Saxon announces death of former drummer Nigel Durham at 61
Archived — this story has rotated out of today’s deck. It is kept here in full.
The gist
British heavy metal band Saxon said former drummer Nigel Durham died at age 61.
He played on the 1988 album "Destiny" and had debunked a false death report.
Background
Nigel Durham was a drummer for the British heavy metal band Saxon from 1987 to 1988, replacing Nigel Glockler to play on the band's 1988 album "Destiny." He later drummed for Oliver/Dawson Saxon (2000-2010) and Morpheus Rising (2013-2016). Saxon announced his death on social media on October 24, several months after Durham had publicly debunked an earlier false report of his death.
How it unfolded
- 1987 -1988Durham served as drummer for the British heavy metal band Saxon.
- 1988He played on Saxon's album "Destiny," replacing Nigel Glockler.
- 1999Durham performed with Son of a Bitch, a group featuring former Saxon members Graham Oliver and Steve Dawson.
- 2000 -2010He was drummer for Oliver/Dawson Saxon, the name Son of a Bitch became known as.
- 2013 -2016Durham played with Morpheus Rising.
- Jul 14, 2026Durham addressed an earlier false death report in a Facebook post, writing he was "still alive & kickin."
- Oct 24, 2026Saxon confirmed on social media that Durham had died at age 61; a cause of death has not been publicly disclosed.
Who’s saying what
- Official
- Saxon said it was "very sad to hear of the passing of a member of the Saxon family" and sent love to Durham's wife Lauretta, daughter Gemma, grandchildren and family.
- Party
- Saxon member Nigel Glockler, whom Durham replaced on "Destiny," wrote "RIP my friend, Nigel Durham — I will see you on the other side."
- Public
- Former bandmate Matt Black called Durham "an absolute gent, lovely person and a real powerhouse of a drummer," and Rockem Music Drum & Guitar Centre remembered him as "a great player and good friend of the shop."
Still unverified
A cause of death has not been publicly disclosed. An earlier report of Durham's death that circulated online in April was false, and Durham himself addressed the rumors.