Reverend Defends Devil-Horned Keith Flint Tribute Outside Church In Essex

Reverend Rod Reid told the BBC that The Prodigy and Flint’s family were “very respectful” in developing the design.

The Prodigy @ Riverstage Brisbane(Credit: Terry Soo)

A bench with Keith Flint’s signature hairstyle – two devil horns gelled on the left and right sides of his head – lives in the heart of Essex, outside a church. And a reverend has defended the tribute.

Flint was the lead singer and dancer of The Prodigy. In March 2019, he was found dead in his Essex home at the age of 49. Flint’s bandmates, Liam Howlett and Maxim, described him as “a true pioneer, innovator and legend.”

The memorial bench for the rave music icon is located at St Mary’s Church in Bocking, Essex, near where Flint grew up and where The Prodigy formed in 1990. It was installed earlier this month. While it’s a tribute to a musician, it’s been questioned about a supposed “Satanic” detail.

In response to the criticism, Reverend Rod Reid told the BBC that The Prodigy and Flint’s family were “very respectful” in developing the design.

“The band and the family wanted something fitting for the churchyard,” Reid said. “They were very respectful and very aware of the setting.”

The bench was designed with the help of The Prodigy co-founder Liam Howlett and their manager, John Fairs, and was approved by the frontman’s family. It then came to life in the Free Range Designs factory.

Reid presided over Flint’s funeral in 2019, which drew more than 5,000 attendees. Reid said fans are “amazed” by the bench “and what it means to have it here.”

Adding that locals remember seeing Flint and Howlett “on the dance floors in Braintree,” Reid commented on the long-standing impact of the bench.

“For local people here in Braintree and around, this means an awful lot,” Reid said. “They remember seeing [Flint and Howlett] on the dance floors in Braintree. They have followed them all the way through, and they are proud.”

See a photo of the memorial bench below.

The Prodigy returned to the stage in 2022, with Howlett and Maxim carrying the band’s—and Flint’s—legacy. The band made their long-awaited return to Australia in February 2025, performing across the East Coast.

The Prodigy remain one of the most successful electronic groups of all time, selling an estimated 25 million records worldwide and scoring seven consecutive #1 albums in the UK.