Perry Bamonte, the Cure’s longtime guitarist and keyboardist, has died following an undisclosed illness. He was 65. In a statement posted to their website, the band wrote that Bamonte, who went by the nickname “Teddy,” was “quiet, intense, intuitive, constant and hugely creative,” as well as “a vital part of the Cure story.”
Perry Bamonte was born in 1960 in London. He first joined the Cure in 1984, as a roadie and Robert Smith’s guitar tech. Six years later, Bamonte was invited to become a full-time member following the departure of keyboardist Roger O’Donnell. Bamonte first appeared on the group’s chart-topping 1992 album Wish, playing keys and guitar across the record, as well as six-string bass on “Friday I’m in Love.” He would go on to perform in more than 400 shows with the band and on several additional Cure albums, including Wild Mood Swings and Bloodflowers. Bamonte left the Cure in 2005 and rejoined in 2022, ahead of their Shows of a Lost World tour.
In 2019, Bamonte was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame alongside his Cure bandmates. You can read the full statement from the band below.
