An Interview With Bones Hewson Of Tailgunner

Feature Photo by Tunde Valiszka

Bones Hewson, bassist of the darlings of the modern heavy metal scene, Tailgunner, keeps it very simple when asked what he hopes for most: “We wanna be huge,” he tells ClassicRockHistory.com.

With a ringing endorsement from K.K Downing, who called Tailgunner “the next big thing,” and a massive response to their first two records, 2023’s Guns for Hire, and 2026’s Midnight Blitz, it does appear that Tailgunner will, in fact, “be huge,” if they aren’t already.

The band’s decidedly old-school vibe, which Hewson and his bandmates say comes from their view that when it comes to metal, “that’s just how it’s supposed to be,” and their massive sound are just a few of the things that make Tailgunner special.

Beyond their looks and tunes (what more do you need?), there’s a keen sense for keeping it simple in terms of gear, and outstanding musicianship that harkens back to the golden age of heavy metal in the ‘80s. Indeed, Tailgunner are conjuring Iron Madin, Judas Priest, and Raven vibes, and fans and critics alike are loving it.

For these reasons, it’s exciting to learn that Tailgunner is already working on album number three. It’s with that in mind that Hewson beamed in with ClassicRockHistory.com to talk origins, gear, new music, and more.

Tell us about what inspired you to pick up the bass. Can you remember your first bass guitar and what the scene was like around you?

I always wanted to be in a band more than I cared what instrument I played. Originally, I planned to be a guitarist. After seeing Billy Duffy on the cover of Sonic Temple, I just thought he looked so cool. My friend in high school was putting together a band, but he already had everyone but a Bass player, so that made up my mind for me.

My first Bass was an Encore P Bass copy. It was awful! The strap peg wasn’t glued in properly, so it would constantly fall off. I think that Bass ended up in a skip! [laughs] I soon moved on to a B.C. Rich Warlock and I’ve played Fender since 2012. There wasn’t too much of a scene growing up, so my first band shared stages with all sorts of styles, usually Oasis or Arctic Monkeys clones.

Did a career in music choose you, or did you choose it?

I definitely chose it. From the first time I heard AC/DC as a kid, I knew immediately that’s what I had to do with my life.

What led to the formation of Tailgunner?

I had been playing in other people’s bands for a while, but it was never really exactly what I wanted to do. The whole idea with Tailgunner was to put together the band I’d had in my head since I first fell in love with heavy metal, the band we were all waiting for growing up, but never really came along.

The band has a decidedly old-school vibe. What inspired that?

We never really think of it as being old school; to us, that’s just the way heavy metal is supposed to sound. We grew up loving Maiden, Priest, and all those bands, so it came very naturally to us.

As a young player with maybe not a lot of money, what sort of gear were you using in the early days, and where did you get it?

I started out playing an Encore Bass and a tiny, maybe 10W amp. These days I play Fender Aerodyne Basses and a Gallien Krueger amp. I’ve thankfully always had a very specific sound in mind, so I’ve never really messed around with different gear. I got what I wanted and stuck to it.

How about amps? What was the key behind your tone? Is it all in the hands, even with heavy metal?

Like I say, I play a Gallien Krueger, and I just use a compression pedal from TC Electronic, that’s it! Low fuss, and it punches you in the guts!

Are there any anecdotes from the recording process of your latest album that you can share?

You read those stories about Priest in the studio and the party they had, and I’m glad to say that hasn’t gone away. We worked extremely hard on this new album. But on the last few sessions, KK would show up with plenty of beer, and we’d drink and make finishing touches, just a great time.

K.K. Downing has sung Tailgunner’s praises as “the next big thing.” What does that mean to you?

It’s a great endorsement from someone who’s been around in metal since day one. He’s seen everyone come and go, and so he certainly knows what he’s talking about. He said when we first met, he’d been waiting for a band like us to come along since the early days of Def Leppard, and we really felt the same. Britain invented heavy metal but hasn’t done anything with it for such a long time, now, here we are!

Do you agree with his assessment? If so, why?

Yeah, we definitely felt the same way, because we’re fans too, and we grew up hoping for a band like this for our generation.

If you could scrap who you are as a player today and start over, would you do it?

No, definitely not. For better or worse, the journey is the most important part. I wouldn’t change anything because it wouldn’t be me.

Have you had any new or interesting gear discoveries that have changed your rig at all?

For me personally, no. I know what I like. Fender, Rotosound, and Gallien Krueger, I don’t need anything more.

Where do you go from here?

Right now, we’re already writing album three. There aren’t any regrets, because for better or worse, again, it’s all part of the journey and informs who you are as a band. There’s a tendency in modern heavy metal to shy away from mainstream popularity, but it’s not something we can get behind. We don’t just want cool points or street cred, we wanna be huge.

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