Perry Bamonte, keyboardist and guitarist for The Cure, dies at 65

By Danielle Broadway

LOS ANGELES, Dec 26 (Reuters) - Perry Bamonte, keyboardist and guitarist in The Cure, has died at 65, the English indie rock band confirmed through their official website on Friday.

In a statement, the band wrote that Bamonte died "after a short illness at home" on Christmas Day.

"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," the statement said, adding he was a "vital part of The Cure story."

The statement said Bamonte was a full-time member of The Cure since 1990, playing guitar, six-string bass, and keyboards, and performed in more than 400 shows.

Bamonte, born in London, England, in 1960, joined the band's road crew in 1984, working alongside his younger brother Daryl, who worked as tour manager for The Cure.

Bamonte first worked as an assistant to co-founder and lead vocalist, Robert Smith, before becoming a full member after keyboardist Roger O'Donnell left the band in 1990.

Bamonte's first album with The Cure was "Wish" in 1992. He continued to work with them on the next three albums.

He also had various acting roles in movies: "Judge Dredd," "About Time" and "The Crow."

(Reporting by Danielle Broadway; editing by Diane Craft)

((Danielle.Broadway@thomsonreuters.com;))