SickDrummer.com recently hooked up with STRAPPING YOUNG LAD / UNEARTH drummer Gene Hoglan to discuss his craft. The following is a brief excerpt from the interview:

SD.com: When did you start playing drums? And did you play any other instruments first?

Gene: "I got my first kit when I was thirteen, but before that I was a world champion air-drummer, and boy, was my kit hyyyuuuuuuuuuge! I did play viola for six months in my 'Beginning Instruments' class in junior high. I've been playing guitar for 23 years now, and I play waaaaay more guitar these days than drums."

SD.com: Did you ever play in a school band or any drum corps?

Gene: "Just that viola thingy. I quit, 'cause they wouldn't let me play the drums. I think they offered snare only, and I was like, 'No way man, DRUMS!'. I used to just bring my viola home and try to pluck MOLLY HATCHET songs on it anyway. I was never cool enough for drum corps. The drum corps dudes were the coolest dudes in the school, just ask 'em!"

SD.com: Have you ever taken any lessons? If yes, from who?

Gene: "I wish! I'd LOVE to take some lessons! I've always wanted lessons, just, never any time. The only lesson I ever was gonna take, when I first got my kit, was from a friend of my sister. We hadn't even gotten to the kit yet, and I just bonged out some double strokes in our kitchen (on our oven door, I remember), and he told me, "I can't even do those yet, what else do you want to teach me?", and so, there went our lesson.

I suppose I used to give myself 'lessons' when I was younger by breaking down each part individually that the drummer was playing on whatever song I was listening to. 'Okay, there's his kicks, his hands, his fills,' etc. I'd do that with RUSH songs, YES, Pat Travers, UK, Gino Vannelli, you name it, anything I could get my hands on. When I was a teenager, and all the school rock bands start poppin' up, I'd check 'em out, and I'd think to myself, 'Jeez, has this drummer even LISTENED to the song they're covering? He's not playing the pattern right, he's not doing any of the fills correctly,' etc., etc. It used to kinda piss me off. I always found learning songs to be easy. I just had an aptitude for hearing and remembering everything drumwise on any given song, I guess."

Go to this location to check out the entire interview.