Rockin’ out with Godsmack's
Robbie Merrill
Native son talks of touring with Motley Crue,
sweet sound of success & hangin’ out in Methuen
By Bridget Sheehy
MethuenLife Writer
MethuenLife recently caught up with 1981 Methuen High School graduate Robbie Merrill, the bass guitarist of the heavy metal band Godsmack which he co-founded in 1995. During this summer’s “Crue Fest 2,” Godsmack shares the limelight with legendary 1980s icons Motley Crue, as well as Theory of a Deadman, Drowning Pool and Charm City Devils. According to the Recording Industry Association of America, Godsmack’s six albums have sold over 20 million copies worldwide. They will be playing at the Comcast Center in Mansfield on Aug. 19.
ML: How did Godsmack end up doing this tour?
RM: We usually get a lot of offers in the summer. We decided to do this tour because it was time to get back out there and to make some money. We also needed to take a break from writing songs.
ML How is the tour going and what have been your favorite moments so far?
RM We have been getting better and better with each show. We just finished our third performance last night and have really started to work out the kinks. My favorite moment has been Skyping with my wife (Heather) and two kids, Nianca who is 2 ½ and Nianni Chay who is 9 ½ months.
ML: What is Motley Crue like? They have a pretty notorious reputation for partying while on tour. Any wild stories?
RM: I don’t really know them all that well; they have been keeping their distance on this tour. I do know Tommy (Lee, Motley Crue’s founding member and drummer) though. He’s a good guy; he’s like a little kid stuck in (the body of) a 40-year-old man.
ML: How do you balance being in the band and spending time with your family?
RM: Well, being on tour right now is hard because I won’t really get to see my family for a month. Before we had kids, my wife and I had two weeks where she would come and meet me on a day where we weren’t playing.
ML: You are in the process of writing new songs. How is that going?
RM: Yes we are. It’s going pretty slowly right now, it’s such a long process and can take from three months to a year. We plan on going to California in September to work on writing some more.
ML: Methuen firefighter Jim Garrity, a former singer with the heavy-metal band Jack, recently recalled that you were signed to a record label after a very impressive show in Bradford. How did things change for Godsmack after that point and what is the best thing about being signed?
RM: I tell everyone who asks that the best thing about being signed is that it beats banging nails (Merrill is a former carpenter). It was like a lifelong dream come true. We started off playing in an attic and then the radio picked it up. But when you get signed, it’s a whole new ball game; everyone wants a piece of the action.
ML: What was your reaction the first time you saw the U.S. Navy commercial on TV, with the Godsmack song “Awake” playing in the background?
RM: It’s hard to explain the feeling, but it was definitely awesome. I know now how hard it is to get signed, and hearing one of Godsmack’s songs in the commercial or on the radio makes me really appreciate everything and remember where I came from. It puts a big smile on my face.
ML: You also dirt bike (on your 40-acre farm in Auburn, N.H.) and play on an over-30 ice-hockey league. How important are these hobbies in your life?
RM: I do them basically for enjoyment and to stay in shape. The band doesn’t want me doing them though because the show needs to go on, whether I am able to play or not, and they would prefer that I am able.
ML: You were on the football team and captain of the wrestling team in high school. Was playing bass and music still a priority for you back then, or were you more into sports at the time?
RM: Well, freshman year of high school I started playing bass, just kind of juggling around with it, though. It wasn’t until after high school that I became more serious and really began to play.
ML: Where was your favorite place to hang out in Methuen when you lived there?
RM I’d have to say a breakfast played called Country Kitchen. It’s been there for years.
ML: Do you still have family members living in Methuen? How often do you visit here?
RM: Yes, my mom, dad and brother still live there. I am in and out of Methuen all the time. There are a couple of restaurants that my wife and I like to go to, especially this sushi joint that opened pretty recently.
ML: Do you ever see any of your other high school friends besides Scott LaTulippe? (Ponder band member LaTulippe taught Robbie how to play bass.)
RM: Yes, I will run into high school friends randomly and we will reconnect and hook up.
ML: In Auburn, do you get bothered by fans or paparazzi, or is it easier to stay under the radar?
RM: Once in awhile I will notice cars driving slowly by my house, but I don’t know if it’s because I live there or because they are looking at the horses that I have in the yard. Every once in a while I will get a fan knocking on my door.
ML: Lawrence native Sully Erna writes most of your songs, but the rest of you guys also contribute. How do Methuen and the Boston area in general provide you with inspiration for writing songs or playing your music?
RM: Well most of our inspiration comes from life experiences, relationships and people we meet, rather than places. Sometimes a guitar rift or a drumbeat will inspire us and we will work off of that.
ML: By making videos, you are now somewhat of an actor and a musician. What’s that like, with all the cameras, lights, etc.?
RM: Honestly I hate making videos. It’s a long two days, lots of money and very fake. (Singer) Sully loves it though.
