Diamond Head

Diamond Head are a British heavy metal band formed in 1976 in Stourbridge, England. They were one of the leading members of the New Wave of British Heavy Metal (NWOBHM) and are acknowledged by later bands like Metallica and Megadeth as an important early influence.

Formed by school friends Tatler and Harris, the band recorded and released self-financed demo tapes in 1977 and 1979 and with their unique sound and quality of song writing gained enough attention to tour as support with AC/DC and Iron Maiden. A clutch of record companies fought to sign the band, while their first album, variously known as " The White Album" or Lightning to the Nations, was released by the band via mail-order only in 1980 by their own Happy Face Records. Each plain label LP featured the signature of one or other of the band members and has become on of the most sought after collector items from the time. Its success finally led to a record deal with MCA Records in 1981. The first major label LP Borrowed Time was enthusiastically received ( getting to #24 in the UK album charts), although the more experimental follow-up Canterbury, in 1983 suffered pressing problems and criticism over the progressive direction. Stalling creatively, the band split up for the first time in 1985.