry Bamonte by Chris “BuB” Cardi / CC by 4.0

The Cure’s longtime guitarist and keyboardist Perry Bamonte has passed away after a battle with an undisclosed illness. He was 65.

Perry “Teddy” Bamonte, guitarist and keyboardist for The Cure since 1990, has passed away after battling an undisclosed illness. He was 65. The band wrote in an announcement on their website that Bamonte was “quiet, intense, intuitive, constant, and hugely creative,” and a “vital part of The Cure story.”

“It is with enormous sadness that we confirm the death of our great friend and bandmate Perry Bamonte, who 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,” wrote the band.

“Looking after the band from 1984 through 1989, he became a full-time member of The Cure in 1990, playing guitar, six string bass, and keyboard on the Wish, Wild Mood Swings, Bloodflowers, Acoustic Hits, and The Cure albums, as well as performing more than 400 shows over 14 years.”

“He rejoined The Cure in 2022, playing another 90 shows, some of the best in the band’s history, culminating with the show of a Lost World concert in London [on] 1st November 2024. Our thoughts and condolences are with all his family. He will be very greatly missed.”

Born in 1960 in London, Perry Bamonte was a roadie for The Cure and Robert Smith’s guitar tech beginning in 1984. After the departure of keyboardist Roger O’Donnell six years later, Bamonte was invited to become a full-time member of the band. He first appeared on the group’s 1992 album Wish, playing keyboard and guitar, as well as six-string bass on the classic “Friday I’m in Love.”

Bamonte left The Cure in 2005 but rejoined in 2022, ahead of the band’s Shows of a Lost World Tour. In 2019, Bamonte was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame alongside the rest of The Cure.