The Cure’s long-serving guitarist and keyboardist, Perry Bamonte, has died at the age of 65, per theguardian.com.
The band confirmed the news on their official website Friday, December 26, stating that their “great friend and bandmate” passed away at home over Christmas following a short illness.
In a moving tribute, the band described Bamonte, affectionately known as “Teddy,” as a “warm-hearted and vital part of The Cure story,” praising him as “quiet, intense, intuitive, constant and hugely creative.”
Bamonte’s journey with the iconic group began in 1984 as a member of the road crew. He later served as frontman Robert Smith’s guitar technician before being promoted to a full-time member in 1990.
A versatile multi-instrumentalist, he contributed guitar, keyboards and six-string bass to several of the band’s most celebrated albums, including Wish (1992), Wild Mood Swings (1996) and Bloodflowers (2000).
After parting ways with the group in 2005, Bamonte officially rejoined The Cure in 2022. He was a mainstay of the recent ‘Shows Of A Lost World’ tour, featuring prominently in the 2024 concert film captured at London’s Troxy.
Though he did not record on the band’s latest album, as sessions were completed prior to his return, he had been scheduled to perform at a string of major UK and European headline dates and festivals throughout 2026.
The music world now mourns a musician whose steady presence defined a pivotal era of one of British rock’s most enduring acts.
•Featured image: Perry Bamonte of The Cure at Pine Knob Music Theatre on June 13, 2023 in Clarkston, Michigan/Scott Legato/Getty Images
