WMP March Artist of the Month

Phone interview with Josey Scott, lead singer for Saliva
February 8, 2007

*A couple emails have surfaced from people attending Saliva concerts saying that there is a lot of offensive language and other things.  We are in no way endorsing concerts or albums for Saliva, we are simply showing the heart and faith of their lead singer, Josey Scott.

Saliva, a band that has been notorious for there outlandish and extravagant rock 'n' roll lifestyle.  They have just released their latest album, Blood Stained Love Story (click here for the album review) which entered Billboard at #19. There past albums have been filled with the typical rock star lifestyle laced with offensive language and questionable content. So what would make a band suddenly change direction? What would make them change focus on their lives and what they are portraying to their fans? You may be surprised when you read this exclusive one-on-one interview with lead singer Josey Scott.

Josey: How you doing brother?
Dennis: Getting tired of doing these phoners? (laughs)
Josey: (Laughs) No man, everyone keeps asking and thinking that.  I’ve waited my whole life to be famous.
Dennis: Cool, man. Well, just to let you know I own and run a website called Wise Men Promotions. We do music reviews and interviews of Christian and mainstream bands.  We are actually all over the board with our music coverage.
Josey: So, you all are Christian based?
Dennis: Yeah, actually I am a full time pharmaceutical rep and quitting my job next year and starting a church in New York City (www.theawakeningnyc.com).
Josey: Awesome.

Dennis: Congrats on Blood Stained Love Story entering the market last week at #19 on the Billboard Charts. What sets this album apart from your previous releases?
Josey: Um, well, one of the obvious ones is my mother challenged me to write a record with no cusswords.
Dennis: So, that was the change (laughs).
Josey: (laughs) You know I am an artist and I have to have that gauntlet thrown down and I have to be challenged. Like one of my favorite movies is “The Devil’s Advocate” with Al Pacino in it. When he is playing the devil he says ‘when I squeeze, some people focus and others fold.’  I’m one of those people that like to be squeezed because I focus.  I like to be backed into a corner. You know, I’m not saying the Devil is the one doing it (laughs) but someone is doing it.  I’ve always thought God had His hand on this band.

Dennis: Yeah, that is really interesting you mention all that. Saliva was becoming notorious for the rock star lifestyle.  Your lyrics and liner notes show a change of that direction. What has led to the change?
Josey: Well, I have always had a relationship with the Lord. My dad was a preacher and country gospel musician.  I’ve always had that relationship there and I believe that He is there when we are at our worst and our best.  I was talking to my wife about “Footprints”, the “Footprints” poem that says the person was so mad because ‘why at my worst were there one set of footprints and He says because that is when I was carrying you.’ I think that has certainly been my case with me and the band over the past ten years.  I think what changed me during this record is because I fell in love. That Hollywood movie kind of love and I met the woman of my dreams. We got married at Graceland actually.  It was beautiful and storybook. We also had a son on St. Patrick’s Day last year named Justice.  We thought he was our justice.  He is the light of our life and such a beautiful God-given gift. That changed me a lot.  I also took a couple years off and did some acting out in Hollywood. I did a television series; it was actually Aaron Spelling’s last show he produced before he did called “Wanted.” I played an undercover cop in the 13 episodes.  I also did a cameo in “Hustle and Flow.” That took me away from Saliva’s business for a while. It seemed that in those two years everything wonderful and horrible that could happen to a band seemed to happen. As individuals there was funerals and divorces and as a band we lost a member and got a new one.  There were betrayals, just everything. I had a lot of stuff to write about on this record.  On the last album, “Survival of the Sickest”, which was really the pinnacle of our infamous lives. It was a straight up rock ‘n’ roll record paying tribute to our heroes like AC/DC and Motley Crue.  You know we had lots of money and lots of time. You know that tends to be the Devil’s playground. Before I left, a producer, Paul Ebersol gave me a book called “The Ragamuffin Gospel.”
Dennis: Wow, I am a college minister and we are actually going over that book weekly. It is such an amazing book.
Josey: Really? I read that book and it just totally changed me. Growing up, you know I felt so guilty and so awful for things.  You begin to think there is no road back.  You know I read that book and realized actually there is no road away from Him. You know? My daddy told me once that once you are in His cluster you can’t leave Him. That just lifted me and that book sort of changed how I thought about being a Christian.  Even though I hadn’t lived my life as an example of a Christian, obviously, I always had a love for God and a relationship with Him no matter if it was good or bad.  You know, He is your father. You know? I talk to Him just like that and I don’t believe I have to have a formal conversation, I just tell Him what is going on and ask for His guidance and help.  I do the best I can with what I have.  The beauty is that I know He has got me.
Dennis: Yeah, what you said really hit me.  We actually lost a son at 37 weeks into the pregnancy about the time your son was born.
Josey: Man, I am so sorry.
Dennis: Thanks but because of that I also had a change of focus in my life and that has led me to quit my job and start this church in New York City.
Josey: Man, we need to sit down and have coffee sometime. Just come to one of the shows and let them know who you are and we can hangout on the bus, man.
Dennis: That would be great man; I would like to give you another book that changed my life called “Messy Spirituality.”
Josey: Yeah man.

Dennis: What is your advice to fans that are reading this that may be headed down a destructive path of over self-indulgence?
Josey: You know for me personally I have learned there is a time and place for everything and for me there is no time and no place for drugs and alcohol.  I have learned that is not a life style but a death style. It’s not about, it’s not about how many times you have been to church and merits.  You know my father told me before he died, ‘son you will never get to heaven through works.’ I try to do, I try to influence people and though I don’t live a perfect life I try to get a witness in when I can. I’ll say little things or do little things when others are around.  You know Jesus didn’t hang out at the churches.  He was preaching and said why would I look for the dead among the living.  I think I live my life like that and I think I am around what would be called the dead a lot.  I just try to be as good an influence as I possibly can be. I’m not perfect and I know God knows that but I know He loves me anyway.
Dennis: Yeah, man that is awesome. It is about keeping it real.  You know I have no problem with keeping my earrings in or letting my tattoos show when I am preaching.
Josey: Thank God for you man.

Dennis: Thanks man. I appreciate that.  Man, we definitely have to hook up. Well, I know my time is about up so let me hit you with a couple music focused questions. I love the latest album. Your music has changed directions. In today’s market, is Saliva creating trend or falling into trend?
Josey: I think we are creating trend.  That is an excellent question by the way. I have always told the guys that when we put out our first album they tried to shove us in the hip-hop box. Then we got shoved in the rap-rock box and man I hated that. Then we put out our second record and “Always” was a number one hit and we were an alternative band. Then we put out Survival of the Sickest and we were an 80’s rock band. I told the guys just keep your heads down and don’t listen to the negativity.  Keep making beautiful music and the world will have to come around to us.  With that in mind on this record, like my mother said, it was more than an opportunity, you know when one has the opportunity to have the world’s attention like Saliva has on this record then it is time for me to say some things that I really need to say.  Like “Broken Sunday” is an absolute song about God.
Dennis: Yeah, it is so amazingly obvious that many of your tracks are about your faith.
Josey: I don’t think the secular press gets that.  You know, I have learned from guys like Switchfoot to say it without you know, saying it.  It’s okay to get that in there and plant that seed without obvious walking up and grinding your heel in it. That seed is planted and that seed is there.  I have tried to get in where I fit in as far as that goes on this album. From “Never Gonna Change” coming from a divorce situation thinking things are never gonna change to “Here With You” which is a love letter to my wife.  We definitely feel like God has a hold of our lives and we recognize that.  We are trying to relish in that you know, certainly with a beautiful child being born, it has been amazing.  I sort of try to inject, I mean listen to the lyrics and it’s there.
Dennis: Yeah, the lyrics are amazing and reading the liner notes.  It was so exciting to read about your faith.  John Cooper of Skillet and told me that you were a Christian when they were on tour with you guys. I think with interviews like this you will be planting even more seeds.
Josey: Absolutely. I had a guy come up to me the other night.  He was drunk and put his arm around me.  His eyes swelled up and he said he just wanted to thank me for being a rock ‘n’ roll singer and being in this environment and being a Christian man. You know, I thought that was so sweet and I almost cried, I had to get away from him. (laughs) There is some reason that God has me where He has me.  I’m not playing at concerts at a Baptist Church; I’m playing the arenas, the bars and going where everything is not always there to honor God.  I think there is a reason for that.  I think in my gut and in my heart I think that I am being led and that He has got me and I am here for a reason. 

Dennis: Josey, man it has been amazing talking with you and cant wait to hook up.
Josey: Please do and get me that “Messy Spirituality”, I will love that. Thanks brother.

What an amazing chance for someone to share about the true grace of Jesus.  There is nothing that transcends His love for you.  You can't run from it.  You can't sin your away from it. You just have to accept it. Just like Josey, I spent years running from Jesus because I didn't think I was good enough.  I didn't think I could ever be a "good enough" Christian. I figured God would grow tired of me.  That isn't in the Bible. In fact we find just the opposite.  In Romans 3:23 we find that ALL sin and fall short of His glory.  They greatest men in the Bible were often the biggest sinners. In Ephesians, it says we are saved by grace through faith.  That means that Jesus loves and forgives us even though we may not be worthy.  In fact none of us are worthy.  But with faith, we accept Him in to our lives.  If you have any questions about Jesus then feel free to email myself, Dennis Minner, at wmp@semo.net.