Perry Archangelo Bamonte, longtime guitarist and keyboardist for the legendary gothic rock band The Cure, has died at the age of 65. The band confirmed his death in an official statement published on their website on Friday.
According to the announcement, Bamonte passed away at home over Christmas following a short illness.
“It is with enormous sadness that we confirm the death of our great friend and bandmate Perry Bamonte,” the statement read. “Quiet, intense, intuitive, constant and hugely creative, ‘Teddy’ was a warm-hearted and vital part of The Cure story. Our thoughts and condolences are with all his family. He will be very greatly missed.”
Bamonte had a long and multifaceted history with The Cure, working with the band in various behind-the-scenes roles between 1984 and 1989, including as a roadie and guitar technician. His deep involvement with the group eventually led to his official entry as a full-time member in 1990, following the departure of keyboardist Roger O’Donnell.
Joining the band shortly after their commercial breakthrough with the critically acclaimed 1989 album Disintegration, Bamonte became an integral part of The Cure’s evolving sound. He contributed guitar, six-string bass, and keyboards on several major releases throughout the 1990s and early 2000s.
His work is featured on some of the band’s most notable albums, including Wish (1992), which produced enduring hits such as “Friday I’m in Love” and “High.” Bamonte also appeared on Wild Mood Swings (1996), Bloodflowers (2000), and the band’s self-titled 2004 album.
Fans and fellow musicians have begun paying tribute to Bamonte’s creative influence and steady presence within the band, remembering him as a quiet but essential contributor to The Cure’s legacy. His death marks the loss of a key figure in one of alternative music’s most influential groups.
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