Who was Nigel Durham? Saxon drummer dies at 61, months after denying death hoax in July

Nigel Durham drummer: Nigel Durham, the former drummer for the legendary rock group Saxon, has died at the age of 61. The band announced the news on social media. “We are very sad to hear of the passing of a member of the Saxon family, former drummer Nigel Durham,” the statement on the band’s Facebook page read. “We send our love and thoughts to his wife Lauretta, daughter Gemma, his grandchildren, and family.” The cause of his death is not known.

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Who was Nigel Durham?

Nigel Durham was the British drummer and was widely known for his time with the band Saxon. He performed with several rock and heavy metal groups during his career. He joined Saxon in 1987 and played with the band until 1988.


Although Durham’s stint with Saxon was relatively brief, it included a significant release. He played on Destiny, the band’s ninth studio album, released in March 1988. The record saw Saxon explore a more polished hard rock sound while maintaining its heavy metal roots.

By the time Durham joined, Saxon had already made a name for itself in British heavy metal. The band was among the acts associated with the New Wave of British Heavy Metal movement, which gained momentum in the late 1970s and early 1980s.

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After his departure from Saxon, Durham continued his musical career with other groups. In 1999, he played with Son of a Bitch, a band featuring former Saxon members Graham Oliver and Steve Dawson. The group later became known as Oliver/Dawson Saxon, with Durham serving as its drummer from 2000 to 2010.

In 2013, Durham joined British hard rock band Morpheus Rising, remaining with the group until 2016. Durham joined the Yorkshire NWoBHM legends in 1987, replacing Nigel Glockler, who had left the band to join guitarists Steve Hackett and Steve Howe in a reformed version of prog supergroup GTR.

Durham recorded Saxon’s ninth album, ‘Destiny’, in the same year before being sacked midway through the subsequent tour – to be replaced, ironically, by a returning Glockler.

He went on to join former Saxon guitarist Graham Oliver and bassist Steve Dawson in their rival incarnation of band, and later self-styled NWoBHM-TNG protagonists Morpheus Rising.

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Nigel Durham's false death rumours in July

Durham had faced false reports of his death just months earlier. He personally dismissed those rumours in July 2026, assuring fans that he was still alive. His actual death has now brought renewed attention to the musician and his career. In April 2026, false reports circulated online claiming that Durham had died. The rumours spread far enough that he addressed them directly on Facebook on July 14.

“Don't know how this got started but I can assure everyone that I'm still alive & kickin. Lol,” he wrote. Saxon member Nigel Glockler also posted about Durham’s passing.

“RIP my friend, Nigel Durham — I will see you on the other side,” he wrote on Facebook. “Love and strength to Lauretta, his daughter and family.”