In a brand new interview with Alex Stojanovic and Derek Solomos of MetalMasterKingdom.com, legendary excessive steel drummer Gene Hoglan (TESTAMENT, DETHKLOK, STRAPPING YOUNG LAD, DEATH, DARK ANGEL) spoke about his weight-loss journey, sharing how he shed almost 200 kilos and remodeled not simply his physique, however his total outlook. He mentioned partly (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): “Properly, it began after I returned from a run of South America in 2009. And the band I used to be jamming with down there, we hit churrascarias on daily basis. And for individuals who do not know what a churrascaria is, that’s the Brazilian steakhouse the place they carry you the meat on a skewer. I would been with [my wife, now-DARK ANGEL guitarist] Laura [Christine] for a few years by then, and after I obtained again, she was, like, ‘Whoa, dude. You had been an enormous dude once we obtained collectively. And I watched you fluff up somewhat bit on the highway.’ This was, like, ‘Wow, dude, you had been solely there for 10 days,’ however 10 days of meat and carbs. And so I had gone to my physician, they usually they [did] only a typical checkup sort of factor. They usually had mentioned, ‘Hey, man, we’re your numbers. And we’re simply telling you proper now, in case you do not sort of get some issues collectively right here, you are gonna have to begin jabbing insulin fairly quickly.’ ‘Trigger I used to be diabetic on the time. And so I got here dwelling. I discussed that to Laura and he or she was, like, ‘All proper, I have been affected person with you for the final couple of years right here, however now you aren’t gonna begin jabbing. I am gonna put you on a plan of diet.’ ‘Trigger she grew up very well being aware, and he or she was saying, ‘I have been affected person with you, however now I am gonna put you on this plan. You are gonna observe what I let you know to do. And inside three to 6 months, you are gonna not have diabetes and also you’re gonna lose lots of weight as effectively.'”
Gene continued: “So with all of the drumming that I do, and simply staying on that plan for so long as I’ve, I removed diabetes and proceeded to lose lots of weight. Proper now I am fluffy — I did not have that two months in the past — however that is what being on tour nonstop is, ‘trigger you are getting cheeseburgers and pizza for after meals. And that is one of many issues I really like about being on the highway with Laura [as part of DARK ANGEL], as a result of that has all the time been like — alcohol, positive, I drank for somewhat bit. I smoked somewhat pot for some time, I smoked cigarettes for some time. All of these had been simple to surrender. Meals has all the time been my drug. So, that is my Achilles heel. So having Laura round making these good selections for us… She’s gotta be the whip-cracker, and he or she’s actually good at it. So, there you go. That is sort of a part of the journey.”
Elaborating on the place he stands along with his weight in the meanwhile, Hoglan mentioned: “I obtained as much as 410 kilos. After which the smallest I obtained right down to was 224 kilos, and that is after I was doing the Bear McCreary file. And I fluffed up somewhat bit, however that is simply what occurs.”
Again in April 2024, Gene was requested by Scott Itter of Dr. Music what he does to maintain his physique in form to have the ability to play such excessive music night time after night time. He responded: “Properly, I assume quite a lot of years in the past, I give up all extracurricular actions. I do not drink anymore and I by no means obtained into medication. I used to smoke somewhat pot. Now I do not even try this. I am an effing teetotaler as of late, for the final couple of years. And so, waking up, feeling good each morning.
“All the things about drums — I’ve all the time mentioned drums are 90 p.c psychological, 10 p.c bodily. And in case you can assume it, you are able to do it,” he continued.
“Once I was an adolescent, and I used to be like attempting to determine how do I play double bass this quick, as I am purported to be taking part in, it is, like, ‘I feel I can, I feel I can, I feel I can.’ So now I really feel youthful than ever. I placed on somewhat little bit of weight again then, however I’ve misplaced 180 kilos since my greatest weight. I used to be 410, then I obtained right down to in regards to the 250 kind of space now. And I obtained right down to 224, I feel, [at one point]. However one factor I have seen, and it is the one factor — I really feel like a child; I am [58] years previous, however I really feel half that age; I really feel 27, 28 sort of factor. Significantly. Ageing, it is in your thoughts, man. So many guys I do know which can be my age and older and even youthful simply going, ‘Oh my God. I am so previous.’ And I will cease all of them. It is, like, ‘Lower that shit proper now. You are not previous. You are a child. You are an effing child. You are 54 years previous. You are a toddler. Come on, man.’ Once we had been younger, we had been like eight, 9, 10, and our grandparents had been of their 50s, I imply, they seem like they had been of their 90s. 50, that is nothing anymore.”
Gene added: “That is the one factor I’ve ever recognized. That is the one life I’ve ever recognized. I’ve by no means completed anything aside from tour and put out albums. So there’s nothing completely different for me. That is what I used to be gonna say, the one factor that I’ve seen from having expertise, being extra skilled than among the youthful dudes, is I do must hold my chops up. Like again within the day, I might go six months with out taking part in and sit on the package and get again fairly darn fast. Today — and perhaps that is psychological; perhaps that is me simply telling myself that, ‘Dude, it’s important to hold your chops up or else they’re gonna go away’ — I am unable to go for way more than a few weeks or three weeks. They usually come again actual fast, however I’d not wanna give it two months, the place I’ve gotta go do one thing like, ‘You are solely gonna play guitar for 2 months,’ sort of factor.
“Through the pandemic, when that factor hit, I used to be, like, ‘How am I gonna hold my chops up?’ So I turned a stay streamer on Twitch. I primarily began that stay stream with the intention to drive myself to get right down to the studio frequently as a result of I seek advice from myself because the legend of lethargy, ‘trigger I am a lazy dude, man. If I haven’t got to do one thing, I ain’t gonna do it. So that you make your self must go down and play drums on daily basis. So I used to be streaming for a month straight each single day, or I used to be streaming, like, 4 occasions, 5 occasions every week ,taking part in three, 4 hours of drums. And I make the most of drums as cardio, and I make the most of weights with drums. I nonetheless put on the leg weights, and it is fairly, fairly well-known idea. I put on leg weights after I play drums, and that is an effective way to maintain your muscle tissues going. And I am going to the fitness center, I work out and attempt to hold my muscle tissues able to go, as a result of as you attain a sophisticated age, make the most of all the things you’ll be able to to present your self that edge.
“I absolutely, fully intend to be doing this in my 70s, in my 80s, Gene mentioned. “And it is not gonna be one thing like the place it is, like, ‘Oh, that is lovely. He nonetheless performs some drums.’ No, I imply, like bringing it, So I figured I might get away with this type of carriage that I’ve in the meanwhile, however in my 70s, who is aware of if I might get away with this type of no matter intestine I’ve obtained. So I intend to be reduce and ripped in my 70s, so I am simply this damaging drive, the place it is, like, ‘Holy crap, Hoglan remains to be bringing it.'”
Hoglan is acclaimed for his creativity in drum preparations, together with utilization of wierd gadgets for percussion results and his trademark prolonged double-kick drum rhythms (utilizing what he calls “kick triplets”). His extremely technical taking part in is extraordinarily correct at very excessive and difficult tempos, incomes him the nicknames “The Atomic Clock” and “Human Drum Machine”. He’s greatest recognized for his works with Devin Townsend, DARK ANGEL, DEATH, DETHKLOK, STRAPPING YOUNG LAD, TESTAMENT and FEAR FACTORY.
Hoglan obtained his first drum package when he was 13 and is totally self-taught. He began jamming alongside to his KISS and RUSH information. In 1984, Hoglan started his music profession as a roadie (lights engineer) for the thrash steel band SLAYER, the place he additionally performed the drums throughout live performance soundchecks. He was additionally a part of the band WAR GOD with Michelle Meldrum. On the finish of the identical yr he was requested to affix the thrash steel band DARK ANGEL because the drummer. He penned many of the lyrics for DARK ANGEL‘s subsequent three albums. He achieved higher fame in the course of the mid-Nineties taking part in with DEATH, on the identical time that bandleader Chuck Schuldiner was taking that group right into a extra progressive fashion. Subsequently, he recorded a number of albums with the thrash steel band TESTAMENT, and made the acquaintance of Canadian multi-instrumentalist Devin Townsend, forging a long-lasting friendship. He has since recorded a number of albums with Townsend, each as a part of the velocity/industrial/loss of life steel band STRAPPING YOUNG LAD and below Devin Townsend‘s title.
For the previous decade and a half, Hoglan has been working with DETHKLOK, the band from the animated TV present “Metalocalypse”. The present was co-created by humorist/actor/musician Brendon Small, who additionally composes or performs the entire music.
Gene joined FEAR FACTORY in 2010 and performed on the band’s “Mechanize” album.
