Perry Archangelo Bamonte, the quietly influential guitarist, keyboardist and long-time creative force within The Cure, has died aged 65. The band confirmed Bamonte’s death on their official website on 26 December 2025, revealing he 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, who passed away after a short illness at home over Christmas,” 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.”
Born in London on 3 September 1960, Bamonte’s association with The Cure began well before his name appeared on album sleeves. Through his younger brother Daryl, a tour manager for The Cure and Depeche Mode, Bamonte joined The Cure’s road crew in 1984. During that period he became the band’s guitar technician and personal assistant to Robert Smith, a role that placed him at the centre of the group’s touring and recording life during a crucial creative era.
Already an accomplished guitarist, Bamonte expanded his musical range while working behind the scenes. Robert Smith’s sister Janet taught him piano and keyboards, skills that would later define his versatility within the band. When keyboardist Roger O’Donnell departed in 1990, Bamonte was promoted to a full-time member of The Cure, stepping seamlessly into a multi-instrumental role that included guitar, six-string bass, keyboards and occasional percussion.
His first studio album with the band was Wish in 1992, a release that became one of The Cure’s most commercially successful records and a cornerstone of their early 1990s catalogue. Bamonte remained a key contributor through Wild Mood Swings, Bloodflowers and the self-titled The Cure album, while also appearing on the live releases Paris and Show. Across that initial tenure, he performed more than 400 shows over 14 years, helping translate the band’s dense, emotional studio work into expansive live performances.
Line-up changes within The Cure were frequent, and Bamonte’s responsibilities evolved accordingly. Following the departure of guitarist Pearl Thompson and the return of Roger O’Donnell, his focus shifted more heavily towards guitar work, reinforcing the layered textures that had become central to the band’s sound. In 2005, Bamonte and O’Donnell were dismissed as Robert Smith sought to reconfigure The Cure as a three-piece. Despite the abrupt nature of the decision, relations between Bamonte and Smith reportedly remained amicable.
After leaving The Cure, Bamonte kept a low public profile. He devoted time to fly fishing and established a parallel career as an illustrator, contributing artwork and writing to Fly Culture magazine. In 2012 he joined the supergroup Love Amongst Ruin as bassist, appearing on their 2015 album Lose Your Way. His creative output during this period reflected the same understated intensity that had defined his musical work.
In 2019, Bamonte reunited with past and present members of The Cure for their induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, a moment that acknowledged his lasting contribution to one of Britain’s most influential bands. Three years later, in a move not announced in advance, he rejoined The Cure for the Shows Of A Lost World tour in 2022. Over the next two years he played another 90 shows, performances the band later described as among the strongest of their career.
That chapter culminated with the The Cure: The Show Of A Lost World concert in London on 1 November 2024, marking Bamonte’s final performance with the band. The concert coincided with the launch of Songs Of A Lost World and served as a powerful closing statement to his long association with The Cure.
Perry Bamonte’s role within The Cure was rarely defined by spectacle. Instead, his legacy lies in constancy, musical sensitivity and a willingness to serve the song above all else. As The Cure’s statement made clear, he was not only a bandmate but a trusted friend, and his absence will be felt deeply within the group and by fans worldwide.
Stay updated with your free Noise11.com daily music news email alert. Subscribe to Noise11 Music News here
Be the first to see NOISE11.com’s newest interviews and special features on YouTube. See things first—Subscribe to Noise11 on YouTube
Follow Noise11.com on social media:
Bluesky
Facebook – Comment on the news of the day
