Perry Bamonte, who was a key figure in The Cure’s lineup through the 1990’s and early 2000’s, has died, aged 65. In a post on the band’s website, they announced that Perry had “passed away after a short illness at home over Christmas.”
Known as ‘Teddy’ to the rest of the band, he had humble beginnings as a roadie and guitar tech for their live tours, brought in by his brother who was their tour manager at the time. Teddy eventually found his way into the band in 1990 as a keyboard player. By the time of his debut on 1992’s ‘Wish’, which featured the hit ‘Friday I’m In Love’, he was also playing guitar, as well as six-stringed bass and percussion.
When fellow guitarist Pearl Thompson left the band in 1993, Bamonte’s role gained more emphasis on his guitar playing. He released 4 albums with the band between 1990 and 2005, in addition to 2 live albums. His tenure ended with The Cure when he was dismissed by frontman and band leader Robert Smith, who wished to try a new 3-member formula with the band, but he later returned in 2022 for their Shows Of A Lost World tour.
For his contributions, he was included in the list of members of The Cure who were inducted into The Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame in 2019. The band, originally founded in Crawley by Robert Smith, Lol Tolhurst and Michael Dempsey, were known for having somewhat of a volatile and ever-changing lineup. Their image, a blend of black clothes and lots of hairspray, contrasted their frequently upbeat music, and their influence can be felt in both Goth fashion, as well as the British New Romantic and New Wave music movements.
Following on from his departure from The Cure, he joined former Placebo drummer Steve Hewitt’s supergroup Love Amongst Ruin in 2012, which he remained a member of until his passing on December 24. He was also known to be an avid fan of fly fishing, providing his gifts in illustrating to Fly Culture magazine.
The official statement on The Cure’s website discloses that Perry Bamonte performed over 400 live shows with the band in his original run, and a further 90 between 2022 and 2024. He is also described as “a warm hearted and vital part of The Cure story”. Founding drummer Lol Tolhurst also paid tribute in a post on Instagram, saying “So sad to hear about Perry Bamonte passing… Farewell Teddy”.
Perry Bamonte intended to return to live shows with The Cure in 2026, on their summer festival tour, which will visit the Isle of Wight, Cardiff, Dublin, Belfast, Edinburgh and Manchester. He is survived by his wife, Donna.
