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Diamond Head (British band)

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Adapted from the English Wikipedia article Diamond Head (British band), available under CC BY-SA 4.0Updated 29 November 2025
Diamond Head
Company typeBand
IndustryMusic
Founded1976 in Stourbridge, West Midlands, England
FounderBrian Tatler, Duncan Scott
Headquarters
Stourbridge
,
England
Area served
Worldwide
ProductsMusic albums, live performances

Diamond Head is a heavy metal group from England, originating in Stourbridge, West Midlands, in 1976. As part of the new wave of British heavy metal movement, they played a significant role in shaping the sound that influenced prominent bands such as Metallica and Megadeth. The founding members were school friends Brian Tatler (guitar) and Duncan Scott (drums), who were joined by vocalist Sean Harris and bassist Collin Kimberley by 1978.

Formation and early years

Established in 1976, Diamond Head began with Tatler and Scott recruiting Sean Harris as their singer within the same year. After several changes in the bass position, Collin Kimberley became a permanent member in 1978. During 1979, the band produced two self-funded demo recordings, leveraging the momentum of the new wave of British heavy metal surge. Initially managed by Dave Morris and Ian Frazier—who provided financial backing and arranged tours—the group earned opening slots for acts like AC/DC and Iron Maiden at London's Lyceum Theatre.

Management responsibilities later shifted to Sean Harris’s mother and her partner Reg Fellows, who influenced key decisions including turning down early recording contract offers. This change prompted Morris and Frazier to exit their roles. Unlike other contemporaries who signed with major labels and expanded into the American market, Diamond Head opted to remain independent. Guitarist Tatler later expressed dissatisfaction with management’s unrealistic ambitions, which resulted in their debut album Lightning to the Nations being recorded swiftly on a limited budget at a local studio. In exchange for studio time, the owner acquired 50% of the publishing rights for fifteen years.

Released independently through Happy Face Records, the album featured minimalistic packaging—lacking both title and tracklisting—and was limited to just 1,000 copies. These were sold primarily at live shows and via mail order for £3.50 each. Promotion was minimal, consisting of only one unpaid advertisement in Sounds, which led to legal complications.

The master tapes went missing after being sent to Woolfe Records in Germany but were eventually recovered years later thanks to efforts by Lars Ulrich and Phonogram Germany for a 1990 compilation release.

In 1980, Pete Winkelman of Media Records made an attempt to sign Diamond Head, resulting in a single release that featured re-recorded versions of "Sweet & Innocent" backed with "Streets of Gold." By January 1981, the band supported April Wine on a UK tour and planned an extensive summer tour partly financed by their hastily recorded EP Diamond Lights. To minimize expenses, they avoided using promoters but ended up facing financial setbacks due to inadequate publicity. Security during this period was provided by members of the Wolverhampton Hells Angels chapter.

Charlie Eyre, an A&R representative who transitioned from A&M to MCA, pursued signing Diamond Head. After six months of negotiations, the band secured a five-album contract effective from 1 January 1982.

Borrowed Time

Diamond Head’s initial release under MCA was the Four Cuts EP, which included early tracks such as "Shoot Out the Lights" and "Dead Reckoning." They supported this release with a UK club tour and earned a Friday night performance slot at the 1982 Reading Festival through agent Neil Warnock, replacing Manowar. This performance was recorded by the BBC and later issued in 1992 as Friday Rock Show Sessions.

The band's first full-length MCA album, Borrowed Time, featured an elaborate gatefold cover illustrated by Rodney Matthews, inspired by the character Elric. It was MCA's most costly commissioned artwork at that time. The album reached number 24 on the UK Albums Chart, enabling Diamond Head to embark on a comprehensive UK tour with performances at major venues including London's Hammersmith Odeon.

To promote Borrowed Time, they released their sixth single "In the Heat of the Night," accompanied by live recordings of "Play It Loud" and "Sweet and Innocent" captured at the Zig-Zag club, as well as an interview with DJ Tommy Vance (which was omitted from the 12" version).

Canterbury

Following their tour across the UK, Diamond Head embarked on creating a more experimental successor to Borrowed Time. Originally named Making Music, the album was eventually retitled Canterbury and released in 1983. The recording sessions took place at London's Battery Studios under the guidance of engineer Mike Shipley, a process marked by considerable stress. Drummer Scott was dismissed after laying down six drum tracks within three weeks, and bassist Kimberley exited after completing his parts. The album was ultimately finalized by Harris and Tatler, with Harris coming close to a breakdown during production.

The album's release encountered setbacks when the initial 20,000 vinyl pressings suffered from defects that affected playback quality. Despite these issues, Canterbury managed to reach No. 32 on the UK Albums Chart; however, sales were disappointing given the elevated production expenses. In 1983, Diamond Head opened the Monsters of Rock festival and subsequently toured Europe as special guests supporting Black Sabbath. On 1 January 1984, MCA opted not to proceed with a third album under their contract.

1984 to 2000

In early 1984, Diamond Head embarked on an 18-date tour across the UK which unfortunately resulted in financial losses. Harris and Tatler persisted in songwriting and regrouped at Stambermill studio to work on a new album, though it remained unfinished before the band disbanded in early 1985. Tatler took charge of managing RPK studio while Harris secured a solo contract with Pete Winkelman's I Major Records, producing an expensive album titled Notorious alongside Robin George. In 1990, Winkelman facilitated a reunion between Harris and Tatler, which led to two UK tours and the 1993 release of Death and Progress, featuring guest appearances by Tony Iommi and Dave Mustaine. Despite this revival, dissatisfaction with the album's reception led to plans for forming a new band under RCA; however, this effort dissolved after only one performance as Magnetic AKA.

2000s

Harris and Tatler reunited in 2000 for a series of acoustic performances in the UK and began work on a four-track acoustic EP, which took two years before being independently released on their own label. They accepted an invitation to perform at the Metal Meltdown Festival in New Jersey in 2002—marking Diamond Head's debut US appearance—and assembled an electric lineup for a subsequent 14-date UK tour. Efforts to record a new album at Mad Hat Studio with producer Andy Scarth were derailed when Harris suggested renaming the band 'Host', causing internal disagreements. After failing to secure funding for the £16,000 project in 2003, Harris parted ways with Diamond Head.

Nick Tart era

In 2004, Nick Tart joined Diamond Head as vocalist, culminating in the release of All Will Be Revealed in 2005. To support the album, they completed a 22-date European tour alongside Megadeth, which reignited Brian Tatler's passion for live performances. Diamond Head headlined the NWOBHM 25th anniversary event at London Astoria, sharing the stage with Witchfynde, Bronz, Praying Mantis, and Jaguar; this concert was recorded and released as the live CD It's Electric and their inaugural DVD To the Devil His Due (2006). Following rhythm guitarist Adrian Mills' departure, Andy 'Abbz' Abberley from Cannock band Chase joined alongside drummer Karl Wilcox. In 2007, they issued What's in Your Head?, produced by Dave Nichols. After Nick announced plans to relocate to Brisbane in 2008, the band continued touring internationally—including dates in the US, Japan, Europe, and two Big 4 festival openings—incurring additional travel expenses. Nick Tart's final show with Diamond Head took place on 4 October 2013.

Rasmus Bom Andersen period and hiatus (2014–present)

Following the addition of Danish vocalist Rasmus Bom Andersen in 2014, Diamond Head embarked on tours across the UK and unveiled their self-titled album Diamond Head in 2016. Their activities included performing on the 70000 Tons of Metal cruise and touring extensively throughout North America and Europe. The band commenced work on their eighth studio effort, The Coffin Train, in mid-2016, which was eventually released in May 2019 after signing with Silver Lining Records and partnering with Siren Management. This album achieved a peak position of number 5 on the UK Rock & Metal Albums Chart, surpassing the success of their prior release. In 2018, Diamond Head toured both the UK and Europe, followed by supporting Black Star Riders during their European tour in 2019.

On 1 September 2022, guitarist Brian Tatler disclosed intentions to produce a follow-up album, noting that most compositions existed as demos awaiting drum tracking. Progress experienced delays partly because Tatler joined Saxon as a replacement guitarist. Subsequently, on 16 June 2025, Tatler announced that Diamond Head had entered a hiatus due to his ongoing commitments with Saxon.

Musical style and influences

Diamond Head's initial musical inspiration stemmed from iconic British rock groups of the 1970s such as Deep Purple, Led Zeppelin, UFO, Black Sabbath, Judas Priest, and Free. Brian Tatler highlighted albums like Led Zeppelin II and Machine Head as significant influences, while citing guitarists Ritchie Blackmore and Michael Schenker as key inspirations. The punk rock movement also impacted him by illustrating that forming a band was accessible to anyone. Bassist Colin Kimberley remarked that their intricate sound evolved from influences including Black Sabbath and Rush, advancing beyond simple repetitive riffs.

In a 2008 interview, Tatler expressed his intention to preserve his unique sound without heavily borrowing from contemporary bands, although he acknowledged that subtle modern influences might occasionally appear in his songwriting.

Legacy and influence

According to American Songwriter, although Diamond Head may not be widely recognized among casual heavy metal audiences, they were pivotal figures in the new wave of British heavy metal and significantly shaped the early styles of bands such as Metallica and Megadeth. The Guardian has described "Am I Evil?" as a defining anthem of the NWOBHM movement.

The band's relatively modest commercial achievements have been linked to their stylistic shift with Canterbury, difficulties in securing timely record deals, and being signed to MCA, which pushed for a more mainstream sound. Unlike peers like Iron Maiden and Def Leppard, Diamond Head's management lacked extensive industry experience, being overseen by Reg Fellows alongside the lead singer’s mother. Moreover, they did not tour the United States during the 1980s, only performing there for the first time in 2002.

Metallica frequently covered Diamond Head tracks such as "Sucking My Love", "Am I Evil?", and "The Prince" early in their career. Their live demo Metal Up Your Ass (1982) featured "Am I Evil?", which was officially released on the 1984 Creeping Death single alongside Blitzkrieg’s classic track. This song was also included in the initial pressing of Metallica's re-release of Kill 'Em All. Additionally, Metallica covered "Helpless" on The $5.98 E.P. - Garage Days Re-Revisited (1987) and used "The Prince" as a B-side for their single "One".

On 5 November 1992 at Birmingham’s NEC Arena, Metallica performed "Am I Evil?" and "Helpless" alongside original members of Diamond Head during their Wherever We May Roam Tour. They also played "Am I Evil?" with the big four bands (Megadeth, Anthrax, and Slayer) at the 2011 Sonisphere festival, as well as with Diamond Head themselves at Knebworth in July 2011. Brian Tatler joined Metallica and Anthrax for a rendition of "Helpless" at Sonisphere in Amnéville, France. In December 2011, Tatler and Sean Harris appeared onstage with Metallica at San Francisco’s Fillmore Auditorium for Metallica’s 30th Anniversary celebration, performing several Diamond Head songs including "Am I Evil?". Metallica have performed "Am I Evil?" live over 750 times. In June 2024, Tatler again joined Metallica onstage in Oslo to perform "Am I Evil?", during which Kirk Hammett ceded lead guitar responsibilities.

The Canadian new wave group Men Without Hats paid homage to Diamond Head on their 1991 album Sideways through the track titled "Life After Diamond Head".

Band members

Present lineup

  • Brian Tatler – lead guitar and backing vocals (1976–1985, 1991–1994, 2000–present), rhythm guitar (2006–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 and backing vocals (2022–present)

Past members

  • Sean Harris – lead vocals (1976–1985, 1990–1994, 2000–2004), rhythm guitar (1976–1985, 1990–1994)
  • Colin Kimberley – bass and backing vocals (1978–1983)
  • Duncan Scott – drums (1976–1983)
  • Robbie France – drums (1983–1985; deceased 2012)
  • Mervyn Goldsworthy – bass (1983–1984)
  • Josh Phillips – keyboards (1983–1985)
  • Dave Williamson – bass and backing vocals (1984–1985)
  • Eddie Moohan – bass and backing vocals (1991–1992, 2002–2016)
  • Pete Vuckovic – bass and backing vocals (1992–1994)
  • Floyd Brennan – rhythm guitar and backing vocals (2000–2002)
  • Rob Mills – rhythm guitar (2003–2006)
  • Nick Tart – lead vocals (2004–2014)
  • Dean Ashton – bass and backing vocals (2016–2022)

Studio albums

Live albums

Singles and EPs

Compilations

  • Behold the Beginning compilation album (1986)
  • Am I Evil compilation album (1987)
  • Sweet and Innocent compilation album (1988)
  • Singles collection album (1992)
  • Helpless compilation album (1996)
  • The Best of Diamond Head collection album (1999)
  • Diamond Nights compilation album (2000)
  • The Diamond Head Anthology: Am I Evil? anthology album (2004)
  • The MCA Years compilation album (2009)
  • Lightning to the Nations: The White Album compilation release (2011)
  • Am I Evil?: The Best Of greatest hits collection album (2013)

DVD Releases

  • To the Devil His Due (Released on 21 November 2006)

See also

External links

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