Perry Archangelo Bamonte, the acclaimed guitarist, keyboardist and longtime member of the influential British rock band The Cure, has died at the age of 65, the band confirmed on Friday. Bamonte passed away at his home after a short illness over the Christmas period, according to an official statement posted on The Cure’s website earlier today.See More…
Bamonte’s death has been widely reported across music news outlets, with Louder Sound describing him as “a warm-hearted and vital part of The Cure story” whose creative contributions helped shape the band’s sound throughout the 1990s and early 2000s.Born in London on September 3, 1960, Bamonte initially joined The Cure’s inner circle in the mid-1980s as a road crew member and guitar technician before being promoted to full-time musician in 1990.
Over the course of his career with The Cure, Bamonte demonstrated remarkable versatility, playing guitar, keyboards and six-string bass on a number of the band’s most iconic albums. His work is featured on records including Wish, Wild Mood Swings, Bloodflowers and the self-titled The Cure, and he performed in more than 400 shows during his first 14-year tenure with the group.
After departing the band in 2005, Bamonte pursued other musical projects and joined the supergroup Love Amongst Ruin as a bassist.
In a move that delighted fans, Bamonte rejoined The Cure in 2022 for the band’s Shows of a Lost World tour, adding approximately 90 more performances to his storied live résumé. The Louder Sound obituary noted that these later shows were regarded as some of the most memorable in the band’s history, with Bamonte’s contributions helping to round out the sound of the veteran ensemble.
The Cure’s official statement praised Bamonte’s character, describing him as “quiet, intense, intuitive, constant and hugely creative” and highlighting his importance not only as a musician, but also as a friend and trusted colleague. Fans have since taken to online forums and social media to express their grief and share memories of Bamonte’s impact, underscoring the deep affection held for him within the global music community.
Bamonte was also inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2019 as a member of The Cure, cementing his legacy in the annals of modern rock music.Tributes continue to pour in from musicians, critics and fans alike, as the music world mourns the loss of a genuine creative force whose work helped define an era of alternative rock.
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