I think we all kinda saw this one coming, so it’s nice to have it basically confirmed. Godsmack frontman Sully Erna appeared on one of everyone’s favorite radio shows, SiriusXM’s Trunk Nation with Eddie Trunk, on April 23, where he was asked about whether the band’s latest album Lighting Up the Sky will be their last. Since, let’s not forget, that both And, based on the title of this article, I imagine you’ve surmised what his answer was.
Erna said, as transcribed by Blabbermouth.net:
“I think some press misunderstood that. What I had said was, if I remember correctly — I don’t know; maybe I was a little foggy at the time — but I just said that I was pretty sure that this would be the last full body of work from Godsmack, from the original members, that we wouldn’t be able to do this anymore because these guys [guitarist Tony Rombola and drummer Shannon Larkin] were gonna kind of take their final curtain call and bow out. And I knew that this was most likely gonna be the last full body of work from the original members. But now here we are. Me and [bassist] Robbie [Merrill] had a long talk. We were, like, ‘Well.’ We had a decision to make, and we said, ‘Well, we’ve still got some gas in the tank here. I don’t really wanna hang it up yet.’ And he’s, like, ‘Let’s go around.’ And so we brought in these new guys, and it’s sounding great. So we’re, like, yeah, there’s probably gonna be some new music coming. I mean, it may not hit the streets till early ’27, but we’re gonna do something, for sure. But it just won’t be with all the original members anymore.”
Now that he’s cleared that up, he was also asked about the band’s latest additions: guitarist Sam Koltun and drummer Wade Murff, who came in to replace OG guitarist Tony Rombola and drummer Shannon Larkin after they announced their retirement last year.
“Sam’s on board now full-time, and he’s gonna be the new player from this point forward. And the drummer that we chose, his name is Wade Murff. He’s worked with Daughtry and some other acts. A fairly under-the-radar kind of guy. A strong player. A great dude. Really good with attention to details, as Sam is.
“I have complete confidence in this, although we start rehearsals next week. I’m just really confident that this is gonna be just as good, if not better than ever, because these guys came in with the right attitude. They honored the catalog, they honored the playing. They didn’t try to reinvent it. And as you know, a guitar can sound like a guitar, a drum can sound like a drum. Until you replace the vocalist, that’s when the sound really changes. So I really feel that the fans will be able to come and enjoy the music as they have always known it, because it won’t sound foreign to them, like there’s a new singer singing Godsmack stuff. And plus their showmanship even elevates it a little bit more. I mean, Shannon’s hard to replace. He’s the GOAT [Greatest Of All Time]. If you see that dude play, he’s a tough cookie to replicate or replace live visually. But this guy, Wade, he’s strong. He’s got some great chops, and he’s really playing the stuff solid. I’m very happy to take them on tour and introduce them. And this is gonna start the next chapter in our life here, Godsmack 2.0.”
Honestly, Murff is a clutch score for the band. He’s apparently been playing drums since he was a wee lil 4-year-old lad, crediting John Bonham (Led Zeppelin) and Alex Van Halen as initial drumming inspiration, though Pantera’s Vinnie Paul and Slayer’s Dave Lombardo really fueled that fired for him. He’s got quite a bit on his resume too, having worked with Sebastian Bach, Doyle (Misfits), Orgy, and more.
Murff had this to say when he asked about his playing style:
“Don’t get me wrong, I appreciate technique and precision, but I love seeing drummers that hit hard and play with a lot of heart and physicality. Live, I always want to play on the edge between control and chaos; something could break at any moment, someone might get hurt… especially me. [Laughs] Seriously though, I’m committed to delivering that type of show every night, no excuses.”
It’s kind of weird to think of Godsmack transitioning into a band where the new-to-original ratio of the members favors the former, but I guess it happens to every band at some point.
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