Godsmack

Godsmack was formed in 1995 in Lawrence, Massachusetts, when singer Sully Erna, previously the drummer for a local band called Strip Mind, began playing music with bassist Robbie Merrill. Erna and Merrill recruited local friend and guitarist Lee Richards and drummer Tommy Stewart to complete the band's lineup. The earliest incarnation was short-lived, as drummer Tommy Stewart and guitarist Lee Richards completed the band, however, both quit a few months later , leading to the addition of guitarist Tony Rombola, who joined the hard rock group a year after it was founded, replacing original guitarist Lee Richards in 1996 . Working with a raw, aggressive sound rooted in alternative metal and post-grunge, the band self-financed its early recordings before signing to a major label.

The band's breakthrough arrived with its self-titled debut, originally self-released in 1997 and then released independently in 1997 and then re-released by Universal Records in 1998 . That album featured hit singles like "Whatever," "Keep Away," and "Voodoo," propelling the band into mainstream rock radio and eventually achieving quadruple platinum certification. The band built on that momentum with its 2000 sophomore album, "Awake," which shot to No. 5 on the Billboard 200 and went double platinum, reserving the place at rock's top table Godsmack went on to maintain during the 2000s , with the title track becoming the band's first Billboard Mainstream Rock No. 1 and the song "Vampires" earning the band's first Grammy nomination. It was during this era that drummer Shannon Larkin, previously of Ugly Kid Joe and Amen, joined the band, as he replaced the band's previous drummer Tommy Stewart in June 2002, and played on six of their studio albums . With Larkin now behind the kit, Godsmack's classic lineup of Erna, Merrill, Rombola, and Larkin was solidified for the next two decades.

That lineup drove a remarkable run of commercial success. Faceless (2003), Godsmack's first with drummer Shannon Larkin, topped the Billboard 200 and went platinum the same year, and both IV (2006) and The Oracle (2010) debuted at No. 1 as well. Overall, the band has had three consecutive number-one albums (Faceless, IV, and The Oracle) on the Billboard 200 , along with 25 top ten rock radio hits, including 18 songs in the top five, and 12 at #1 . The band earned multiple Grammy nominations over the years, including nods for "I Stand Alone," "Straight Out of Line," and "Vampires," and won a Billboard Music Award, having been honored with a Billboard Music Award for Rock Artist of the Year in 2001 . Godsmack toured relentlessly throughout its career, including multiple runs with Ozzfest, and since its inception, Godsmack has toured with Ozzfest on more than one occasion and has toured with many other large tours and festivals, including supporting its albums with its own arena tours. The band's hometown even honored their achievements, as in honor of the band's success and the release of their sixth studio album, 1000hp, Mayor Marty Walsh declared August 6 as "Godsmack Day" in the city of Boston. In recent years Godsmack has undergone significant change while remaining active. After releasing their eighth studio album, "Lighting Up the Sky," in 2023, the band's classic lineup came to an end when Larkin signed on in 2002, replacing founding drummer Tommy Stewart ultimately departed alongside Rombola, as after almost 3 incredible decades, two of our most cherished members, Tony Rombola and Shannon Larkin have decided to retire from the band permanently, on good terms . Erna and Merrill have continued the band with new guitarist Sam Koltun and drummer Wade Murff, and despite once suggesting Godsmack's recording career was finished, Erna has since indicated "I think there will [be another album]. I said there wasn't going to be, and at least I know there won't be with the original members." Nearly three decades since forming in Lawrence, Massachusetts, Godsmack remains a defining name in hard rock, its catalog of platinum albums and radio staples cementing its legacy as one of the genre's most consistent commercial forces.

Godsmack's stage presence made a lasting impression on concert photographers who documented rock's arena era, and this archive is no exception. Wayne Dennon photographed the band across 8 shows between 2003 and 2010, capturing them in 7 different cities across 3 states during a stretch that coincided with the "Faceless," "IV," and "The Oracle" album cycles, the very run that cemented three consecutive number-one Billboard debuts. Those nights are preserved here in 290 photographs, a body of work that archive visitors have returned to again and again, racking up 228,896 views over the years, a testament both to Godsmack's enduring fanbase and to Wayne's dedication in preserving the raw energy of the band's live performances for this memorial collection.