Divine Right (band)

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Divine Right were formed in Wakefield, West Yorkshire, England and consisted of Ian Lindsay on Guitar, Nigel Lee on Bass and Martin (John) Thomas on drums in the early 1980s. Lasting fame (notoriety?) was achieved after the bizarre death of Martin Thomas during a live concert in front of over 250 fans at Barnsley Civic Hall in 1986. As the Bass player jumped from the drum riser to start one of their "Subtle as a JCB Earth Mover" heavy metal numbers, his extensive guitar lead, which was tangled around one of the many cymbal stands, pulled the cymbal over with such force that it fell backwards into the drummer's kit severing his jugular vein. He died in Barnsley General hospital later that night. Traumatised by the incident, neither of the other musicians ever played another live concert.

This incident is believed (although not confirmed by either Christopher Guest or Michael McKean) to have been the inspiration for Spinal Tap's succession of drummers who died under odd circumstances: one in a "freak gardening accident"; another "choked on vomit," (although it was never determined whose vomit it was), and a third from apparent spontaneous human combustion onstage, leaving a small green stain on his drum throne.

Nigel Lee, already a 40-a-day cigarette smoker, developed an addiction to Mars Bars, and died from a heart attack in 1992. Ian Lindsay is believed to be working as a teacher in his home town of Wakefield.