SALIVA
Just when you thought they were dead and buried, the boys from Saliva are back with a killer new album and are touring the country putting on great shows. While he was searching for his sunglasses, I got a chance to catch up with the newest member of the band, guitarist Jon Montoya. The band’s new album, bands to tour with, Britney Spears, and the war were just some of the things Jon and I chatted about.
Asif: Hey bro, how's it going?
Jon: Hey man, I'm good. I'm hangin' out in Pensecola, Florida.
Asif: You catchin' a tan at all?
Jon: Catchin' a tan? (laughs) That's the hardest thing ever for me to do! (laughs) But my eyes are hurtin' right now…
Asif: What happened to your eyes?
Jon: Nothin' man, it's just really bright!
Asif: You’re a Rock Star baby! You should be hiding your eyes behind sunglasses 24/7!
Jon: (laughs) That's usually what I do! I don't know what I'm thinking. I'm gonna do that right now. I'm gonna find my glasses!
Asif: Good call!
Jon: (laughs)
Asif: Tonight are playing a gig with Buckcherry …
Jon: Yeah. We toured with Crossfade and now we're starting a tour with Buckcherry.
Asif: Are there bands out there that would be a personal dream for you to tour with that you haven't played with yet? Even a larger artist that you would like to open up for?
Jon: Probably Tool. AC/DC too. For sure Motley Crue – they are my favorite band.
Asif: Tommy Lee just shreds those drums, doesn't he?
Jon: (laughs) Yeah! He is amazing!
Asif: Being that you are the newest member of Saliva, many of the fans might not know too much about you. Tell us a little bit about yourself and how you came into the band.
Jon: I'm pretty much a Southern boy from Jackson, Tennessee. I used to play in a band called Full Devil Jacket a little while ago. I've been with them [Saliva] pretty much the entire time anyway – even though I was in another band, we played shows together. I knew all the music, so it was like a seamless transition [into Saliva].
Asif: I know Josey has mentioned that one of the differences with Blood Stained Love Story compared to the previous albums was that you've come in and had contributions musically and lyrically to the band.
Jon: You know, I think it's just more of a maturity on everybody's part. We know what we sound like now. We're not searching for a sound. Sure there are certain elements to our music that is hip-hop. Certain elements that are big arena rock. So I don't know if I've contributed as much as I have inspired, you know what I'm saying?
Asif: Sure…kinda just guided more or been more vocal about the sound …
Jon: Yeah man, exactly. I just said "Hey man, this is what you are. Don't change that. You're not Coldplay, you're not frickin' Aerosmith. This is who you are."
Asif: No man, I agree. I love the sound of the album. It's my favorite Saliva album to date. Besides the single "Ladies And Gentlemen", the album is just stacked. "Broken Sunday", "Starting Over", "One More Chance". I think "Black Sheep" is just an anthem for me…
Jon:
Me too man! (laughs)
Asif: Just a killer album from top to bottom bro!
Jon: Thank you man. I think it is our best too. Sometimes people shine under pressure. God gave us one more chance – that is what "One More Chance" is about. He said "most people aren't gonna give you a second chance, but I'm gonna give it to you guys." And for a band to come back from the so-called "dead" out of no where - people are like "What!? Where did they come from!?" We feel very fortunate that the fans have decided to embrace us one more time. Now we just have to seal the deal!
Asif: Speakin' of sealin' the deal, man – you "seal the deal" of what I call a real rock show!
Jon: (laughs)
Asif: You are amazing and so energetic on stage. Whether you just really rock out hard, or pour a beer over your head, or you have one of the other hundreds of antics you pull on stage all the time! Do you find that draining to do night in and night out, or is that something that when you get up there you just transform…
Jon: Yeah! Pretty much transform into someone that wears a platinum grill and I become a redneck vampire! (laughs)
Asif: (laughs)
Jon: But I'm really not that different off stage! (laughs) Everyone is always like "you're crazy on stage" and I'm like "well…I'm really not that different off stage!"
Asif: (laughs) So your always Jon, just the Jon people see is taken to a whole new level!
Jon: Yeah! (laughs) But you know what bro? It is draining. You know, once you set the bar that high, you have to bring it every night, you know?
Asif: Totally!
Jon: Then your just kinda like "SH*T! I wish I wasn't that good the last time"! (laughs)
Asif: (laughs)
Jon: Cause there are people that saw me last time and now if I don't bring it that much, they are gonna be disappointed. That is my worst fear, to have someone say "it was okay, but it wasn't as good as last time." So I try to be entertaining every night, so that is my philosophy on that.
Asif: Cool man. Was there ever one person that made you feel like you were going to make it in music? With a band? With Saliva?
Jon: Probably my parents. They always encouraged me, never discouraged me. They never said "go get a real job" or "go to college" or all this and that. They said "try this for a while, and if it doesn't work out you might want to try doing something else." They were pretty much behind me the entire time.
Asif: Sweet. Alright man, time for some word association. Tell me the first thing that comes to your mind, alright?
Jon: Sounds good man!
Asif: Southern Rock
Jon: Us! (laughs) Seriously, I think we are one of the only ones left!
Asif: Britney Spears
Jon: (laughs) Bald.
Asif: (laughs)
Jon: (laughs) And I don't mean her head!
Asif: (laughing harder) Nice!
Jon: (still laughing)
Asif: MTV
Jon: Sucks! (laughs)
Asif: Amen! The War
Jon: My Dad…cause he's a Green Beret and he's against it. He's very politically driven right now, so you don't want to bring that subject up at all! (laughs)
Asif: (laughs)
Jon: But no man? The war? I mean, at first it was okay or whatever, you got to do what you got to do. But now man? Enough is enough already, you know what I'm saying?
Asif: Hear you loud and clear bro. So I guess I don't have to ask you your thoughts on the President, do I?
Jon: (laughs) No!
Asif: (laughs)
Jon: (laughs) I'll use one word to word associate with that: sh*t! (laughs)
Asif: (laughs) That is great man! Alright man, last one.
Jon: What do you got…
Asif: Being a Rock Star
Jon: It's the greatest thing ever. Best job ever. Some days it sucks. Trying to find a place to sleep and eat. It's not bad, trust me. My life, I can't complain. We just stayed in a hotel, no never mind that sleep part I just told you! (laughs)
Asif: Yeah, but you don't get a hotel every night. It's mostly just a bus…
Jon: Yeah! But, it's great man. I wouldn't want to be a surgeon, a lawyer, or the President of United States. I need my rock n' roll and I have it this way!
Asif: Well go rock out with Buckcherry tonight man! Take care!
Jon: Alright man, you
too!
PHOTOS: Asif and courtesy of Saliva
