Cincinnati Musician and Legend Nelson Slater Hospitalized

Update: Nelson Slater died peacefully on Jan. 29.

Cincinnati musician Nelson Slater — a legend, outsider artist and mystic — is all passion. His storied life and commitment to creativity are an inspiration. He has remained a stylish island of culture throughout his life. It’s not uncommon to come across Slater out and about around the city, his piercing eyes and larger-than-life appearance a striking image of style and presence informed by his participation in cultural circles in some of the biggest cities in North America. 

Slater (82) was hospitalized locally at the beginning of the month and remains there as of publishing. His daughter, Jane Slater, tells CityBeat that “he is surrounded by people that love him.”

Slater has been a figure in music, not only in Cincinnati but well beyond for longer than most have been alive, involved in one music circle or another since the 1950s. Originally born in Canada and raised in Cincinnati, he went to college in Syracuse, New York, where he roomed and played music with friend and pre-Velvet Underground Lou Reed. Reed would later produce and play on Slater’s 1976 debut album Wild Angel for RCA Records. The album has since become a cult classic and can be found online or discovered, on occasion, in the racks of record stores worldwide. 

Mention of Slater pops up not only in past CityBeat articles but also on culture mining sites like Dangerous Minds, Magnet Magazine and even a 1977 Time Magazine article referencing Wild Angel’s controversial cover, a striking and stylish image depicting an S&M scene of shining black leather against a vibrant red background shot by one of rock and roll’s most significant photographers, Mick Rock. 

Slater has continued making music under his name and in different iterations such as Nelson Slater and His No No Proto Band, as well as Steam-Age Time-Giant, among others, over the years. He’s been based out of San Francisco, Los Angeles and New York City, but has always returned home to Cincinnati. 

Read contributor Shawn Abnoxious’ 2009 CityBeat profile on Slater here.

If you’d like to send any thoughts, prayers or well wishes to Slater’s family, email love@citybeat.com and we will pass along your message.

Watch a video of Slater’s more recent work here:

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This article appears in Jan 22 – Feb 4, 2025.