It’s been more than seven years since Nigel Benjamin passed away at the age of 64, leaving behind him an indelible trace in the history of not one but two influential ensembles. First there were MOTT, who, sans THE HOOPLE, could have stopped, yet didn’t, because the singer proved to be more than an adequate front man for the legendary band; and then, there were MÖTLEY CRÜE, whose precursor, LONDON, wouldn’t have evolved into the American heroes if not for the Englishman giving them gravitas. He deserved to be remembered and celebrated – only he wasn’t, and the pandemic prevented those who could arrange a proper tribute to the late warbler from doing so.
Even though Nigel’s difficult character made it hard for many to get along with him, there are many fans eager to pay homage to the man – and they have such a chance now that a memorial to him is set to take place on Sunday, November 29th, at the most famous venue: Rainbow Bar & Grill in West Hollywood.
Organized by Nigel’s daughter Kristy and his lifelong friend Richie Onori, the drummer with HEAVEN & EARTH and Steve Priest‘s version of THE SWEET, to name but two collectives, the event will present an exhaustive retrospective of Benjamin’s oeuvre, which another of his compadres, keyboardist Scott Walton, helped compile. It’s free, and everyone is welcome to drop by a day before the musician’s inner circle scatters his ashes during a private ceremony at his mountain home in Pine Mountain, California. Now, that’s a send-off he’s entitled to.
