Perry Bamonte of The Cure performs at North Island Credit Union Amphitheatre on May 20, 2023 in Chula Vista, California. HARMONY GERBER / AFP
The Cure guitarist and keyboard player Perry Bamonte has died aged 65, the legendary British dark rock band announced on Friday, December 27. Bamonte, who became a full member of The Cure in 1990, "passed away after a short illness at home over Christmas," according to a statement published on the band's website. "It is with enormous sadness that we confirm the death of our great friend and bandmate Perry Bamonte," it said. "Quiet, intensive, intuitive, constant and hugely creative, 'Teddy' was a warm hearted and vital part of The Cure story." It added: "Our thoughts and condolences are with all his family, he will be very greatly missed."
The Cure – whose 66-year-old frontman Robert Smith is famous for his innovative approach to music as well as on-stage stamina – has transformed itself throughout its prolific decades-spanning existence. When The Cure formed in 1976, Bamonte was initially part of its road crew from 1984 before enjoying two stints as a musical member, playing guitar, six-string bass and keyboard. The first, from 1990, spanned 14 years; the second began in 2022.
