Rock Overdose because of Death Dta upcoming concerts, had the pleasure to chat with drummer Gene Hoglan, ‘ fishing’ information from the dustbin of history for Chuck, the Dark Angel, Testament and beyond. Here's what he told us ...
Rock Overdose: Chuck and Death left a huge legacy in our music. What impression has this reunion made in the band’s fans? Is there any feedback?
Gene Hoglan: Well, I have a feeling that the impression that’s left on the fans is they all enjoy it, like there’s one thing that go with death metal show or extreme metal show and you can see all these fans doing “GGRR”, metal faces on and everybody is brutal and in a death show everybody is smiling, well that’s one thing that is great about this you know. Here ,our dear friend has past, has departed but the legacy of his music lives on in our live concerts and , you know, the show is all about Chuck so it’s great. We love playing these songs, Steve, Bobby, Max and myself too we really enjoy it and there is lot of “Thank you” from the crowd and that’s the cool stuff. The music lives on through the concerts, although Chuck is no longer with us. But there is always something negative, like some people “crying” about stuff, but I don’t listen, like “You are not a part of Death, you have nothing to do with Death so I don’t listen to you”. You don’t tell us what to do, we tell ourselves what to do, so if there is something negative we don’t listen, we don’t pay attention. I’m about to play Death’s songs live and kick ass. This is how to do it and everybody seems to enjoy it, so this is the feedback: everybody likes it.
Rock Overdose: Were you a fan of the band before you join it and which was your favorite album?
Gene Hoglan: Absolutely, well , I knew Chuck for a year or so before there was a Death band, back in the Mantas days, but I have to tell you that my favourite album was always “Human”, I love “Human”, I love all the albums I played on, I love “Leprosy” and “Scream Bloody Gore”, I love all the Death catalogue. But I was not a fan of “Spiritual Healing”, sorry. But ,yes, I was a fan and “Human” was my favorite before I join the band.
Rock Overdose: What about your first contact with Chuck and how he approached you in order to play with him?
Gene Hoglan: Well, my very first contact was back in ’84-85’ or so, we were all part of the underground, Chuck and I have a letter off to each other back when he was in Mantas at the time and he was doing another demo. Actually ,when I joined Death was in 1992 in late summer,my band Dark Angel, we ,you know, I stepped away from it and I was speaking with the man that now runs the blabbermouth website and one day he told me “Hey man ,I was talking with Chuck and he is looking for a new drummer. Would you be interested in.” And I said “Yeah, wow. Death and Dark Angel toured together in 1989 and I have to admit that the Tour did not end in the most pleasant way ,but I can give Chuck my number.” And when Chuck called we picked up our last cool conversation we left off about metal. We most talk about metal and Chuck told me that he is doing a new record and he asked if he could send me some riffs and that was cool. The riff tape ended with the liner notes of “Individual Thought Patterns”. And that was pretty fan. He said: you are looking for a band, I am looking for a drummer so here it is and that is cool.
Rock Overdose: Which is the most Death’s technically difficult album in which you get involved?
Gene Hoglan: Let me tell you that obviously I got involved in “Individual Thought Patterns” album and the next album I played was “Symbolic” and I love both records you know, I like every song on those albums and I remember hearing “Human” when it came out in a house party and everybody was grooving. I remember saying to my dude “Damn, I will be glad playing with this band” cause the drums were psychotic and the bass was awesome. And ,a year later I was there playing for the band. I think “Symbolic” was technically more difficult but let me tell you that there is nothing difficult with Death’s song, they are fun and cool.
Rock Overdose: From "Human" and then the music of Death progressed rapidly from album to album. Do you have any period you prefer more?
Gene Hoglan: I love all of them. I love “Human” and the aggression and the technicality of “Human”. All songs are bad-ass Death songs and as I tell you I love all Death’s albums. When Chuck was writing “Sound of Perseverance” I was opposite with the sound of the drums, then Richard Christy came and played all the drums. I love Richard but I don’t listen to this record since we begin the D.T.A. Tours back in 2012. Now, I like this record but it passed my radar when Death gathered together and released it.
Rock Overdose: Are you planning to play songs from the hole Death’s catalogue or will you focus on “Individual Thought Patterns”,“Symbolic” and "Human"?
Gene Hoglan: No, we play songs from the entire catalogue. My version of Death is to play songs from the entire catalogue. We don’t want to concentrate on the first 4 records and fuck the last 3, which are as important as the first 4, so if I am involved in this version of Death ,we play every album. We don’t want to be lazy, we don’t want to be snobs. We are not going to say “I will play stuff from the records I only played in, fuck that. We are here for Chuck. This is not about individual members of Death, this is about Chuck’s legacy. And this is what we want to do and since I am involved everybody was in my side.
Rock Overdose: Is there any possibility of a new album by former Death’s members?
Gene Hoglan: Definitely not. Under the banner of Death and Death DTA we will never do that. Chuck wrote the music, Chuck is no longer here and the idea was just to play the old music, there will not be new music. Our writer is no longer here so it will not be any new material, I guarantee that. But it would be fun if we document some shows, because they are killer and would be fun for the fans and the band too.But as for new music “NO”.
Rock Overdose: Was Chuck a difficult character to work with?
Gene Hoglan: When it came to the music ,absolutely not. Chuck was too easy to work with. He was a complicated guy. He had his moments when he had to do with other band’s members, but over all he was great. I had only good memories about my time in Death and that is why we have so much fun with our shows now, it is an incredible line-up, incredible music. That’s the one thing I would say about Death, Chuck did not ever claim to be the godfather of Death metal. What I would say, as Gene Hoglan, is that Death invented the technical Death Metal from “Human” and then. And with “Symbolic” and “Individual..” Death helped creating melodic Death Metal. I will give a credit for this and that’s why Death is now legendary. I played in lots of bands through the years but few are legendary. Death is absolutely a legend.
Rock Overdose: Do you have any plans about Dark Angel?
Gene Hoglan: Yeah, we are writing a new record right now. We are planning to be released by the end of the year or next year. We are now writing the most brutal music. It is very very Dark Angel and it’s gonna be killer,it will blow everybody away. I love the guys in the band ,we have a great time together,it is superfun, it’s been nothing but smiles and laughs. I love smiling ,I love laughing and I love playing serious brutal music. That’s three words that can describe Dark Angel.
Rock Overdose: Any news from Testament? Do you planning a new album followed by a Tour? We are looking forward to see you in Greece playing Testament’s songs.
Gene Hoglan: Well, there is definitely a new record that it’s been worked, but not recorded yet. I know that the band is writing and we will record it very soon. And it is killer, all the songs are Testament bad-ass, good and aggressive record, all Testament fans will love it and Testament are not resting by any means. It will be another extremely quality Testament kick-ass album. They do nothing but put out high quality thrash records and this is going to be their best record and this will be very cool, every Testament fan will be proud because again the band will never disappoint and is going to be an awesome killer record, and I know Testament looking forward to see all Greek fans, Greece is always a great metal country, we really appreciate Greece you know. So, see you all in Greece in the next few years and it is going to be great. Thank you all in rock overdose, all the Testament fans, Death fans ,Dark Angel fans, thanks for your support and we are looking forward to see you very soon. Catch the Death shows, I think we play in Thessaloniki the first days of April and we will play 2-HOUR SET of Death songs. Thanks for listening and reading.
For Rock Overdose
Michael Tsolakos
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