GODSMACK Guitarist On Playing New Songs Live: 'You'll Get A Lot Of People Staring And Not Knowing The Words'

GODSMACK guitarist Tony Rombola has echoed a common sentiment among veteran bands that playing new songs live often runs the risk of alienating fans due to unfamiliarity, or, in some cases, lack of interest.

GODSMACK, which is currently touring in support of last year's "When Legends Rise" studio album, has netted a hit single with "Bulletproof" and has been trying to work in newer songs into its set to mixed results. According to Rombola, frontman Sully Erna is in charge of the set and has occasionally added older, more popular songs to please the band's fanbase.

In an interview with Jeremy Lafrentz of Backstage Entertainment recorded prior to GODSMACK's April 23 concert at Baxter Arena in Omaha, Nebraska, Rombola was asked whether he prefers to play new songs when they've been out for a year or when they've been just released. "I like both because it's exciting when it first comes out," he said. "You got a new record and a new single coming out. They're both great, because that's exciting. You're really pumped when you put a record out and you are first coming out and touring it, but it's also, like you said — they [the fans] don't know all the music. What happens to us all the time is Sully wants to play half the record right away. We always have a debate about it. They don't know the whole record yet. You'll get a lot of people staring and not knowing the words. We try to do a blend. You give them some of the new record and play your hits. We talk about that stuff all the time. Usually we start with a heavy mix of the new stuff, then after a week or so, he'll throw in some of the hits again because he feels it; he feels the flow of the show. Right now, I think we're doing four off the new one. I think that's a good balance. We're playing an hour and a half. That's four songs off the new record and the rest is all catalog."

"When Legends Rise" was recorded at GODSMACK's headquarters (GSHQ) in Derry, New Hampshire and produced by Erik Ron and Erna.

GODSMACK's tour with VOLBEAT kicked off Nashville, Tennessee on April 16 and will make stops in cities like Grand Rapids, Milwaukee, and Omaha. Eleven of the dates will take place in Canada, including in Edmonton, Winnipeg, Ottawa and Abbotsford. For most of the Canadian shows, VOLBEAT will co-headline.