Diamond Cast

Songwriting, Identity & Ben’s Long-Lost Guitar Returns | Diamond Cast 072

This week on Diamond Cast, we’re talking about identity — in music, in art, and in the instruments we carry with us for years. Ben’s long-lost guitar has finally returned, which sparks a wider conversation about why certain guitars become deeply personal and tied to creativity itself. We also discuss dream guest guitarists, the artists who continue to influence our songwriting, and how identity is explored through films like The Cable Guy, The Fisher King, and the work of Andy Kaufman. Along the way, Natalie goes on a passionate rant about Enduring Love, and Ben shares more details about his university songwriting lectures — including thoughts on formal music education, practice, performance, and whether there’s actually a “correct” way to hold a guitar pick. A thoughtful and surprisingly wide-ranging episode about art, performance, and the strange things that shape us creatively. 00:00 – Intro 00:34 – Welcome to the Black Charade 02:29 – Ben’s long-lost guitar returns 05:40 – Why instruments become part of our identity 07:53 – Dream guest guitarists 13:43 – The artists who stay with us creatively 16:12 – Natalie’s Enduring Love rant 20:42 – Identity in art: The Cable Guy, Andy Kaufman & The Fisher King 26:18 – Update on Ben’s university songwriting lectures 31:15 – Inside Ben’s songwriting class 35:25 – Is there a “correct” way to hold a pick? 38:50 – Formal lessons vs teaching yourself 42:35 – Does performing arts school help or hinder? 45:33 – Practice makes perfect? 47:18 – Performing in lecture rooms vs onstage ************************************************ Join the Diamond Black Community: Support the band and get an extra 15 minutes of Diamond Cast every week on Patreon: Patreon – https://www.patreon.com/DiamondBlackOfficial YouTube Memberships – Join via the “Join” button on our channel Merch – https://diamondblackofficial.com/store Bandcamp – https://diamondblack.bandcamp.com Listen to Diamond Black: Spotify – https://open.spotify.com/artist/5APKOSAXQZh2Kv46TnvEVG Apple Music – Search “Diamond Black” Follow us: Instagram & Facebook – @diamondblackofficial X (Twitter) – @dmondblk ************************************************ Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/DiamondBlackOfficial Join the Discord: https://discord.gg/N5t8ueajMJ Merch: https://diamondblackofficial.com/store/ Bandcamp: https://diamondblack.bandcamp.com/ Listen on Spotify, Apple & all major platforms ************************************************ Join our lovely DIAMOND BATS on YouTube in the live-chat! Please ‘like’ the video if you enjoyed it, and leave a comment too as it really helps the band get more views and get spread around Youtube! We really appreciate all the support! DIAMOND BLACK MERCH - www.diamondblackofficial.com/store Ben - @benchristomusic Adam - @adamhartist Vincent - @vincentvdrums Natalie - @diamondblacksnaps Instagram - @diamondblackofficial Facebook - @diamondblackofficial X - @dmondblk Email us! mail@diamondblackofficial.com

Why School Was Basically Tribal Warfare & Mental Health in Rock Music | Diamond Cast 071

This week on Diamond Cast, we somehow end up deep in the psychology of school pencil cases, lunchboxes, band logos scribbled on bags, alternative fashion rebellion and the bizarre social hierarchies of growing up in the UK. We also answer your questions about the future of Diamond Black, whether bands should keep going forever, artists growing older, Iron Maiden, Meat Loaf, AC/DC, and how modern rock music approaches mental health and emotional struggle differently than it used to. Plus: – Adam finds vintage STAR SCREAM merch in the garage – School tie rebellion explained – Why carrying a sports bag could ruin your social life – Through The Misery’s original title – The strange rules of being “cool” at school – And a Patreon bonus segment involving “The Devil’s Flaming Hoof”... ************************************************ Join the Diamond Black Community: Support the band and get an extra 15 minutes of Diamond Cast every week on Patreon: Patreon – https://www.patreon.com/DiamondBlackOfficial YouTube Memberships – Join via the “Join” button on our channel Merch – https://diamondblackofficial.com/store Bandcamp – https://diamondblack.bandcamp.com Listen to Diamond Black: Spotify – https://open.spotify.com/artist/5APKOSAXQZh2Kv46TnvEVG Apple Music – Search “Diamond Black” Follow us: Instagram & Facebook – @diamondblackofficial X (Twitter) – @dmondblk ************************************************ Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/DiamondBlackOfficial Join the Discord: https://discord.gg/N5t8ueajMJ Merch: https://diamondblackofficial.com/store/ Bandcamp: https://diamondblack.bandcamp.com/ Listen on Spotify, Apple & all major platforms ************************************************ Join our lovely DIAMOND BATS on YouTube in the live-chat! Please ‘like’ the video if you enjoyed it, and leave a comment too as it really helps the band get more views and get spread around Youtube! We really appreciate all the support! DIAMOND BLACK MERCH - www.diamondblackofficial.com/store Ben - @benchristomusic Adam - @adamhartist Vincent - @vincentvdrums Natalie - @diamondblacksnaps Instagram - @diamondblackofficial Facebook - @diamondblackofficial X - @dmondblk Email us! mail@diamondblackofficial.com

Who Defines Rock? | Diamond Cast 070

This week on Diamond Cast, we cover a lot of ground — from AC/DC & Iron Maiden and life on tour to a bigger question: Who actually gets to define rock music? We talk about Ben being out on tour with Ricky Warwick, meeting Jacoby Shaddix, and some classic AC/DC discussions (including the important question… what’s in Angus Young’s satchel?). From there, we dive into: – Iron Maiden being inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame – Whether awards and institutions really matter – Who defines genres and cultural influence – The idea of naming the sound Diamond Black is creating We also get into festivals, Eurovision (yes, really), talent shows, and the strange world of music industry recognition. Plus: new merch, upcoming shows, and a Patreon preview where Ben shares his story of appearing on a TV talent show. 00:00 – Intro 00:35 – Welcome 01:19 – Ben on tour with Ricky Warwick & AC/DC talk 02:57 – What’s in Angus Young’s satchel? 07:05 – Ignoring the naysayers 13:08 – Hanging out with Jacoby Shaddix 16:04 – New merch alert 18:36 – Jack In The Green & Hastings bike run 20:58 – Festivals: too hot or too wet? 26:16 – Iron Maiden & the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame 31:20 – Who defines rock music? 37:03 – The most influential bands in culture 39:45 – Naming the Diamond Black sound 42:11 – Other Rock Hall inductees 45:50 – Eurovision: our thoughts 49:46 – Ben wrote a song for Eurovision 52:03 – Upcoming shows we're attending 54:20 – Do music awards matter? 56:05 – Talent shows: good or bad? 01:03:59 – Patreon preview: Ben’s talent show story ************************************************ Join the Diamond Black Community: Support the band and get an extra 15 minutes of Diamond Cast every week on Patreon: Patreon – https://www.patreon.com/DiamondBlackOfficial YouTube Memberships – Join via the “Join” button on our channel Merch – https://diamondblackofficial.com/store Bandcamp – https://diamondblack.bandcamp.com Listen to Diamond Black: Spotify – https://open.spotify.com/artist/5APKOSAXQZh2Kv46TnvEVG Apple Music – Search “Diamond Black” Follow us: Instagram & Facebook – @diamondblackofficial X (Twitter) – @dmondblk ************************************************ Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/DiamondBlackOfficial Join the Discord: https://discord.gg/N5t8ueajMJ Merch: https://diamondblackofficial.com/store/ Bandcamp: https://diamondblack.bandcamp.com/ Listen on Spotify, Apple & all major platforms ************************************************ Join our lovely DIAMOND BATS on YouTube in the live-chat! Please ‘like’ the video if you enjoyed it, and leave a comment too as it really helps the band get more views and get spread around Youtube! We really appreciate all the support! DIAMOND BLACK MERCH - www.diamondblackofficial.com/store Ben - @benchristomusic Adam - @adamhartist Vincent - @vincentvdrums Natalie - @diamondblacksnaps Instagram - @diamondblackofficial Facebook - @diamondblackofficial X - @dmondblk Email us! mail@diamondblackofficial.com

Do Collaborations Change Your Sound? | Diamond Cast 069

This week on Diamond Cast, we’re diving into collaboration — how it works, how it shapes music, and how you stay true to your identity while working with other artists. We answer fan questions following last week’s episode and go deep on: – How we work with guest musicians – Dream collaborations – Working with Andy from Therapy? – How collabs influence the sound of Diamond Black – Expanding creatively without losing identity – Writing from different perspectives and characters We also talk about some of our favourite collaborations in music, and the artists — even from completely different genres — we’d love to work with. Plus: coffee, outfits, selling clothes online… and Adam being mysteriously hidden this week. 00:00 – Intro 00:55 – Coffee talk 05:08 – Outfits & selling clothes online 11:44 – Why Adam is hiding this week 13:00 – Fan questions from last week 13:24 – How we work with guest musicians 21:05 – Dream collaborations 26:10 – Working with Andy from Therapy? 29:07 – Diamond Black collaborating with other bands 30:14 – How collabs shape our sound & identity 33:34 – Expanding creatively while staying true 35:09 – Favourite collaborations in music 45:02 – Do we change our style when collaborating? 49:18 – Writing from a character perspective 50:51 – Unexpected dream collabs (different genres) ************************************************ Join the Diamond Black Community: Support the band and get an extra 15 minutes of Diamond Cast every week on Patreon: Patreon – https://www.patreon.com/DiamondBlackOfficial YouTube Memberships – Join via the “Join” button on our channel Merch – https://diamondblackofficial.com/store Bandcamp – https://diamondblack.bandcamp.com Listen to Diamond Black: Spotify – https://open.spotify.com/artist/5APKOSAXQZh2Kv46TnvEVG Apple Music – Search “Diamond Black” Follow us: Instagram & Facebook – @diamondblackofficial X (Twitter) – @dmondblk ************************************************ Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/DiamondBlackOfficial Join the Discord: https://discord.gg/N5t8ueajMJ Merch: https://diamondblackofficial.com/store/ Bandcamp: https://diamondblack.bandcamp.com/ Listen on Spotify, Apple & all major platforms ************************************************ Join our lovely DIAMOND BATS on YouTube in the live-chat! Please ‘like’ the video if you enjoyed it, and leave a comment too as it really helps the band get more views and get spread around Youtube! We really appreciate all the support! DIAMOND BLACK MERCH - www.diamondblackofficial.com/store Ben - @benchristomusic Adam - @adamhartist Vincent - @vincentvdrums Natalie - @diamondblacksnaps Instagram - @diamondblackofficial Facebook - @diamondblackofficial X - @dmondblk Email us! mail@diamondblackofficial.com

Working With Your Heroes | Diamond Cast 068

This week on Diamond Cast, we dive into collaboration — how we work with other artists, how guest vocals come together, and what it’s really like recording with musicians you’ve admired for years. From Ben stepping into a teaching role and breaking down vocal approaches, to working with artists like Chris Harms (Lord of the Lost) and connections to The 69 Eyes and Therapy?, we explore how different styles, voices and personalities shape a song. We also talk about: – Singing in different languages – How we choose guest vocalists – Where guest vocals fit within a track – The recording process behind collaborations – Adapting to different vocal styles – And the artists we’d love to collaborate with in the future Plus: a quick update on an upcoming merch drop. Timestamps: 00:00 – Intro 00:48 – Ben becomes a university teacher 04:44 – Singing in different languages & Ben’s lesson approach 09:56 – Adam on Melissa Auf der Maur 14:25 – Collaborating with Andy from Therapy? 17:18 – How we choose guest vocalists 18:24 – Where guest vocals fit in a song 19:20 – Recording guest vocals: process & workflow 21:28 – Working with Chris Harms (Lord of the Lost) 23:15 – What it means to work with your heroes 28:49 – Different vocal styles and approaches 31:52 – Incorporating other artists’ styles 36:15 – The 69 Eyes guest guitar moment 38:11 – Dream collaborations: who’s next? 44:09 – Upcoming merch drop ************************************************ Join the Diamond Black Community: Support the band and get an extra 15 minutes of Diamond Cast every week on Patreon: Patreon – https://www.patreon.com/DiamondBlackOfficial YouTube Memberships – Join via the “Join” button on our channel Merch – https://diamondblackofficial.com/store Bandcamp – https://diamondblack.bandcamp.com Listen to Diamond Black: Spotify – https://open.spotify.com/artist/5APKOSAXQZh2Kv46TnvEVG Apple Music – Search “Diamond Black” Follow us: Instagram & Facebook – @diamondblackofficial X (Twitter) – @dmondblk ************************************************ Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/DiamondBlackOfficial Join the Discord: https://discord.gg/N5t8ueajMJ Merch: https://diamondblackofficial.com/store/ Bandcamp: https://diamondblack.bandcamp.com/ Listen on Spotify, Apple & all major platforms ************************************************ Join our lovely DIAMOND BATS on YouTube in the live-chat! Please ‘like’ the video if you enjoyed it, and leave a comment too as it really helps the band get more views and get spread around Youtube! We really appreciate all the support! DIAMOND BLACK MERCH - www.diamondblackofficial.com/store Ben - @benchristomusic Adam - @adamhartist Vincent - @vincentvdrums Natalie - @diamondblacksnaps Instagram - @diamondblackofficial Facebook - @diamondblackofficial X - @dmondblk Email us! mail@diamondblackofficial.com