Diamond Head are an English heavy metal band formed in Stourbridge, West Midlands, in 1976. They emerged as part of the new wave of British heavy metal movement and have been cited as an influence by bands including Metallica and Megadeth. The original line-up consisted of guitarist Brian Tatler, drummer Duncan Scott, vocalist Sean Harris and, from 1978, bassist Colin Kimberley. Tatler has remained the band's only constant member.
Diamond Head were founded in 1976 by school friends Brian Tatler and Duncan Scott.
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Diamond Head are an English heavy metal band formed in Stourbridge, West Midlands, in 1976. They emerged as part of the new wave of British heavy metal movement and have been cited as an influence by bands including Metallica and Megadeth. The original line-up consisted of guitarist Brian Tatler, drummer Duncan Scott, vocalist Sean Harris and, from 1978, bassist Colin Kimberley. Tatler has remained the band's only constant member.
Diamond Head were founded in 1976 by school friends Brian Tatler and Duncan Scott. Later that year they recruited vocalist Sean Harris, and after several changes in the bass position, Colin Kimberley joined in February 1978. In 1979 the band recorded two self-financed demo tapes within a six-hour session using a four-track recorder. One of the tapes was sent to journalist Geoff Barton of Sounds magazine, helping the group gain attention during the emergence of the new wave of British heavy metal.
The band's growing reputation led to support appearances with AC/DC and Iron Maiden. Although several record companies expressed interest, no agreement was reached, and Diamond Head remained independent. Internal disagreements over management resulted in the departure of managers Dave Morris and Ian Frazier, leaving Reg Fellows and Linda Harris in control of the band's affairs. According to Tatler, differences over contract expectations contributed to the absence of a major label deal during this period.
In 1980 the group recorded their debut album, "Lightning to the Nations", at a local studio owned by Muff Murfin. After unsuccessful attempts to secure a record contract, approximately 1,000 copies were released through Murfin's Happy Face Records. To reduce costs, the album appeared in a plain white sleeve without title or track listing. Copies were sold at concerts and through mail order. The original stereo master tapes were later lost after being sent to German label Woolfe Records, but were recovered before the release of the 1990 compilation "New Wave of British Heavy Metal '79 Revisited".
Later in 1980, Pete Winkelman attempted to sign Diamond Head to his Media Records label. The band instead recorded a single, "Sweet & Innocent" backed with "Streets of Gold". In early 1981 they supported April Wine on a UK tour. To finance a planned headline tour, they recorded the "Diamond Lights" EP. The tour proved financially unsuccessful. After extended negotiations, Diamond Head signed a five-album contract with MCA Records on 1 January 1982.
The first release under MCA was the "Four Cuts" EP, featuring new recordings of "Shoot Out the Lights" and "Dead Reckoning". The band performed at the Reading Festival in 1982 as a late replacement for Manowar. Their set was recorded by the BBC and later issued in 1992 as "Friday Rock Show Sessions".
Their first MCA album, "Borrowed Time", was released in 1982. Featuring artwork by Rodney Matthews inspired by Michael Moorcock's Elric stories, the album reached number 24 on the UK Albums Chart. The group undertook a UK tour that included venues such as the Hammersmith Odeon in London. A single, "In the Heat of the Night", was released to support the album.
Following the tour, Diamond Head began work on their third album. Originally titled "Making Music", the project was renamed "Canterbury" and released in 1983. Recording sessions at Battery Studios in London coincided with changes in the line-up. Duncan Scott was dismissed during production and Colin Kimberley subsequently left the band. The album reached number 32 on the UK Albums Chart. Diamond Head appeared at the Monsters of Rock festival and toured Europe with Black Sabbath. In January 1984, MCA declined to exercise its option for a third studio album.
An 18-date UK tour in 1984 proved financially unsuccessful. Tatler and Harris continued writing material and reconvened later that year to record another album, which remained unfinished. The group disbanded in early 1985. Tatler managed the RPK recording studio, while Harris pursued other projects, including the group Notorious with Robin George.
In 1990 Harris and Tatler reunited and resumed activity as Diamond Head. The resulting album, "Death and Progress", was released in 1993 and featured guest appearances by Tony Iommi and Dave Mustaine. The reunion was short-lived, and the group ceased activity soon afterwards. Their final performance of the period took place at the Milton Keynes Bowl, where they opened for Metallica and Megadeth. Attempts to establish a revised line-up under the name Magnetic AKA did not result in a recording contract.
In 2000 Harris and Tatler reunited for a series of acoustic performances. An acoustic EP was recorded and released through the band's own label. Diamond Head later resumed electric performances and made their first appearance in the United States at the Metal Meltdown Festival in New Jersey in April 2002. During work on a new studio album, disagreements arose over the band's direction, and the partnership between Harris and the group ended permanently in 2003.
In 2004 vocalist Nick Tart joined the band. Diamond Head recorded "All Will Be Revealed", which was released in 2005. To promote the album they undertook a 22-date European tour with Megadeth. The group also headlined a concert celebrating the 25th anniversary of the new wave of British heavy metal at the London Astoria. Recordings from the event were released as the live album "It's Electric" and the DVD "To the Devil His Due" in 2006.
Following the departure of rhythm guitarist Adrian Mills, Andy Abberley joined the line-up. In 2007 Diamond Head released "What's in Your Head?". After Tart emigrated to Australia in 2008, the band continued touring internationally, including performances in the United States, Japan and Europe. They also appeared as support for members of the "Big Four" thrash metal bands. Tart's final performance with Diamond Head took place on 4 October 2013.
In 2014 Danish-born vocalist Rasmus Bom Andersen joined the band. Diamond Head released their self-titled album "Diamond Head" in 2016 and subsequently toured in Europe, North America and aboard the 70000 Tons of Metal cruise. Work on their eighth studio album, "The Coffin Train", began in 2016, and the album was released in 2019 after the band signed with Silver Lining Records. It reached number 5 on the UK Rock & Metal Albums Chart. Diamond Head toured the United Kingdom and Europe and supported Black Star Riders in 2019.
In 2022 Tatler stated that work on a successor to "The Coffin Train" had been delayed partly because of his involvement with Saxon, having replaced guitarist Paul Quinn. On 16 June 2025 Tatler announced that Diamond Head had entered a hiatus due to his commitments with Saxon.
Full Wikipedia article: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diamond_Head_(British_band)
Studio albums
Lightning to the Nations (1980)
Borrowed Time (1982)
Canterbury (1983)
Death and Progress (1993)
All Will Be Revealed (2005)
What's In Your Head? (2007)
Diamond Head (2016)
The Coffin Train (2019)
Lightning to the Nations 2020 (2020, Re-recording with four bonus tracks)
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…shrink me down again