Godsmack's Erna leaves Dark Past, Emerges A Survivor

Sully Erna, the lead singer of the hard rock band Godsmack, which will be in Toledo tonight at the SeaGate Convention Centre, is a different guy. Much different. He's in his late 30s, drug and alcohol free, passing on his hard-earned wisdom to troubled youth, doing his best to be a good father to his 5-year-old daughter, and staying away from situations in which his only option is to punch someone out.

His is a cautionary tale, but he's not looking for sympathy and he doesn't look back with sadness. As recounted in The Paths We Choose, a refreshingly honest memoir in which Erna holds nothing back, even details that make him look bad, his story ultimately is that of a survivor.

"I don't regret a thing, and looking back - all the crazy girlfriends, all the fights - I wouldn't do anything different," he said in a phone interview. "I still have my moments but I don't feel like punching anyone in the face anymore."

Erna, who practices the Wiccan religion, said the current tour ends in early fall, just in time for him to be off and take his daughter, Skylar, to her first year of kindergarten. He also will continue working with his public service organization Community Alliance for Teen Safety, which spreads the word that there are alternatives to drug abuse, violence, and other dangerous behavior. Full Story

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