It goes without saying that Gene Hoglan is one of the best drummers in modern metal. After the disbanding of Strapping Young Lad, Gene has become one of the most sought-after session drummers in metal, having stints with Dethklok, Testament and Fear Factory. At least he used to when it comes to that latter band, as Gene did not perform on the band's most recent release, The Industrialist. Instead, the band opted for a drum machine, which most likely didn't demand the rate that a professional like Hoglan would. Except there was one caveat, they allegedly never bothered to tell Gene, he had to read it online!
Hoglan recently spoke with Metal-Rules.com where he revealed how he found out he was no longer in Fear Factory:
“Yeah, they made some choices and I wasn’t a part of their choices, so it was like ‘Ok. You got the human drum machine playing for you, but you’re going to record with a drum machine? Ok Bye.’ Like I was saying earlier it’s like I go where it’s fun and if it’s fun and I’m valued and I feel like part of the team – great – and apparently I was so not even part of team I wasn’t even told that ‘oh yeah we recorded the record, with the drum machine.’ I was waiting for a schedule, like seriously I waited. Waiting for like hey ‘When do you guys want to go to the studio, like hey I’m booked, I’m trying to get in touch with you guys to block time out – everybody’s asking me to come play on this project come do this over here. When are you guys going to go in the studio’ and they are like ‘Oh we will let you know.’ Then I read on Blabbermouth the album is done, I’m like ‘Ok well so am I, so you made your choice. Bye.’”
Later in the interview, Hoglan says he understands the band likely did it because they wanted to keep costs low and Hoglan doesn't come cheap:
“Those guys are my friends still, they’re still my buddies, but your business decisions were, I understand it’s like there is not a lot of money there and I don’t come cheap and I went cheap for them, but they knew that the next album since I did that first one super cheap and all the touring super cheap that it wasn’t going to be cheap anymore. They made the proper business decision for themselves, so they wouldn’t be super broke, but I don’t know it, I think they’ve made it very apparent that it’s no offense intended but it kind of looks like a sinking ship. I dig the guys that are playing for them, they’re nice guys but you know – bury your differences with Christian and Raymond – get those two guys back and you’ll be on top of the game again. You know that’s all you got to do. I’m sure that will never happen, because they’ve gone to court against each other and all that sort of stuff, but if you really want to have a future that’s the only way.”
As Axl Rosenberg at MetalSucks points out, this is totally an issue that has arose in the modern era. You would never hear about a band member finding out he was booted in the '80s by seeing his band moved on without him in a Metal Maniacs or something.
Either way, this seems more of a loss for Fear Factory than Gene, who will be ripping it behind the drumkit next month for Testament as they tour with Killswitch Engage and Lamb of God. Dates here.
