Perry Bamonte death: The Cure guitarist dies aged 65

The guitarist did two stints with the legendary band

Perry Bamonte, guitarist for rock band The Cure, has died aged 65.

Bamonte died after a short illness over Christmas, the band confirmed Friday. He was the band’s guitarist from 1990 through 2005, and then from 2022 until the time of his death.

“Teddy was a warm hearted and vital part of The Cure story,” the band’s statement read.

“‘Looking after the band’ from 1984 through 1989, he became a full time member of The Cure in 1990, playing guitar, six string bass and keyboard on ‘The Wish,’ ‘Wild Mood Swings,’ ‘Bloodflowers,’ acoustic hits and The Cure albums, as well as performing more than 400 shows over 14 years,” the statement continued.

“He rejoined The Cure in 2022, playing another 90 shows, some of the best in the band’s history, culminating with ‘The Show of a Lost World’ concert in London 1st November 2024. Our thoughts and condolences are with all his family. He will be very greatly missed.”

The Cure guitarist Perry Bamonte — described as “a warm hearted and vital part of The Cure story” — has died aged 65. (Getty Images)

Bamonte, right, with other members of The Cure during their induction into the Rock Walk at the Guitar Center in Hollywood (Getty Images)

Born in 1960, Bamonte joined The Cure’s road crew in 1980 through his brother, Daryl, who was the band’s tour manager at the time.

After a stint as frontman Robert Smith’s personal assistant and guitar technician, Bamonte officially joined the band as the guitarist in 1990. He remained with the group until 2005, when Smith reimagined the group as a trio.

Bamonte went on to join the band Love Amongst Ruin in 2012.

He later reunited with The Cure in 2019 when the band was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. After rejoining the band in 2022, Bamonte slated to continue touring with the group through 2026.

Bamonte was included on the band’s 2024 album — Songs of a Lost World — its first in 16 years.

At the time of its release, The Independent’s Helen Brown wrote: “Songs of a Lost World is just eight tracks long, although it’s so immersive you’ll lose track of time. The album begins with four minutes of shoegaze instrumental before Smith’s vocals appear in the final third of ‘Alone’ – a disorienting warning at the start of the album that ‘this is the end… hopes and dreams have gone.’

“At times Smith has written songs of noise and dirge, but here he’s dialled into some lovely melodies, arcing upward, plunging downward and smearing their way into the creases of your brain like mucky kohl – all the while Smith is ‘staring at the blood red moon, remembering that boy and the world he called his own’ and lamenting ‘it’s all gone, it’s all gone.’”