Am I Evil? The Music, The Myths & Metallica
by Brian Tatler With John Tucker

NWOBHM veteran looks back

In 1980 the New Wave Of British Heavy Metal was dominated by Iron Maiden, Def Leppard, Saxon and Diamond Head. While the first three went on to huge and enduring success, Diamond Head never fulfilled their potential. Despite glowing reviews, their career was plagued by wrong decisions, bad luck and more than a few bloodsucking record industry types. As a result, they never gained more than cult status, though their profile received a massive boost in 1984 and 1987, when Metallica covered two of their songs, and again in 1998 when those songs were issued on a covers album.

Am I Evil?, titled after the song which Hetfield and Ulrich covered with so much success, is the autobiography of DH founder and guitarist Brian Tatler. It’s self-published, so don’t expect finesse – but there’s no arguing with the contents, which add up to a vital NWOBHM history and a convincing examination of the British music business from the bottom up. To his credit, Tatler keeps the tone positive, despite the endless setbacks that befell his band, recalling touring with Black Sabbath, playing Donington and many other metalhead rites of passage. Forewords by Lars Ulrich and Dave Mustaine reveal the depth of Diamond Head’s appreciation by the Californian class of ’83.

ISBN 9780956403407, 252 pages

Reviewed by Joel McIver
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