Sully Erna Says Godsmack Was Once Considered a "Biker Band"

Godsmack is playing the Rock 'N Rev festival this August in Sturgis, South Dakota, which will also feature Guns N' Roses, Stone Temple Pilots, Alice In Chains and more.  The festival will be held in conjunction with the Sturgis motorcycle rally, which is considered to be the biggest one in the world.  That's no problem for Godsmack, considering that they were once a "biker band."

Lead singer Sully Erna said that when Godsmack was first starting out, their main audience "were strictly Hell's Angels." But as their fan base started to grow, he says some of the new fans "got beat up" by the Angels because they were so protective of Godsmack.  Eventually, Erna said that the band "had to sit down with them and say 'we love you guys.  You've been an amazing support to us but you gotta stop beating up the fans because you're not gonna allow us to grow.'"

Erna and Godsmack still have love for the biker crowd, even going so far as to call it "a beautiful marriage" between the two groups.  Erna says that they remain "very well-connected in the biker community" because all the members of the band ride bikes as well.  The Rock 'N Rev festival takes place from August 9-13.  Ticket info can be found at the RocknRevFestival.com.

                
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