In a brand new interview with Youngstown Studio‘s B.J. Lisko, unique SALIVA singer Josey Scott, who left the band in 2011 and was changed the next yr by Bobby Amaru, was requested if he foresees a time sooner or later when he could be staff up with the present model of SALIVA and transfer ahead as a unified drive. He responded (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): “All I can do, to reply your query — no, I do not, as a result of it could be form of a bastardized model of it if I went with the lineup that they’ve now. To not converse ailing of these musicians — I feel they’re very nice musicians; Sebastian LaBar [who plays guitar for the Amaru-fronted version of SALIVA] I really like dearly. He is the son of a legend, Jeff LaBar from CINDERELLA. I like him. I like their drummer Sam [Sammi Jo Bishop]. I do not know the opposite [musicians in the Amaru-fronted version of SALIVA].
“Me and Bobby have simply butted heads,” Josey, whose actual identify is Joseph Sappington, continued. “And he is talked crap about me within the press and simply carried out all these form of… I do not wanna discuss ailing of… My mom used to say, ‘If you do not have something good to say about someone, do not say something in any respect.’ However it’s simply — I do not know. I do not wish to give the followers the Temu [Chinese e-commerce site] model of SALIVA with some sort of a bastardized model that Bobby places collectively.
“He isn’t SALIVA. He has by no means been SALIVA,” Scott added. “He positively went on the market and did his factor and stuffed within the house. And he is written some songs or no matter. However he mentioned within the press my analogy of, if this was a David Lee Roth–Sammy Hagar scenario [with VAN HALEN], I might be glad to do that with Bobby as a result of he would have as many hits as I had. And he informed the interviewer, ‘Let’s face it, Josie‘s no…’ — I feel he mentioned ‘Bruce Dickinson‘ or one thing. I did not even say IRON MAIDEN. I used to be speaking concerning the analogy — actually not evaluating myself to the good David Lee Roth or the good Sammy Hagar. [I was] simply utilizing that as a one-two analogy between the 2 of us.
“It is only a soiled scenario,” Josey mentioned. “It is only a sticky scenario. And I respect the truth that he did what he did, but when that is the case, if his stuff that he did with SALIVA is equally as vital as mine, then let him play his songs and I am going to play my songs and we’ll see the way it shakes out. However that is not what he does. He goes out and performs a few covers, a few his songs, and the remainder of the set is my songs, man. It is my music. So it is only a form of a unclean, simply gross scenario and I’ve no real interest in coping with Bobby Amaru. I’ve no foresight of seeing something down the highway.”
Relating to whether or not it’s his hope and need that he and the members of his new band can finally carry out underneath the SALIVA identify, Josey mentioned: “I want to get my identify again as a result of it is not like that was a reputation that every one 5 of us got here up with. That was my identify. That was what I got here to the desk with. I put that band collectively one member at a time. And if [late SALIVA guitarist] Wayne Swinny was right here, he would inform you that. God relaxation his soul. And the opposite three guys, [former SALIVA drummer] Paul Crosby and [former SALIVA bassist] Dave Novotny and [former SALIVA guitarist] Chris D’Abaldo, they are going to inform you that I got here up with that identify. That is my identify.
“So all I can do is say a Hail Mary that that identify comes again dwelling to its rightful place. And now if that occurs, I shall be glad to pour my coronary heart and soul again into that identify and to do a brand new SALIVA file and to even herald — as a lot as Dave Novotny desires to be concerned. I feel the final time we tried to get him concerned, he was, like, ‘Man, I am making about the identical cash I used to be making on the job I’ve now.’ So, he has his boys that he is busy elevating, being a father, and I respect that. I am a father as nicely, and God is aware of I like my kids. And that is the one disadvantage from this life, is being away from your loved ones and your kids. However yeah, as a lot as they’ve needed to be concerned, I might welcome him with open arms. Chris D’Abaldo, similar factor. Paul Crosby, similar factor. It is our identify. It is not anyone else’s identify, and anyone else that tells you that [it is their name] is filled with shit. Simply plain and easy.”
In an October 2024 interview with Youngstown Studio, Amaru was requested if changing Scott 13 years in the past initially posed related challenges to those Blaze Bayley and Tim “Ripper” Owens needed to overcome after they changed IRON MAIDEN‘s Bruce Dickinson and JUDAS PRIEST‘s Rob Halford, respectively. Bobby responded: “I do not wanna throw [Josey] underneath the bus, however he is no Bruce Dickinson and he is no Rob Halford. So there’s that. Let’s go forward and get that out of the best way. Now he thinks he’s, however he isn’t. These dudes are extraordinarily arduous to interchange. It’s totally, very, very arduous. And I like Ripper. I like that file that [PRIEST] did [with Ripper], man. I keep in mind it was, like, ‘Jugulator’ or one thing. It was an superior file. And I feel folks do give Ripper credit score for lots of that stuff. Now whenever you speak about changing Bruce Dickinson, I do not even know who it’s or do not know what you are speaking about. ‘Trigger I do not know. However the Ripper stuff I do keep in mind and was extra aware of.”
He continued: “I feel it doesn’t matter what, any band [where] you exchange [the singer] — so VAN HALEN, David Lee Roth [leaves the band], they get Sammy Hagar, and other people hated it, regardless that it was good. After which it was, like, you continue to had MTV, you continue to had issues that have been, like… The label was, like, ‘Look, simply write nice fucking songs and we’re not gonna lose.’ And that is what they did. They wrote nice fucking songs, man. In order that’s why it labored. Then it is, like, ‘Okay, cool. All proper, this is not understanding. Now we’re gonna go get Gary Cherone.’ Now the followers are, like, ‘Wait, wait, wait, wait a second. Maintain on. Maintain up. Now you are throwing us for a loop.’ And it does not work the identical.
“I feel typically it really works or it does not,” Bobby added. “I imply there’s been singers to come back into bands and it simply does not… And I feel that you’d know straight away if it is a good match or not. However I feel once I got here into the band, I by no means tried to be him. I by no means needed to be him. Some folks would say that they thought there have been similarities within the voice or no matter. However I imply, folks suppose that I’ve similarities to Chester‘s [Bennington] voice and different folks singing. And I do not see it. I imply, I can perhaps hear some similarities, however I hear the distinction. After I observe one thing or no matter, I can positively hear the distinction. However perhaps subconsciously when individuals are listening to the music of a few of these bands that you just sort of get aware of a vocal or a sound or one thing. However I feel once I got here in, I simply needed to be myself and simply do what I might do. I like writing songs. I like working within the studio. I like being on stage. And I am a diehard musician at coronary heart. And that was the method. And it does not all the time work whenever you take an method of, ‘I’ve gotta be this’ or ‘I’ve gotta be like this so folks will like me.’ Persons are gonna such as you or hate you both manner. It is like Coke [and] Pepsi. I might suppose that me coming into the band, that was all it was — simply let’s hold it alive and have some enjoyable.”
Requested what the fan response was like when he first joined SALIVA and the way it has advanced through the years, Bobby mentioned: “It was tremendous combined at first, and I get it. I am unable to blame them. A lot of the unfavorable stuff I felt like by no means actually got here from individuals who had seen the band. I feel it simply got here from that method of, ‘Oh, it is not the identical’ or ‘it by no means would be the similar.’ However they’re proper. It by no means will be the identical. And I feel that followers get so invested into the catalog and these bands and these songs that they neglect that it is a enterprise. It is a enterprise on the finish of the day. It is bands’ livelihoods and issues and the present should go on.”
He continued: “It is no disrespect to what SALIVA was earlier than in any respect — I’ve by no means disrespected that one bit — however whenever you come into one thing and when the opposite particular person quits and mainly abandons and leaves everybody excessive and dry they usually simply disappear for a decade and stuff. And then you definately begin listening to all these loopy tales about the way it was within the band and also you’re simply, like…. Dude, there was a part of me that, at first, was, like, ‘Do I even wanna do that?’ That is scary sort of stuff that you’d hear. And folks would come as much as me at reveals and inform me tales, and I might be, like… [It would] make you wanna run sort of stuff. However I caught by way of it, man. I used to be, like, that is not me. I am not that. And [there was] nearly like a black cloud over the SALIVA identify or one thing. However you struggle by way of it, man, overcome and simply get by way of it. And I do not wanna discuss crap about anyone or the previous or no matter, however these have been challenges for me as a result of I used to be coming into one thing that I used to be not conscious of and I had no concept all of those sorts of issues. So on prime of individuals nitpicking what you are doing or how you need to be, I simply caught to my weapons, man, and simply mentioned, ‘I am simply gonna do issues the best way I wanna do them.’ That ‘Love, Lies & Remedy’ file that we did, I just about did the entire file. And the band needed me to try this. Wayne was, like, ‘Dude, let’s make this your file.’ I feel that was sort of the turning level of beginning to get increasingly followers figuring out this model of SALIVA and stuff. Now it is simply go do what we do and go onstage and provides folks a killer present.”
Bobby added: “I’m going to merch sales space each night time and a whole lot of these reveals, there is a line actually, actually lengthy. And I am going to stand there for 3 hours typically, man, shaking everybody’s palms and doing that. And that is tremendous vital, as a result of I really feel like if these folks do not such as you, they are not standing in line. And it is vital to have the ability to inform them ‘thanks’ for every thing, whether or not they have been a fan from the get-go, from 20 years in the past, or they began listening to the band once I obtained in, no matter that could be. I imply, there’s a whole lot of that, man. There is a ton of individuals which are, like, ‘I used to be by no means a SALIVA fan earlier than.’ I’ve had lots of people say that about this newest file [‘Revelation’]. They hear ‘Excessive On Me’ on the radio, they usually’re, like, ‘That is not SALIVA. There isn’t any manner.’ After which they turn into a fan by way of that. And that is simply exhibiting you music evolves and might evolve and you do not have to simply put out the identical factor time and again. If it is a good music, it is a fantastic fucking music, folks will react.”
In September 2024, Amaru and SALIVA bassist Brad Stewart have been requested by Joshua Toomey of Discuss Toomey if there had been any “confusion within the market” over the truth that Scott had been performing together with his solo band within the final couple of years underneath varied names, together with JOSEY SCOTT – THE ORIGINAL VOICE OF SALIVA and JOSEY SCOTT’S SALIVA. Brad replied: “There’s, truly.” Bobby concurred, saying: “Yeah, I feel he is simply sort of made it complicated. Josey‘s simply being Josey, what he all the time was. He all the time thought he was like a one-man factor, and he is doing what he is gonna do. I feel for us, although, we spent a whole lot of time, I spent a whole lot of time, too, once I obtained within the band simply listening to a whole lot of ‘noes’ from radio stations and from managers and a whole lot of harm management, and that stuff that simply sort of actually… I am not speaking shit; I am simply being actual. That is what it was. I obtained within the band, and there was a whole lot of roadblocks — a whole lot of roadblocks — and every thing all the time led again to 1 particular person inflicting these roadblocks. I feel it is simply one other roadblock.
Continued Brad: “And bridges burned into the bottom that you just’re attempting to form of rebuild, in a whole lot of methods, at radio and locations that there was a whole lot of self-sabotage that was happening there that was unlucky. And for lots of the instances that [Bobby] spent within the band earlier than I joined in 2015, it was all about form of rebuilding bridges, man. And, ‘Hey, this isn’t the SALIVA, although, that did or no matter occurred with you guys on the station or some other place. We’re sorry, however this isn’t the identical band, and we’re right here now to rock and we’re able to do it. After which we’re gonna kick some ass.’ And so it was a whole lot of that — it nonetheless is, even in some locations.”
Added Bobby: “Even for somebody like [Josey], you go away for therefore lengthy and also you come again, he is gotta be humbled at this level with a few of the reveals he is doing. ‘Trigger we hear about it and stuff. We’re simply sort of, like, no matter, let him do what he desires to do. However you are not gonna use the [SALIVA] identify — do not use the identify — as a result of then all it does is it simply steps on every thing that I and we have labored arduous for the final 13 years.”
In Might 2024, Scott was requested by Tulsa Music Stream if it was his hope that he and the members of his new band might finally carry out underneath the SALIVA identify. He responded: “In fact that is my hope, as a result of I’ve all the time needed the identify to form of go full circle and are available again dwelling. Whether or not that occurs stays to be seen. I feel there’s issues that I feel are truthful and issues that the opposite camp thinks are truthful. And we’ll see. We’ll see the way it all shakes out.”
Requested if he was in communication with the band which is continuous to carry out underneath the SALIVA identify, consisting of Amaru and Stewart, about coming to a decision on the utilization of the SALIVA identify, Josey mentioned: “Uh, sure,” earlier than including, “Principally, all I have been attempting to do that complete time is appease the opposite aspect. I am going to depart it at that.”
He continued: “On the finish of the day, as I’ve all the time mentioned, this enterprise shouldn’t be about band names and it is not about personalities, it is not about Josey Scott and it is not about Bobby Amaru. It is about songs, songs, songs, songs. On the finish of the day, after we all put our head on the pillow at night time, it is all the time going to be all about songs.”
In September 2023, Stewart and Amaru spoke to Meltdown of Detroit’s WRIF radio station about the truth that Scott launched into a tour underneath the JOSEY SCOTT’S SALIVA banner which noticed him performing a whole lot of the band’s traditional songs with none of the opposite unique SALIVA members. Brad mentioned: “It is an fascinating factor as a result of we have been doing this model of the band [with Bobby on vocals] since Josey initially left 11, 12 years in the past. So we have sort of saved the fires burning and put out new information and new music and stuff. So it is an fascinating scenario that we’re in now, to be fairly trustworthy, so we’re simply attempting to determine make it work for each components of it — each variations of it, I ought to say.”
Bobby commented: “I feel it is good that [Josey‘s] attempting to attach with followers and tour and play music. I feel it is an superior factor. He ought to have been doing it way back.”
Referencing Swinny, who died in March 2023 whereas on tour with the group, Amaru added: “I feel what we’re doing right here [with the current SALIVA touring lineup] is we’re simply attempting to do what Wayne would have needed and we’re honoring Wayne. This [latest SALIVA] file [‘Revelation’, which came out in early September 2023], I understand how vital it was to him and I feel the world ought to hear it. We’re going out each night time, we’re enjoying songs from it. And this tour has been nice. The followers have been superior, man.”
In Might 2023, Josey weighed in on the announcement that SALIVA‘s surviving members would keep on following the loss of life of the group’s final remaining unique member, the aforementioned Swinny. Josey informed Rock 100.5 The KATT‘s Cameron Buchholtz: “I am very shut with Bobby and I do know in my coronary heart and in my soul that Bobby will do the honorable factor. He by no means hasn’t carried out the honorable factor. And I simply belief in his steering the ship at this level, and I do know he is gonna do the suitable factor. And I do know it is all gonna work out; it is all gonna be nice.”
SALIVA‘s present lineup consists of Amaru, Stewart, Bishop, LaBar and Josh Kulack (guitar).
SALIVA reunited with Scott for a one-off look on the 2022 Blue Ridge Rock Competition on the Virginia Worldwide Raceway in Alton, Virginia. Scott carried out three songs with the group on the occasion, which additionally noticed SALIVA play with Amaru.
