{"id":25069,"date":"2025-12-27T08:30:36","date_gmt":"2025-12-27T04:30:36","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/azat.tv\/en\/?p=8006543211042268"},"modified":"2026-01-06T21:23:00","modified_gmt":"2026-01-06T17:23:00","slug":"perry-bamonte-the-cure-guitarist-keyboardist-obituary-2025","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/azat.tv\/en\/perry-bamonte-the-cure-guitarist-keyboardist-obituary-2025\/","title":{"rendered":"Perry Bamonte: The Cure\u2019s Quiet Architect Remembered After His Passing at 65"},"content":{"rendered":"<div style=\"background: #f7fafc; padding: 15px;\">\n<p><strong>Quick Read<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Perry Bamonte, longtime guitarist and keyboardist for The Cure, died at 65 after a short illness over Christmas 2025.<\/li>\n<li>He joined The Cure as a full-time member in 1990, played on iconic albums like &#8216;Wish&#8217; and &#8216;Bloodflowers,&#8217; and performed in over 500 shows.<\/li>\n<li>Bamonte rejoined The Cure for their 2022-2024 global tour and was inducted into the Rock &amp; Roll Hall of Fame with the band in 2019.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<p>Perry Bamonte, the guitarist and keyboardist whose understated artistry helped define The Cure\u2019s sound for nearly two decades, died at home on December 25, 2025, following a short illness. He was 65. The band announced his passing over the Christmas holiday, with frontman Robert Smith and fellow members Simon Gallup and Jason Cooper offering a heartfelt tribute on their official website, describing Bamonte as \u201cquiet, intense, intuitive, constant and hugely creative\u2014a warm-hearted and vital part of The Cure story.\u201d <em>(Variety, NY Post)<\/em><\/p>\n<p>Born in London on September 3, 580, Perry Bamonte\u2019s journey with The Cure began not on stage, but behind it. Through his younger brother Daryl, who was the band\u2019s tour manager, Bamonte joined the road crew in 1984. He quickly became indispensable, first as Robert Smith\u2019s personal assistant and guitar technician, then as a trusted presence who \u201clooked after the band\u201d during their turbulent mid-80s tours. That backstage reliability proved crucial when keyboardist Roger O\u2019Donnell departed in 1990, opening the door for Bamonte to become a full-time member. <em>(Variety, Stereogum)<\/em><\/p>\n<p>Bamonte\u2019s first major studio contribution came with 1992\u2019s \u201cWish,\u201d The Cure\u2019s most commercially successful album. His six-string bass and keyboard work can be heard on enduring hits such as \u201cFriday I\u2019m in Love,\u201d \u201cA Letter to Elise,\u201d and \u201cHigh\u201d\u2014tracks that still resonate with fans worldwide. Bamonte\u2019s musicianship was never flashy, but it was integral: he provided a textured backbone, anchoring the group\u2019s signature blend of melancholy and pop shimmer. In a 1992 interview, Bamonte reflected, \u201cIn The Cure we get to add our own parts to the music\u2014tempos, accents&#8230; Though we&#8217;re very separate and distinct individuals, we&#8217;ve evolved a sort of group mind with the music. It&#8217;s a lot like science fiction, being in The Cure.\u201d <em>(Ultimate Classic Rock)<\/em><\/p>\n<p>During his first tenure, Bamonte played on albums including \u201cWild Mood Swings\u201d (1996), \u201cBloodflowers\u201d (2000), and \u201cThe Cure\u201d (2004), appearing on more than 400 shows over 14 years. By 2005, The Cure was reconfigured as a trio, and Bamonte was dismissed from the band. He retreated from the spotlight, focusing on illustration and personal creative projects, but his connection to music remained strong. In 2012, Bamonte joined the British supergroup Love Amongst Ruin with Steve Hewitt (formerly of Placebo) and Donald Ross Skinner (of Julian Cope\u2019s band), contributing to their 2015 album \u201cLose Your Way.\u201d <em>(Stereogum, Consequence)<\/em><\/p>\n<p>In 2019, Bamonte\u2019s legacy was honored when he was inducted into the Rock &amp; Roll Hall of Fame alongside his Cure bandmates\u2014a recognition of his quiet but enduring impact. Three years later, Bamonte rejoined The Cure for their ambitious \u201cShows of a Lost World\u201d global tour. Starting in Latvia in October 2022 and running through December 2023, Bamonte played another 90 shows, including the band\u2019s landmark performance at London\u2019s Troxy on November 1, 2024. Although he did not appear on the band\u2019s 2024 album \u201cSongs Of A Lost World\u201d (recorded before his return), his presence on stage helped recapture the spirit of The Cure\u2019s classic era. <em>(Variety, Stereogum, Consequence)<\/em><\/p>\n<p>The final chapter of Bamonte\u2019s story unfolded as he helped shape some of the best live performances in the band\u2019s history. The recent concert documentary chronicling the \u201cShows of a Lost World\u201d tour features Bamonte\u2019s nuanced playing\u2014a fitting tribute to his ability to blend seamlessly into The Cure\u2019s sonic landscape, all while leaving his mark. He was scheduled to continue touring with the band into 2026, a plan cut short by his untimely passing. <em>(Variety, NY Post)<\/em><\/p>\n<p>Bamonte\u2019s artistry extended beyond the stage. He was known among friends and colleagues for his warmth, intensity, and almost telepathic connection to the music. The band\u2019s farewell statement captured the loss: \u201cHe will be very greatly missed.\u201d Condolences have poured in from fans and fellow musicians alike, reflecting the deep respect for a man who, while never seeking the limelight, helped create it for others.<\/p>\n<p>Perry Bamonte\u2019s story reminds us that the heart of a band often beats in the background\u2014a place where loyalty, creativity, and humility converge. As the world bids farewell to one of The Cure\u2019s quiet architects, it\u2019s clear his influence will echo in the chords and keys of the band\u2019s music for years to come.<\/p>\n<p><em>In examining Perry Bamonte\u2019s legacy, one sees the profound impact a dedicated, understated musician can have on a group\u2019s identity. His journey\u2014from road crew to indispensable band member, through departure and emotional return\u2014speaks to the enduring power of collaboration and craft. The Cure\u2019s sound, at its best, is a tapestry woven by many hands, and Bamonte\u2019s thread is unmistakably present.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Perry Bamonte, the understated yet vital guitarist and keyboardist of The Cure, died at 65 after a brief illness. His decades-spanning contributions shaped the band&#8217;s iconic sound and left an indelible mark on modern rock.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":-1,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"googlesitekit_rrm_CAow5Nm1DA:productID":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[9],"tags":[29142,14973,38554,18679],"class_list":["post-25069","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-culture","tag-british-rock","tag-obituary","tag-perry-bamonte","tag-the-cure"],"featured_image_url":"https:\/\/azat.tv\/am\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/perry-bamonte-tribute.jpg","_embedded":{"wp:featuredmedia":[{"id":-1,"source_url":"https:\/\/azat.tv\/am\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/perry-bamonte-tribute.jpg","media_type":"image","mime_type":"image\/jpeg"}]},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/azat.tv\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/25069","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/azat.tv\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/azat.tv\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/azat.tv\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/azat.tv\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=25069"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/azat.tv\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/25069\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/azat.tv\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=25069"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/azat.tv\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=25069"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/azat.tv\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=25069"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}