Perry Bamonte—guitarist and keyboardist for The Cure—died on Dec. 26. He was 65. The wild-haired Bamonte was born in London and began his career as a roadie for The Cure and Depeche Mode; he joined The Cure in 1990, and stayed with them through four albums, leaving in 2005 (and rejoining the group in 2022). Between gigs, Bamonte worked as an illustrator. Bamonte showed himself a real gentleman after he was kicked out of The Cure in 2005 and replaced with former band member Porl Thompson. “I still don't know Robert's reason for putting me out of the band,” Bamonte said, “but that is his decision and I respect that. If I have no resentment against Porl, then I really don't see how anyone else should! He's a brilliant musician and also a lovely man whom I'm happy to count as one of my friends . . it was Porl who suggested me as a replacement for Roger when he left the band—you could say I owe him a lot! So please, dear Cure fans—have some respect for this lovely man.”
