Hi folks,

Well, earlier this week I submitted my review here of the terrific night we all spent with Gene at the Drum Clinic.
But now I have news of a very different nature.
Gene has just learned of the death of his very close friend, and fellow rocker, Michelle Meldrum, whom he refers to as his sister. He is absolutely distraught about it. But he's here in Australia doing those drum clinics that suddenly seem so terribly insignificant.
If any of you are friends with him on MySpace, he has just written the most heart-rending blog about the situation, and I encourage you guys to go and read it and leave a comment if inclined.
This is a terrible end to what was an amazing Gene-week here in Australia.
He's in my thoughts now much more than I thought he would be this week...
http://www.myspace.com/genehoglan

I just read about this on Blabbermouth, from what I understand she wasn't his sister, but a really good friend that he thought of as a sister.



As if that matters


RIP Michelle, condolences to her friends and family.

Hey, yeah it appears she may not be a blood relative. But I don't think he makes any kind of distinction in this case. I noticed on her Myspace there are pictures of her and him jamming when they were 15. So this relationship goes back a long way.

Oh man, not Michelle Meldrum? I saw Meldrum supporting Black Label Society a few years ago, she was an absolutely incredible guitarist, and an equally incredible person when I met the band after the show. This is terrible news indeed

Sorry to hear that, she rocked good... Hope Gene's hanging in there.