Former Saxon drummer Nigel Durham dies at 61
General view before the concert of British band Saxon at the Huxleys on March 4, 2025 in Berlin, Germany. (Photo by Dirk Pagels/Redferns)
Nigel Durham, the former drummer for British heavy metal band Saxon, has died at age 61, the band announced on Facebook.
What they're saying:
"We are very sad to hear of the passing of a member of the Saxon family, former drummer Nigel Durham," the band wrote.
Saxon expressed condolences to Durham’s wife, Lauretta, daughter Gemma, grandchildren and other family members.
"We send our love and thoughts to his wife Lauretta, daughter Gemma, his grandchildren, and family," the band said.
What we don't know:
No cause or date of death was immediately disclosed.
The backstory:
According to The Economic Times, Nigel Durham was a British drummer who played with Saxon from 1987 to 1988 and appeared on the band’s 1988 album, "Destiny."
Durham later performed with Son of a Bitch and Oliver/Dawson Saxon. In 2013, he joined British hard rock band Morpheus Rising, which praised his experience with Saxon and Oliver/Dawson Saxon.
Morpheus Rising said it looked forward to working with Durham on rehearsals, live performances and new music. Although his time with Saxon was brief, he continued performing with other groups for years.
The Source: The information came from a Facebook announcement by Saxon, which confirmed Nigel Durham’s death and shared condolences to his family. Additional details about Durham’s career, including his time with Saxon and later performances with Son of a Bitch, Oliver/Dawson Saxon and Morpheus Rising, were reported by The Economic Times. This story was reported from Los Angeles.