In the late 1970s and early 1980s he played drums in several bands, most
notably for Kirk Brandon's band Theatre of Hate from 1982 until that
band broke up in early 1983. At that time, The Cult's future guitarist
Billy Duffy was also in Theatre of Hate, and in 1980 Theatre of Hate's
bass player was
Jamie Stewart. Jamie left the band later in 1980
and joined Ritual, he also went on to play bass in The Cult starting in
1983. Nigel eventually joined The Cult also in September 1983,
replacing the deported
Raymond Taylor Smith. He played drums on the
single titled "God's Zoo" in October 1983, which was released when The
Cult were still calling themselves Death Cult. He also played drums on
The Cult's first record "Dreamtime" and on "She sells Sanctuary", the
first single from their second record "Love". He left The Cult in early
Autumn 1985 and went on to perform in various other bands, until his
death in 1992 at the age of 31 years old.