Perry Archangelo Bamonte, the beloved guitarist, keyboardist and multi-instrumentalist for the influential English rock band The Cure, has died at age 65 after a brief illness at his home over the Christmas holidays, the band announced on their official website on Friday. His passing marks the end of a remarkable musical journey that saw him rise from behind-the-scenes road crew to one of the defining creative forces in one of alternative rock’s most enduring bands.
Iconic Career and Deep Ties to The Cure
Born in London in 1960, Bamonte’s association with The Cure began not as a performer but behind the scenes. He joined the band’s road crew in 1984, working as a keyboard and guitar technician and serving as a personal assistant to frontman Robert Smith — all while his brother Daryl Bamonte was working as the band’s tour manager.
His big break came in 1990 after longtime keyboardist Roger O’Donnell departed. Bamonte was invited to become a full-time band member, and he quickly established himself as a versatile and valuable musician. Over the next 14 years, he played guitar, six-string bass, keyboards and percussion on a string of celebrated Cure albums including Wish (1992), Wild Mood Swings (1996), Bloodflowers (2000) and The Cure (2004).
Bamonte also performed on some of the band’s best-known songs — such as “Friday I’m in Love,” “A Letter to Elise” and “High” — and participated in more than 400 live shows across his initial tenure with the group.
Departure and Return
In 2005, Bamonte’s time with The Cure came to an unexpected end when he was dismissed as part of a lineup change. But the story did not end there. In 2019, he rejoined his former bandmates on stage when The Cure were inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, affirming his integral role in the band’s legacy.
His musical partnership was renewed again in 2022, when he rejoined the band for their Shows of a Lost World tour. That tour was widely praised, with around 90 shows that the band later described as some of its best, culminating in a major concert in London on 1 November 2024 that was immortalised in a live concert film.
A Creative, Quiet Presence
In their official tribute, The Cure described Bamonte as “quiet, intense, intuitive, constant and hugely creative,” adding that he was a “warm-hearted and vital part of The Cure story.” The band extended condolences to his family, saying he “will be very greatly missed.”
Bamonte’s musical contributions were characterised by versatility rather than flashiness — whether switching between guitar and keys, or underpinning the band’s atmospheric sound with subtle harmonic and rhythmic textures that fans have long admired.
Outside of The Cure, he also played bass for the rock supergroup Love Amongst Ruin, which included members of other notable British acts, further showcasing his breadth as a musician.
Tributes from Friends and Fans
News of Bamonte’s passing sparked an outpouring of tributes from fans and fellow musicians alike. Former bandmate Lol Tolhurst — who originally worked with Bamonte in earlier phases of The Cure’s history — remembered him as a “quiet unassuming man” whose presence left a lasting impact on both the band and its community.
Social media communities and fan forums quickly filled with memories and condolences, many recalling Bamonte’s deep influence on the band’s live sound and his role in helping define its aesthetic across decades.
Legacy and Influence
The Cure have been widely recognised as one of the most influential bands in gothic rock, post-punk and alternative music scenes since forming in 1976, with Robert Smith as the enduring frontman. Bamonte’s tenure — both in the studio and on the road — helped sustain the band’s creative momentum through the 1990s and into the 21st century.
His work on albums like Wish and Bloodflowers bridged the band’s earlier successes with later explorations of mood, melody and texture, helping to shape the sonic identity for successive generations of fans.
The full impact of his influence will likely become even clearer in the coming days as retrospectives and tributes build around his role in some of the most beloved songs and performances of The Cure’s long career.
A Personal Farewell
Bamonte’s final years with The Cure kept him connected to the band’s ongoing evolution and its devoted fanbase. His involvement in the Shows of a Lost World tour — a celebration of the band’s history and an embrace of their future — stands as a powerful capstone to his professional life.
As musicians, fans and peers remember him, Perry Bamonte’s body of work — grounded in artistic rigor, collaboration and understated creativity — will remain a defining chapter in the story of The Cure. His voice may have been quieter than many, but his contributions resonated deeply in the music that defined generations.
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