Perry Bamonte, longtime guitarist and keyboardist for The Cure, has died at age 65 following a short illness over the Christmas period. The band confirmed his passing in a statement on December 26, 2025, describing him as a vital and creative member. Bamonte's contributions spanned key albums and tours during his two stints with the group.
The Cure announced the death of Perry Bamonte on December 26, 2025, via a message on their website. The musician, born on September 3, 1960, in London, passed away at home after a brief illness during the Christmas break.
Bamonte first connected with The Cure as a roadie in 1984 before joining full-time in 1990. During his initial 14-year tenure, he contributed guitar, six-string bass, and keyboards to several albums, including the 1992 release Wish, which reached No. 2 on the Billboard 200 and featured the Hot 100 hit "Friday I’m in Love." Other works included Wild Mood Swings (1996, peaking at No. 12), Bloodflowers (2000), Acoustic Hits (2001), and the band's self-titled album (2004). Over this period, he performed in more than 400 shows.
He departed the band in 2005 but rejoined in 2022, adding another 90 performances, which the group called some of their best. This second phase ended with The Show of a Lost World concert in London on November 1, 2024. Bamonte was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame with The Cure in 2019, where Nine Inch Nails' Trent Reznor gave the induction speech.
The band's statement read: “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. Quiet, intense, intuitive, constant and hugely creative, ‘Teddy’ was a warm-hearted and vital part of The Cure story.” It 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.”
Since debuting with Three Imaginary Boys in 1979, The Cure—featuring Robert Smith, Simon Gallup, Reeves Gabrels, and Jason Cooper—has influenced artists like Nine Inch Nails, Deftones, My Chemical Romance, The Smashing Pumpkins, Phoebe Bridgers, and Oasis.