Interview With…

Josey Scott

SALIVA

Well folks, tonight is the big night. The Buzz Birthday Bash with Buckcherry and Saliva at The Cannery Ballroom. In preparation for the show, I spoke via telephone to Saliva singer, Josey Scott.

1. How’s the tour been going?

Good man, it’s been sold out.

2. What do you think of Ligion?

I think they’re awesome, y’know? They remind us of us. Up and coming and running around in a van with a trailer. It reminds you of how tough it was to get here and you really appreciate it.

3. Have they done well with the crowds?

Sure.

4. 2006 marked your 10 year anniversary. Did you think it would turn out this way?

Damn right. I hoped it would.

5. Tell me a little about your new guitarist Jonathan Montoya.

He’s been friends with me for a long time. He was in Full Devil Jacket.

6. How did Saliva get so involved with recording music for wrestling events?

We were wrestling fans. Coming from Memphis, obviously Jerry Lawler was a real big part of a 12 year old’s life in 1984. We got to do the intro music and it just snowballed from there.

7. You come from a musical family. Who is your biggest influence?

My dad was a big influence of mine. He was a country and gospel artist. I grew up singing Merle Haggard and George Jones songs.

8. Did you get into hip hop as your grew older?

I got into everything when I was older. My dad taught me that there are two kinds of music in this world; good and bad. I’ve carried that throughout my life. I still love country music. I have a real special place in my heart for country music and I’d love to do a country album one of these days.

9. What are your memories of opening up for Kiss & Aerosmith on tour in 2003?

Very blurry (laughs). I had a great time. It was a dream come true. Paul Stanley sent me one of his broken guitars and I hung it up on the wall. They were really good guys; all of them.

10. It’s always been an uphill climb for bands from Nashville due to the country music stereotypes. Do you think the tide is shifting with many bands getting signed out of this area?

Sure. You can hardly pigeonhole any one sound to a town anymore.

11. The new record seems really personal. Have you always written from a first-person point of view rather than being a storyteller?

I’ve had some really wonderful things happen to me. I fell in love, got married, and had a very beautiful child so my part of the album is very positive.

12. With ‘Going Under’ being about drug addiction that must have been hard to write.

Really hard. That’s the one song that makes my wife cry. It’s really hard when you touch some feelings that are inside and are really personal.

13. How did you get together with Chad Kroeger to write ‘Hero’ for the Spiderman soundtrack?

We had the same manager at the time. He thought it would be a brilliant idea to get us together to see if we wanted to write something for the movie soundtrack. It was just the right place at the right time I guess.

14. Did the band react well to you doing that?

Yeah. They’ve always said “What is good for the goose is good for the gander”.

15. The production on the new record stands out compared to the past ones. Was there more thought put into getting the right sounds for the guitars and vocals?

Yeah, Bob Marlett; he’s like the sixth member of the band. I call him the Obi Wan Kenobe of rock and roll. He’s a stickler for all that stuff. He’s like our dad, y’know.

16. Do you think you’ll be doing work with him on future records?

Oh sure. If it ain’t broke don’t fix it.

17. Any past stories of trips to Nashville?

Every time I’m there we have a wonderful time. Me and my wife are thinking about moving to Nashville. We think it’s a beautiful city with a lot of rich history and a nice place to raise a child.

18. Any advice for groups in our area?

Just practice and never give up. Network and take all the breaks you can. Be nice to everybody because you never know who you’re talking to. I think that people shoot themselves in the foot with rivalries.

Saliva will be performing tonight with Buckcherry and Black Stone Cherry at The Cannery Ballroom.

For more information on Saliva, visit their official website at:

http://www6.islandrecords.com/site/artist_home.php?artist_id=301

Well, that’ll do it for this time.

Until Next Time, I’m out like Howard K. Stern at a paternity trial.

Chris “Uncle Daddy” Czynszak

To reach Chris Czynszak e-mail cczynszak@nashvillerock.net