More young blood for Heavy Metal. Formed by three nationalities across five English cities and playing ‘laser guided riffs N’ hooks that kill’ TAILGUNNER are a traditional sound with fresh spirit set to debut in January 2022. We chatted with them to get more info before launching the band on New Year’s Day.
-Hello, a very usual question to start. Can you introduce the band to our readers? When and why did you form TAILGUNNER? Where is home base for the band these days?
Like most Heavy Metal TAILGUNNER began life in a garage in autumn of 2018. Tom sat down with a notepad and pen and brainstormed what it would take to make the band he’s had in his head since he was a kid. After almost 2 years of searching for musicians and building the band, TAILGUNNER completed our lineup in August 2020. We come from five different English cities - London, Reading, Nottingham, Stoke and Liverpool. Thankfully, we don’t mind the train.
-How come you choose to name the band after an IRON MAIDEN song? Or is it just coincidence?
We love IRON MAIDEN, but it’s more or less a coincidence. We had a list of over 100 potential names, but we either didn’t agree or most of the time, they were taken by one or more bands. TAILGUNNER does come from the MAIDEN tune, but the reason simply is because we all thought it was cool!
-How would you best describe your sound? And what about the musical influences of the band?
We’re a Heavy Metal band. We play fast and loud! We love the 70’s and 80’s so that means Speed, Thrash, Power and others. We’re influenced by bands like HELLOWEEN, MAIDEN, MEGADETH, KING DIAMOND, PRIEST, and to name lesser known ones DEMON, SAVAGE, AGENT STEEL, AVENGER, CHASTAIN… So many!
-What would you say to people who think the kind of music you play is outdated?
Heavy Metal never came with an expiry date. We, and millions of people around the world love it - We have zero interest in appealing to anyone who thinks otherwise.
-What do you think about this new movement called New Wave Of Traditional Heavy Metal (NWOTHM)? Do you consider yourself part of this movement?
We’re living in a golden age for Heavy Metal, artistically speaking. There’s so many incredible bands around right now. We play ‘traditional / true’ Heavy Metal, so we consider ourselves a part of the movement. Long may it last!
-Well, you’re going to release your debut album in January. Can you tell us a bit more about its musical content? How will it be lyrically and musically? How many songs, titles, artwork,...? Guest musicians? We, mere mortals, demand to know!
We’ll release our debut in January 2023. The plan for 2022 is a new single every 8-10 weeks, followed by the full album. There will be 10 songs, from speed metal to epics! Lyrically, there are songs are about life, ourselves, submarine warfare, legendary snipers, dropping nuclear bombs and the end of the world. Happy stuff. We couldn’t sing about girls with our riffs though could we?
-When did you start working on your debut and under which circumstances? Were things difficult due to the covid restrictions, etc.?
Songwriting for the debut began on November 1st 2018, in the same garage where the band was dreamt up, and ended in October 2021. Due to the pandemic most of the songs were written alone, but we did collaborate on two – “Crashdive” and “Revolution Scream”. We’ve managed to form this band, record an album and a years worth of output, as well as rehearse. We armed ourselves with a good knowledge of the law on how we could still legally operate… So we did!
-You’ve worked with Olof Wikstrand (ENFORCER) as a producer. What convinced you that he could make a TAILGUNNER record?
We recorded and produced the album ourselves - but Olof was the man we wanted to bring the best out of what we had put down. ENFORCER sound fantastic, he has a great track record and there are very few people out there that know Heavy Metal so well. We didn’t want the sound of a lot more current records, coming across as overproduced. We play Heavy Metal, so we should sound like it! Olof nailed it.
-What do you consider as the best reason why a metal fan should buy your album?
Word of mouth, because someone else has told them it’s great! At the end of the day we put music out because we love it, but we’re not here to convince people - if they’re friends do, then we know we’re on the right path.
-Who’s the main songwriter for TAILGUNNER?
Our Bassist Tom is the main songwriter, he’s on all but one song on the debut album. There were hundreds of songs written for the debut over the last 3 years, narrowed down to around 20. We voted on what to include. It doesn’t matter if one person writes all, half, or none of the songs - Only that the end result is the best album we can make.
-What are some goals that you have set out for yourself to accomplish with your music and message?
To fly the flag high for Heavy Metal! This music is freedom N’ it’ll never die. We’re here, like others, to carry the torch. The aim is to take our music to all four corners of the world.
-Today I get a feeling that the promotion of a band lands a lot on the band themselves. So, how does one promote oneself the best possible way in order to reach as many as possible? Will you be working with a label?
In short - Learning the music industry. Tom took a year out of playing in bands to spend time really studying the industry N’ how to plan N’ launch a band that could make serious moves. We have a really focused press campaign underway right now for the debut single “Guns For Hire”. As of now (December 2021) the band is still behind closed doors, we haven’t had any offers yet but the most important thing to consider is what can someone bring that we can’t do ourselves, and are they the right helping hand? Our team should be as passionate about TAILGUNNER as we are.
-How many interviews have you done so far in order to spread your music?
It’s early days but the press release landed well, we have magazine, radio, and plenty of online features. It took a long time of building a press database and crafting the best possible press release before we sent it out.
-You made a video for the song "Guns For Hire". How did you work on it? Did you have some ideas of what you wanted it to look like?
The original idea was quite different to what we’ll release, but it was a situation were limitations made a better final product than if we had got everything we wanted. The original plan was to shoot in a film studio in Liverpool, but unfortunately as has been the case with the band so far, any time we’re forced to outsource, our plans slow rapidly. We’ve operated on a very right schedule over 2020/21 N’ just didn’t have time to work with any businesses that weren’t on top of communication. We shot the video at Vulcan studios in Liverpool, where Craig and Sam used to rehearse. It’s an old Victorian factory N’ once we found out the screen tests for “Hellraiser” were shot there we were sold! The idea was for post apocalyptic outlaws, and their headquarters. So the worse things looked… the better!
-Are more videos on the way?
Yes!! Each single released in 2022 will be accompanied by a video. We have already shot the video for single 2… If “Guns For Hire” is a straight up speed Metal attack, this one is the anthem. It’s very a different watch, we had a massive budget for an independent band and we feel it’s the perfect follow up. Eyes peeled come March!
-Besides that new album and an UK headline tour, some other plans for 2022?
We’ll play more headline tours around the UK - The plan is to build on what has gone previous. The first run is our home cities, then in Summer we want to play more locations and ramp up the venue size from the broom cupboards with PA’s on the first tour! We’re also looking for the right support tours N’ an eye firmly on Europe!
-According to you, what is the future of the Heavy Metal genre?
No rest, no surrender! Heavy Metal is the boogey man… And you can’t kill the boogey man! It’s clawed it’s way through the 90’s, out from the depths of the 2000’s N’ now it’s back screaming for vengeance!
-What is your local scene like? What is the status for traditional Heavy Metal in England today?
TAILGUNNER come from all over England, so the local scene to us is the whole country! We had to adopt the attitude they have in the states, meaning 4/5 hour journeys are nothing more than a local trip! There are definitely bands around right now playing Heavy Metal - SEVEN SISTERS, HITTEN, TOLEDO STEEL, and loads more!
If you were in charge of putting on a music festival and booking the acts, who would your put on the bill and what would be the final song you’d all jam on before the curtain fell?
Anyone? MAIDEN, HELLOWEEN, AC/DC, GN’R, MEGADETH, KING DIAMOND, MOTÖRHEAD, PRIEST, and of course ourselves…. It could go on forever! How about “Guns For Hire”, with all those amazing bands!
Name ten of your favourite albums of all time.
GUNS N’ ROSES - Appetite for Destruction
IRON MAIDEN - Somewhere in Time
HELLOWEEN - Keeper of the Seven Keys pt. 1
KING DIAMOND - Abigail
MEGADETH - Rust in Peace
AC/DC - Powerage
DEMON - The Unexpected Guest
RAINBOW - Rising
JUDAS PRIEST - Defenders of the Faith
HARDCORE SUPERSTAR - Hardcore Superstar
-Thank you very much for your time! If there’s something we haven’t covered that you’d like to throw in, go ahead! Thanks for your time and stay safe and healthy!
Thanks for having us!! We hit the road in March 2022 N’ we’ll see everyone there. Heavy Metal forever!
Diego González.
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