Wayne Swinny Dies: Co-Founder Guitarist Of Rock Group Saliva Was 59

Wayne Swinny, the last remaining founding member of the hard rock group Saliva, which had radio hits with “Always,” “Your Disease” and “Click Click Boom,” has died of a brain hemorrhage, the group announced on social media. He was 59.

Swinny was hospitalized on Tuesday in “medical distress,” according to the band.

“It is with great sadness that we report the passing of our brother Wayne Swinny,” Saliva posted Wednesday on Facebook. “Wayne passed away this afternoon from a spontaneous brain hemorrhage while we were out on tour. … Wayne will be missed by all those who knew him.”

Details for the funeral arrangements will be announced shortly, the message said, before adding, “We love you, Wayne.”

Saliva formed in 1996 with Swinny, singer Josey Scott, guitarist Chris Dabaldo, bassist Dave Novotny and drummer Paul Crosby. It released a self-titled album in 1997, then hit with its Island Records major-label debut, Every Six Seconds, in March 2001 as rock radio turned heavier and embraced nu metal. The disc featured a pair of FM hits in “Your Disease,” which hit the Top 10 on Billboard’s Mainstream Rock and Modern Rock charts, and “Click Clock Boom.” The disc went gold and earned Saliva a Grammy nomination for Best Hard Rock Performance in 2002.

The band followed that with Back Into Your System in late 2002, which also sold more than a half-million copies, reached No. 19 on the Billboard 200 and spawned two more rock hits in “Always” — which topped the Modern Rock chart and hit No. 2 on the Mainstream tally — and the title track. The group headlined the Jagermeister Music Tour the foillowing spring. Watch the video for “Always” below.

Saliva’s 2004 album Survival of the Sickest and 2007’s Blood Stained Love Story also made the Billboard Top 20, but the 2011 follow-up Under Your Skin failed to make the Top 100, and singer Scott left band. Saliva has continued to record and tour with singer Bobby Amaru, releasing its most recent album in 2018.

Swinny and Saliva had begun the Spring Mayhem Tour last week in support of three singles released last year. The jaunt includes a L.A.-area stop April 1 at the Canyon in Agoura Hills, but the remaining band members have not commented about the tour’s status.