How many of us, when we were preteens, knew exactly what we were going to be doing for the rest of our lives? Did we even have an inkling? Did we even care? Well, it does happen and American self-taught drummer extraordinaire, Gene Hoglan, is a great example.

Eugene Victor Hoglan, II was born in Dallas, Texas, and celebrates his birthday on August 31, 1967. He graduated in 1985 from his alma mater, Millikan Senior High School, in Long Beach, CA, which he considers his hometown. He has a 6′4″ frame that commands attention, and he is quite single.

Hoglan reminisces back to a pivotal year in his life when the view of his future became clear and certain. In 1978, at 11 years old, Gene read an interview article with Peter Criss, who was one of his idols. Criss described how, as a kid, he informed his parents, “I’m gonna be a big rock star and play Madison Square Garden!” This so impacted Hoglan that even at the preteen age of 11, it crystallized his sights and his course. He proceeded then to also boldly declare to his parents, “Hey Ma and Pa! When I grow up, I’m gonna be an underground thrash metal musician, and play the Target Center in Minneapolis! Plus I’m gonna play every rat hole in the States and Europe for YEARS before I make a living at it.”

Gene seemed to have a little understanding beyond his years. He somehow got it that this kind of chosen career would mean taking lesser gigs for an unspecified amount of time before finally making it big. He was driven by his intense passion of, as he puts it, “beatin’ on the tubs.” From a child, he proceeded with a very realistic outlook that was fused with a determination to do what it took to reach this personal Everest.

At 13 years old, to add to his career pursuit, he scarfed up everything he could learn from the clubs in LA in order to plan the right goals to achieve success in the music industry. This was a unique kid who truly meant business. In his own words, “If this is going to be your plan, your life’s goal, you better work your a$ off at it.” And he did.

Without a set of drums Hoglan practiced passionately every single day for two years. He swears that the best way to learn drums is to “air-drum.” He was an air-drum member of all his favorite bands as he played along with them in his bedroom with his own custom-painted black and silver sticks. Ecstatic at about 13 years old, he finally got his first set of drums, and in his own words, “I left my professional air-drumming ways behind.”

In the movie, Sister Act 2, Sister Mary Clarence (Whoopie Goldberg) encourages a student by saying something like: ‘If, when you get up in the morning and all you want to do is sing, then you’re meant to be a singer, girl.’ Hoglan ate, thought, dreamed, and lived drums, and was willing to put the blood, sweat, and tears into paying the price of going for the ‘gold.’

It certainly paid off. He has performed with over two dozen bands and other performers, and has put his time in at the recording studios cutting albums with some successful bands such as Dark Angel, Death, and Strapping Young Lad.

He cut out a niche for himself in the drumming world that earned him the nickname “The Atomic Clock.” He is renowned for his “kick triplets.” His drumming is fast, thrilling, fiery, wild, and accurate!

Gene’s father, one of his heroes, out of a parent’s concern for his son said, “You might wanna stick to baseball, son. That (drumming path) doesn’t sound like fun.” But Gene knew what drove him inside and what gave him that gratifying rush.

He saw the goal, planned the strategies, knocked down all the barriers and made the touchdown!

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