Tonight’s episode is dedicated to the life and music of Perry Bamonte, the longtime guitarist, keyboardist, and creative force behind The Cure, who passed away at the age of 65, with news of his death reported on December 26. His passing has led many longtime listeners to reflect on a body of work that often lived just outside the spotlight, yet was deeply embedded in the band’s sound during some of its most expansive years.

Perry Bamonte’s relationship with The Cure began well before he became a full-time band member. In the mid-1980s, he worked as a roadie and guitar technician, gradually becoming part of the band’s inner circle. By 1990, he moved from behind the scenes to the stage, joining the band full-time and contributing guitar, keyboards, and bass during a period when The Cure were balancing massive popularity with continued artistic restlessness.

Much of tonight’s show centers on Wish, an album that marked a clear shift for the band. Coming after Disintegration, it avoided trying to replicate that record’s emotional weight and instead leaned into movement, color, and contrast. Bright, chiming guitars exist alongside darker undercurrents, and Bamonte’s playing helped give the album its layered, restless feel. His work supported songs that could feel euphoric and uneasy at the same time, defining much of the band’s sound in the early 1990s.

From there, the show moves into Wild Mood Swings, one of the most debated records in the Cure catalog. Its rapid shifts in tone and style were intentional, capturing a band willing to follow instinct rather than expectation. Bamonte played a key role in that flexibility, helping the band stretch across moods without losing its core identity.

The final hour focuses on Bloodflowers and the self-titled The Cure, albums that reflect a turn inward. Bloodflowers in particular closes an informal trilogy that began with Pornography and Disintegration, returning to slower tempos and reflective themes. Bamonte’s role during this period is subtle but essential—less about flash, more about texture, restraint, and emotional grounding.

Outside of The Cure, Perry Bamonte was far more than a supporting player. He was a longtime collaborator with Robert Smith beyond the band itself, contributing to side projects, remixes, and soundtrack work. He also worked with other artists over the years, bringing the same discipline and sensitivity to projects that never aimed for the spotlight. He was known as a musician who understood how to serve the song rather than dominate it.

His impact was perhaps most strongly felt on stage. For roughly fifteen years, Bamonte was a core live member of The Cure, helping translate increasingly complex studio arrangements into something that could breathe in a live setting. If you saw the Cure perform during the 1990s or early 2000s, you heard his work, whether you knew his name or not.

This episode isn’t about ranking albums or arguing eras. It’s about recognizing a musician who helped hold The Cure together during a long transitional chapter, while also contributing quietly and thoughtfully beyond the band. Perry Bamonte understood how to disappear into the texture when needed and how to make music that lasts.

Tonight’s show lets the songs speak—moving chronologically, lingering where it matters, and honoring a musician whose work continues to resonate.

Hour 1

Artist – Song – Time – Album – Label

The Cure – Open – 06:51 – Wish – Fiction

The Cure – High – 03:37 – Wish – Fiction

The Cure – Apart – 06:38 – Wish – Fiction

The Cure – From The Edge Of The Deep Green Sea – 07:44 – Wish – Fiction

The Cure – Wendy Time – 05:13 – Wish – Fiction

The Cure – Doing The Unstuck – 04:24 – Wish – Fiction

The Cure – Friday I’m In Love – 03:38 – Wish – Fiction

The Cure – Trust – 05:33 – Wish – Fiction

The Cure – A Letter To Elise – 05:14 – Wish – Fiction

The Cure – Cut – 05:55 – Wish – Fiction

The Cure – To Wish Impossible Things – 04:43 – Wish – Fiction

The Cure – End – 06:46 – Wish – Fiction

Hour 2

Artist – Song – Time – Album – Label

The Cure – Want – 05:06 – Wild Mood Swings – Fiction

The Cure – Club America – 05:01 – Wild Mood Swings – Fiction

The Cure – This Is A Lie – 04:29 – Wild Mood Swings – Fiction

The Cure – The 13th – 04:08 – Wild Mood Swings – Fiction

The Cure – Strange Attraction – 04:19 – Wild Mood Swings – Fiction

The Cure – Mint Car – 03:32 – Wild Mood Swings – Fiction

The Cure – Jupiter Crash – 04:15 – Wild Mood Swings – Fiction

The Cure – Round & Round & Round – 02:38 – Wild Mood Swings – Fiction

The Cure – Gone! – 04:31 – Wild Mood Swings – Fiction

The Cure – Numb – 04:49 – Wild Mood Swings – Fiction

The Cure – Return – 03:28 – Wild Mood Swings – Fiction

The Cure – Trap – 03:37 – Wild Mood Swings – Fiction

The Cure – Treasure – 03:45 – Wild Mood Swings – Fiction

The Cure – Bare – 07:56 – Wild Mood Swings – Fiction

Hour 3

Artist – Song – Time – Album – Label

The Cure – Out Of This World – 06:43 – Bloodflowers – Universal International

The Cure – Watching Me Fall – 11:14 – Bloodflowers – Universal International

The Cure – Where The Birds Always Sing – 05:43 – Bloodflowers – Universal International

The Cure – Maybe Someday – 05:06 – Bloodflowers – Universal International

The Cure – The Last Day Of Summer – 05:35 – Bloodflowers – Universal International

The Cure – There Is No If… – 03:42 – Bloodflowers – Universal International

The Cure – The Loudest Song – 05:10 – Bloodflowers – Universal International

The Cure – 39 – 07:19 – Bloodflowers – Universal International

The Cure – The Promise – 10:16 – The Cure – Universal International [fade out]

Rolling with Scissors airs live every Tuesday from 2–5 AM on 89.9 FM in Madison and streams at wortfm.org. Missed it? You can catch the episode for two weeks after broadcast at archive.wortfm.org or at rwsradio.com.

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