Perry Archangelo Bamonte, the longtime guitarist and keyboardist for The Cure, passed away at the age of 65 after a short illness at his home over Christmas. The band announced the news on their official website on Friday, expressing "enormous sadness."
Born on September 3, 1960, in London, Bamonte—affectionately known as "Teddy"—first joined The Cure's orbit in 1984 as part of their road crew, working as a guitar technician and personal assistant to frontman Robert Smith. He became a full band member in 1990 after keyboardist Roger O'Donnell departed, contributing guitar, six-string bass, keyboards, and occasional percussion.
Bamonte played a key role on several albums during his initial 14-year tenure (1990–2005), including:
- Wish (1992) — featuring hits like "Friday I'm in Love," "High," and "A Letter to Elise"
- Wild Mood Swings (1996)
- Bloodflowers (2000)
- Acoustic Hits (2001)
- The Cure (2004)
He also appeared on live albums Paris and Show (both 1993) and performed in over 400 shows.After leaving the band in 2005 (when Smith reconfigured the lineup as a trio), Bamonte joined the supergroup Love Amongst Ruin as bassist.
He remained on good terms with Smith and rejoined The Cure in 2022 for the "Shows of a Lost World" tour, performing another 90 shows—described by the band as some of their best—culminating in a London concert on November 1, 2024.
He was also part of the group's 2019 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame induction.