(Az interjú magyar változat ezen a linken érhető el.)
On March 26, Godsmack returned to Budapest and the night came with a special surprise: Will Hunt (Evanescence) and Sam Bam Koltun (Dorothy, Faster Pussycat) stepped in for the band’s longtime drummer Shannon Larkin and guitarist Tony Rombola. The two musicians delivered a killer performance,giving fans a show to remember. Little did anyone know that this marked Shannon and Tony’s farewell to the band — a departure that has now been officially confirmed. Before hitting the stage, Will filled us in on how he ended up on this tour, what’s ahead for Evanescence, and even shared some truly wild rock and roll stories from his past.
Text: Daniella Kiss – Photo: archives
.
Can you tell me how the opportunity to fill in for Shannon Larkin on this European tour came about?
„I’ve known Sully for a long time—even before Godsmack—and we’ve been friends ever since. Evanescence and Godsmack have played festivals and other shows together over the years, so there’s some history there. I found out pretty last minute that they were bringing in a few people to fill in, since Tony and Shannon were taking some time off. I spoke with Sully, and he said I’d fit right in and it was actually perfect timing. So now I’m here, playing some great music, having a blast, and hanging out with amazing people I’ve known for years. It’s been a really cool experience.”
Can you share the reasons for Shannon’s and Tony’s absence and any information on when they might rejoin the band on tour?
„I don’t really know the details, and even if I did, I couldn’t say anything anyway. I just know they’re taking some time off, which I completely understand as touring can be tough. I don’t know where that goes from here, but it’s not my business. From what I’ve heard, it’s just for this tour. I don’t think the band has anything else booked for the rest of the year. I’m just here for this run, having a great time. I’m also working on new Evanescence record, and aside from a few spot dates, my schedule is pretty open, so the timing worked out perfectly. I had the time to do this, and to do it right.”
What’s it been like touring with Godsmack so far?
„Well, first of all, nobody replaces Shannon. He’s one of one—an incredible drummer, someone I’ve always looked up to and very much admired. I love Shannon. So yeah, stepping into his place is definitely intimidating, to say the least. And Sully’s a great drummer too, so he knows exactly what he wants, which adds to the intensity of the learning curve for the gig. This gig has definitely been a challenge, but it’s the good kind, and I’m totally down for that.
I didn’t have much time to prepare for this tour at all. I was in Italy doing a solo tour when I found out about this. After flying home, I had about two days to learn ten songs and start playing with the guys. Then I went back home for four or five days to learn the rest, including the drum battle part. After that, I came back to Boston for five days of rehearsal while we shipped all the gear over here. We had one final rehearsal in Sofia before kicking things off. So it’s been pretty sporadic, not a lot of time, but we made it work.”
.
You’re also with Evanescence, who is set to release the new single Afterlife on March 28, which will feature in Netflix’s Devil May Cry series. Can you share insights into the creation of this track and how the collaboration with the series happened?
„I’m not entirely sure how we got involved with the show. I just know there’s an episode that features our song alongside a few other bands from this genre—I think Papa Roach might be one of them. The song came about through a guy who does some songwriting and score writing for Netflix projects. He co-wrote the track with Amy, and then we took it and shaped it into something that feels fully Evanescence.
Afterlife is a really cool song, vibey, dark, and it fits the scene in the show really well. I love this one, it’s probably my favorite Evanescence song so far. We shot the video for it just before I came out here, so that should be out in the next couple of weeks, and it turned out great. I’m excited for people to see it.
We tracked the song last November with Nick Raskulinecz, who we’ve worked with many times before. Since then, we’ve recorded a few more songs with him—three or four so far—and there’s also another track we’re working on for a different movie that’s coming out, with Tyler Bates. I’m not sure how much I can say about that one yet. It’s a whole new chapter for Evanescence, and we’re ready for it.”
After the release of Afterlife, is there a new album on the horizon for the band?
„Yeah, that’s kind of what it’s all leading up to. We did more songs with Nick that will be on the record. We’re not sure yet if Afterlife or the movie track will be part of the album or released as standalones. Aside from those, we already have three more songs recorded and a few others in progress. I don’t wanna say we’re halfway done with the record just yet, but we’re getting close. As far as release dates go, we don’t have anything specific yet. I’d love to think it would come out this year, but I don’t know if that’ll happen—it’ll probably be sometime early next year. But hey, don’t hold me to that. (laughs)”
Beyond Evanescence and Godsmack, you’ve worked on so many different projects over the years. Are you currently working on anything new or planning something for the near future?
„Yeah, I have another band with Jeff Gutt, the singer from Stone Temple Pilots. We’ve been going back and forth on the name, so that’s still up in the air, but the music is coming out this year. We’ve actually been sitting on it for a while. We started working on it, and then he got the gig in STP and got busy, so it’s been kind of back and forth trying to get it finished. But now we’re finally wrapping it up, and it’s close to being released.
I also do a lot of solo stuff in Italy. I have another band there called Heroes and Monsters. We mostly tour over there because the guitarist and I also play for Vasco Rossi. He’s ginormous over there, so that kind of opens the door for us to do our own thing. Todd Kerns—the bass player in Slash’s band—is in that group with us. He sings and plays bass. So between all of that, I stay pretty busy. I haven’t really been home in a while. I could definitely use some downtime.”
What’s the biggest challenge of filling in for a band, and how do you handle it?
„I’ve been in Evanescence for 18 years now, so I’m a core member there. We’re really good friends, and I love being a part of that band. But it’s definitely challenging to do stuff like this, because you just never know what you’re stepping into. That said, I learn so much every time I jump into a new project.
I actually had a little more time to prepare for this one than I did for some others. When I filled in for Tommy Lee in Mötley Crüe, I had 24 hours. Same with the first time I played with Static-X—just 24 hours’ notice, and that kind of situation is insanely stressful. People always tell me, “You’re so good at jumping into things so quickly,” but honestly, I’m just good at acting like I’m OK with it. Inside, I’m totally freaking out. It’s really about managing my adrenaline and emotions, and just cramming a ridiculous amount of information into my head in a very short time.”
What’s the most unexpected way you’ve ever landed a gig?
„When I started playing with Tommy Lee back in 2002, it actually happened through his bass player, who I met when my band Scrape was on tour with Pantera. He was filling in for Static-X, who were also on that tour. I found out he played for Tommy, and I was like, “That’s so cool! What’s it like hanging out with that guy?” Stephen Perkins from Jane’s Addiction was Tommy’s drummer at the time, and I jokingly said to the bass player, “Hey man, if Stephen ever takes a shit, give me a call!” I was totally joking, but like six months later, he actually called me.
He tracked down my number through a chain of people and left a message on my answering machine: “Tommy’s auditioning drummers tomorrow. You should fly out.” I called him back and said, “Tomorrow?” I was in Florida and broke. I asked, “Who else is coming out? Because if it’s a bunch of ringers and badasses, I’m not spending my last $600 to get there.” And he told me, “No, if you come out, you’ll get the gig.” So I spent my last 600 bucks and flew to LA.
Sure enough, there were a bunch of drummers there—five of them I knew, and they were all killers. And then Tommy’s assistant, Biggie—this huge Italian guy, like 300 pounds and built like a brick wall—came out and said, “Who are you?” I told him I flew in to audition, and he goes, “I don’t know you. Get the fuck out of here.” He seriously tried to throw me out. Right at the last second, the bass player came out and said, “No, Biggie, that’s my friend—the guy I told you about.” Biggie still wasn’t having it, but eventually I got my shot. And the guy who auditioned before me literally blew fire after he finished playing. It was the weirdest shit I’ve ever seen. Somehow, I still got the gig. I don’t know how, but it worked out. That was definitely one of the most unexpected ways to land a gig.”
You’ve toured with a wide range of artists like Zakk Wylde or Tommy Lee. Is there anything you picked up from them that still sticks with you today?
„Definitely the humbleness. Hanging out with Tommy, I realized he’s just one of the most humble, down-to-earth guys on the planet. Same with Zakk Wylde—he’s crazy and a total lunatic (I mean that in the best way), but also incredibly kind and humble. He’s super sweet to his fans and really grateful for everything he has.
Probably the biggest lesson I’ve learned is that you can’t just get to a certain point and stop working on yourself, your craft, your art. You have to constantly keep evolving, keep improving, and do your best in every single aspect of this business, because there are so many layers to it. Every one of those upper-echelon, legendary-type people I’ve worked with—Sully, Amy, Zakk, Tommy—they all have that same mindset. They just keep going, keep pushing. And yeah, I’ve learned some bad behaviors too—like what not to do. (laughs)”
Out of all the standout moments you’ve had on tour, what’s the wildest or most unbelievable one you’ve had?
„Oh, that’s a tough one. I’m trying to think of something I can actually say without getting in trouble. (laughs) One time I flew into Israel, and when they scanned my passport, it flagged me as someone who had defected from the U.S. military. I had no idea what was going on. They wouldn’t explain why they were holding me and took me into this place you really don’t want to be in. It got intense. The Israeli military police showed up and started grilling me. I was like, “I have no idea what you’re talking about.” They said, “You must tell us. We will extradite you back to the U.S. in handcuffs.” I just kept thinking, “What the hell is happening?”
After about four hours, they must’ve figured out I wasn’t the guy they were after. It was easily the scariest experience—just thinking I might end up in jail in Israel. They never explained what happened. The only theory I have is that my dad and I share the same name. Back in the early ’70s, he got pulled over on a motorcycle that wasn’t his in some small Texas town, and when they ran his ID, it came up with a William Hunt who had defected from the military. Maybe that somehow stuck in the system. But they gave me zero answers. I even asked if it might happen again if I flew back—and they wouldn’t even reply to that question.”
You’ve been playing drums professionally for decades. What’s one piece of advice you wish you had gotten when you were just starting out?
„Stay in medical school. (laughs) No, just kidding. But seriously, it’s a hard business. I don’t have regrets, but you’ve got to be smart and make good decisions. The best advice, whether I was told or just figured it out over time, is to be kind to people. When I was younger, I might’ve come off a little aggressive. I’ve learned that’s not the way to go. So, just be kind…and maybe stay in school.”
–
