Diamond Head
Diamond Head is 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. Read Full BioDiamond Head is 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.
In 1991 Tatler and Harris reformed Diamond Head. The same year Sean Harris (the vocalist) worked on a song with Dave Mustaine for Megadeth called "Crown Of Worms" - it was unreleased but would feature on the remastered version of Countdown to Extinction. In 1993, featuring contributions by Tony Iommi of Black Sabbath and Dave Mustaine of Megadeth the band released Death and Progress. In 1994 the band split again and did not reform until 2002. During which time they did a tour with Megadeth, who'd also re-formed after Mustaine had recovered enough to be able to play guitar again. After news of work on a new album, fans were surprised to hear of the departure of Sean Harris in 2004 and his replacement by Nick Tart. Brian Tatler is now the only ever-present member in the Diamond Head line-up. The band's latest album, All Will Be Revealed, was released in 2005, but was very different from their early material.
Diamond Head are probably most famous among heavy metal fans for their influence on Metallica. Metallica acknowledge them as a very important early influence and have often covered Diamond Head songs at gigs. Harris was even asked to join Metallica in the 1980's but turned the band down. The song Helpless was rumored to be a song Lars Ulrich forced the band to struggle through as an unrehearsed encore in the early days of their formation. Sucking My Love, Am I Evil and The Prince were also common live covers at that time. The earliest known actual recording of these songs exists as a rehearsal demo recorded at then-bassist Ron McGovney's house in March of 1982. The Metal Up Your Ass live demo, recorded in November of that year, featured a live rendition of Am I Evil. The Prince was also played, but the tape ran out too soon to catch it. The song would see another demo release as part of the Horsemen Of The Apocalypse demo in 1983. Sucking My Love exists on various bootlegs that have been circulating since 1982 along with a recording on the early demo 'No Life Til Leather'.
The first official release of Am I Evil came in 1983 as part of the Creeping Death EP, paired with another NWOBHM classic Blitzkrieg, by the band of the same name. The two songs were also included in the first pressing of the Kill 'Em All LP when it was re-released by Elektra Records.
Helpless would see a proper release with Garage Days Re-Revisited in 1987, and The Prince was included as a B-side to the Harvester Of Sorrow single.
The official recordings of Helpless, Am I Evil, and The Prince would also be featured on Metallica's 2-CD Garage Inc. compilation, a collection of numerous other cover songs that the band had played over the years. The first CD in the set was newly recorded covers, one of which was Diamond Head's It's Electric.
Line-up:
* Nick Tart — vocals (formerly of The Outcasts, Alabama Bombshell, Notorious, Life)
* Brian Tatler — lead guitar (Radio Moscow, Quill)
* Eddie "Chaos" Moohan — bass
* Karl Wilcox — drums
Past members
* Sean Harris — vocals, rhythm guitar
* Floyd Brennan — guitars
* Josh Phillips-Gorse — keyboards
* Colin Kimberley — bass
* Pete Wilcox — bass
* Mervyn "Merv" Goldsworthy (Samson)
* David Williamson — bass
* Duncan Scott — drums
* Pete Vuckovic (3 Colours Red) — bass
* Robbie France — drums
Discography
Albums
Lightning to the Nations (1980)
Borrowed Time (1982)
Canterbury (1983)
Death and Progress (1993)
All Will Be Revealed (2005)
What's in Your Head (2007)
Live albums
The Friday Rock Show Sessions / Live at Reading (1992)
Evil Live (1994)
Live - In the Heat of the Night (2000)
It's Electric (2006)
Singles and EPs
Shoot Out The Lights (1980)
Sweet And Innocent (1980)
Waited Too Long/Play It Loud (1981)
Diamond Lights EP (1981)
Call Me (7-inch; 1982)
Call me
Dead reckoning
In The Heat Of The Night (Double 7-inch; 1982)
Disc 1
In the heat of the night
Play it loud (live)
Disc 2
Sweet and innocent (live)
Tommy Vance interview
In The Heat Of The Night (12-inch; 1982)
In the heat of the night
Play it loud (live)
Four Cuts EP (1982)
Makin' Music (7-inch; 1983)
Makin' music
Andy Peebles interview
Makin' Music (12-inch; 1983)
Makin' music (extended)
Andy Peebles interview
Out Of Phase (7-inch; 1983)
Out of phase
The Kingmaker
Sucking My Love (12-inch; 1983)
Sucking my love (live)
Out of phase
Wild On The Streets/I Can't Help Myself (7-inch; 1991)
Wild on the streets
I can't help myself
Acoustic: First Cuts EP (CD; 2002)
Lightning to the nations
Run
In the heat of the night
Ishmael
Compilations or alternative versions
Am I Evil (1987)
Sweet and Innocent (1988)
Behold the Beginning (1986)
Singles (1992)
Helpless
Sweet and innocent
Streets of gold
The prince
Sucking my love
Waited too long
Play it loud
It's electric
Trick or treat
Dead reckoning
Shoot out the lights
In the heat of the night
Makin' music (long version)
Play it loud (live)
Sucking my love (live)
To Heaven from Hell (1997)
Lightning to the Nations (1997)
The Best of Diamond Head (1999)
Diamond Nights (2000)
The Diamond Head Anthology: Am I Evil? (2004)
DVDs
To the Devil His Due (November 21, 2006)
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. Read Full BioDiamond Head is 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.
In 1991 Tatler and Harris reformed Diamond Head. The same year Sean Harris (the vocalist) worked on a song with Dave Mustaine for Megadeth called "Crown Of Worms" - it was unreleased but would feature on the remastered version of Countdown to Extinction. In 1993, featuring contributions by Tony Iommi of Black Sabbath and Dave Mustaine of Megadeth the band released Death and Progress. In 1994 the band split again and did not reform until 2002. During which time they did a tour with Megadeth, who'd also re-formed after Mustaine had recovered enough to be able to play guitar again. After news of work on a new album, fans were surprised to hear of the departure of Sean Harris in 2004 and his replacement by Nick Tart. Brian Tatler is now the only ever-present member in the Diamond Head line-up. The band's latest album, All Will Be Revealed, was released in 2005, but was very different from their early material.
Diamond Head are probably most famous among heavy metal fans for their influence on Metallica. Metallica acknowledge them as a very important early influence and have often covered Diamond Head songs at gigs. Harris was even asked to join Metallica in the 1980's but turned the band down. The song Helpless was rumored to be a song Lars Ulrich forced the band to struggle through as an unrehearsed encore in the early days of their formation. Sucking My Love, Am I Evil and The Prince were also common live covers at that time. The earliest known actual recording of these songs exists as a rehearsal demo recorded at then-bassist Ron McGovney's house in March of 1982. The Metal Up Your Ass live demo, recorded in November of that year, featured a live rendition of Am I Evil. The Prince was also played, but the tape ran out too soon to catch it. The song would see another demo release as part of the Horsemen Of The Apocalypse demo in 1983. Sucking My Love exists on various bootlegs that have been circulating since 1982 along with a recording on the early demo 'No Life Til Leather'.
The first official release of Am I Evil came in 1983 as part of the Creeping Death EP, paired with another NWOBHM classic Blitzkrieg, by the band of the same name. The two songs were also included in the first pressing of the Kill 'Em All LP when it was re-released by Elektra Records.
Helpless would see a proper release with Garage Days Re-Revisited in 1987, and The Prince was included as a B-side to the Harvester Of Sorrow single.
The official recordings of Helpless, Am I Evil, and The Prince would also be featured on Metallica's 2-CD Garage Inc. compilation, a collection of numerous other cover songs that the band had played over the years. The first CD in the set was newly recorded covers, one of which was Diamond Head's It's Electric.
Line-up:
* Nick Tart — vocals (formerly of The Outcasts, Alabama Bombshell, Notorious, Life)
* Brian Tatler — lead guitar (Radio Moscow, Quill)
* Eddie "Chaos" Moohan — bass
* Karl Wilcox — drums
Past members
* Sean Harris — vocals, rhythm guitar
* Floyd Brennan — guitars
* Josh Phillips-Gorse — keyboards
* Colin Kimberley — bass
* Pete Wilcox — bass
* Mervyn "Merv" Goldsworthy (Samson)
* David Williamson — bass
* Duncan Scott — drums
* Pete Vuckovic (3 Colours Red) — bass
* Robbie France — drums
Discography
Albums
Lightning to the Nations (1980)
Borrowed Time (1982)
Canterbury (1983)
Death and Progress (1993)
All Will Be Revealed (2005)
What's in Your Head (2007)
Live albums
The Friday Rock Show Sessions / Live at Reading (1992)
Evil Live (1994)
Live - In the Heat of the Night (2000)
It's Electric (2006)
Singles and EPs
Shoot Out The Lights (1980)
Sweet And Innocent (1980)
Waited Too Long/Play It Loud (1981)
Diamond Lights EP (1981)
Call Me (7-inch; 1982)
Call me
Dead reckoning
In The Heat Of The Night (Double 7-inch; 1982)
Disc 1
In the heat of the night
Play it loud (live)
Disc 2
Sweet and innocent (live)
Tommy Vance interview
In The Heat Of The Night (12-inch; 1982)
In the heat of the night
Play it loud (live)
Four Cuts EP (1982)
Makin' Music (7-inch; 1983)
Makin' music
Andy Peebles interview
Makin' Music (12-inch; 1983)
Makin' music (extended)
Andy Peebles interview
Out Of Phase (7-inch; 1983)
Out of phase
The Kingmaker
Sucking My Love (12-inch; 1983)
Sucking my love (live)
Out of phase
Wild On The Streets/I Can't Help Myself (7-inch; 1991)
Wild on the streets
I can't help myself
Acoustic: First Cuts EP (CD; 2002)
Lightning to the nations
Run
In the heat of the night
Ishmael
Compilations or alternative versions
Am I Evil (1987)
Sweet and Innocent (1988)
Behold the Beginning (1986)
Singles (1992)
Helpless
Sweet and innocent
Streets of gold
The prince
Sucking my love
Waited too long
Play it loud
It's electric
Trick or treat
Dead reckoning
Shoot out the lights
In the heat of the night
Makin' music (long version)
Play it loud (live)
Sucking my love (live)
To Heaven from Hell (1997)
Lightning to the Nations (1997)
The Best of Diamond Head (1999)
Diamond Nights (2000)
The Diamond Head Anthology: Am I Evil? (2004)
DVDs
To the Devil His Due (November 21, 2006)
More Genres
No Artists Found
More Artists
Load All
No Albums Found
More Albums
Load All
No Tracks Found
Genre not found
Artist not found
Album not found
Search results not found
Song not found
Am I Evil
Diamond Head Lyrics
My mother was a witch, she was burned alive
Thankless little bitch
For the tears I cried
Take her down now
Don't wanna see her face
Blistered and burnt, can't hide my disgrace
Twenty-seven, everyone was nice
Got to see them, make them pay the price
See their bodies out on the ice
Take my time
Am I evil?
Yes I am
Am I evil, I am man, yes
Watched my mother die
I lost my head
Revenge now I sought
To break with my bread
Takin' no chance
You come with me
I'll split you to the bone
Help set you free
Twenty-seven, everyone was nice
Got to see them, make them pay the price
See their bodies out on the ice
Take my time
Am I evil?
Yes I am
Am I evil, I am man, yes I am
Oh oh
On with the action now, I'll strip your pride
I'll spread your blood around
I'll see you ride
Your face is scarred with steel, wounds deep and neat
Like a double dozen before you
Smell so sweet
Am I evil?
Yes I am
Am I evil, I am man, yes I am
My soul is longing before, await my heir
Sent to avenge my mother, sleep myself
My face is long forgotten, my face not my own
Sweet and timely whore, take me home
Am I evil?
Yes I am
Am I evil? I am man, yes I am
I'm with the action now, I'll strip your pride
I'll spread your blood around, I'll see you ride
Your face is scarred with steel, your spirits dance
Like a double dozen before you, no romance
Am I evil?
Yes I am
Am I evil? I am man
Am I evil?
Yes I am
Am I evil? I am man
Yes I am
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: BRIAN ANDREW TATLER, SEAN LYNDON HARRIS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
To comment on specific lyrics, highlight them
Fox
Lyrics:
My mother was a witch, she was burned alive
Thankless little b***h
For the tears I cried
Take her down now
Don't wanna see her face
Blistered and burnt, can't hide my disgrace
Twenty-seven, everyone was nice
Got to see them, make them pay the price
See their bodies out on the ice
Take my time
Am I evil?
Yes I am
Am I evil, I am man, yes
Watched my mother die
I lost my head
Revenge now I sought
To break with my bread
Takin' no chance
You come with me
I'll split you to the bone
Help set you free
Twenty-seven, everyone was nice
Got to see them, make them pay the price
See their bodies out on the ice
Take my time
Am I evil?
Yes I am
Am I evil, I am man, yes I am
Oh oh
On with the action now, I'll strip your pride
I'll spread your blood around
I'll see you ride
Your face is scarred with steel, wounds deep and neat
Like a double dozen before you
Smell so sweet
Am I evil?
Yes I am
Am I evil, I am man, yes I am
My soul is longing before, await my heir
Sent to avenge my mother, sleep myself
My face is long forgotten, my face not my own
Sweet and timely whore, take me home
Am I evil?
Yes I am
Am I evil? I am man, yes I am
I'm with the action now, I'll strip your pride
I'll spread your blood around, I'll see you ride
Your face is scarred with steel, your spirits dance
Like a double dozen before you, no romance
Am I evil?
Yes I am
Am I evil? I am man
Am I evil?
Yes I am
Am I evil? I am man
Yes I am
Huckleberry Sinn
@Jurassic Reptile So this comment, and a couple above it, just made me listen to the song about half a dozen times. You aren't wrong, but you're also wrong. :D That part of the song (Verse?), has several changes the second time it comes around.
"On with the action now,
I'll strip your pride,
I'll spread your blood around,
I'll see you ride
Your face is scarred with steel,
Wounds deep and neat
Like a double dozen before you
Smell so sweet"
" I'm with the action now,
I'll strip your pride
I'll spread your blood around,
I'll see you writhe
Your face is scarred with steel,
Your spirits dance
Like a double dozen before you,
No romance "
As for the other, it really is just face and face. I listened to that part a dozen times, because "fate" would sound so much better, but no. There's no hard consonant sound in it.
Thanks for getting me to sincerely reevaluate one of my all time favorite songs!
Sierra St Pierre
My mother was a witch, she was burned alive
Thankless little bitch
For the tears I cried
Take her down now
Don't wanna see her face
Blistered and burnt, can't hide my disgrace
Twenty-seven, everyone was nice
Got to see them, make them pay the price
See their bodies out on the ice
Take my time
Am I evil?
Yes I am
Am I evil, I am man, yes
Watched my mother die
I lost my head
Revenge now I sought
To break with my bread
Takin' no chance
You come with me
I'll split you to the bone
Help set you free
Twenty-seven, everyone was nice
Got to see them, make them pay the price
See their bodies out on the ice
Take my time
Am I evil?
Yes I am
Am I evil, I am man, yes I am
Oh oh
On with the action now, I'll strip your pride
I'll spread your blood around
I'll see you ride
Your face…
Brought to you by Google
m & m
My mother was a witch, she was burned alive
Thankless little bitch for the tears I cried
Take her down now, don't want to see her face
Blistered and burned, can't hide my disgrace
Twenty-seven, everyone was nice
Got to see them, make them pay the price
See their bodies out on the ice
Take my time
Am I evil? Yes I am
Am I evil? I am man, yes I am
As I watched my mother die, I lost my head
Revenge now I sought to break with my bread
Taking no chances, you come with me
I'll split you to the bone, help set you free
Twenty-seven, everyone was nice
Got to see them, make them pay the price
See their bodies out on the ice
Take my time
Am I evil? Yes I am
Am I evil? I am man, yes I am
On with the action now, I'll strip your pride
I'll spread your blood around, I'll see you ride
Your face is scarred with steel, wounds deep and neat
Like a double dozen before you, smells so sweet
Am I evil? Yes I am
Am I evil? I am man
My soul is longing before, await my hell
Sent to avenge my mother, sleep myself
My face is long forgotten, my face not my own
Sweet and timely whore, take me home
Am I evil? Yes I am
Am I evil? I am man, yes I am
On with the action now, I'll strip your pride
I'll spread your blood around, I'll see you ride
Your face is scarred with steel, your spirits dance
Like a double dozen before you, no romance
Am I evil? Yes I am
Am I evil? I am man
Am I evil? Yes I am
Am I evil? I am man, yes I am
Juana M
My mother was a witch, she was burned alive
Thankless little bitch
For the tears I cried
Take her down now
Don't wanna see her face
Blistered and burnt, can't hide my disgrace
Twenty-seven, everyone was nice
Got to see them, make them pay the price
See their bodies out on the ice
Take my time
Am I evil?
Yes I am
Am I evil, I am man, yes
Watched my mother die
I lost my head
Revenge now I sought
To break with my bread
Takin' no chance
You come with me
I'll split you to the bone
Help set you free
Twenty-seven, everyone was nice
Got to see them, make them pay the price
See their bodies out on the ice
Take my time
Am I evil?
Yes I am
Am I evil, I am man, yes I am
Oh oh
On with the action now, I'll strip your pride
I'll spread your blood around
I'll see you ride
Your face is scarred with steel, wounds deep and neat
Like a double dozen before you
Smell so sweet
Am I evil?
Yes I am
Am I evil, I am man, yes I am
My soul is longing before, await my heir
Sent to avenge my mother, sleep myself
My face is long forgotten, my face not my own
Sweet and timely whore, take me home
Am I evil?
Yes I am
Am I evil? I am man, yes I am
I'm with the action now, I'll strip your pride
I'll spread your blood around, I'll see you ride
Your face is scarred with steel, your spirits dance
Like a double dozen before you, no romance
Am I evil?
Yes I am
Am I evil? I am man
Am I evil?
Yes I am
Am I evil? I am man
Yes I am
Paszczurnia
My mother was a witch, she was burned alive
Thankless little bitch
For the tears I cried
Take her down now
Don't wanna see her face
Blistered and burnt, can't hide my disgrace
Twenty-seven, everyone was nice
Got to see them, make them pay the price
See their bodies out on the ice
Take my time
Am I evil?
Yes I am
Am I evil, I am man, yes
Watched my mother die
I lost my head
Revenge now I sought
To break with my bread
Takin' no chance
You come with me
I'll split you to the bone
Help set you free
Twenty-seven, everyone was nice
Got to see them, make them pay the price
See their bodies out on the ice
Take my time
Am I evil?
Yes I am
Am I evil, I am man, yes I am
Oh oh
On with the action now, I'll strip your pride
I'll spread your blood around
I'll see you ride
Your face is…
Who dis?
One of the most criminally underrated metal bands in music history.
Olga Toledo
I just found this band now and it's really nice! I don't know about the underated thing but found them in a 50 best metal bands of all time, so I think that's mean something right...
oliver reyes
They still play and they’re in great shape. Guess they never really did drugs or drink.
Wilder The Wolf
Without Metallica covering this, they would not have the same success, fame, admiration and money, for example.
George Hahn
Right. A band we would've forgot about if not for Metallica
Joseph Johnson
Anyone that knows metal knows DH
Stoned Meadow Of Doom
Easily the best Diamond Head song and the Metallica version isn't even in the same universe. It's only use is introducing people to the band and hopefully they'll find Lightning To The Nations, an all time Metal classic.
punk 2008
@Guitar_Weeb how is it way better when the song is almost exactly the same note for note. Kinda a stupid statement. You can say it's a better recorded with a more modern and heavier sound but that just makes it better or IMO slightly better but way better? Really? How since it basically is a complete copy of the original and being a complete copy of the original means that Metallica was very satisfied with Diamond Head's original version since Metallica made very minor if any changes from the original version. It isn't like what George Thorogood did from the original version of "One Bourbon, One Scotch, One Beer, because that is a completely different version and a much better version and really makes it somewhat an original version of that song with the added story and much more guitar added both with rhythm and lead.
Ryan Xander
@KrypTic Diamond Head have redone this song. Check out their music video released last year. It's heavier so it's closer to Metallica version with current vocalist who does a good job. But have you heard Diamond Head's cover of No Regret? In my opinion they do it better than Metallca. Was at a Diamond Head gig last year and they played No Regret and it was fucking awesome.
Night
I love Metallica but i couldnt agree more..