The local music scene has been rocked by the sudden death of Russ ‘Sacko’ Saxton.
Sacko was well known in Erewash Valley and Amber Valley. He was a guitarist, guitar teacher, performer in many bands and the man behind ‘Sack Sabbath’ the acclaimed Black Sabbath tribute band.
He died suddenly at home on Saturday 13th November, aged 58.
The night before he had played a gig with DIIO at O’Rileys in Hull.
Tributes from people who knew him will appear in the December issue of Ilkeston Life.
Friend Tony Clark said: “Russ was not only a great musician, he was an intelligent, highly humorous, well read, and a loving, caring person. He had a dark, wicked and often sick sense of humour (which we shared!) which a lot of people didn’t always get.”
Another friend and fellow musician Rob Lane said: “To say that Sacko was a cornerstone of the local music scene for the last few decades is a huge understatement. It was almost a rite of passage that if you were a local kid with some rock and roll dreams in the Amber Valley/Erewash Valley area then you would certainly cross paths with him at some point.”
