Without a doubt the most hallowed of names in NWoBHM circles. DIAMOND HEAD gained enormous respect for some epic and mature songwriting built on traditional British Hard Rock roots and some infamous riffs although are better known now for their inspiration to many name acts. Most famous of which is METALLICA who still to this day retain the DIAMOND HEAD track 'Am I Evil?' in their live set.

The band, named by Tatler after the 1975 Phil Manzanera of the same title, formed in 1976 in Stourbridge, West Midlands whilst the individuals concerned were still at school, vocalist Sean Harris being auditioned in guitarist Brian Tatler's bedroom in June 1976 after Tatler and friend Duncan Scott on drums had heard reports of Harris' vocal prowess during a school trip. The singer apparantly signed a 'contract' with the fledgling group at school the next day. Bassist Colin Kimberley would sign up a few months later.

Having progressed as musicians and building a solid reputation for themselves as a live act playing beyond their tender years, DIAMOND HEAD put down their first demo songs at a Kidderminster studio during 1978. Impressively, the group managed to score notable support slots, including opening for both IRON MAIDEN and AC/DC. Their debut 7" single, 'Shoot Out The Lights', backed with 'Helpless', emerged in 1980 on their own Happy Face label. The single was sold through mail order ads in the weekly music paper 'Sounds' and at shows.

DIAMOND HEAD's next move was to finance their own debut album, a record that was again sold through mail order and at shows. The records were packaged in a plain white cardboard sleeve with each copy personally signed by a member of the band, although some are known to have been partly signed by all four members leading to a mysterious squiggle. The album, which became known by fans as 'Lightning To The Nations' after one of its stand-out tracks, quickly sold out of its first pressing of 1,000 copies and became a highly sought after collectable. A second manufacturing run of a further 1,000 units would be differentiated from the first run by having the inclusion of track credits printed on the reverse. The album was later picked up by German independent label Woolfe Records, apparently unbeknown to the band, and released in Europe.

A second single, 'Sweet And Innocent', produced by one ROBIN GEORGE, followed, this time through the Wolverhampton based Media Records imprint. During 1981 DIAMOND HEAD would follow up the album with two more singles, 'Waited Too Long' and the 'Diamond Lights' EP, all the time adding to their growing fan following, gaining a Radio One 'Friday Rock Show' session and gaining rave reviews for their live shows throughout the country

Finally, MCA Records took the bait and stepped in where other majors seemed to fear to tread by signing the quartet and immediately releasing the 'Four Cuts' EP in early 1982 and 'In The Heat Of The Night' later in the year. MCA finally issued the much anticipated 'Living On ... Borrowed Time' album in October.

'Living On ... Borrowed Time' entered the British charts to reach number 24 and garnered critical acclaim, DIAMOND HEAD also undertaking a British tour to immediately push the album. Some degree of controversy had surrounded the shows when New York Shock Rock troupe TWISTED SISTER, originally announced as the support act, failed to show. However, it would soon transpire that all was not well within the band and the recording of the next album, 'Canterbury' (originally titled 'Makin' Music'), proved the end of the road for Kimberley and Scott, both parting company with DIAMOND HEAD before the Mike Shipley produced record was completed.

Upon the release of the new album the band saw luck deal a cruel blow as numerous pressing faults kept the album from attaining the chart status of it's predecessor. Despite in retrospect the album contained such classics as the eastern flavoured 'Ishmael' and 'The Kingmaker', initial response by the hardcore following of the group was muted, the group having moved away from their classic Metal influences and attempting to be far more adventurous.

Replacements were swiftly recruited in former SAMSON bassist Merv Goldsworthy and drummer Robbie France. This line-up, together with an added keyboard player, debuted at the 1983 Castle Donington 'Monsters Of Rock' festival as the opening act. Before DIAMOND HEAD toured in earnest bassist Merv Goldsworthy was given his marching orders and was replaced by session man David Williamson, with new keyboard player Josh Phillips-Gorse being also added. This incarnation of DIAMOND toured as support to BLACK SABBATH's September 1983 European tour. A UK headline trek in October was arranged but bad luck continued to blight the band on tour where a dodgy P.A. system resulted in a truly horrendous live sound and attendances were not exactly brilliant either. To top it all, a proposed single release of the grandiose 'Ishmael' was cancelled.

This streak of ill fortune continued as prior to recording a proposed fourth album, 'Flight East', MCA Records dropped DIAMOND HEAD, proving to be the last straw as far as Tatler was concerned, the guitarist forming RADIO MOSCOW. The out of favour Goldsworthy was to eventually team up with AORsters FM, and subsequently ROMEO'S DAUGHTER, and France held a short position on the UFO drum stool and briefly became a member of SKUNK ANANSIE in the 90s.

Sean Harris, on the other hand, was to lay low for quite a while before announcing the ill fated NOTORIOUS project alongside ex MAGNUM guitarist ROBIN GEORGE. NOTORIOUS cut one album at enormous expense only to have it deleted almost immediately due to staff upheavals at the record company. Interestingly, Harris and Tatler were to collaborate together under the pseudonym MAGNETIC AKA on 'Who's That Man' found on the 'Highlander II' movie soundtrack.

Whilst it seemed to outsiders that Harris and Tatler were struggling with the DIAMOND HEAD legacy, others were not so reticent in acknowledging their former greatness. In 1984 METALLICA showed their respect by covering a version of 'Am I Evil' for inclusion on their 'Creeping Death' 12" single. This track was greeted with such enthusiasm it became entrenched in the Metallica set list.

As METALLICA's status rose with quickening pace, their allegiance to the NWoBHM movement, and in particular DIAMOND HEAD, began to vent onto record. The band had always performed DIAMOND HEAD tracks dating back to their early 80s formation but now proceeded to immortalise these songs on record. 'Am I Evil' was followed by the inclusion of 'Helpless', cut in July 1987 for the $5.98 EP: Garage Days Revisited set, 'The Prince' was to bolster the 1988 'Harvester Of Sorrow' single and 'It's Electric' was rendered for use on 1998' Garage Inc collection. This appreciation would thrust DIAMOND HEAD's name back into the limelight in spectacular fashion.

During 1990 Tatler and Harris gave DIAMOND HEAD fans the news they had been patiently waiting on and began writing songs again in earnest and formed a band with bassist Eddie "Chaos" Moohan and former REQUIEM and CHASE drummer Karl Wilcox. This line-up undertook a couple of anonymous gigs under the pseudonym DEAD RECKONING before going back out on the road as DIAMOND HEAD for a short club tour.

The press reviews were ecstatic and rightly so, suddenly all that was lacking in the British Rock scene became apparent as DIAMOND HEAD demonstrated with uncanny ease the way it should be done. DIAMOND HEAD toured Britain again in November 1990 before entering the studio to record the comeback album 'Death And Progress' for the Bronze label.

The album, eventually to surface during 1993, featured contributions from MEGADETH's Dave Mustaine and BLACK SABBATH's guitarist TONY IOMMI, but proved a less than spectacular release. METALLICA invited the band to appear with them as opening act at their outdoor Milton Keynes show where Harris completely baffled the audience by arriving onstage dressed in Grim Reaper garb.

The band split once again in 1994 and Harris continued under a new name of EASY retaining all the band members minus Tatler, who was to team up with THIN LIZZY tribute band DIZZY LIZZY for a series of club gigs in 1995. A deal was offered by BMG Records, but the project fell apart. DIAMOND HEAD were offered a slot on the 1999 Tokyo NWoBHM reunion gig alongside PRAYING MANTIS and TANK but turned the offer down. Tatler busied himself on the road with Celtic Rock act QUILL.

DIAMOND HEAD relented once again in 2001 heralding their resurrection with an acoustic show on the 21st November at the Limelight Club in Hightown, Crewe. As the year drew to a close it would be revealed that Tatler had embarked on a studio project with MEGADETH mainman Dave Mustaine.

DIAMOND HEAD would be announced as headliners of the April 6th Asbury, New Jersey 'Metal Meltdown' festival. Asbury Park, For this show the band's line-up stood at Sean Harris on vocals, Brian Tatler and Floyd Brennan on guitar, Eddie Moohan on bass and Karl Wilcox on drums. A short burst of British club dates preceded the American event. The band would also get back to issuing product, a limited edition of 1000 hand numbered 'Acoustic Four Cuts' EPs arriving in March 2002. Performing at the Derby 'Bloodstock' festival in August DIAMOND HEAD then set out on an extensive UK tour throughout September. Harris would also find time in 2002 to guest on the grandiose GARY HUGHES Arthurian concept album 'Once And Future King'.

Although DIAMOND HEAD would be announced as participants on the 2003 'Wacken Open Air' festival in Germany the band were unable to commit due to recording schedules, laying down a new studio album with producer Andrew Scarth. Nevertheless, a band unit comprising members of DIAMOND HEAD and fellow NWoBHM legends TYGERS OF PAN TANG plugged the gap. Featured would be JESS COX on vocals, guitarists Brian Tatler and Floyd Brennan, bassist Eddie Moohan and drummer Karl Wilcox.

After more than two decades fronting the band Sean Harris stood down in August of 2004, being swiftly replaced by Nick Tart, former singer of the ROBIN GEORGE band. Harris quickly countered stating that that he was "shocked and dismayed" by the decision, which he had only learned about second hand. The singer further added "As co-founder of the band, I am and will always be a member of DIAMOND HEAD and see no reason for this to change." The new look DIAMOND HEAD, fronted by Tart, would debut at an invitation gig held at Dudley JB's club on 1st December. Progress for the new unit would prove rapid as the band would be hand picked by Dave Mustaine to support MEGADETH on their February 2005 European dates. A new album, 'All Will Be Revealed', was set for Spring release. Besides his obligations with DIAMOND HEAD, drummer Karl Wilcox would also be active with REKUIEM, actually a resurrection of his 80s act REQUIEM now featuring former TREDEGAR vocalist Paul Parry.

In June 2006 DIAMOND HEAD launched the live album 'It's Electric' through Secret Records, recorded at London's Astoria Theatre on November 4th 2005. The same event was also filmed, resulting in the DVD 'To The Devil His Due'. In October 2006 the band revealed work was underway on a fresh album given a working title 'What's In Your Head?'.

DIAMOND HEAD put in a high profile European festival show at the 'Keep It True' event at the Tauberfrankenhalle in Lauda-Königshofen, Germany on April 14th 2007 alongside fellow British band SABBAT, US outfits LETHAL, LÄÄZ ROCKIT and TWISTED TOWER DIRE, Denmark's ARTILLERY, Canadians CAULDRON and PILEDRIVER, Dutchmen DEFENDER and Swedish band BULLET. The album 'What's In Your Head?' emerged on 30th July, supported by a 14 date UK tour opening for THIN LIZZY.

In May 2008 Geffen Records re-published 'Borrowed Time' and 'Canterbury' for the Japanese market. The group withdrew from the billing of the 9th August 2008 'Dokk'Em' Festival in Leeuwarden, Netherlands after Nick Tart came down with Laryngitis.

Universal Records released a triple-CD set from DIAMOND HEAD in March 2009 containing remastered versions of 'Borrowed Time', 'Canterbury' and 'Live At The Reading Festival' plus bonus tracks. In 2009 Brian Tatler completed his autobiography. This book was available from the band's homepage and also released as DVD.