Quiet, intense, intuitive, constant and hugely creative, ‘Teddy’ was a warm-hearted and vital part of The Cure story.
Perry Bamonte, guitarist and keyboardist with The Cure, has died aged 65. The band confirmed he passed away at home over the Christmas period after a short illness.
Bamonte first became part of The Cure’s world in 1984, working on the road crew and as Robert Smith’s guitar technician and assistant — a role he arrived at through his brother, who was the band’s tour manager.
When keyboardist Roger O’Donnell left in 1990, Bamonte joined the band full time. Over the next 14 years, he played guitar, keyboards, six-string bass and percussion on a string of key albums, including Wish (1992), Wild Mood Swings (1996), Bloodflowers (2000), Acoustic Hits and The Cure (2004). During that period he also performed in more than 400 shows with the band.
Bamonte left The Cure in 2005 amid a lineup change, later joining the supergroup Love Amongst Ruin alongside members of Placebo and other acts. In 2019, he was part of The Cure’s Rock & Roll Hall of Fame induction.
In 2022 he returned to The Cure for the Shows Of A Lost World world tour, adding around 90 more performances, including shows in London in November 2024 that were captured in the concert film The Show Of A Lost World.
He did not play on the band’s most recent studio album, Songs Of A Lost World, as its recording was completed before his return.
The Cure described him, affectionately known as “Teddy,” as “quiet, intense, intuitive, constant and hugely creative” and extended condolences to his family and friends.
Bamonte’s career with The Cure spanned eras both behind the scenes and on stage, and his contributions, whether on guitar, keys or bass, helped define the texture of the band’s sound through many of its most celebrated periods.
