| Nigel Powell | |
| Birth Date: | 1971 10, df=yes |
| Birth Place: | Bromley, London, England |
| Origin: | Abingdon, England |
| Occupation: | Musician, producer |
| Instrument: | Drums, percussion, piano, guitar, bass guitar, mandolin, keyboards, vocals |
| Associated Acts: | Frank Turner, Dive Dive, Unbelievable Truth |
Nigel Powell (born 1 October 1971) is an English multi-instrumental musician from Abingdon.
Powell was born in Bromley, London, and educated at Abingdon School. While at school he was in a band called Illiterate Hands, which also featured future Radiohead lead guitarist Jonny Greenwood and Andy Yorke, brother of Thom Yorke.[1]
He is best known as the former drummer for Frank Turner's live and studio backing band; the Sleeping Souls. Nigel is also a member of the Oxford-based alternative rock band Dive Dive.[2] and Unbelievable Truth. He is endorsed by Pro-Mark Sticks and Sabian Cymbals.[3] Frank Turner and the Sleeping Souls headlined at Wembley Arena in April 2012,[4] and played at the Opening Ceremony of the 2012 Olympic Games in London.[5] On October 23, 2020, Powell announced via his social media that his tenure with Frank Turner and the Sleeping Souls was ending, and he would be focusing on his solo project, the Sad Song Co.
The Sad Song Co. is a solo project of Powell that also features bass player Jason Moulster, begun in 2000 in Oxford.
Powell took the songs he had been writing for Unbelievable Truth and recorded them for the debut the Sad Song Co. album miseryguts,[6] which was released in 2003. Moulster contributed bass throughout.
Following a few years touring with Dive Dive in support of their first two albums Powell recorded his second album Poignant Device. Marillion contributed use of their Racket Studios while they were on tour, and it was completed with George Shilling at his Bank Cottage Studios later that year. By the time of its release in 2007 three quarters of Dive Dive had begun acting as Frank Turner’s backing band[7] on record and on tour, so there was little opportunity for touring, outside of the release show for the album supporting Marillion at their fan weekend in Port Zelande, the Netherlands.[8]
During breaks in touring in 2014 and 2015, Powell wrote and recorded another album titled in amber. After crowdfunding through PledgeMusic,[9] the album was released on 26 August 2016,[10] and he undertook a UK tour in October, between tours with Frank Turner.
Another album entitled Worth was released in 2018.[11]