It is with a heavy heart that we report the passing of long-term Cure guitarist and keyboardist Perry Bamonte at age 65 after a short illness. The news was originally reported on social media on 12/25 and officially confirmed by the band this afternoon. The Cure’s Robert Smith had these words to say:
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.
Bamonte began his storied tenure with the band in 1984, when he joined the band’s road crew during the touring cycle for The Top. He served as Robert Smith’s guitar technician and personal assistant between 1984 and 1989, and it was during this time that Bamonte learned to play piano and synthesizer, taught by Smith’s sister Janet. When keyboardist Roger O’Donnel left the band in 1990, Bamonte became an official member of The Cure, performing both synths, six string bass, and additional guitar. While Bamonte appeared on the cover for the 1990 single Never Enough, his first true outing with the band was 1992’s Wish, where he added to the album’s lush soundscapes and penned wistful fan favorite “Trust.”
His versatile playing can be heard throughout The Cure’s next few records, including 1996’s Wild Mood Swings (Bamonte also wrote “This is a Lie,” another stunning album track), 2000’s underrated Bloodflowers, and 2004’s self-titled record. Bamonte left the band in 2005, shortly after the Curiosa festival wrapped up. He would keep a low profile for the following years, performing as the bassist of UK alternative supergroup Love Amongst Ruin with Steve Hewitt of Placebo from 2012-2015.
Bamonte was inducted into the Rock n’ Roll Hall of Fame as a member of The Cure in 2019, and returned to the stage as a live member in 2023 to perform on the Shows of a Lost World tour, contributing his trademark blend of guitar, keyboards, and six string bass. He most recently can be seen and heard performing on the recent theater and DVD release of The Show Of A Lost World (Troxy Live 2024), which documents a thrilling 3+ hour live set on the eve of The Cure’s latest album release for Songs of a Lost World.
We wish all the best to Bamonte’s friends and family during this difficult time, and will always remember his incredible contributions to one of the world’s most singular and special of bands.
Header image by Tim Mosenfelder/Getty Images
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