Chris Skoyles of Classic Rock magazine recently conducted an interview with DIAMOND HEAD guitarist Brian Tatler. Over the years METALLICA has covered and released several Diamond Head songs such as 'Am I Evil' and 'The Prince'. A few excerpts from the chat follow:

Classic Rock: What about when it comes to the connection between Diamond Head and Metallica? Is that something you ever get sick of talking about?

Tatler: "Nah [laughs]. I mean, god bless 'em. If it hadn't been for Metallica, and Lars Ulrich, and the songwriter's royalties that me and Sean [Harris, former vocalist] get, I don't know what we would've done. We'd have probably slipped into obscurity along with, I don't know, ANGEL WITCH or something. But they've managed to keep the money coming in for us and raise our profile by covering four Diamond Head songs on an album that's sold over five million copies, that's just…you can't buy that sort of thing you know? I must've seen hundreds of articles where Lars is raving about Diamond Head, and it's just brilliant, more power to 'em."

Classic Rock: How did you guys react when fans who were perhaps too young to remember Diamond Head in the early '80s started coming to your gigs or buying your albums after hearing about you through Metallica?

Tatler: "It was definitely a good feeling. You're always trying to get out there and reach new people. You know your die-hard fans will buy your albums but you always want more. If somebody hears Metallica's version of 'Am I Evil?' and then underneath they see it was written by Diamond Head and go out and buy a Diamond Head album then yeah, you know, that's fantastic. The newer fans go mad down the front too, they're young enough to have the energy to go berserk at gigs rather than standing at the back clapping!"

(Photo: Diamond Head and Metallica: Birmingham NEC - 05/11/1992)

(Thanks Encyclopedia Metallica)