Diamond Head (band)

Diamond Head
Diamond Head live in 2014
Background information
Origin	Stourbridge, England
Genres	Heavy metal
Years active	1976–1985, 1990–1994, 2000–present
Members	Brian Tatler Karl Wilcox Rasmus Bom Andersen Andy Abberley Dean Ashton
Past members	Sean Harris Duncan Scott Colin Kimberley Robbie France Josh Phillips-Gorse Mervyn Goldsworthy Dave Williamson Pete Vuckovic Floyd Brennan Adrian Mills Nick Tart Eddie Moohan

Diamond Head are an English heavy metal band formed in 1976 in Stourbridge, England. The band is recognised as one of the leading members of the new wave of British heavy metal and is acknowledged by thrash metal bands such as Metallica and Megadeth as an important early influence.

Two working class teenagers from Stourbridge created the band in 1976. Brian Tatler & Duncan Scott formed the band with a biscuit tin drum kit and borrowed guitar in Brian's bedroom. They auditioned several school friends for a singer until finding Sean Harris. "It was the last year of school, we were about to leave to get jobs or go to college" said Brian Tatler, The name 'Diamond Head' came from a 1975 Phil Manzanera album that Tatler had a poster of in his room. The band played their first gig at High Park school hall (10 February 1977) and sold 151 tickets for a forty-minute set of their own original material. Bassist Colin Kimberley, a friend of Tatler's from primary school, joined the band in 1978 as their fourth bassist.

In their early days, the band played very few cover songs and concentrated on their own material. Exceptions were Black Sabbath's "Paranoid", "Its All For The Love of Rock and Roll" by the Tuff Darts, "Motorhead" by Motörhead and Space Station #5 by Montrose. In one interview, Brian Tatler stated that they wrote some 100 songs before their first studio recorded release, and only one song (It's Electric) from their 1978 debut gig with Colin made it onto vinyl.

The band recorded self-financed demo tapes in 1979. Recorded within six hours on a four-track, their unique sound and quality of writing gained enough attention for the band to tour as support to AC/DC and Iron Maiden. Although several record companies expressed interests in signing the band, no contracts were forthcoming. The band was at the time managed by Reg Fellows and Sean Harris' mother (Linda Harris),who reportedly turned down an offer from the influential Leiber/Krebs Management. Thus while other new wave of British heavy metal bands were signed to major labels and headlining their own tours Diamond Head remained independent. The management decided that they would release their material through a label owned by Muff Murfin called 'Happy Face Records'. Murfin also owned the studio where Diamond Head did many of their early recordings.