Diamond Head to be honoured with mural in Stourbridge
Work has commenced on the tribute
Last updated 29th Apr 2026
Work has started on a mural honouring NWOBHM torchbearers Diamond Head in their hometown of Stourbridge in the West Midlands.
Guitarist Brian Tatler and drummer Duncan Scott formed Diamond Head 50 years ago while they were still at school in Stourbridge.
The band’s 1980 debut album ‘Lightning to the Nations’ was a huge influence on thrash bands including Metallica, who have covered four songs by the band; 'The Prince', 'It's Electric', 'Helpless' and, most famously, 'Am I Evil?'.
Subsequent Diamond Head albums ‘Borrowed Time’ and ‘Canterbury’ were both chart hits in the UK, however, despite the band’s widespread reverence, they failed to scale the same commercial heights of some of their contemporaries.
The band are still going today, and they stormed Planet Rockstock in 2021, but their activity has slowed in recent years since founding guitarist Brian Tatler joined Saxon.
Stourbridge-based multimedia artist Cal has this week commenced work on his Diamond Head mural on Hagley Road in Stourbridge as part of his ongoing ‘Music Is My Muse’ project.
He has previously created murals of Pop Will Eat Itself, The Wonder Stuff and Ned’s Atomic Dustbin in the town and he plans to create a mural honouring Led Zeppelin’s Robert Plant, who was educated in Stourbridge.
Speaking to the Express & Star as the scaffolding for the mural was being erected, Cal said: “Diamond Head were a late 70s/early 80s very influential heavy metal band that influenced the likes of Metallica. They had quite a few really popular albums, they’re a very influential band.
“Stourbridge has got so much music heritage in one small town that it just seemed to make sense to try and celebrate that a little bit.
“We’ve got a really rich history of music culture. It’s been a very bohemian town since the 60s. It’s a really good place to be for a creative person.”
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