Diamond Head guitarist Brian Tatler shared his perspective on Metallica’s rise to fame in a recent interview with Andy Edwards.
“In ’84, Metallica wanted to cover ‘Am I Evil’ and Lars said to me, ‘We don’t write. We only write enough songs for the album, we don’t write loads and get rid of some,'” Tatler recalled. “He said, ‘The label constantly asking for B-sides. So, we thought we do covers.'”
“We just thought that’s brilliant. So we had to just send over the lyrics,” he continued. “I think I faxed in the lyrics to ‘Am I Evil.’ They sent me a copy of the ‘Creeping Death’ album. They’ve done a fantastic job. Very respectful, worked it out solo. Everything’s was great.”
“I still had no clue that this band called Metallica were going to be big ‘cuz I’m busy doing Diamond Head,” Tatler admitted. “Eventually, Diamond Head dropped. Metallica grew bigger and bigger. They sell out this and that and play that festival. ‘Master of Puppets’ comes along and on it goes until my head’s spinning.”
This revelation about the early relationship between Diamond Head and Metallica highlights a pivotal moment in metal history. The connection would have lasting implications for both bands.
Louder Sound reported that Metallica’s covers of Diamond Head’s songs revitalized interest in the British band. Their versions of ‘Am I Evil’ and ‘Helpless’ proved particularly influential during Diamond Head’s later years.
The bond between the two bands extended beyond cover songs. Loudwire documented Lars Ulrich’s deep connection to Diamond Head. He traveled to the UK specifically to see them perform live. During his early years, he even stayed with the band for several weeks.
The musical relationship benefited both groups significantly. MetalSucks noted that Metallica’s ongoing public appreciation of Diamond Head played a key role in their 1990 reunion.
The partnership reached a significant milestone in 1993. Diamond Head opened for Metallica at the Milton Keynes Bowl, showcasing how their early connection had evolved into a lasting musical alliance.
