Today I received an email from a legend!

[Hog]

Yey!, Gene Hoglan rawks!

*gets coat*

[Guest Zeenat Aman]

Who?

?(

[jester1470]

Who?

?(

He's a drummer, who's not as good as the drummer from Marillion or Andy Gangadeen, or Mark Brzezicki, or lots of other drummers who value substance over speed, isnt that right Hoglet

Did it say :

"Dear Hog,

Please stop stalking us... we will get a restraining order

Love

Gene"

Cheers

Stuart

[Hog]

Listen to the end of Skesis from the new SYL album, you will find that it is a very technically brilliant piece of drumming that not very many people can play.

You have a problem because he plays a lot of fast stuff, he can also play jazz, country, fusion etc. He is an all round excellent drummer who you think is crap because you half listen to what he does. As Gene himself said " It is easy to play fast but more difficult to do it with style"

There is no hope in hell that the Marillion drummer could play Genes stuff.

He is also presently playing with Opeth, who you refuse to listen to because you dont like the manager lol, that is very open minded.

Cheers

Hog

[Guest Zeenat Aman]

Listen to the end of Skesis from the new SYL album' date=' you will find that it is a very technically brilliant piece of drumming that not very many people can play.

You have a problem because he plays a lot of fast stuff, he can also play jazz, country, fusion etc. He is an all round excellent drummer who you think is crap because you half listen to what he does. As Gene himself said " It is easy to play fast but more difficult to do it with style"

There is no hope in hell that the Marillion drummer could play Genes stuff.

He is also presently playing with Opeth, who you refuse to listen to because you dont like the manager lol, that is very open minded.

Cheers

Hog[/quote']

I await a pansy reply with lots of winks in it from da'jester.

[jester1470]

Listen to the end of Skesis from the new SYL album' date=' you will find that it is a very technically brilliant piece of drumming that not very many people can play.

You have a problem because he plays a lot of fast stuff, he can also play jazz, country, fusion etc. He is an all round excellent drummer who you think is crap because you half listen to what he does. As Gene himself said " It is easy to play fast but more difficult to do it with style"

There is no hope in hell that the Marillion drummer could play Genes stuff.

He is also presently playing with Opeth, who you refuse to listen to because you dont like the manager lol, that is very open minded.

Cheers

Hog[/quote']

Nothing to do with the manager, I hate Steve Wilson who produced a lot of their stuff, and is a serious twat.

I'd say Milner's a better drummer

Cheers

Stuart

[Guest Zeenat Aman]

Nothing to do with the manager' date=' I hate Steve Wilson who produced a lot of their stuff, and is a serious twat. I think we've done this before, fast doesnt mean good, and I doubt Gene could play some of Ian Mosley's stuff.

I dont half listen, i fully listened to allof what you sent me, I heard very fats drumming but it didnt inspire me,

I'd say Milner's a better drummer

Cheers

Stuart[/quote']

Damn, only one

[Hog]

Nothing to do with the manager' date=' I hate Steve Wilson who produced a lot of their stuff, and is a serious twat.

I'd say Milner's a better drummer

Cheers

Stuart[/quote']

No disrespect to Milner (he is a good drummer) but if he is better than Gene, why is he not playing Festivals in front of 70,000 people, why is he doing session work, why does he not sell a lot of records, why does he not drum for a guy who has a Sony record deal, why does he not have an endorsement with Zildjian cymbals?

Without making this sounds like I dont like Milners drumming (I think he is very good). Why dont we ask him to play some of Gene's drum patterns

[Hog]

Nothing to do with the manager' date=' I hate Steve Wilson who produced a lot of their stuff, and is a serious twat.

Cheers

Stuart[/quote']

So that is a reason for not even trying to listen to a song? You wouldnt even listen to a mellow clip of Opeth because of that.

[Scorge]

I'd say Milner's a better drummer

Cheers

Stuart

DOCTOR'S ORDERS: Ingest two tablets orally, three times a day.

[Guest Zeenat Aman]

DOCTOR'S ORDERS: Ingest two tablets orally' date=' three times a day.[/quote']

I knew you'd come back!

[Guest Zeenat Aman]

So that is a reason for not even trying to listen to a song? You wouldnt even listen to a mellow clip of Opeth because of that.

I think we've done this before' date=' fast doesnt mean good, and I doubt Gene could play some of Ian Mosley's stuff.

I dont half listen, i fully listened to allof what you sent me, I heard very fats drumming but it didnt inspire me.[/quote']

I think you missed this bit of his unedited post.

[Lexicon Devil]

In fairness Gene Hoglan is one of the older and original speed guys, the sort that I would think the majority of extreme metal drummers look up to as their early inspirations. I would love to have received contact from him, in the faster metal drumming world I think it's fair to call him a legend. I've never heard much of his stuff but his reputation has pre-ceeded him.

What happened to Lopez? Isn't he with Opeth anymore? I really liked some of his stuff.

As for an endorsement with Zildjian cymbals that doesn't strictly reflect on his playing ability; I have seen big company reps explain how it's not always the best players that get the endorsement, firstly often the ones that will be spreading their name on stage to huge crowds although nowadays it's not quite as relevant. In this case though, it's justified, however that being said I believe it's Sabian that endorse him, along with Pearl drums.

[Hog]

I think you missed this bit of his unedited post.

So lets get this right, Gene couldnt play Mosley's stuff? Are you completely musically retarded Mr Jester?

[Guest Zeenat Aman]

Are you completely musically retarded Mr Jester?

I think we already know the answer to this question.

[Hog]

In fairness Gene Hoglan is one of the older and original speed guys' date=' the sort that I would think the majority of extreme metal drummers look up to as their early inspirations. I would love to have received contact from him, in the faster metal drumming world I think it's fair to call him a legend. I've never heard much of his stuff but his reputation has pre-ceeded him.

What happened to Lopez? Isn't he with Opeth anymore? I really liked some of his stuff.

As for an endorsement with Zildjian cymbals that doesn't strictly reflect on his playing ability; I have seen big company reps explain how it's not always the best players that get the endorsement, firstly often the ones that will be spreading their name on stage to huge crowds although nowadays it's not quite as relevant. In this case though, it's justified, however that being said I believe it's Sabian that endorse him, along with Pearl drums.[/quote']

Lopez is still in Opeth but Gene is helping out at the moment because Lopez has been unwell with anxiety, panic attacks etc.

I agree with what you are saying regarding drum endorsements. I just think it is rediculous that a local drummer (who is pretty good) is described as better thant someone like Gene.

[Lexicon Devil]

I agree with what you are saying regarding drum endorsements. I just think it is rediculous that a local drummer (who is pretty good) is described as better thant someone like Gene.

I too agree, no disrespect to Milner, but I'd like to see him play some of Gene's grooves, I couldn't. I do also realise it wasn't Milner who stated it was better as my remark came off as if challenging him, it's certainly not.

[jester1470]

So lets get this right' date=' Gene couldnt play Mosley's stuff? Are you completely musically retarded Mr Jester?[/quote']

I stand by it Mr Hog, good drumming isnt about being fast, you say that Gene's influenced many great drummers, well so's Ian, as is shown by this 'How many drummers photo...

The guy on the right is Andy Gangadeen, one of the best drummers in the world and someone who thinks Ian Mosley is in the top 5 drummers in the world.

Ian can play horrendously complicated stuff, but has realised that speed doesnt mean everything.

And the Mi;ner comment was just to see Hog's reaction, tho I'd rate Milner as certainly one of the best drummers in Aberdeen.

Cheers

Stuart

[Hog]

I stand by it Mr Hog' date=' good drumming isnt about being fast, you say that Gene's influenced many great drummers, well so's Ian, as is shown by this 'How many drummers photo...

[img']http://www.transatlanticweb.com/h/photos/sep2002/sheffield/how_many_drummers.jpg

The guy on the right is Andy Gangadeen, one of the best drummers in the world and someone who thinks Ian Mosley is in the top 5 drummers in the world.

Ian can play horrendously complicated stuff, but has realised that speed doesnt mean everything.

And the Mi;ner comment was just to see Hog's reaction, tho I'd rate Milner as certainly one of the best drummers in Aberdeen.

Cheers

Stuart

You simply have a problem with the fact that Gene sometimes plays fast stuff. You basically ignore that he is also a decent drummer throughout a variety of styles.

Wow, there is a pic of Ian Mosley with his friends..yawn

Andy Gangadeen, another of your obscure 80's drummers who is in a fading band?

[Scorge]

I knew you'd come back!

Not technically true - the real Scorge was killed in a freak Moshulu accident. He saw an emo tosser crying his eyes out in the bog, and such was the force of the subsequent laughter, he suffered a violent rectal prolapse. He was alive on arrival at ARI, but doctors thought best to put him out of everyone's misery, because he was a fat alcoholic good for nowt c**t.

I am merely his heavenly, see-through doppleganger.

[Frosty Jack]

Andy Gangadeen' date=' another of your obscure 80's drummers who is in a fading band?[/quote']

Oooh, no. Much as it pains me to back up the Jester, on this point I have to. Andy Gangadeen is one of the world's top session drummers, and a total hero.

[Hog]

Oooh' date=' no. Much as it pains me to back up the Jester, on this point I have to. Andy Gangadeen is one of the world's top session drummers, and a total hero.[/quote']

Im not doubting that. After doing a google search I found that he has played with Massive Attack and the Spice Girls.

I just have to point out that Gene is a top class drummer who is more than just a guy "who plays fast"

Anyway, he was last months featured artists on the Modern Drummer site (worlds biggest drum mag)

Ah well, drum clips next............

This article is an excerpt from the 08/2005 issue of Modern Drummer Magazine. Check your newsstands today to read the full article.

by Robin Tolleson

In the midst of Strapping Young Lads otherworldly barrage of guitars, screams, bass rumble, and samples, Gene Hoglans kick drums blast through in furious, amazingly accurate 32nd-note flurries. Hoglan, thirty-seven, was in on the beginnings of the thrash metal movement, joining Dark Angel when he was still in high school in Los Angeles. After several years he left to join the band Death, with whom he recorded two ground-shaking albums, including 1995s Symbolic, which raised the bar for outlandish double bass integration.

After meeting Canadian guitarist Devin Townsend, Hoglan was convinced to join Strapping Young Lad. His impressive, over-the-top drumming can be heard on 1997s City, 1998s No Sleep Till Bedtime, and 2002s SYL. After taking time off during the recording of a couple of Devin Townsend solo albums, Strapping Young Lad returned with a vengeance in 2004, releasing the live DVD For Those Aboot To Rock.b

Hoglan, known as The Atomic Clock, sat down with MD to discuss some of his favorite topicsthrash metal, haulin double bass drums, and the making of Alien, SYLs craziest album yet.

MD: Have you always taken a foot-oriented approach, sharing the lead with your hands and feet?

Gene: I started off being a hand player, because I was really into Neil Peart growing up. He was my first super duper favorite drummerafter Peter Criss, of course. I think Peter was everybodys favorite drummer, at least for guys my age. Neil was more of a hand guy. He played interesting stuff, but it was all understandable. It wasnt like he was playing real nutty stuff that you couldnt figure out.

As I got a little older, I started getting into double bass drummers like Cozy Powell, Rob Reiner from Anvil, Whacko Hunter from Raven, and Filthy Animal [Phil] Taylor of Motrheadhe used to play a lot of fast double bass. I just started doing a lot of foot stuff, and after I started playing thrash metal it got to a point where I was like, Lets do some nutty kick drum patterns. My feet can do it, my brain tells my feet they can do it, so the skys the limit on both sides.

When I was in the band Death, we did a couple of records. One was called Individual Thought Patterns, and the other was Symbolic. By the time of Symbolic, I was doing a lot of hand stuff as well. So for me its about trying to balance both hemispheres, hands and feet.

MD: What else did you listen to growing up?

Gene: I grew up on American AM radiofrom about 69 to 76which is when I discovered rock n roll. I listened to all of the 70s stuff that was big at the time, like Queen, Angel, Ted Nugent, Aerosmith, and Cheap Trick. Ive always thought that Bun E. Carlos was an underrated drummer. When he got bored playing right-handed lead, he said, Im going to play left-handed for the next few years. Thats cool. Ive always been ambidextrous too, and its really helped out tons in my drumming.

MD: You play open-handed on a right-handed kit.

Gene: Ive always done things with either hand. I suppose Im right-handed, but I do many things left-handed. Playing left-handed on a right-handed kit is just the way I started playing as a kid. Every drummer I talked to tried to convince me to lead with my right hand and cross over with it to play the hi-hat. That didnt make sense to me and I didnt like crossing over, so I said screw it and made up my own rules as I went along.

MD: Where did you grow up?

Gene: I was born in Dallas and raised in Los Angeles. I saw every strip band, all the big hair metal bands of the day. I saw a ton of cool bands, too, like Metallica and Slayer, back when they were playing small clubs in LA. I was really young, and this was before they would card you drastically. When I was thirteen I looked old enough to be there, so nobody ever gave me a hassle.

MD: You started playing with Dark Angel at a young age.

Gene: Dark Angel formed in about 1981, and I joined in 84. I hadnt actually played double bass much before Dark Angel, but any time Id get on a double bass kit, I just had an aptitude for it. It was easy for me to play double bass, so I went with it.

Dark Angel was a pretty visceral thrash band. After we broke up in 1992, I got a call from Chuck Schuldiner of the band Death saying they were looking for a drummer. Sean Reinert, who played on their Human album, really opened up tons of avenues for technical playing and killer, speedy double bass. I was like, Wow, hes shown what can be done here, so lets go with that angle, as opposed to just playing some rudimentary drum parts. Lets go nutty.

I was really into Steve Gadd around the time we did Individual Thought Patterns. Gadds bembe beat on the early Al Di Meola stuff was a big influence on me. That was a really cool beat to me, a cool way to break up a 6/8 pattern. So instead of just going chugga chugga chugga, chugga chugga chugga on the kick drums, I went nutty with the hands too.

I had started to play with two rides at that time, one on either side of the kit, and I was doing some crazy ghost note-y things on the second ride. That was kind of inspired by Gadd. Then by the time we got to Symbolic, I was super duper into Deen Castronovo as well. Hes an awesome double bass drummer. Terry Bozzio was huge for me, too, and Mark Craney as well. I grew up playing along with Gino Vanellis Brother To Brother record. Craney was awesome on it.

MD: Ive noticed in your work with Strapping Young Lad that your drum work involves setting up other licks, almost like a big band drummer. I noticed it on Zen [from Alien] quite a bit.

Gene: Well, I always try to do that. If Im going to be playing a pattern three times in a song, the first lick will be the simplest one, the second will be a little more advanced, and then the final lick is going to be me throwing it all against the wall. Im not sure if I do that necessarily with Zen, but I do try to consider the entire song when Im coming up with parts. Dont blow your wad the first time you play a lick. If youre going to come back to it later, build on it.

See the 08/2005 Modern Drummer Magazine for more of the story

[bostaph]

Oooh' date=' no. Much as it pains me to back up the Jester, on this point I have to. Andy Gangadeen is one of the world's top session drummers, and a total hero.[/quote']

Yes i agree, mr Gangadeen is good, but many forget the many all time great session drummers, who could piss all over most drummers of most styles today, and thereon after - namely need i say more than mr Dennis Chambers!

I have years of following this guy before getting into my metal, well the two of my 3 inspirations - Dave Weckl and Dennis Chambers, and number 3 - Nicholas Barker.

[bostaph]

Yes i agree' date=' mr Gangadeen is good, but many forget the many all time great session drummers, who could piss all over most drummers of most styles today, and thereon after - namely need i say more than mr Dennis Chambers!

I have years of following this guy before getting into my metal, well the two of my 3 inspirations - Dave Weckl and Dennis Chambers, and number 3 - Nicholas Barker.[/quote']

But also it angers me when people rabbit on about folk like Gene Hoglan, in the respect that all he concentrates on is speed, this man is a drumming encyclopedia, ambidextrous, and could play anything he likes much like dennis chambers, but chooses metal, cos its more fun to watch the kids go off. I would agree with that mentioned if the drummer in question was paul bostaph who plays the same god damn shitty beat to every slayer song in the past or raymond herrera who can play anything with his feet but shit all with his hands!

[bostaph]

But also it angers me when people rabbit on about folk like Gene Hoglan' date=' in the respect that all he concentrates on is speed, this man is a drumming encyclopedia, ambidextrous, and could play anything he likes much like dennis chambers, but chooses metal, cos its more fun to watch the kids go off. I would agree with that mentioned if the drummer in question was paul bostaph who plays the same god damn shitty beat to every slayer song in the past or raymond herrera who can play anything with his feet but shit all with his hands![/quote']

And lastly something profound -

Speed doesn't come without power, stamina and technique, unless you uncapable of playing fast without triggers to hide your inconsistencies.

I've heard alot mentioned about certain metal drummers for instance who is the best, blah blah blah, and my opinion is that you may be able to play fast double bass, but if its stoppy starty and uneven, slow it down, because it sounds gash playing faster than your talent allows.

Fast does not equal good, technique and style allows this, i've seen bill bruford playing the slowest fills live that sounded and looked more impressive than the fastest doublebass!