Perry Bamonte, the Cure’s longtime guitarist and keyboardist, has died following an undisclosed illness. He was 65. In a statement posted to their website, the band wrote that Bamonte, who went by the nickname “Teddy,” was “quiet, intense, intuitive, constant and hugely creative,” as well as “a vital part of the Cure story.”

Perry Bamonte was born in 1960 in London. He first joined the Cure in 1984, as a roadie and Robert Smith’s guitar tech. Six years later, Bamonte was invited to become a full-time member following the departure of keyboardist Roger O’Donnell. Bamonte first appeared on the group’s chart-topping 1992 album Wish, playing keys and guitar across the record, as well as six-string bass on “Friday I’m in Love.” He would go on to perform in more than 400 shows with the band and on several additional Cure albums, including Wild Mood Swings and Bloodflowers. Bamonte left the Cure in 2005 and rejoined in 2022, ahead of their Shows of a Lost World tour.

In 2019, Bamonte was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame alongside his Cure bandmates. You can read the full statement from the band below.

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. ‘Looking after the band’ from 1984 through 1989, he became a full time member of the Cure in 1990, playing guitar, six string bass and keyboard on the Wish, Wild Mood Swings, Bloodflowers, Acoustic Hits and The Cure albums, as well as performing more than 400 shows over 14 years. 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.