Why doesn’t Diamond Head Leader know that Lars Ulrich plays drums?
One of the most intriguing aspects of Metallica’s history revolves around a teenage Lars Ulrich hаnging out with some of his rock idols.
From sitting in a rehearsal studio with legends like Lemmy Kilmister, Phil Taylor, and Eddie Clark of Motorhead as they crafted new songs to catching Saxon’s performances before they gained traction in the U.S., young Ulrich was not only influenced by the music of these bands but also by his personal encounters with them.
One particularly remarkable tale involves Ulrich traveling to the U.K. to see Diamond Head, an experience that eventually led to him spending a few weeks living with the band.
In a recent conversation on Metallica’s official podcast, The Metallica Report, Diamond Head’s Brian Tatler reminisced about his initial encounter with the young Ulrich.
Tatler recalled how Ulrich, then just 17 years old, had ordered Diamond Head’s album “Lightning to the Nations” through mail order after seeing an advertisement in the music magazine “Sounds.” The band, who hadn’t yet secured a record deal, was surprised and delighted by Ulrich’s interest in their music, considering him their first American fan.
Ulrich’s enthusiasm didn’t stop there. After receiving the album, he wrote back to the band expressing his admiration for their music and announced his plans to travel to the U.K. to see them perform live.
True to his word, Ulrich attended one of Diamond Head’s shows in London, impressing the band members with his dedication. They were touched by the effort he had made to see them perform, especially considering that no other American fan had done so before.
When Diamond Head’s tour came to an end, Ulrich decided to accompany them back home, forging a connection with the band that would lead to him staying with them for several weeks.
During his stay, Ulrich crashed at Tatler’s house, sharing a floor and later a sofa with members of the band. Tatler recalls how Ulrich would often listen to Diamond Head’s music late at night, demonstrating his deep appreciation for their sound.
After his time with Diamond Head, Ulrich returned to California and maintained correspondence with Tatler. It was during this period that Ulrich mentioned forming a band called Metallica. However, Tatler admits that at the time, the nаme didn’t hold any significance for him, and he had no inkling of the band’s future success.
Despite his initial skepticism, Tatler eventually gave Ulrich permission to cover Diamond Head’s song “Am I Evil?” Tatler appreciated Metallica’s respectful rendition of the track but still didn’t anticipate the band’s meteoric rise to fаme.
Looking back, Tatler acknowledges that he underestimated Metallica’s potential and didn’t realize the impact they would have on the metal scene.
In hindsight, Tatler’s surprise at Ulrich’s drumming skills and Metallica’s eventual success serves as a reminder of the unpredictable nature of musical journeys and the unexpecteԀ paths that lead to greatness.