Diamond Head are an English
heavy metal band formed in 1976 in
Stourbridge
Stourbridge is a market town in the Metropolitan Borough of Dudley in the West Midlands, England, situated on the River Stour. Historically in Worcestershire, it was the centre of British glass making during the Industrial Revolution. The 20 ...
, West Midlands. The band was part of the
new wave of British heavy metal movement and is acknowledged by
thrash metal
Thrash metal (or simply thrash) is an extreme subgenre of heavy metal music characterized by its overall aggression and often fast tempo.Kahn-Harris, Keith, ''Extreme Metal: Music and Culture on the Edge'', pp. 2–3, 9. Oxford: Berg, 2007, . ...
bands such as
Metallica
Metallica is an American heavy metal band. The band was formed in 1981 in Los Angeles by vocalist/guitarist James Hetfield and drummer Lars Ulrich, and has been based in San Francisco for most of its career. The band's fast tempos, instrume ...
and
Megadeth
Megadeth is an American thrash metal band formed in Los Angeles in 1983 by vocalist/guitarist Dave Mustaine. Known for their technically complex guitar work and musicianship, Megadeth is one of the "big four" of American thrash metal along wit ...
as an important early influence.
History
Early history
Brian Tatler formed the band with drummer Duncan Scott while both still at school. In June 1976 they found singer Sean Harris, who was in the same year, and went through three bass players before settling on Collin Kimberley in Feb 1978. The band recorded two self-financed demo tapes in 1979. They were recorded within six hours on a four-track, one of which was sent to
Geoff Barton
Geoff Barton (born July 1955) is a British journalist who founded the heavy metal magazine ''Kerrang!'' and was an editor of ''Sounds'' music magazine.
He joined ''Sounds'' at the age of 19 after completing a journalism course at the London Col ...
at
Sounds
In physics, sound is a vibration that propagates as an acoustic wave, through a transmission medium such as a gas, liquid or solid.
In human physiology and psychology, sound is the ''reception'' of such waves and their ''perception'' by the ...
. The timing was perfect with the emergence of the
new wave of British heavy metal
The new wave of British heavy metal (commonly abbreviated as NWOBHM) was a nationwide musical movement that started in England in the mid-1970s and achieved international attention by the early 1980s. Journalist Geoff Barton coined the term i ...
. In 1979/80, Diamond Head were managed by budding local managers Dave Morris and Ian Frazier. Morris put some money into the band and tried to get the band a record deal; Frazier took to driving the band around the UK when on tour. Sean Harris's mother (Linda Harris) persuaded her boss and boyfriend (Reg Fellows) to come and see the band with a view to investing in them. Diamond Head's demos and live reputation gained enough attention for the band to get two support dates with
AC/DC
AC/DC (stylised as ACϟDC) are an Australian Rock music, rock band formed in Sydney in 1973 by Scottish-born brothers Malcolm Young, Malcolm and Angus Young. Their music has been variously described as hard rock, blues rock, and Heavy metal ...
and one with
Iron Maiden
Iron Maiden are an English heavy metal band formed in Leyton, East London, in 1975 by bassist and primary songwriter Steve Harris. While fluid in the early years of the band, the lineup for most of the band's history has consisted of Harri ...
at
The Lyceum, London. Although several record companies expressed interest in signing the band, and their managers secured a couple of offers, none were deemed worthy by Fellows and Linda Harris, who were now beginning to advise Sean Harris as he still lived at home with his mother.
A difference of opinions about how to manage Diamond Head followed, which eventually led to Morris and Frazier quitting their role as managers, and the job fell solely to Fellows and Linda Harris. Thus while other new waves of British heavy metal bands were signed to major labels and putting their toe into the US market, Diamond Head remained independent. Guitarist Brian Tatler thinks that their joint managers had unrealistic expectations about the kind of record deal the band should sign, and when no deal lived up to this, Fellows decided that the band should record an album quickly and cheaply at a local 24 track studio, where they had recorded their first single "
Shoot Out the Lights
''Shoot Out the Lights'' is the sixth and final album by British husband-and-wife rock duo Richard and Linda Thompson. It was produced by Joe Boyd and released in 1982 on his Hannibal label. A critically acclaimed work, AllMusic's Mark Deming n ...
"; no money exchanged hands, and the studio owner Muff Murfin - in return for a week of studio time - took 50 percent of the bands publishing for fifteen years. It is believed that tapes were passed onto various labels, but when the debut album, ''
Lightning to the Nations
''Lightning to the Nations'' is the debut album by British heavy metal band Diamond Head. The album was recorded in 1979 (after the 1977 and 1979 demos) and released in 1980 through Happy Face Records, a label owned by the producer Muff Murf ...
'', failed to secure a record deal, management decided that they would release 1000 copies of the album on an independent label (also owned by Muff Murfin) called Happy Face Records.
The album was packaged in a plain sleeve with no title or track listings, and 250 copies were signed by each band member. The management thought that it should be perceived as a 'demo' album, so no fancy sleeve was required, making it very cheap to produce. The first 1000 copies were pressed and made available at concerts and via mail-order for £3.50. The only mail-order advertisement appeared in ''
Sounds
In physics, sound is a vibration that propagates as an acoustic wave, through a transmission medium such as a gas, liquid or solid.
In human physiology and psychology, sound is the ''reception'' of such waves and their ''perception'' by the ...
'' and ran for six weeks. The band's management did not pay for the advertisement and ended up being sued.
The original stereo master tapes were lost after they were sent to the German record company, Woolfe Records, who released a vinyl version of the album with a new sleeve. The tapes were not returned until they were eventually tracked down by
Lars Ulrich
Lars Ulrich (; ; born 26 December 1963) is a Danish musician best known as the drummer and co-founder of American heavy metal band Metallica. The son and grandson respectively of tennis players Torben and Einer Ulrich, he played tennis in his ...
and Phonogram Germany for inclusion on the 1990 compilation album, ''New Wave of British Heavy Metal '79 Revisited''.
In 1980, Pete Winkelman from Wolverhampton got involved and tried to sign Diamond Head to his new label, Media Records. Winkelman had been a record plugger and he advised the band to change management but this advice was not heeded. In the end, Diamond Head only agreed to make one single for Winkelman, a re-recorded version of "
Sweet & Innocent" b/w "Streets of Gold", which came out around October 1980.
In January 1981, Diamond Head successfully opened for
April Wine
April Wine is a Canadian rock band formed in 1969 and based in Halifax, Nova Scotia. Led by singer-guitarist-songwriter Myles Goodwin since its inception, April Wine's first success came with its second album, '' On Record'' (1972), which reac ...
on their UK tour. An ambitious UK tour was planned for the summer as a way of being perceived as being more popular than they actually were. An EP called ''Diamond Lights'' was recorded quickly in three days to help pay towards the expenses. The management hired a tour bus for band and crew, and an articulated lorry filled with hired PA and lighting. They also hired the Wolverhampton chapter of Hells Angels to perform security duties on the whole tour. They bypassed promoters and booked the venues with a local agent to avoid paying a percentage, but with little promotion for the tour, it lost money.
The only A&R man who was determined to sign the band was Charlie Eyre, who quit his job at A&M and joined MCA in order to sign Diamond Head and Musical Youth. Discussions went on for around six months until the band finally inked a five-album deal on 1 January 1982.
''Borrowed Time''
First on the agenda was to record and release the ''
Four Cuts'' EP, which contained two early era songs, "
Shoot Out the Lights
''Shoot Out the Lights'' is the sixth and final album by British husband-and-wife rock duo Richard and Linda Thompson. It was produced by Joe Boyd and released in 1982 on his Hannibal label. A critically acclaimed work, AllMusic's Mark Deming n ...
" and "Dead Reckoning",
and the band did a whistle-stop UK tour of the clubs to promote it. A link-up with agent Neil Warnock at The Agency secured Diamond Head a Friday night slot on the Reading Festival bill in 1982, albeit as late and unadvertised replacements for
Manowar
Manowar is an American heavy metal band from Auburn, New York. Formed in 1980, the group is known for lyrics based on fantasy (particularly sword and sorcery) and mythology (particularly Norse mythology and Greco-Roman mythology), as well as ...
. Their set was recorded by the
BBC #REDIRECT BBC #REDIRECT BBC #REDIRECT BBC
Here i going to introduce about the best teacher of my life b BALAJI sir. He is the precious gift that I got befor 2yrs . How has helped and thought all the concept and made my success in the 10th board ex ...
and later released in 1992 through Raw Fruit Records as the ''
Friday Rock Show Sessions''.
Their first MCA album, ''
Borrowed Time'',
featured a lavish
Rodney Matthews
Rodney Matthews (born 6 July 1945) is a British illustrator and conceptual designer of fantasy and science-fiction.
Career
Trained at the West of England College of Art, Matthews worked in advertising for Plastic Dog Graphics before turning ...
-illustrated gatefold sleeve based on the album's
Elric theme and was the most expensive sleeve commissioned by MCA at the time. The album was somewhat successful commercially, climbing to No 24 in the
UK Albums Chart
The Official Albums Chart is a list of albums ranked by physical and digital sales and (from March 2015) audio streaming in the United Kingdom. It was published for the first time on 22 July 1956 and is compiled every week by the Official Charts C ...
. The band were able to perform a full-scale UK tour at premier venues such as London's
Hammersmith Odeon
The Hammersmith Apollo, currently called the Eventim Apollo for sponsorship reasons, and formerly known as the Hammersmith Odeon, is a live entertainment performance venue, originally built as a cinema called the Gaumont Palace. Located in Ha ...
.
To support the album, Diamond Head's released their sixth single, "In the Heat of the Night", backed with live versions of "
Play It Loud
''Play It Loud'' is the second studio album by the British rock group Slade. It was released by Polydor on 28 November 1970 but did not enter the charts. The album, produced by Chas Chandler, was the first to be released under the Slade name, ...
" and "
Sweet and Innocent" recorded at the Zig-Zag club, and an interview with
DJ Tommy Vance
Richard Anthony Crispian Francis Prew Hope-Weston (11 July 1940 – 6 March 2005), known professionally as Tommy Vance, was an English radio broadcaster. He was an important factor in the rise of the new wave of British heavy metal (NWOBHM), al ...
(although the latter was not available on the 12").
''Canterbury''
Once the two-week UK tour was over, they were told to start writing the next album. The band tried a more experimental sounding follow-up to ''Borrowed Time'', tentatively titled ''Making Music'' which was re-named ''
Canterbury
Canterbury (, ) is a City status in the United Kingdom, cathedral city and UNESCO World Heritage Site, situated in the heart of the City of Canterbury local government district of Kent, England. It lies on the River Stour, Kent, River Stour.
...
'' in 1983.
Using top engineer
Mike Shipley
Michael Shipley (6 October 1956 – 25 July 2013) was an Australian mixing engineer, audio engineer, and record producer. Shipley's music career spanned more than 30 years – mostly working in Los Angeles. At the Grammy Awards of 2012 he ...
at an expensive London studio, called
Battery
Battery most often refers to:
* Electric battery, a device that provides electrical power
* Battery (crime), a crime involving unlawful physical contact
Battery may also refer to:
Energy source
*Automotive battery, a device to provide power t ...
in
Willesden
Willesden () is an area of northwest London, situated 5 miles (8 km) northwest of Charing Cross. It is historically a parish in the county of Middlesex that was incorporated as the Municipal Borough of Willesden in 1933, and has formed ...
, put immense pressure on the band. Scott struggled to adapt to this new level of scrutiny and was fired,
after completing just six drum tracks in three weeks. Then once all the bass parts had been recorded, Kimberley also quit Diamond Head.
The album now fell to Harris and Tatler to finish causing the former to almost have a nervous breakdown. The initial success of the album was stalled as the first 20,000 copies suffered vinyl pressing problems, causing the LP to jump. It made number 32 in the UK Albums Chart, and it was noted that the album cost more to make but sold less. Diamond Head were invited to open that year's
Monsters of Rock Festival and, for the first time, toured Europe as special guests of
Black Sabbath
Black Sabbath were an English rock music, rock band formed in Birmingham in 1968 by guitarist Tony Iommi, drummer Bill Ward (musician), Bill Ward, bassist Geezer Butler and vocalist Ozzy Osbourne. They are often cited as pioneers of heavy met ...
. On 1 January 1984, MCA did not pick up the option for a third album.
1984 to 2000
In early 1984, Diamond Head did an 18-date UK tour which lost money. Harris and Tatler continued to write together, and in October/November, Diamond Head re-convened in a purpose-built studio in Stambermill, West Midlands, to record their next album. It was never finished, and the band fell apart in early 1985.
Tatler took over the running of the studio called RPK while Harris signed a solo deal with Pete Winkelman's new label I Major Records. This culminated in Harris and Robin George making an expensive album together under the name Notorious.
In 1990, Winkelman encouraged Harris to make another Diamond Head record and so put him and Tatler back in touch after a long break. The band did two UK tours, and eventually, ''
Death and Progress
''Death and Progress'' is the fourth studio album by the British heavy metal band Diamond Head, released in 1993 through Castle Music Ltd.
This was Diamond Head's first album since ''Canterbury'', released 10 years earlier. It was co-produce ...
'' was released in June 1993, featuring guest contributions by
Tony Iommi
Anthony Frank Iommi () (born 19 February 1948) is a British musician. He co-founded the pioneering heavy metal band Black Sabbath, and was the band's guitarist, leader and primary composer and sole continuous member for nearly five decades. I ...
of
Black Sabbath
Black Sabbath were an English rock music, rock band formed in Birmingham in 1968 by guitarist Tony Iommi, drummer Bill Ward (musician), Bill Ward, bassist Geezer Butler and vocalist Ozzy Osbourne. They are often cited as pioneers of heavy met ...
and
Dave Mustaine
David Scott Mustaine (born September 13, 1961) is an American musician. He is the co-founder, lead vocalist, rhythm guitarist and primary songwriter of the thrash metal band Megadeth, as well as their sole consistent member. Mustaine has releas ...
of
Megadeth
Megadeth is an American thrash metal band formed in Los Angeles in 1983 by vocalist/guitarist Dave Mustaine. Known for their technically complex guitar work and musicianship, Megadeth is one of the "big four" of American thrash metal along wit ...
.
However, the reunion was short lived as they were on the verge of splitting up as soon as the record was released. The last gig Diamond Head played was at Milton Keynes Bowl opening for Metallica. Towards the end of 1992, Harris grew dissatisfied with the album and Tatler and wanted to move on. Winkelman tried to broker a deal with RCA records for a 'new' band that would feature a new line-up. They performed one gig in Northampton under the name Magnetic AKA, but a deal failed to materialize, and it all fell apart.
2000s
In 2000, Harris and Tatler reunited to perform some acoustic, un-plugged type gigs in the UK. They reworked the old songs and began recording a four track acoustic EP, although this ended up taking two years, and by the time it came out on the band's own label, the acoustic phase was over. They accepted an offer to play the Metal Meltdown Festival in New Jersey on 5 April 2002 (Diamond Head's first US show). An electric band was put together, and a 14 date UK tour was booked for August 2002. A new Diamond Head album was planned, and Mad Hat Studio in Wolverhampton was booked along with producer Andy Scarth. About halfway through the recording, Harris announced that he wanted to change the name of the band to 'Host'. This did not go down well with everyone, and when in 2003 Harris failed to get a deal for the album (which had cost around £16,000), things went quiet. Later that year, Diamond Head and Harris finally went their separate ways.
Nick Tart era
![Diamond live in japan](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/4d/Diamond_live_in_japan.jpg)
Nick Tart (from Cannock) was asked to join Diamond Head in 2004. The band's next album, ''
All Will Be Revealed,'' was released in 2005. To promote this album, they completed a 22 date European tour with
Megadeth
Megadeth is an American thrash metal band formed in Los Angeles in 1983 by vocalist/guitarist Dave Mustaine. Known for their technically complex guitar work and musicianship, Megadeth is one of the "big four" of American thrash metal along wit ...
. Brian Tatler commented that this was one of the best experiences of his life, and he regained his enjoyment for playing live with the band again.
Diamond Head headlined a celebration of the 25th anniversary of the NWOBHM at the
London Astoria
The London Astoria was a music venue at 157 Charing Cross Road, in London, England.
Originally a warehouse during the 1920s, the building became a cinema and ballroom. It was converted for use as a theatre in the 1970s. After further developme ...
, supported by
Witchfynde
Witchfynde are an English heavy metal band, forerunners of the new wave of British heavy metal in the late 1970s.
History
Early days
Witchfynde were formed in Derbyshire, England, in 1974, by bass guitarist Richard Blower and vocalist N ...
,
Bronz
Bronz are an English hard rock band, formed in Bath in the mid-1970s. The band played mainly around the UK and at the 'free festivals' of the time. These included performances at Stonehenge and Glastonbury in 1978.
Career
After an early t ...
,
Praying Mantis
Mantises are an order (Mantodea) of insects that contains over 2,400 species in about 460 genera in 33 families. The largest family is the Mantidae ("mantids"). Mantises are distributed worldwide in temperate and tropical habitats. They ha ...
, and
Jaguar
The jaguar (''Panthera onca'') is a large cat species and the only living member of the genus '' Panthera'' native to the Americas. With a body length of up to and a weight of up to , it is the largest cat species in the Americas and the th ...
. This concert was later released as a live CD titled ''It's Electric'' and also the band's first DVD, ''To the Devil His Due'', in 2006. The band's rhythm guitarist Adrian Mills left the band and was replaced with Andy 'Abbz' Abberley,
previously in Cannock band Chase with drummer Karl Wilcox. In 2007 Diamond Head released ''
What's in Your Head?'' produced by Dave (Shirt) Nichols. In 2008, Nick announced that he and his family were going to emigrate to Brisbane. The band continued to tour but now has the extra expense of flying the singer backward and forwards from Australia. Diamond Head toured the US (twice) plus Japan and Europe, including two dates opening for the Big 4. Nick's last show with Diamond Head was 4 October 2013.
Rasmus Bom Andersen era (2014–present)
After recruiting new vocalist Rasmus Bom Andersen (a Danish-born singer living in London) in 2014, Diamond Head toured the UK and began work on their self-titled album ''
Diamond Head'', released in 2016. The band took part in the
70000 Tons of Metal
70000 Tons of Metal (officially stylized as 70000TONS OF METAL) is an annual heavy metal music festival that takes place on board a cruise ship. The event is a five-day festival, including one shore day at a select Caribbean destination.
H ...
cruise around the Caribbean and toured the US and Europe. Work began on their eighth studio album, ''The Coffin Train'', in mid-2016, and it was released in May 2019. By this time, Diamond Head had signed to Silver Lining Records and is now managed by Siren Management. The album entered the
UK Rock & Metal Albums Chart
The UK Rock & Metal Singles Chart and UK Rock & Metal Albums Chart are record charts compiled in the United Kingdom by the Official Charts Company (OCC) to determine the 40 most popular singles and albums in the rock and heavy metal genres. The ...
at number 5, ten places higher than the band's self-titled album.
Influences
Diamond Head have cited their early inspirations as classic 1970s British rock bands such as
Deep Purple
Deep Purple are an English rock band formed in London in 1968. They are considered to be among the pioneers of heavy metal music, heavy metal and modern hard rock music, but their musical style has changed over the course of its existence. Ori ...
,
Led Zeppelin
Led Zeppelin were an English rock band formed in London in 1968. The group comprised vocalist Robert Plant, guitarist Jimmy Page, bassist/keyboardist John Paul Jones, and drummer John Bonham. With a heavy, guitar-driven sound, they are ci ...
,
UFO
An unidentified flying object (UFO), more recently renamed by US officials as a UAP (unidentified aerial phenomenon), is any perceived aerial phenomenon that cannot be immediately identified or explained. On investigation, most UFOs are id ...
,
Black Sabbath
Black Sabbath were an English rock music, rock band formed in Birmingham in 1968 by guitarist Tony Iommi, drummer Bill Ward (musician), Bill Ward, bassist Geezer Butler and vocalist Ozzy Osbourne. They are often cited as pioneers of heavy met ...
,
Judas Priest
Judas Priest are an English heavy metal band formed in Birmingham in 1969. They have sold over 50 million albums and are frequently ranked as one of the greatest metal bands of all time. Despite an innovative and pioneering body of work in th ...
, and
Free
Free may refer to:
Concept
* Freedom, having the ability to do something, without having to obey anyone/anything
* Freethought, a position that beliefs should be formed only on the basis of logic, reason, and empiricism
* Emancipate, to procur ...
, Brian Tatler relating that the first albums he bought were
Led Zeppelin
Led Zeppelin were an English rock band formed in London in 1968. The group comprised vocalist Robert Plant, guitarist Jimmy Page, bassist/keyboardist John Paul Jones, and drummer John Bonham. With a heavy, guitar-driven sound, they are ci ...
's ''
Led Zeppelin II
''Led Zeppelin II'' is the second studio album by the English rock band Led Zeppelin, released on 22 October 1969 in the United States and on 31 October 1969 in the United Kingdom by Atlantic Records. Recording sessions for the album took place a ...
'' and
Deep Purple
Deep Purple are an English rock band formed in London in 1968. They are considered to be among the pioneers of heavy metal music, heavy metal and modern hard rock music, but their musical style has changed over the course of its existence. Ori ...
's ''
Machine Head
A machine head (also referred to as a tuning machine, tuner, or gear head) is a geared apparatus for tuning stringed musical instruments by adjusting string tension. Machine heads are used on mandolins, guitars, double basses and others, and ar ...
'', and said that although a lot of his guitar work was inspired by
Ritchie Blackmore
Richard Hugh Blackmore (born 14 April 1945) is an English guitarist and songwriter. He was a founding member of Deep Purple in 1968, playing jam-style hard rock music that mixed guitar riffs and organ sounds. He is prolific in creating guitar ...
and Michael Schenker, it was
punk rock that showed him that anyone could form a band. Colin Kimberley commented Diamond Head got their complex sound from listening to bands like
Black Sabbath
Black Sabbath were an English rock music, rock band formed in Birmingham in 1968 by guitarist Tony Iommi, drummer Bill Ward (musician), Bill Ward, bassist Geezer Butler and vocalist Ozzy Osbourne. They are often cited as pioneers of heavy met ...
and
Rush
Rush(es) may refer to:
Places
United States
* Rush, Colorado
* Rush, Kentucky
* Rush, New York
* Rush City, Minnesota
* Rush Creek (Kishwaukee River tributary), Illinois
* Rush Creek (Marin County, California), a stream
* Rush Creek (Mono Cou ...
and realising that a song with a single riff throughout was not interesting enough.
In a recent interview, Tatler stated that he now tries not to be influenced by modern bands and keep his sound, although he imagines that "little bits creep into the writing process."
The Canadian new wave band
Men Without Hats
Men Without Hats are a Canadian New wave music, new wave and synth-pop band, originally from Montreal, Quebec. Their music is characterized by the baritone voice of their lead singer Ivan Doroschuk, as well as their elaborate use of synthesizers ...
' 1991 album ''
Sideways
''Sideways'' is a 2004 American comedy-drama road film directed by Alexander Payne and written by Jim Taylor and Payne. A film adaptation of Rex Pickett's 2004 novel of the same name, ''Sideways'' follows two men in their forties, Miles Raymo ...
'' features a track called "Life After Diamond Head", a reference to the band.
Lack of commercial success
Many reasons have been cited why Diamond Head never achieved significant commercial success, focused mainly on their change in musical direction with ''
Canterbury
Canterbury (, ) is a City status in the United Kingdom, cathedral city and UNESCO World Heritage Site, situated in the heart of the City of Canterbury local government district of Kent, England. It lies on the River Stour, Kent, River Stour.
...
'' and their delay in obtaining a record deal. Once they did sign to a major label,
MCA proved to be the wrong label, forcing the band to sound more commercial. Also, while successful bands like
Iron Maiden
Iron Maiden are an English heavy metal band formed in Leyton, East London, in 1975 by bassist and primary songwriter Steve Harris. While fluid in the early years of the band, the lineup for most of the band's history has consisted of Harri ...
and
Def Leppard
Def Leppard are an English rock band formed in 1976 in Sheffield. Since 1992, the band has consisted of Rick Savage (bass, backing vocals), Joe Elliott (lead vocals), Rick Allen (drums, backing vocals), Phil Collen (guitar, backing vocals), a ...
were managed by established music management, Diamond Head were managed by Reg Fellows and the lead singer's mother, neither of whom had managed a band before. In addition, though many of their NWOBHM brethren toured the United States in the 1980s, Diamond Head did not set foot on US soil until 2002, performing one show at Metal Meltdown IV, New Jersey.
Influence on Metallica
American heavy metal band Metallica have covered the likes of "Sucking My Love", "
Am I Evil?
"Am I Evil?" is a song by British heavy metal band Diamond Head. Released on the band's 1980 debut album ''Lightning to the Nations'', it remains the band's signature song''.'' The song was written by lead vocalist Sean Harris and guitarist ...
" and "The Prince" during their initial performances. The ''
Metal Up Your Ass'' live demo, recorded in November of 1982, featured a live rendition of "Am I Evil?". "Sucking My Love" exists on various
bootlegs that have been circulating since 1982, along with a recording on the early demo ''
No Life Til Leather''.
Metallica's first official studio release of "Am I Evil?" came in 1984 as part of the ''
Creeping Death
"Creeping Death" is a song by American heavy metal band Metallica. It was released on November 23, 1984, as the lead and only commercial single from their album '' Ride the Lightning'' (" Fade to Black" and "For Whom the Bell Tolls", from the sa ...
'' 12-inch single paired with another NWOBHM classic "Blitzkrieg", by the
band of the same name. The two songs were also included in the first pressing of the ''
Kill 'Em All
''Kill 'Em All'' is the debut studio album by American heavy metal band Metallica, released on July 25, 1983, through the independent label Megaforce Records. Metallica began by playing shows in local clubs in Los Angeles. They recorded several ...
''
LP when it was re-released by
Elektra Records
Elektra Records (or Elektra Entertainment) is an American record label owned by Warner Music Group, founded in 1950 by Jac Holzman and Paul Rickolt. It played an important role in the development of contemporary folk and rock music between the 1 ...
.
A cover of "Helpless" was featured ''
The $5.98 E.P. - Garage Days Re-Revisited
''The'' () is a grammatical article in English, denoting persons or things already mentioned, under discussion, implied or otherwise presumed familiar to listeners, readers, or speakers. It is the definite article in English. ''The'' is the ...
'' in 1987 and "The Prince" was included as a B-side to the "
One
1 (one, unit, unity) is a number representing a single or the only entity. 1 is also a numerical digit and represents a single unit of counting or measurement. For example, a line segment of ''unit length'' is a line segment of length 1. I ...
" single. The official recordings of "Am I Evil?", "Helpless" and "The Prince" would also be featured on
Metallica
Metallica is an American heavy metal band. The band was formed in 1981 in Los Angeles by vocalist/guitarist James Hetfield and drummer Lars Ulrich, and has been based in San Francisco for most of its career. The band's fast tempos, instrume ...
's two-CD ''
Garage Inc.
''Garage Inc.'' is a compilation album of cover songs by American heavy metal band Metallica. It was released on November 24, 1998, through Elektra Records. It includes cover songs, B-side covers, and ''The $5.98 E.P. - Garage Days Re-Revisited'' ...
'' compilation in 1998, a collection of numerous cover songs that the band had played over the years. The first CD in the set was newly recorded covers, one of which was Diamond Head's "It's Electric".
During the
Wherever We May Roam Tour
Wherever We May Roam (mentioned by band members in interviews as Wherever I May Roam) was a concert tour by the American heavy metal band Metallica in support of their eponymous fifth studio album (commonly known as ''The Black Album''). It beg ...
Metallica played "Am I Evil?" and "Helpless" with the original Diamond Head members on 5 November 1992 at
NEC Arena
is a Japanese multinational information technology and electronics corporation, headquartered in Minato, Tokyo. The company was known as the Nippon Electric Company, Limited, before rebranding in 1983 as NEC. It provides IT and network soluti ...
in
Birmingham
Birmingham ( ) is a city and metropolitan borough in the metropolitan county of West Midlands in England. It is the second-largest city in the United Kingdom with a population of 1.145 million in the city proper, 2.92 million in the West ...
.
Metallica performed "Am I Evil?" along with the other bands in the Big 4 (
Megadeth
Megadeth is an American thrash metal band formed in Los Angeles in 1983 by vocalist/guitarist Dave Mustaine. Known for their technically complex guitar work and musicianship, Megadeth is one of the "big four" of American thrash metal along wit ...
,
Anthrax
Anthrax is an infection caused by the bacterium ''Bacillus anthracis''. It can occur in four forms: skin, lungs, intestinal, and injection. Symptom onset occurs between one day and more than two months after the infection is contracted. The sk ...
and
Slayer
Slayer was an American thrash metal band from Huntington Park, California. The band was formed in 1981 by guitarists Kerry King and Jeff Hanneman, drummer Dave Lombardo and bassist/vocalist Tom Araya. Slayer's fast and aggressive musical style ...
) at the 2011 Sonisphere festival, and with Diamond Head themselves at the Sonisphere festival in Knebworth on 8 July 2011. The following day Brian performed "Helpless" with Metallica and Anthrax at the Sonisphere festival in
Amnéville
Amnéville (; german: Amenweiler, 1940–45: ) is a commune in the Moselle department in Grand Est in northeastern France. The town is an important tourist and thermal spa center in France.
Geography
Amnéville is located in the Moselle valley, ...
, France.
On 5 December 2011, Brian Tatler and Sean Harris joined Metallica onstage at the Fillmore Auditorium in San Francisco to celebrate Metallica's 30th Anniversary. Together they played "The Prince", "It's Electric", "Helpless" and "Am I Evil?". Tatler and Harris also took part in a group encore of "Seek and Destroy". Metallica have performed "Am I Evil?" onstage over 750 times.
Band members
Current
*Brian Tatler – lead guitar, backing vocals
(1976–1985, 1991–1994, 2000–present)
*Karl Wilcox – drums
(1991–1994, 2002–present)
*Andy "Abbz" Abberley – rhythm and lead guitar
(2006–present)
*Rasmus Bom Andersen – lead vocals
(2014–present)
*Paul Gaskin - bass, backing vocals
(2022–present)
Former
*Sean Harris – lead vocals, rhythm guitar
(1976–1985, 1990–1994, 2000–2004)
*Colin Kimberley – bass, backing vocals
(1978–1983)
*Duncan Scott – drums
(1976–1983)
*
Robbie France
Robbie France (5 December 1959 – 14 January 2012) was an English drummer, record producer, arranger, journalist, music educator, and broadcaster.
Early life
France was born in Sheffield, and emigrated to Australia in March 1972. He studied ...
– drums
(1983–1985; died 2012)
*Mervyn Goldsworthy – bass
(1983–1984)
*
Josh Phillips – keyboards
(1983–1984)
*Dave Williamson – bass, backing vocals
(1984–1985)
*Eddie Moohan – bass, backing vocals
(1991–1992, 2002–2016)
*
Pete Vuckovic
Peter Bryan Vuckovic (born February, 1971 in Devon, England) is an English singer-songwriter and bass player.
Biography
Of half Serbs, Serbian descent, Vuckovic grew up in Tiverton, Devon listening to hard rock and metal, singing and playing ba ...
– bass, backing vocals
(1992–1994)
*Floyd Brennan – rhythm guitar, backing vocals
(2000–2002)
*Rob Mills – rhythm guitar
(2003–2006)
*Nick Tart – lead vocals
(2004–2014)
*Dean Ashton – bass, backing vocals
(2016–2022)
Timeline
Discography
Studio albums
* ''
Lightning to the Nations
''Lightning to the Nations'' is the debut album by British heavy metal band Diamond Head. The album was recorded in 1979 (after the 1977 and 1979 demos) and released in 1980 through Happy Face Records, a label owned by the producer Muff Murf ...
'' (1980)
* ''
Borrowed Time'' (1982) –
K No. 24/small>
* ''Canterbury
Canterbury (, ) is a City status in the United Kingdom, cathedral city and UNESCO World Heritage Site, situated in the heart of the City of Canterbury local government district of Kent, England. It lies on the River Stour, Kent, River Stour.
...
'' (1983) – K No. 32/small>
* ''Death and Progress
''Death and Progress'' is the fourth studio album by the British heavy metal band Diamond Head, released in 1993 through Castle Music Ltd.
This was Diamond Head's first album since ''Canterbury'', released 10 years earlier. It was co-produce ...
'' (1993)
* '' All Will Be Revealed'' (2005)
* '' What's In Your Head?'' (2007)
* '' Diamond Head'' (2016) – K Rock No. 15/small>
* '' The Coffin Train'' (2019) – K Rock No. 5/small>
* '' Lightning To The Nations 2020'' (2020) Re-recording with four bonus tracks.
Live albums
* ''
The Friday Rock Show Sessions / Live at Reading
''The Friday Night Rock Show Sessions / Live at Reading'' is a live album by British heavy metal band Diamond Head, released in 1992 as part of an official series of similar, radio-archive releases by several bands released with Raw Fruit Rec ...
'' (1992)
* ''
Evil Live'' (1994)
* ''
Live – In the Heat of the Night'' (2000)
* ''It's Electric'' (2006)
* ''Live at the BBC'' (2010)
Singles and EPs
* "
Shoot Out the Lights
''Shoot Out the Lights'' is the sixth and final album by British husband-and-wife rock duo Richard and Linda Thompson. It was produced by Joe Boyd and released in 1982 on his Hannibal label. A critically acclaimed work, AllMusic's Mark Deming n ...
" (1979)
* "
Sweet and Innocent" (1980)
* "
Waited Too Long"/"Play It Loud" (1981)
* ''Diamond Lights'' EP (1981)
* ''
Call Me'' EP (1982)
* ''
Four Cuts'' EP (1982)
* ''In the Heat of the Night'' (1982) –
K No. 67/small>
* ''Makin' Music'' (1983) – K No. 87/small>
* ''Out of Phase'' (1983) – K No. 80/small>
* ''"Wild on the Streets"/"I Can't Help Myself" 12"'' (1991)
* '' Rising Up'' (1992)
* ''Acoustic: First Cuts'' EP (2002)
* ''Belly of the Beast 7" clear promo Flexi disc
The flexi disc (also known as a phonosheet, Sonosheet or Soundsheet, a trademark) is a phonograph record made of a thin, flexible vinyl sheet with a molded-in spiral stylus groove, and is designed to be playable on a normal phonograph turntable. ...
'' (2019)
Compilations
* ''
Behold the Beginning'' (1986)
* ''
Am I Evil
"Am I Evil?" is a song by British heavy metal band Diamond Head. Released on the band's 1980 debut album '' Lightning to the Nations'', it remains the band's signature song''.'' The song was written by lead vocalist Sean Harris and guitarist ...
'' (1987)
* ''
Sweet and Innocent'' (1988)
* ''Singles'' (1992)
* ''Helpless'' (1996)
* ''To Heaven from Hell'' (1997)
* ''The Best of Diamond Head'' (1999)
* ''Diamond Nights'' (2000)
* ''
The Diamond Head Anthology: Am I Evil?'' (2004)
* ''The MCA Years'' (2009)
* ''Lightning to the Nations: The White Album'' (2011)
* ''Am I Evil?: The Best Of'' (2013)
DVDs
* ''To the Devil His Due'' (21 November 2006)
See also
*
List of new wave of British heavy metal bands
The late 1970s–early 1980s period in the United Kingdom introduced a movement of young musicians, generally identified as the new wave of British heavy metal (often abbreviated as NWOBHM). The movement spawned more than a thousand hard rock and ...
References
External links
Official website*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Diamond Head
English heavy metal musical groups
British speed metal musical groups
People from Stourbridge
Musical quartets
Musical quintets
Musical groups established in 1976
Musical groups disestablished in 1985
Musical groups reestablished in 1991
Musical groups disestablished in 1994
Musical groups reestablished in 2000
1976 establishments in England
New Wave of British Heavy Metal musical groups
MCA Records artists