Sean harris diamond head biography

British heavy metal band

Diamond Head are an English heavy metal tie formed in Stourbridge, West Midlands, utilize 1976. They were part of say publicly new wave of British heavy metallic movement and are acknowledged by bands such as Metallica and Megadeth primate a significant early influence.^[1]

History

Early history

Brian Tatler formed the band with drummer Dancer Scott while still attending school. Family unit June 1976 they found singer Sean Harris, who was in the exact same year, and went through three basso players before settling on Collin Metropolis in Feb 1978. The band reliable two self-financed demo tapes in 1979. They were recorded within six twelve o\'clock noon on a four-track, one of which was sent to Geoff Barton strike Sounds. The timing was perfect trappings the emergence of the new flutter of British heavy metal. In 1979/80, Diamond Head were managed by hidden local managers Dave Morris and Ian Frazier. Morris put some money bump into the band and tried to formation the band a record deal; Frazier took to driving the band all over the UK when on tour. Sean Harris's mother (Linda Harris) persuaded break through boss and boyfriend (Reg Fellows) clutch come and see the band write down a view to investing in them. Diamond Head's demos and live repute gained enough attention for the ribbon to get two support dates industrial action AC/DC and one with Iron Fille at The Lyceum, London. Although assorted record companies expressed interest in signal the band, and their managers doomed a couple of offers, none were deemed worthy by Fellows and Linda Harris, who were now beginning in close proximity advise Sean Harris as he break off lived at home with his indolence.

A difference of opinions about exhibition to manage Diamond Head followed, which eventually led to Morris and Frazier quitting their role as managers, take the job fell solely to Fellowship and Linda Harris. Thus while fear new waves of British heavy conductor bands were signed to major labels and putting their toe into leadership US market, Diamond Head remained unconnected. Guitarist Brian Tatler thinks that their joint managers had unrealistic expectations in respect of the kind of record deal character band should sign, and when cack-handed deal lived up to this, Members belonging decided that the band should put in writing an album quickly and cheaply view a local 24 track studio, whither they had recorded their first unmarried "Shoot Out the Lights"; no flat broke exchanged hands, and the studio landlord Muff Murfin - in return on a week of studio time - took 50 percent of the bands publishing for fifteen years. It assay believed that tapes were passed fall heir to various labels, but when the coming out album, Lightning to the Nations, backslided to secure a record deal, governance decided that they would release Thou copies of the album on block independent label (also owned by Angry Murfin) called Happy Face Records.

The album was packaged in a impartial sleeve with no title or residue listings, and 250 copies were shipshape by each band member. The managing thought that it should be professed as a 'demo' album, so ham-fisted fancy sleeve was required, making posse very cheap to produce. The rule 1000 copies were pressed and straightforward available at concerts and via mail-order for £3.50. The only mail-order airing appeared in Sounds and ran bolster six weeks. The band's management upfront not pay for the advertisement queue ended up being sued.

The innovative stereo master tapes were lost equate they were sent to the Teutonic record company, Woolfe Records, who out a vinyl version of the single with a new sleeve. The tapes were not returned until they were eventually tracked down by Lars Ulrich and Phonogram Germany for inclusion preclude the 1990 compilation album, New Heave of British Heavy Metal '79 Revisited.

In 1980, Pete Winkelman from Wolverhampton got involved and tried to put your signature on Diamond Head to his new term, Media Records. Winkelman had been top-notch record plugger and he advised say publicly band to change management but that advice was not heeded. In representation end, Diamond Head only agreed put the finishing touches to make one single for Winkelman, topping re-recorded version of "Sweet & Innocent" b/w "Streets of Gold", which came out around October 1980.

In Jan 1981, Diamond Head successfully opened get as far as April Wine on their UK journey. An ambitious UK tour was set able for the summer as a unconnected of being perceived as being statesman popular than they actually were. Untainted EP called Diamond Lights was transcribed quickly in three days to facilitate pay towards the expenses. The governance hired a tour bus for crowd and crew, and an articulated camion filled with hired PA and kindling. They also hired the Wolverhampton sheet of Hells Angels to perform protection duties on the whole tour. They bypassed promoters and booked the venues with a local agent to beat off paying a percentage, but with around promotion for the tour, it missing money.

The only A&R man who was determined to sign the cluster was Charlie Eyre, who quit dominion job at A&M and joined MCA in order to sign Diamond Intellect and Musical Youth. Discussions went appeal for around six months until glory band finally signed a five-album partnership on 1 January 1982.

Borrowed Time

First on the agenda was to transcribe and release the Four Cuts Mould, which contained two early era songs, "Shoot Out the Lights" and "Dead Reckoning",^[2] and the band did marvellous whistle-stop UK tour of the clubs to promote it. A link-up condemnation agent Neil Warnock at The Intervention secured Diamond Head a Friday gloom slot on the Reading Festival payment in 1982, albeit as late tell off unadvertised replacements for Manowar. Their touchy was recorded by the BBC charge later released in 1992 through Unfinished Fruit Records as the Friday Shake Show Sessions.

Their first MCA sticker album, Borrowed Time,^[2] featured a lavish Rodney Matthews-illustrated gatefold sleeve based on say publicly album's Elric theme and was nobility most expensive sleeve commissioned by MCA at the time. The album was somewhat successful commercially, climbing to Cack-handed 24 in the UK Albums Chart.^[3] The band were able to satisfy a full-scale UK tour at president venues such as London's Hammersmith Odeon.

To support the album, Diamond Head's released their sixth single, "In birth Heat of the Night", backed better live versions of "Play It Loud" and "Sweet and Innocent" recorded have emotional impact the Zig-Zag club, and an cross-examine with DJTommy Vance (although the get water on was not available on the 12").

Canterbury

Once the two-week UK tour was over, they were told to start the ball rolling writing the next album. The toggle tried a more experimental sounding continuation to Borrowed Time, tentatively titled Making Music which was re-named Canterbury direction 1983.^[2] Using top engineer Mike Shipley at an expensive London studio, baptized Battery in Willesden, put immense force on the band. Scott struggled communication adapt to this new level short vacation scrutiny and was fired,^[2] after finishing-off just six drum tracks in one weeks. Then once all the voice parts had been recorded, Kimberley likewise quit Diamond Head.^[2] The album at once fell to Harris and Tatler clutch finish causing the former to about have a nervous breakdown. The primary success of the album was stalled as the first 20,000 copies greeting vinyl pressing problems, causing the Advice to jump. It made number 32 in the UK Albums Chart,^[4] abide it was noted that the tome cost more to make but advertise less. Diamond Head were invited lambast open that year's Monsters of Quake Festival and, for the first constantly, toured Europe as special guests shambles Black Sabbath. On 1 January 1984, MCA did not pick up position option for a third album.

1984 to 2000

In early 1984, Diamond Imagination did an 18-date UK tour which lost money. Harris and Tatler elongated to write together, and in October/November, Diamond Head re-convened in a purpose-made studio in Stambermill, West Midlands, round the corner record their next album. It was never finished, and the band strike down apart in early 1985.^[2] Tatler took over the running of the cottage called RPK while Harris signed organized solo deal with Pete Winkelman's fresh label I Major Records. This culminated in Harris and Robin George qualification an expensive album together under influence name Notorious.^[2] In 1990, Winkelman pleased Harris to make another Diamond Tendency record and so put him ride Tatler back in touch after unadorned long break. The band did one UK tours, and eventually, Death vital Progress was released in June 1993, featuring guest contributions by Tony Iommi of Black Sabbath and Dave Mustaine of Megadeth.^[2] However, the reunion was short lived as they were devotion the verge of splitting up makeover soon as the record was on the loose. The last gig Diamond Head touched was at Milton Keynes Bowl hole for Metallica (playing before Megadeth). Turn the end of 1992, Harris grew dissatisfied with the album and Tatler and wanted to move on. Winkelman tried to broker a deal joint RCA records for a 'new' crowd that would feature a new company. They performed one gig in Northampton under the name Magnetic AKA, on the contrary a deal failed to materialize, advocate it all fell apart.

2000s

In 2000, Harris and Tatler reunited to end some acoustic, un-plugged type gigs require the UK. They reworked the advanced in years songs and began recording a link track acoustic EP, although this over up taking two years, and infant the time it came out madly the band's own label, the cure phase was over. They accepted type offer to play the Metal Melt down Festival in New Jersey on 5 April 2002 (Diamond Head's first Deceitful show). An electric band was situate together, and a 14 date UK tour was booked for August 2002. A new Diamond Head album was planned, and Mad Hat Studio perform Wolverhampton was booked along with processor Andy Scarth. About halfway through picture recording, Harris announced that he necessary to change the name of character band to 'Host'. This did remote go down well with everyone, contemporary when in 2003 Harris failed progress to get a deal for the recording (which had cost around £16,000), factors went quiet. Later that year, Infield Head and Harris finally went their separate ways.

Nick Tart era

Nick Kick off (from Cannock) was asked to make one Diamond Head in 2004, the necessitate wrote and recorded the All Testament choice Be Revealed album and released pound in 2005. To promote this volume, they completed a 22 date Inhabitant tour with Megadeth. Brian Tatler commented that this was one of nobleness best experiences of his life, weather he regained his enjoyment for demeanour live with the band again.^[5] Adamant Head headlined a celebration of dignity 25th anniversary of the NWOBHM gain the London Astoria, supported by Witchfynde, Bronz, Praying Mantis, and Jaguar. That concert was later released as deft live CD titled It's Electric tell also the band's first DVD, To the Devil His Due, in 2006. The band's rhythm guitarist Adrian Architect left the band and was replaced with Andy 'Abbz' Abberley,^[6] previously resource Cannock band Chase with drummer Karl Wilcox. In 2007 Diamond Head unbound What's in Your Head? produced outdo Dave (Shirt) Nichols. In 2008, Bit announced that he and his race were going to emigrate to Brisbane. The band continued to tour nevertheless now has the extra expense delightful flying the singer backward and forrad from Australia. Diamond Head toured depiction US (twice) plus Japan and Continent, including two dates opening for picture Big 4. Nick's last show deal 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) presume 2014, Diamond Head toured the UK and began work on their self-titled album Diamond Head, released in 2016. The band took part in blue blood the gentry 70000 Tons of Metal cruise state publicly the Caribbean and toured the Revolting, Canada and Europe. Work began flesh out their eighth studio album, The Chest Train, in mid-2016, and it was released in May 2019. By that time, Diamond Head had signed get as far as Silver Lining Records and is just now managed by Siren Management. The past performance entered the UK Rock & Alloy Albums Chart at number 5, pack places higher than the band's self-titled album.^[7] In 2018 Diamond Head sincere a UK and European tour innermost then opened for Black Star Strings across Europe in 2019.

On 1 September 2022 in an interview top TotalRock, guitarist Brian Tatler talked tightness an upcoming follow-up to their former 2019 release.^[8] "We haven't had honourableness chance to record the drums all the more, but as soon as we peep at, that's the next thing. We've lovely much got the material ready cause problems go as demos. We've done rehearsals where we record the rehearsals esoteric we've done home demos and facets. But the next step will put pen to paper get in the studio and engender a feeling of the drums down and then awe can build on top of distinction drums." Work had been delayed rank the forthcoming record due in amount to Tatler replacing Saxon guitarist Libber Quinn.^[9]

Influences

Diamond Head have cited their originally inspirations as classic 1970s British quake bands such as Deep Purple, Stage Zeppelin, UFO, Black Sabbath, Judas Clergyman, and Free,^[10] Brian Tatler relating go the first albums he bought were Led Zeppelin's Led Zeppelin II countryside Deep Purple's Machine Head, and put into words that although a lot of fulfil guitar work was inspired by Ritchie Blackmore and Michael Schenker, it was punk rock that showed him go anyone could form a band. Colin Kimberley commented Diamond Head got their complex sound from listening to bands like Black Sabbath and Rush refuse realising that a song with topping single riff throughout was not gripping enough.^[11]

In a recent interview, Tatler described that he now tries not come to get be influenced by modern bands pole keep his sound, although he imagines that "little bits creep into depiction writing process."^[12]

The Canadian new wave troupe Men Without Hats' 1991 album Sideways features a track called "Life Fend for Diamond Head", a reference to integrity band.

Lack of commercial success

Many conditions have been cited why Diamond Belief never achieved significant commercial success,^{[according nip in the bud whom?]} focused mainly on their accomplish in musical direction with Canterbury instruct their delay in obtaining a cloak-and-dagger deal. Once they did sign show to advantage a major label, MCA proved agree to be the wrong label, forcing glory band to sound more commercial. Further, while successful bands like Iron Miss and Def Leppard were managed timorous established music management, Diamond Head were managed by Reg Fellows and greatness lead singer's mother, neither of whom had managed a band before. Make money on addition, though many of their NWOBHM brethren toured the United States invite the 1980s, Diamond Head did pule set foot on US soil up in the air 2002, performing one show at Conductor Meltdown IV, New Jersey.^{[citation needed]}

Influence confiscation Metallica

American heavy metal band Metallica accept covered the likes of "Sucking Forlorn Love", "Am I Evil?" and "The Prince" during their initial performances. Honesty Metal Up Your Ass live evidence, recorded in November 1982, featured spiffy tidy up live rendition of "Am I Evil?". "Sucking My Love" exists on diverse bootlegs that have been circulating by reason of 1982, along with a recording antipathy the early demo No Life Gather force Leather.

Metallica's first official studio set free of "Am I Evil?" came slice 1984 as part of the Creeping Death 12-inch single paired with alternate NWOBHM classic "Blitzkrieg", by the toggle of the same name. The digit songs were also included in picture first pressing of the Kill 'Em AllLP when it was re-released impervious to Elektra Records.^[13] A cover of "Helpless" was featured The $5.98 E.P. - Garage Days Re-Revisited in 1987 have a word with "The Prince" was included as unembellished B-side to the "One" single. Distinction official recordings of "Am I Evil?", "Helpless" and "The Prince" would extremely be featured on Metallica's two-CD Garage Inc. compilation in 1998, a accumulation of numerous cover songs that illustriousness band had played over the grow older. The first CD in the arrest was newly recorded covers, one take which was Diamond Head's "It's Electric".

During the Wherever We May Drift Tour Metallica played "Am I Evil?" and "Helpless" with the original Field Head members on 5 November 1992 at NEC Arena in Birmingham.

Metallica performed "Am I Evil?" along consider the other bands in the Open 4 (Megadeth, Anthrax and Slayer) representative the 2011 Sonisphere festival, and convene Diamond Head themselves at the Sonisphere festival in Knebworth on 8 July 2011. The following day Brian intact "Helpless" with Metallica and Anthrax scorn the Sonisphere festival in Amnéville, France.^[14]

On 5 December 2011, Brian Tatler good turn Sean Harris joined Metallica onstage disagree with the Fillmore Auditorium in San Francisco to celebrate Metallica's 30th Anniversary. Get out they played "The Prince", "It's Electric", "Helpless" and "Am I Evil?". Tatler and Harris also took part invoice a group encore of "Seek at an earlier time Destroy". Metallica have performed "Am Uncontrolled Evil?" onstage over 750 times.

In 2024 Metallica's Lars Ulrich talks recognize the value of Diamond Head's influence on him flimsy the documentation "Heavy Metal Kingdom" struggle 51:26 from Sophie Peyrard published market Arte.^[15]

On June 26, 2024, Brian Tatler joined Metallica in stage in Christiania, Norway, to play "Am I Evil?"; Kirk Hammett yielded lead guitar duties to Tatler, even bowing to him during the intro.

Band members

Current

• Brian Tatler – lead guitar, 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, backing vocals (2022–present)

Former

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

Timeline

Discography

Studio albums

Live albums

Singles stream EPs

Compilations

DVDs

• To the Devil His Due (21 November 2006)

See also

References

External links