Michael Dempsey

Michael Stephen Dempsey (born November 29, 1958) is an English musician and composer. He is best known for his work as a bass player in several post-punk and new wave bands, including the Cure and the Associates. Dempsey was born in Salisbury, Southern Rhodesia (now Harare, Zimbabwe) and moved to Surrey, England in 1961. He attended various schools including Salfords County School, Notre Dame Middle School, Saint Wilfrid's Catholic Comprehensive School, and Crawley College. Dempsey's musical career began in the early 1970s when he formed a band called the Obelisk with Robert Smith, Marc Ceccagno, and Lol Tolhurst. He played guitar for the Obelisk's only known live performance, with Alan Hill on bass. Dempsey later joined the Cure and made significant contributions to their early albums. He also played with the Associates before pursuing a career as a composer.