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Former Saxon drummer Nigel Durham dies at 61, band sends ‘love and thoughts’ to his family

Nigel Durham, who played drums for the heavy metal band Saxon, has died at the age of 61.

Published on: Oct 25, 2026, 07:28:33 IST
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Nigel Durham, former drummer for British heavy metal band Saxon, has died at the age of 61. The band announced his death on October 24, sharing a message of sympathy for his family. The cause of his death has not been made public.

Nigel Durham dies at 61. (X/ @SaxonOfficial)
Nigel Durham dies at 61. (X/ @SaxonOfficial)

Saxon wrote in an Instagram post, “We are very sad to hear of the passing of a member of the Saxon family, former drummer Nigel Durham. We send our love and thoughts to his wife Lauretta, daughter Gemma, his grandchildren, and family.”

According to Next Mosh, Durham played drums for Saxon from 1987 to 1988. He played on the band’s 1988 album “Destiny.” He replaced Nigel Glockler for that album.

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As per Next Mosh, Durham played in 1999 with Son of a Bitch, a group with former Saxon members Graham Oliver and Steve Dawson. The band later became known as Oliver/Dawson Saxon. Durham was its drummer from 2000 to 2010. According to the report, he also played with Morpheus Rising from 2013 to 2016.

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Tributes from Saxon’s Glockler and others

Saxon member Nigel Glockler also posted about Durham’s death on Facebook. He wrote: “RIP my friend, Nigel Durham - I will see you on the other side.” He added: “Love and strength to Lauretta, his daughter and family.”

News of his death spread quickly on social media on Saturday. Rockem Music Drum & Guitar Centre wrote: “Sad news. Another great musician passes. Nigel Durham Ex Saxon Drummer, Oliver Dawson drummer. Great player and good friend of the shop. Will miss our chats.”

Matt Black wrote: “Very sad to hear that Nigel Durham has passed away. We were bandmates years ago in my little solo project Matt Black Band. But many will know of Nige from his time drumming for Saxon and ODS. An absolute gent, lovely person and a real powerhouse of a drummer. You will be sadly missed.”

Neil Benton wrote, as per Penn Live “Saddened to hear the news an old school friend has passed. RIP Nigel Durham top drummer and top guy.”

According to Next Mosh, a false report about Durham’s death went around online in April. He spoke about it in a Facebook post on July 14. He wrote: “Don’t know how this got started but I can assure everyone that I’m still alive & kickin. Lol.”

  • Khushi Arora
    ABOUT THE AUTHOR
    Khushi Arora

    Khushi Arora is a Content Producer at Hindustan Times, where she writes for the US Desk, covering everything happening in the United States, while maintaining quality and delivering impactful stories across all beats. She previously worked at Zee News for over a year where she explored multiple beats including News Desk, Education and Lifestyle. With a background in English Literature, Khushi blends sharp research with thoughtful storytelling, shaping stories that go beyond headlines and bring clarity and credibility to every piece she writes. Beyond the newsroom, she enjoys reading, watching cinema and loves having long conversations about books, films and everything in between.Read More

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