Over Ashes Begins Again
07-17-2007
by Kevan Breitinger

On the eve of Over Ashes’ debut release, guitarist/vocalist Justin David gave up some time to share wisdom gained through the changes of the past few years, and tell how it shows up on Begin Again.

 

CMCentral (Kevan Breitinger): Hey, Justin, how you doing?

Justin David, Over Ashes Frontman: I’m great, thanks.

So you want to tell me a little bit about the journey from Cross Culture to Over Ashes?

Sure. We had good success with Cross Culture, and at the end of 2006, we were finishing up on a couple of tours when we had a parting of the ways with our drummer. He had some family things, and decided he didn’t want to be on the road that much anymore. So we reached out to Denver , our current drummer and a friend of mine from a side band. He came out on tour with us, and we went back into the studio on the first of January. Our sound kind of changed, because we were down a couple of original members from Cross Culture. We just decided to go a different direction, and what came out was a lot more straightforward rock. We loved the sound and so we decided to just let it evolve.

You know, being on the road isn’t easy. Dan, our Cross Culture guitarist, had just had a kid, so he wanted to be there for his family.

Yeah, change is hard.

Yeah, it is. So we just kind of evolved. We ran into Gardy, our bass player from Houston, who moved to Nashville to be a part of things, and things have been going really well.

I spent some time listening to the album, and you guys sound tight, like you’ve been together for a long time. What’s different about your hopes and dreams for this album, anything?

No, I think the general mission is the same. Lyrically, it’s in a bit of a different direction. I’ve gone through so much with the parting from our last record label, which kind of dissolved right after we left. We’ve made some great friends with other bands, but at the same time we went through the struggles of still being out there touring. You really get to know yourself and know what your ministry focus is when you go through things that kind of shake you a little bit. The thing I always latch onto is that no matter how bad I screw up, or things don’t go the way that I planned, that God still has a mission of hope.

That’s really what the lyrical direction of this record is. It’s kind of melded what my hopes and dreams for Cross Culture were with a fresher outlook, and maybe a new sincerity and a new passion for the ultimate goal, which is that hope in the midst of failure. I want our music to reach out to the kids that aren’t necessarily the popular ones that have it made, the kids like me that kind of have that outcast mentality, in homes that were torn apart when they were young, that have gone through some major issues in their lives. If it works for me, if God has enough Grace for me, then it can work for them. So that’s the big push that I definitely strive for in our music and our ministry.

Do you do most of the writing, Justin?

Yeah, I co-wrote about five of the songs on the record with the production team. I had a lot of initial contacts that we kind of chewed through and refined. Our previous guitarist Dan and I had worked a lot on the prep work for some of the songs that we brought into the studio. It’s been a compilation, but I’m the one singing the songs, so a lot of it is drawn from my personal experiences.

Is “Annual Father” one of your songs?

Yes, my parents got divorced at an early age, and I didn’t really have a great relationship with my dad growing up. Although I can say now that for the past five years it’s been getting stronger and stronger. My dad got remarried, and has really grown up in his own right. I now have two half brothers that I absolutely love. The family ties and the hope in that is another story of how God comes around, even where there’s a lot of hurt and pain.

I wanted love from my dad growing up and I didn’t get it. When I was 18, kind of bitter and estranged, I wrote my dad a letter and just kind of gave up. That was a hard time in my life, it took me a couple of years to turn around and forgive, and let the relationship blossom. But now my wife and I are actually going away to California over the Thanksgiving holiday with my dad and step-mom and two brothers. It just shows what God can do to heal relationships.

Absolutely. I guess it’s your heart for the outcast kids that enabled you to be so honest and open in that song.

I have such a heart for those people who maybe aren’t socially involved. Those people need someone who will fight on their behalf or reach out, and I see it so much when we play shows and festivals. I love interacting with those kids that nobody ever talks to, and trying to pick their brain and share with them some of my life story

Not to say that that’s who I seek out, but it’s where my heart is. My heart is with the people who are a little bit shy or might feel alienated, and don’t feel comfortable to just walk up and be ‘normal’ around you. So on stage and off stage we try to be very interactive and not get our heads too big. Even though we might be up there playing music, ten years ago I was in their exact same spot. So we want to be examples to them not only of where their dreams can take them, but also of God’s love. Everybody in the band right now is really on point with that. Denver is absolutely loving the opportunity to talk with kids, and Gardy is the young guy, he’s only 21, kind of growing up through this whole process. But he’s meeting a lot of people and loving the opportunity to speak into people’s lives.

Wow, I love to hear artists who have this kind of perspective, I know God will really use you. A theme that came across to me really strong on the album is perseverance, a message that those young listeners really need to hear. What lifts you up and helps you to persevere when you’re weary and dragging?

Well, I’m 26 years old, I’ve been married for two years, and God really knew what I needed. I tell all my friends who are waiting on a godly man or woman in their lives, you gotta chase after God, and He’ll bring whatever you need into your life. My wife is totally the balance for me. When I’m down and need an encouraging word, she’s the one that lifts me and puts things in perspective. Now I’ve got people around me who push me and help grow me in the areas where I need help, and I feel I’ve come so far.

But more so than the people around me, is taking that time alone with God. There’s nothing more peaceful and calming. Even if I don’t necessarily walk away with a definite answer, I love just sitting there knowing that God is God. It’s having His peace come upon you, letting go and trusting Him to take all your cares and make it into something that is ultimately gonna be His will.

Justin, it sounds like you wrung a lot of wisdom out of the past years of hard times.

 
There’s no other way to survive (laughing).

Right, if you gotta go through it anyway, you might as well see it work for good (laughing).

Yeah, you gotta trust God to be in charge of it all. Every time I try to steer things and make it go my way, I only get fearful and worried, and want to throw things out the window. I realize that I’m making things worse, that God’s plans aren’t changing.

Well, your faith comes across strong on the album and in this interview, and I love hearing it. Thanks so much for your time, Justin, I really enjoyed talking with you.

 Well, I appreciate it, thanks so much for calling.