Perry Bamonte, guitarist and keyboardist for British rock band The Cure, has died at the age of 66.
“Perry was a compassionate man who played a vital role in the history of The Cure“, the West Sussex band said in a statement.
Bamonte played with the band from 1984 to 1989 and became a full member in 1990, playing not only guitar and keyboards, but also six-string bass. He played with the band until 2005, when he left. In 2022, Bamonte returned to The Cure, performing another 90 concerts. “Some of these performances were the band's best, culminating in the “Lost World Show“ concert in London on November 1, 2024. Our condolences go out to his family and our thoughts are with them. He will be greatly missed“, The Cure said.
According to The Independent, he died after a short illness over Christmas.
The Cure formed in 1976, during the boom of post-punk and new wave. In the 1980s, founder, vocalist and sole permanent member Robert Smith decided to change their image by incorporating lighter, pop-oriented compositions into their work. The band released 13 studio albums. In 2019, the musicians were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
In September 2024, the band released their first new song in 16 years. The song is called Alone and its highest position in the UK charts is number 79.