GODSMACK's SULLY ERNA Talks To Seattle's KISW 99.9 FM About '1000hp' Album (Audio)

Steve "The Producer" Migliore and Thee Ted Smith of the Seattle radio station KISW 99.9 FM recently conducted an interview with GODSMACK frontman Sully Erna. You can now listen to the chat using the SoundCloud widget below.

After a lengthy hiatus, GODSMACK's new single, "1000hp" (One Thousand Horsepower),has been the number one most added song to the Rock Radio singles' chart this week. The song is taken from the album of the same name, which comes out on August 5.

Following the tour cycle for 2010's "The Oracle", Erna told Full Metal Jackie of "Loudwire Nights" that years of working together almost non-stop were taking their toll on the group. "Well, just looking back, every band hits their troubled spots," he said. "Some bands survive them and some bands don't. For us, it was just exhaustion. We had been touring for 10 years plus, and it was tour after tour after album after album. I think we just got to the point where we needed a break. But at that moment, [we spent] some time apart I went and did a solo project. The other guys were doing their own side projects. After so many years, you just start, questioning, do you want to do it again? Do you want to wrap up yourself in that whole mayhem of the work, living with four guys on the road? The exhaustion of the touring and all that stuff. Being a dad, they have kids. I have a kid. I think it was just more of an illusion of us needing a break more than wanting to split up. But the thoughts definitely crossed our minds because you just wonder if this is what you want to do."

He continued: "I heard an interview with Tom Hamilton not too long ago from AEROSMITH. I remember him saying I realize that music was one of the things I always wanted to do but it's not everything I've wanted to do. I was, like, 'Ah, there it is.' There are so many other things that I love engaging in, whether it's acting or I have a tequila company on the side. I'm just doing different projects and they're all fun in their own way. But after being apart for so long, you start to miss the guys, miss the music. Then when we all got together, we started talking in general before we started working and the general conversation was, I think we realized how special of a project we have here — how grateful we are to have a career to last this long and to be that fortunate to be together. We really do have something special. It was just obvious once we started working together that this is something that we just can't discontinue and walk away from."

Erna also spoke about why it was important for him to engage in outside projects following the completion of the tour cycle for "The Oracle". "For me, I feel, especially after having that experience, it's crucial for an artist to be able to grow," he said. "They have to be able to step outside their comfort zone. I think sometimes when you're uncomfortable, it really does create magical moments. It creates things you normally wouldn't look for or identify when they happen. For me, doing the whole 'Avalon' [solo] project was a blessing. Not only did it open me up creatively and vulnerably, but working with musicians at that level, classically trained musicians who are just tremendous musicians. But their whole thinking process is different. So, to work with cellos and live strings and flutes and keyboards, pianos, hand drumming or whatever. I think people know that I've always had that side of me in me since 'Voodoo'. It always had that tribal, earthly thing with that — 'Serenity', songs like that. So, for me it was just taking that sound and taking it further down the rabbit hole. For sure, when I came back to GODSMACK, those influences and that experience definitely reflected on some of the new writing. But at the same time, we know we need maintain the integrity of GODSMACK, the raw toughness of the band and the power. That's what I think this record really reflects. It's still a very powerful record. There are definitely some quintessential GODSMACK tracks on here. But there are some other songs, textures and colors that I think people will hear that we dove into for the first time since we've been a band."

GODSMACK has yet to announce full tour plans behind the new disc, but the band is confirmed as one of the acts performing at the third annual Aftershock festival, set to take place on September 13-14 in Sacramento.