Shannon Larkin says that he and guitarist Tony Rombola give up GODSMACK final 12 months as a result of they “did not need to tour anymore.”
GODSMACK kicked off its 2025 European tour on March 22 at Enviornment 8888 in Sofia, Bulgaria. Filling in for Larkin and Rombola on the gig — and all of the dates since then — have been Will Hunt (EVANESCENCE) and Sam Bam Koltun (DOROTHY, FASTER PUSSYCAT, BUDDERSIDE),respectively.
The day earlier than the Sofia live performance, GODSMACK frontman Sully Erna advised Elena Rozberg of Bulgaria’s Z-Rock radio station that “private issues” had been stopping Tony and Shannon from participating within the trek and defined that “a few visitor musicians” had been taking part in with GODSMACK whereas he and bassist Robbie Merrill had been ” making an attempt to determine precisely what’s taking place”.
In a since-deleted video shared on Fb, Larkin addressed his absence from GODSMACK‘s ongoing tour, saying: “There’s been plenty of hypothesis about [Tony and I are not on the road].
“To begin with, I simply need to thank everybody for the outpouring of texts from all my household and buddies. I am okay, Tony‘s okay.
“We did give up the band final 12 months after plenty of speaking to Sully and Robbie, they usually understood that we did not need to tour anymore,” he continued. “That is the explanation. We understood that they wished to tour, and so we understood one another. And ultimately GODSMACK‘s on the market touring and we’re out right here fortunately residing our lives.”
“Tony‘s turning 60. I am turning 58. It isn’t a bodily factor. We simply need to be dwelling with all the things that we love. 40 years I have been touring, 28 years for Rombola. We’re getting a little bit older, so we determined to give up.
“It wasn’t a foul factor,” the drummer insisted. “I’ll discuss extra about it sooner or later, nevertheless it’s all love. We’re brothers for all times with Sully and Robbie, and we want Will and Sam all the perfect. All of the followers, maintain going — they’re kicking ass.
“Sully stated on the very finish, ‘All good issues should come to an finish.’ GODSMACK did not come to an finish, it is only a new chapter for them, and it is definitely a brand new chapter for Tony and I. We’re already making new music and everyone’s completely satisfied.”
After Shannon shared his video, a consultant for GODSMACK reached out to HardDrive Radio to say that “there can be an official announcement coming from the group itself” about Larkin and Rombola‘s standing with the band.
Within the Z-Rock interview, Sully stated about GODSMACK‘s present standing: “I can let you know that there has undoubtedly been some modifications which have occurred in the previous couple of months. They’re modifications that we’re undecided will probably be everlasting or non permanent, however everyone and everyone seems to be in good well being and in actually good spirits. And the band is doing higher than ever. We’re [playing to] the largest audiences ever, and the reveals are simply changing into increasingly helpful, as a result of, as we become older, we nonetheless recognize coming to locations like Sofia that’s so distant from the place we began and with the ability to come right here and promote out a 13,000-seat enviornment.
“All I can let you know proper now could be that the band is in good well being, we’re in good spirits, however there’s gonna be a little bit little bit of a unique visible for everyone. Tony and Shannon have some private issues happening, they usually’re not with us. So now we have a few visitor musicians taking part in with us which might be phenomenal.”
Requested to elaborate on the explanation for Shannon and Tony‘s absences from the trek, Sully stated: “Hmmmm… I do not know. I do not know. I do not know if I really feel secure sufficient speaking about that but, as a result of I do not wanna give individuals the incorrect impression. Proper now we’re nonetheless at a stage the place we’re making an attempt to determine precisely what’s taking place, however we’re additionally making an attempt to respect their privateness. So no matter Tony and Shannon have happening of their private life, we’re simply making an attempt to respect that and on the similar time nonetheless come right here and placed on a extremely nice present. I can let you know proper now that now we have a visitor drummer taking part in with us, who’s Will from EVANESCENCE. And he’s such a very good good friend of ours and such an ideal musician, and we have been having a lot enjoyable with him. In order that’s been an actual shock. After which now we have a guitar participant with us named Sam Koltun, who’s any individual who — he is performed with a number of totally different bands and a extremely, very nice man and nice guitar participant. So so far as the music goes and the sound, it sounds precisely like we have all the time sounded, which is even stunning to me.”
Larkin joined GODSMACK in 2002 after reducing his enamel with WRATHCHILD (later WRATCHILD AMERICA and SOULS AT ZERO) earlier than getting picked up by UGLY KID JOE in time for a style of their zenith.
Tony has been the lead guitarist and backing vocalist for GODSMACK for the reason that mid-Nineteen Nineties following the departure of Lee Richards.
GODSMACK‘s spring 2025 European tour options help from P.O.D. and DROWNING POOL.
The 14-date trek will finish on April 12 in Oberhausen, Germany.
GODSMACK‘s newest album, “Lighting Up The Sky”, was launched in February 2023 through BMG. The LP was co-produced by Erna and Andrew “Mudrock” Murdock (AVENGED SEVENFOLD, ALICE COOPER).
The primary single from “Lighting Up The Sky”, “Give up”, which arrived in September 2022, marked the primary launch from GODSMACK in 4 years, following their globally acclaimed and gold-certified 2018 album “When Legends Rise”, which earned the Erna-fronted outfit a No. 1 spot throughout U.S. Exhausting Rock, Rock, and Different album charts.
Press photograph by Chris Bradshaw
