Steve “Grizzly” Nisbett, who has died aged 69, was the main drummer and percussionist with the influential British reggae band Steel Pulse; his forceful but understated playing provided a solid and expressive backbeat for the Birmingham-based group, and he helped create the unique sound that set them apart from other reggae bands coming out of Jamaica and London.
The eldest of six children of Joseph and Veronica Nisbett, Steve Nisbett was born on March 15 1948 on the Caribbean island of Nevis.
In 1957 he moved to Birmingham, where his parents had already settled. He began playing drums and percussion with friends at local clubs and pubs and, having left Slade Road Secondary School, Erdington,...