Metal Anarchy

During a recent episode of “The Vinyl Road” podcast, Saliva bassist Brad Stewart responded to recent comments from former singer Josey Scott, who referred to the band’s current lineup as the “Temu version of Saliva.” According to him, “it’s basically a desperate way to draw attention to a situation he hasn’t had control over for a long time.”

Stewart said the following about Scott’s departure:

“[Josey] left on his own recognizance. And in doing so, that decision is now, I guess, haunting him to a certain degree because when you do something like that… I don’t know what his intentions were as far as the lives of the other bandmembers that were still counting on the band for their livelihood. Hopefully they weren’t malicious, to try to sort of end their careers too or at least their… Because you have to imagine after six albums with Island Def Jam and all the touring and all the records and everything you do as a band together, it’s an enterprise, it’s a moneymaking machine, and people count on the machine for their livelihood. When something like that ends, what are you gonna do? Go become a stockbroker in New York City? You’re a musician. That’s what you do, and that’s what you’re used to doing, and you get paid for it, and it’s your passion and it’s how you make your living. So when someone walks away, and in most cases, of course, the singer is the face and the voice of the band, and also a creative force. Josey was a hell of a songwriter and, of course, the band had hits. They were banking on him to make great songs and great recordings of those songs. So when someone walks away, it could have ended right then. The whole thing could have just went [sic]. But contractually, it wasn’t set up that way to where any one member had the controlling share of the band or the corporation. Every member, it was kind of split up. So when that happened, the other members had the right to continue on and to replace him. And that’s exactly what happened. And by him leaving, he forfeited… Or any leaving member — if you got fired or if you quit, you forfeit rights to be able to use the name SALIVA. And so moving forward, I think he was going to embark on a solo Christian career. Maybe at the time he’d found God, maybe at the time he thought that the band was to blame for all of his problems. And those are all reasonable things, feelings to have. You’ve been through a lot. Six records’ worth of shit in in a rock band, that’s a lot, man. In 10 years, 12 years, whatever it was, from the time where they were actually a signed band — ‘Every Six Seconds’ [SALIVA’s second album] came out in 2001. So, when you leave something like that, it’s a big decision, and, unfortunately, to try to sort of come back and take it over, regardless of the situation, you just can’t just walk back in and take the name and expect to own it again. You just can’t. And the last surviving member of that version of the band was [late SALIVA guitarist] Wayne [Swinny]. And Wayne started a corporation with Bobby. That was, like, seven years ago or whatever. And part of that corporation, there was a death clause. Surviving member of this corporation carries the name. Wayne passed in 2023, as we know. And Wayne’s intention was, ‘I want y’all to carry the name. This has become my legacy. I’m the last O.G., and I don’t want you guys to stop.’ He told us that shit, man. All the time he would tell us that. He was, like, ‘Whatever you do, if anything happens to me, don’t stop.’”

He continued when asked about Scott’s recent dis:  

“I was, like, ‘This again? I thought we kind of dealt with this.’ I’m pretty sure the copyright, the trademark office already settled this. And he lost that part of it. It’s a 10-year license for the trademark, and he had his attorney and his legal team, and so did Bobby. And that’s between them, for the name and for the brand.

For him to sort of backhand what we’ve done — I mean, we’ve put out quality music under the SALIVA name, we go out there and kick its ass. And I think we make the band or the brand — I mean, we’re proud of what we do out there, for the brand’s sake. And, again, for someone to think that, ‘Oh, you’re just gonna hand the name back over’ — remember what I said about the enterprise thing. This is a business, and that’s a business he no longer owns.

My buddy put it to me, and it was really great. It’s like if you started a pizza business, Saliva pizza company, and you have all these members, and even if Josey’s the one that has the recipe, man, that’s money recipe. That’s the fucking delicious pizza. That’s it. And then 11, 12 years later, he wants to start a Christian pizza company, and he leaves the pizza company. And then the people that are still in it … they continue to make Saliva pizzas, and they still put out quality pizzas. And then, a few of those guys, along the way, get left behind. New people get hired to run the business. And then, 10 years later, the O.G. of Saliva pizzas wants to come back in and take back over the pizza company. You’re not in the company anymore. Now, you can go make pizzas down the street as whatever — Scott’s Pizzas — but you can’t put the Saliva pizza name on your business, or you can’t take it back. You left the ownership part when you left. And that’s it, man… It’s one of those things where, even legally, coming back trying to take back the pizza company, it’s not your pizza anymore.”

He also added the following when asked about his personal feelings on the “Temu” claims:

“[It] doesn’t bother me at all. One bit. And I’ll tell you why — because it’s basically a desperate way to draw attention to a situation he hasn’t had control over for a long time. No one’s showing up to his shows as Josey Scott, so he needs the brand, but I think the brand has lived on and evolved because of the work that we’ve put in. So, the things he’s gonna say… He doesn’t act like he even knows me, in that article. So, what do you do with something like that? He knows who I am. He knows what I’ve done and what I’ve been a part of and my influence and the people I know in this business and otherwise. So, him trying to trash what we’ve done — again, he should be thanking us for keeping the thing that he tried to kill and ultimately sabotage and end so long ago. And he’s playing the victim. So he’s making us look like the bad guy for carrying on something that he ultimately tried to end. So I don’t feel bad about…

Look, man, I get paid to play shows, bro. I’ve been doing this for a long fucking time. You know what I mean? I’m not in the LLC on [SALIVA]. But I’ve been around it, and I’ve known these guys and I’ve known this band for 22 to 23 years, whatever. And I’ve been in this version of the band for 10 years. So I know the stories. I know how things — from other, previous members — what went on. I mean, trust me, there’s some weird shit that went on that I don’t think I need to go there.

So, to answer your question, I just saw it as, like… This has already been dealt with. We’ll take the free press any day, and don’t think there’s not gonna be some Temu products, that say ‘SALIVA Temu’ on them. Trust me, dude. We’re gonna embrace it with laughter and fun. [Josey] probably thought he was probably being clever or something, but it’s hilarious, honestly. Like, really? That’s all you got? I mean, come on, bro. Temu version? Our Temu version sounds… Go look at the footage of us playing the songs versus their version. That’s all I gotta say, man. Whatever, dude — O.G. or not.”

[via Blabbermouth]