Boston act, named after an inter band argument regarding cold sores and not the popular misconception around the ALICE IN CHAINS song of the same name, created by former STRIP MIND and MELIAH RAGE drummer Sully Erna (a.k.a. Salvatore Erna). Recordings of Sully with MELIAH RAGE emerged in 1992 billed as 'Unfinished Business'. With STRIP MIND, a band that featured a pre-ROADSAW Tim Catz, folding in 1994 Sully endeavoured to forge a fresh act with himself as frontman. GODSMACK was put together in 1995 with guitarist Lee Richards, bassist Robbie Merrill and erstwhile LILLIAN AXE drummer Tommy Stewart. Stewart's antecedent acts also numbered Death Metal band LESTREGUS NOSFERATUS, and HALLOWS EVE. However, before long Richards bailed out. Tony Rombola was added on guitar while the drum stool vacancy was plugged by Joe Darko.

The band, borrowing a few thousand dollars from a friend, recorded a debut album in 1996. By this juncture Darko was no longer in the band and by necessity Sully laid down the drums. Intended to purely promote the band locally the record, which for a time was only for sale at a chain of comic stores, found itself on heavy rotation on the radio station WAAF. Picking the track 'Keep Away' WAAF plugged GODSMACK to such an extent that the album was soon shifting over 1'000 copies a week. The station then put the song 'Whatever' onto its play list as word reached the management team of PGE, headed by former EXTREME drummer Paul Geary. The group, with Stewart back on board, was picked up by Republic Records who reissued the debut re-titling it 'All Wound Up'. Now placed in the national arena GODSMACK, fortuitously grabbing a slot on the 'Ozzfest' tour as well as the prestigious BLACK SABBATH 'Reunion' shows, soon saw the record surpass the platinum sales status.

GODSMACK, with their second album having just tipped over the platinum sales mark, toured as guests to DEFTONES in America in the summer of 2001. Valuable exposure would be reaped for the band when they were chosen to perform the lead track for the blockbuster movie 'The Scorpion King', a lavish special effects filled video depicting Sully Erna's character as a direct descendent of the mythical Egyptian king.

The band amicably parted ways with drummer Tommy Stewart in mid 2002 and would soon be back in the studio utilising the services of Shannon Larkin, presently employed as a member of AMEN but with a track record that included bands such as UGLY KID JOE, CANDLEBOX and WRATHCHILD AMERICA. As widely predicted, Larkin was soon inducted as a full band member. Meantime reports surfaced linking Stewart to a proposed new band union with current COAL CHAMBER bass player Nadja Peulen and ex-MACHINE HEAD guitarist Ahrue Luster. The ex drummer would also be confirmed as part of the TRIBE OF JUDAH live line up, the band led by former VAN HALEN and EXTREME frontman Gary Cherone. In January of 2003 it would be learned that former GODSMACK drummer Tommy Stewart had teamed up with LO-PRO, a band incorporating ex-ULTRASPANK members vocalist Pete Murray and guitarist Neil Godfrey alongside erstwhile AMEN and SNOT bassist Jon 'Tumor' Fahnestock.

GODSMACK's third album 'Faceless' shifted over 260'000 copies in its first week of sale to give the band their first number one US album. In little over a month 'Faceless' would be certified with platinum sales status for one million units sold. GODSMACK also became recipients of significant local recognition when the 16th annual Boston Music Awards awarded them the honour 'Outstanding Rock/Pop Band'.

The group would be announced as support act to OZZY OSBOURNE's September European dates but then withdrew. The band actually retired to Hawaii to work up an acoustic album with producer David Bottrill. A run of US headline dates throughout September would precede this release followed by gigs into December allied with ADEMA.

GODSMACK, taking an unexpected diversion with the release in March of 2004 of an acoustic EP 'The Other Side', announced headline US dates for April, bringing onboard ILL NIÃ?O and DROPBOX as support, the latter being the first band signed to frontman Sully Erna's label imprint Realign. GODSMACK would spend much of 2004 on the road in the US as support to METALLICA.

2005 brought news that members of GODSMACK would be collaborating with Motor City Madman TED NUGENT on songs for his new record. The band also notably featured as part of the mammoth 1st April 'Rockin' The Corps' event held at the Camp Pendleton military base for an audience of 50,000 U.S. Marines and their families. A brand-new GODSMACK track, entitled 'Bring It On', would be featured on the EA Sports video game 'Madden 06'.

GODSMACK entered Spiral Recording studio in Hollywood during October to cut a new album. 'Godsmack IV' arrived in April 2006. The record sold 211,000 copies in the United States in its first week of release to debut at number 1 on the Billboard chart. GODSMACK performed at the first annual VH1 'Rock Honors' televised show, held on May 26th at the Las Vegas Mandalay Bay Events Center to pay tribute to the achievements of KISS, QUEEN, DEF LEPPARD and JUDAS PRIEST. GODSMACK delivered a medley of 'Hell Bent For Leather', 'Metal Gods', 'The Hellion', 'Electric Eye' and 'Victim Of Changes'. US concert dates in August and September had the band lined up alongside ROB ZOMBIE.

In July 2006 both Sully Erna and Shannon Larkin featured on the song and accompanying video for escapologist and stunt performer Criss Angel's 'MF2' track included on his television series soundtrack 'Criss Angel: Mindfreak' album. The band toured the USA partnered with BREAKING BENJAMIN in October 2006.

On April 11th 2007 Sully Erna was involved in an automobile crash. The GODSMACK frontman was travelling along Interstate 93 south when his Hummer H3 hit a Toyota Camry. Although the singer was uninjured the back seat passenger of the other car, Lindsay Taylor, 25, suffered serious injuries, initially in a coma and on life support.

Fresh album recordings were conducted in May 2009. GODSMACK joined the cast of the summer 2009 'Crüe Fest II' US tour involving headliners  MÖTLEY CRÜE, THEORY OF A DEADMAN, DROWNING POOL and CHARM CITY DEVILS. Quite novelly MÖTLEY CRÜE's accompanying single 'White Trash Circus' featured a promotional video which included contributions from the entire touring partnership in Sully Erna, Tyler Connolly of THEORY OF A DEADMAN, Ryan McCombs of DROWNING POOL and John Allen of CHARM CITY DEVILS.

Garry Sharpe-Young