Tony Cummings threw a batch of questions at one of America's finest songsmiths, JUSTIN McROBERTS

Justin McRoberts

Of all the hundreds of road-hardened troubadours who with trusty acoustic guitar tirelessly zig zag America, Justin McRoberts is surely one of the finest. The albums of this Californian singer/songwriter have often drawn forth enthusiastic praise from Cross Rhythms reviewers. 1999's 'Reason For Living' was called "a delight", 2003's 'Intersections' was dubbed "an honest reflection of life" and 2008's 'Deconstruction' was described as "a consistent, inspiring and emotional album." Cross Rhythms recently quizzed this thought provoking songsmith to find out about his life and music.

Justin was born on 1st January 1974 in Oakland, California and grew up in Concord, a suburb of San Francisco. He explained, "I came to faith through the ministry of Young Life and particularly due to the faithful friendship of a Young Life leader. I saw a man whose life was purposeful and whose relationships were rooted in deep meaning... I wanted what he had and he told me that it came with following Jesus. Music has been a part of my life from very early on. Having older neighbourhood kids around meant I was exposed to music like the Police, U2, REM, The Replacements, Tom Petty, etc. Music shaped my worldview long before I knew I had one. So, when I started needing a place to express and examine my world intentionally, music was the primary way I went about that."

McRoberts attended college at St Mary's in Moraga, California after which he spent four years on the staff of outreach organisation Young Life. In 1998 he was signed to Christian record label 5 Minute Walk Records (who had a distribution deal with Warner Bros). His debut album 'Reason For Living' was written primarily about his experiences with Young Life. Justin recalled the album's recording: "I remember the sessions being somewhat rushed, in all honesty. The songs were pretty well set before we went in and we had a quickly approaching deadline. Altogether, I believe we tracked the entire thing in about two weeks. I also remember that "5th Wheel", which turned out to be a fan favourite, was a very late addition. In fact, our studio dates were out and we were going to mix, then I had the song show up on my doorstep and felt like I had to get it on the album."

In 2000 a further 5 Minute Walk album, 'Father', was released. Said Justin, "'Father' was a bit slicker a record than 'Reason'. It was designed to hit radio, which only happened on a limited scale. The style of the album's production stands in some contrast with its content. It is an album mostly about the suicide of my father in May of 1998 and my subsequent journey."

In an earlier interview with Andy Argyrakis Justin spoke about his father's tragic death. "At 56 years of age my dad thought his life was threatened. He was in the threat of losing his job and was worried that he would no longer get to maintain a certain socio-economic level. He found such things to make him feel like a failure and he couldn't take it anymore. His decision was to take his life with a hand gun in his very own backyard. Unfortunately, that's how my dad saw his life - as a failure. In reality, doesn't the crucifixion look like a failure? If he could have just had more faith to see that he wasn't a failure from a Biblical perspective."

Justin was asked how he dealt with the suicide. "Death is something that you don't deal with. It pretty much deals with you. The more I think I about the why's of the situation, the more I get confused and frustrated. The more I just rest and not question it, the more I just trust God. It seems wrong to me as a moral person that God allows something like my father's suicide, but he does and that's his deal. I'm not in a position to be like Adam and question him. I've learned that God is not based on understanding. The more you read his word, the more you will see that and the more you will see God and he will take care of you."

During this time, McRoberts toured nationally with artists such as Five Iron Frenzy, The W's, Caedmon's Call, Jennifer Knapp and others, and made appearances at the Cornerstone Festival. But with 5 Minute Walk/Sara Bellum Records floundering, Justin cut loose and in 2001 released his first independent project, a stripped-down project 'Untitled EP'. Justin remembered it with affection. "That was a blast. Recorded over two nights with a good friend, we literally set up mics and tracked songs we'd been singing in corporate worship times, leaving all the flaws and tweaks. It was a way to push back against the shiny, over-produced 'worship' music that had begun to take over the Christian industry. I felt like (and still do) the slickness of what we call 'worship music' tells a lie about the nature of our relationship with God, one another and with the world; it makes it seems so nice and neat... so conclusive. But it's messy, flawed and often very disappointing. The 'Untitled EP' was a way to tell that part of the story."

Justin's next project was the full length 'Trust' (2002). Aimed primarily at the non-church going crowd, the album touches on the stories of those disenchanted with American Christianity. McRoberts commented at the time, "My hope is to inspire believers to understand those who do not recognise God in their world."

The 2003 album 'Intersections' explored the theme of how intersections in life provide for change. Justin said, "Much of the album's content deals with renewing the way I see the world around me; learning to recognise the eternal value in every moment, every relationship, every song, trying to cut through the utilitarian perspective I am so used to bringing to my everyday."

In 2004 Justin released 'Live At Grove City'. He was asked by Cross Rhythms whether he was a prolific composer. "I would likely fall into that category, yes. I write a lot. Not all of it is very good at all, but it's out of the manure that the flowers grow, right?"

In October 2005, McRoberts released 'Grace Must Wound'. The album deals primarily with the desire for life to be easy, with the album title inspired by the famous quote from renounced author Flannery O'Connor. 'Grace Must Wound' spelt out that pain is essential to a Christian's spiritual journey.

After 'Grace Must Wound' Justin released a yuletide EP, 'Christmas Songs'. The in 2007 the EP 'Amazing Grace' was released. After a rendition of John Newton's classic hymn, Justin followed through with his own "Change" which vividly articulated the leap into faith ("Diving in, even knowing that you cannot swim/You've got to die before your life begins/And underwater learn to breathe").

The following year came the release of the album 'Deconstruction' that many critics, and Justin himself, consider to be his finest work so far. "I think the album is my most complete and cohesive expression. I remember being very clear about the link between the album's concept and the production choices that would draw out that idea. We kept our choices to 'only that which was needed' and tried to keep songs from getting too decorative. It needed to be about the song and not the package the song came in."

At the end of the year a second volume of 'Christmas Songs' was released and a few months later Justin announced to his loyal band of supporters that he was recording a covers album. "The collection will be composed of songs that have shaped my music and my life," he wrote. The resulting 'Through Songs I Was First Undone' featured versions of songs from a diverse bunch of acts including the Rolling Stones, Aimee Mann, Tom Petty and Toad The Wet Sprocket with possibly the most arresting track being McRoberts' smouldering rendition of Nine Inch Nails' "Head Like A Hole". Commented Justin about the project, "I believe the line between sacred and secular is more a product of marketing strategy than wise discernment. I write more about this at my blog (http://www.justinmcroberts.com/blog/2011/02/dangerous-songs/). I wanted to point at places I see the character of God revealed in the world."

The following year Justin made another surprise release with the EP 'Father Revisited' which, as well as a guest appearance from ex-Five Iron Frenzy man Reese Roper contained re-recordings/re-arrangements of four songs originally on 2000's 'Father' album. He said at the time of the EP's release, "May has traditionally been an emotional month for me. This week, in fact, marks 12 years since I lost my father to depression and suicide. Every May since has a surreal quality to it; as if the month should have been retired for all its wear and tear. But this May has a different shade to it than the past 11, as my first child, a son, is due on the 31st. Up to now, what I have known of fatherhood I have only known as a son, a son who lost his father at that. May 2010 represents the end of that era and the beginning one in which I have the privilege of being a father. 'Father Revisited' is available as a way to celebrate this new era and the passing of the last."

Justin is now working on a new project. He commented, "I'm currently working on a followup to the 'Untitled EP'. It's time to say something again about the way we relate with God."

Justin plays between 70 and 100 concerts a year. He commented, "I also do a fair share of speaking and teaching which throws the numbers off a bit."

He and his wife Amy attend the Shelter Covenant Church in Concord, California where Justin is one of the founding pastors. The singer/songwriter said about the church, "We're 12 years old (officially) and I'm still there though I don't take a salary. I speak regularly as well as lead songs. I also have the privilege of directing a lot of our justice initiatives. The Shelter community has been my anchor as a travelling artist. What I sing and say from stage is lived out at home."