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Jonathan Montoya, Saliva's lead guitarist has an amiable, infectuous personality and his bodacious on-stage antics are a treat to watch. The antithisis of lead singer Josey Scott's more reserved dark suited stage presence, Montoya is a make-up, knickers and striped knee socks kind of guy. This all fits together quite well as Saliva's 11 year career could not be in much shape. Montoya is the newest member of the band which originally hails from Memphis, Tennessee. Jonathan was kind enough to share his thoughts about the bands hit CD "Blood Stained Love Story", life on the road and much more...

Jonathan: "We’re not EMO or Screamo, we’re PRIMO"

Musicpix:          First of all, congratulations on your new CD-“Blood Stained Love Story”…it’s a great album with a great deal of variety….from “Ladies and Gentleman” it’s kind of got that Sgt. Pepperish thing goin’ on to the hard rockin’ “Black Sheep”…can you talk a bit about the process you go through coming up with an album with such stylistic diversity?

Jonathan           I think it was more or less taking the high points of every other album…”Every Six Seconds,” “Back Into Your System”…was almost alternative more melodic side and “Every Six Seconds” has that rap/rock thing and “Survival of the Sickest” had that real vibrato-manly heaviness and big rock.  So we took the best of all of those records and put into the new one this time.

Musicpix:          You’re the newest member of the band and the only non-original member of the Saliva.  In researching the band, I was wondering where the name came from?

Jonathan:          Joe came up with the name.  Simple, catchy, a little bit controversial…easy to remember.  No meaning behind it-just something to get people’s attention.

Musicpix:          Saliva began in 1996 and here we are in 2007 and the band is stronger than it ever was.  What do you attribute to the longevity of the band?

Jonathan           Probably all being friends before we were in the band.  Sometimes, we want to kill each other but at the end of the day we want to make the best music we can and we know that going somewhere else isn’t going to happen.  Just being friends for 11 years.  Obviously there have been some changes.  I’ve been friends with Josey for as long as the band has been around and he knows me.

Musicpix:          Much has been written about the band's past partying ways…

Jonathan:          Past partying ways?  I guess we’re living a cleaner lifestyle?

Musicpix:          So do you attribute the change to a business decision than a personal decision or both?

Jonathan:          A lot of it has to do with growing up and not wanting to feel like shit every day.  Being totally ‘past partying’ may be a bit too far.  It’s knowing when to pick and choose your battles.  As you get older, you’re body tells you not so fast.  Having a kid, a new baby boy and getting married, getting more mature.  Getting screwed down the road …everybody’s in a different place.  That will sober you up real quick.

Saliva Live Concert Photos

Musicpix:          “Blood Stained Love Story” is a very catchy emotion inducing title.  What's the story behind the naming of the CD?

Jonathan:          “Blood Stained Love Story” is a metaphor for your life because we’ve gone through divorces, marriages, kids being born, death, changes in the band and it’s really just a metaphor for life experiences.  Everybody has a Bloodstained Love story…people fight drugs, some people fight women, some people fight everything.  In the end, it’s all blood stained.

Musicpix:          Your music has been publishing in a diverse number of mediums.  Is this by design or did it happen to work out that way?

Jonathan:          Not by design…nothing we ever do is by design.  Our music lends itself to a lot of thing.  It just happens.  We’ve got a good management team and a good record company.

Musicpix:          You mentioned good management and good record company.  If memory serves me, you started out with Def Jam (Island) and you’re still with Def Jam.  That’s totally an amazing feat in this day in age.

Jonathan:          It totally is.  Most of the time, bands get about two records in and then they’re unsuccessful because the climate and the industry changes and record companies say, ‘hey-let’s part ways.”  We got more more shot and that doesn’t happen very often.  We’re very fortunate.

Musicpix:          This is your 6th album.  Does it become easier or harder?  Do you learn from each recording experience in the studio?

Jonathan:          It becomes easier and harder.  It becomes easier because you know how to do it but harder because you want to do it better.  It’s an internal thing.  “Ladies & Gentleman” was written in five minutes.

Musicpix:          The music industry has changed drastically since you’re band has made the scene.  Do you think audiences have changed as well?

Jonathan:          Not our audience.  Our audience is blue-collar, hard-working people who just want to escape with rock and roll.  We’re not EMO or Screamo, we’re PRIMO…I don’t think our audience has changed, I just think that it’s expanded more or less.  We keep trucking and it kind of takes on a life of its own.  Once you put music out there, no matter what a fan listens to, they’ll like it.

Musicpix :          It’s been stated previously that you like to avoid political messages in your music.  Do the current events of the day ever make you want to rethink that approach?

Jonathan:          Me personally?  I can’t stand what’s going on right now.  It’s a matter of supporting the people who have a job to do, like the people over in the Middle East.  I can’t stand all that.  It’s not really up to them.  Our only message is, if you’re going to be over there-kick some ass and take names.

Musicpix:          Touring for some bands is one of the most difficult aspects of being in a band.  How do you and the rest of the band perceive the touring grind?

Jonathan:          It really is hard.  It’s hard work but it’s better than working at the Jiffy Lube.  It gets old sometimes.  You don’t always get to shower and get the correct amount of sleep and you get mad but when you take the stage, it’s all gone.

Musicpix:          Some songs are fun to play some a drag to play but you have to play it because your fans expect it.  What songs get you off to play live?

Jonathan:          I like the openings on “Black Sheep”- I like playing the new stuff- I like “Click Click Boom” –that’s a great song.  But then again, I like playing some of the slower stuff.  Being the rhythm guitar player, not that I’m the Tasmanian devil on stage…  I think the harder stuff is fun because the crowd is bouncing up and down.  Like last night, there were probably 3,000 people out there and half of them I knew. 

Musicpix:          When it’s all said and done, how would you like Saliva to be remembered?

Jonathan:          As a classic rock band.  Classic rock band’s still get paid.  We’re trying to make modern day classic rock.  You know, in 15 years, Nickelback is still going to play on the radio.  You hear Bad Company or Led Zeppelin or something like that- and say that’s still a good song.  That’s what Saliva what to be remembered for:  writing good songs.

The Band
Josey Scott-Vocals, acoustic guitar
Wayne Swinny-Lead guitar
Dave Novotry-Bass
Paul Crosby-Drums
Jonathan Montoya-Rhythm guitar

Discography

Saliva-1996
Every Six Seconds-2001
Back Into Your System-2002
Survival of the Sickest-2004
Blood Stained Love Story-2007