Hoglan’s drumming style is unorthodox and inventive yet he’s perhaps the best timekeeper in metal. He just released an instructional DVD The Atomic Clock in the hopes that some of his tips and tricks might help a generation of young percussionists. Hoglan spoke with About.com after a break in a year-long cycle of touring, including appearances with Fear Factory around the world promoting the new album Mechanize.
Justin M. Norton: How did you get the nickname “The Atomic Clock”?
Gene Hoglan: It was something that got dropped on me, because the atomic clock keeps world time. They were saying my time keeping is so tight that I’m like the atomic clock. The nickname was put on a DVD and then it just started from there. It’s a fun name.
When did you start drumming?
I was banging on everything as a child. When I was eight or nine I became the baddest air drummer around. I was air drumming to bands like Kiss and Rush and Cheap Trick and Aerosmith. If you can air drum a Rush song, as soon as you get a kit it will be pretty easy for you. When I finally got my first kit at age 13 I just had a natural aptitude for it. A lot of kids just bang on drums like Will Ferrell in Stepbrothers. They don’t know what they are doing. I felt like this was a calling.
What about playing drums appealed to you?
I didn’t have to learn any notes. You can just pound on things (laughs). In a beginning music class I was forced to take they only had violas and oboes. So I learned how to play the violin and viola, but it sucked. I just wanted to play drums. Most humans have an innate sense of rhythm. Rhythm has run my life.
My favorite rockers in all my favorite bands were drummers…Peter Criss and Alex Van Halen. Drums were just cool to play and guitars seemed intimidating. You can air drum the hell out of everything and then get on the kit and play it well. You can’t play a guitar like that.
When you got your first kit did you start playing with bands?
I was playing by myself for a few years. We lived a block from the junior high and I’d come home after school and start playing to Rush and Anvil and Raven. A lot of other kids were just playing AC/DC drum riffs. So the kids that walked by would think ‘that dude’s not bad. He’s doing alright.’ It was trial by fire. You know half the school is walking past your house so you better get good. That’s how I developed, just jammed tons by myself.
My style was unorthodox because I’m ambidextrous. My main leading hand is my left hand so anyone that would try to teach me would say “you can’t play like that.’ And I’m like ‘why not, there don’t have to be any rules.’ It just fueled my fire.
How much were you practicing?
Five, six hours a day for a few years straight. I got into my first band when I was 15. I went on the road with Slayer when I was 16 as a lighting guy. Tom (Araya) turned to me one night and asked if I could run a light board. It turned out to be pretty simple and I started doing it for their local shows. When I was hanging out with them I played my first double bass kit. Dave Lombardo had just gotten a double bass and was learning it. I was tearing it up and he was like “this is killer, how long have you been playing it?” I showed him a few things. I was Dave’s drum coach for a while when I was 16. After that tour I joined Dark Angel.
What was it like to hang out with someone regarded as a drum legend when you were so young?
Slayer was just a local band then. I wasn’t in a band, but I knew I was good and could play any Rush song note for note. So I’ve never been daunted or intimidated by Dave. The very first guys to ever watch me play drums were Slayer at my house. While the other guys were doing an interview, Dave and I went out to my kit and I tore it up. All of a sudden Slayer turns to Dave and goes “we have a new drummer.” (laughs).
I’ve never been intimidated by guys around my age or a few years older. When I listened to Metallica’s first demo I was like ‘I kill this guy.’ When you are 15 you think you are a badass. My approach was “I am here to kill you.”
Considering your style is so unorthodox, what lessons do you have to offer on an instructional DVD?
You have all these drummers putting out instructional DVDs. But so many are so trained and so learned musically that the DVDs or videos just come out kind of stale. It feels like a college course. Whenever I talk drum philosophy with someone, people say you’ve told me a bunch of weird stuff but I’m going to go try it. Playing with leg weights, the way you relax; I’ve tried it all and it’s awesome.
Since I tell people this on a daily basis I can get it out to a lot more folks this way. Plus it’s a good way to make some dough (laughs).
Did you ever worry that the material you put on a DVD would be too challenging for some drummers?
I don’t know if the things I’ve done are too hard. I just wanted to film a Gene Hoglan DVD. It’s just me talking you through what I do and how I do what I do. I wanted to film a few days in the life of Gene Hoglan and take you through what helps me do what I do. Hopefully, it’s at least a few hours of entertainment (laughs).
You’ve played with Fear Factory, Strapping Young and Dark Angel to name just a few. How do you adopt to each band considering you have a style that’s all your own?
A lot of my favorite drummers were the wicked journeymen like Tommy Aldridge and Aynsley Dunbar who played with everyone. I always figured that’s why being a drummer that was never a stretch for me.
There wasn’t thrash metal when I was young. When I was seven and listening to classic rock it was easy to learn to adapt. That’s what makes you a good musician and an adaptable musician. I always thought it would be boring to play with a bunch of bands with just my style. I wanted to adapt and that’s what makes a good musician.
The few albums I did with Death were exercises in freaking out. Most people heard my later stuff and said “Gene sucks now.” They didn’t get that you don’t need to get crazy like I did on Symbolic. I think it’s funny that people who don’t know music think you aren’t good if you aren’t play every drum at every single moment.
How about playing for a band that is a bunch of cartoon characters?
With Brendan (Small) and Dethklok some of the material is pre-written. Brendan records some of the stuff on the drum machine and I come along and elaborate and play the real drums. I try to serve the songs as best as I can. When we did the first album I didn’t get a time to watch much of the episodes.
Any metal drummer caught your attention recently?
Everyone seems to have a killer drummer now. Thrash was so guitar-driven and the drummer was just a guy in the band. Now drummers in any type of extreme metal are as important as anyone else. You can’t play without one. If Nile didn’t have a killer drummer where would they be? George Kollias is from Mars. Flo (Mounier) from Cryptopsy is amazing. So many bands have deadly drummers.
We (drummers) keep things like a family. When I was a kid there was competition. Dark Angel was helping create a style of thrash, so we were competing with guys from cock rock bands who were twirling their sticks like the drum corps. I’ve been around and I’m proud of my career. But I refuse to rest on my laurels. I still try to set the bar high.
If you had to impart something to an up-and-coming drummer what would it be?
If anyone tells you what you are doing is wrong, punch them in the face. If you have an unorthodox style make it your strength. If you do something like no one else does and it’s cool then you are a groundbreaker. Don’t let anyone grind you down. And don’t worry about surrounding yourself with the most amazing musicians. Not everyone needs to be a star player, but hopefully you have a team. Make sure you can hang with them. If your bassist isn’t the best in the world and he’s 17, he is probably going to get better. If everyone is a jerk in the band it isn’t fun.
