They’re both hard rockers, but in 2004, Godsmack and Shinedown were polar opposites, at least in terms of fame.
Godsmack, which hails from Lawrence, Massachusetts, had already been nominated for two Grammy Awards, and were touring year-round across the country.
Shinedown, from Jacksonville, Florida, was far less known. They had recorded just one album, “Leave a Whisper.”
But Godsmack took notice.
“We never knew who they were,” recalled Shannon Larkin, Godsmack’s drummer, in a phone interview with The Daily Herald. “But when we heard their first record, we were like, ‘We’re taking these guys on tour.’ ”
Fourteen years later, Godsmack and Shinedown have reunited for a co-headlining tour, stopping at Angel Of The Winds Arena on Oct. 10. Asking Alexandria, an English rock band, is the opener.
Combined, Godsmack and Shinedown have sold around 30 million albums worldwide.
Godsmack has won four Grammy awards, while 12 of Shinedown’s singles have topped the Billboard Mainstream Rock charts — the third most all-time behind Van Halen (13) and Three Days Grace (14).
“We’re really proud and we feel like big brothers to them or something,” Larkin, 51, said. “We’re exactly 10 years older than them. We watched their meteoric rise to co-headlining status.”
The worldwide tour supports Godsmack and Shinedown’s latest albums, which were released this year.
Godsmack’s “When Legends Rise” steers away from the heavy metal sound the band became known for. It’s a bit softer, but still hard rock.
Larkin, who joined the band in 2003, said the 11-track album is a reflection of their maturity.
“We’re not young and dumb, full of angst and pissed off anymore,” Larkin said. “We’ll never stand on the stage and be fake and compete with younger bands who are angry, just we like used to do 20 years ago.”
“Bulletproof,” a single from the album, reached No. 1 on the Billboard Mainstream Rock chart.
Shinedown’s latest, “Attention, Attention,” was No. 1 on the Billboard Alternative, Top Rock and Hard Rock Albums charts.
Evan Thompson: 360-544-2999, ethompson@heraldnet.com. Twitter: @evanthompson_1.
If you go
What: Godsmack and Shinedown
Where: Angel of the Winds Arena, 2000 Hewitt Ave., Everett
When: 7 p.m. Oct. 10
Tickets: starts at $39.50
More: 866-332-8499 or www.angelofthewindsarena.com
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