Interview With Josh Rosenthal

I have been blessed with many good friendships over the years. A surprising number of these good friends include people named Josh. Josh Holder, Josh Shetter, Josh Hamilton (ok I don't really know Josh Hamilton). Among this list is Lubbock born singer/songwriter Josh Rosenthal. Josh is based out of Salt Lake City, Utah. Josh is a great musician, clog dancer, and friend.

He recently asked me to send him a short list of questions answer for a series of interviews he is posting on his blog. I have the interview listed below, or you can follow the link to his blog to read it there with his picture waving above it.

From: http://joshrosenthal.net/2009/07/01/interview-3-with-jeff-howard/ 

Of all the people I stay in touch with regularly, Jeff Howard (and maybe Zak) have been in the picture the longest.  Jeff has done a lot to give me hope as a performing songwriter/entertainer/blah blah blah.  When he lived in Richardson, Texas he let me play for the youth group of which was in charge.  Now he’s in Denver doing what he does best at New Life Evangelical Free Church.  At my request, Jeff sent over a few questions.
Who/what are your biggest influences when it comes to songwriting? Also, be sure to use the words “banana”, “marsupial”, and “license plate” in your answer.
My number one influence is a group named “March of the Marsupials”.  They were a group of program guys at a Young Life camp I played at in Colorado.  Ghoti Hook’s album “Banana Man” also changed my life in a really anticlimactic way.  I considered getting a vanity license plate that said GO T HOOK.  It was that good.
My other influences are Paul Simon, John Mayer, Grey’s Anatomy, So You Think You Can Dance, Salt Lake City sunsets, interaction between generations.
You have had a series of songs that you played live for awhile that never made it to a recording such as “prize fighter” and “trip the light fantastic”, what was your reason for abandoning these songs or will they end up on another recording in the future?

I can’t believe you remember those songs.  I vaguely remember “trip the light fantastic” but “prize fighter” is buried too deep.  When a song doesn’t resonate with me, I figure it doesn’t resonate with anybody so I get rid of it.  If I can’t believe what I’m singing, how can you?  If people are not identifying with my lyrics, then most likely I’ll never hear or see them again.  I think those songs never really attached themselves to my overarching message.
What was the worst date that you have ever been on?

The time you, Zak White and I watched Spice World.  Your mom walked in and really made it awkward for everyone involved.
When we were younger we got together and watched “Spice World” at my house, are you proud of this or are you embarrassed that I brought it up?

Proud/embarrassed.  Proud that I’ve seen a movie that so heavily influenced our culture and my decision-making abilities.  Embarrassed that I had to watch it with you.
There has been a slight backlash to your song “Gotta Get Out” from people in Lubbock. Do you think the backlash was a lack of understanding of the song or jealousy because you got out and they are still there?

Steering clear of that one.
Speaking of Lubbock, which is known for it’s fine eating establishments, what is your favorite restaurant in Lubbock?

I miss Rosa’s most of all.  There’s nothing Tex-Mex in Salt Lake City.  Too bad.
You have a reputation for being a brutally honest songwriter, do you ever feel the temptation to write songs that are not based on truth or your experiences?

Yeah.  Those songs usually don’t last very long.  Like the one’s above, they hinged more on a cool lyric than on a universal emotion or struggle.  Honest songs are the best because more than likely I’m not alone in my struggle.  A lot of people can identify with the way I hurt or the way I celebrate.
What is the best song ever and why?

Good question.  To answer that, I’ll consult iTunes to see the long I’ve listened to the most…
…Looks like it’s “Restless” by Alison Krauss.  26 times in the past few months.  I’ve put that song on repeat because I love the melody and background vocals.  Bigger than that, I love the concept of restlessness.  We all feel it, but only Alison Krauss can sing about it like that.

Thanks for reading the interview and be sure to check out Josh's new albums which will be released periodically throughout the year!

Garage Sale & Vacations

We finished the Garage Sale on the 12 & 13th and it was a huge success. We made a little over $5000 dollars.

Then I skipped town and went camping to recover some, it was a much needed trip and now I feel ready to jump back in and start moving through the summer.

It is amazing what a few days in the mountains with your wife can do for you when you need a little break from the day to day.

I promise my next blog will have something to offer besides a recap of my "doings".

Garage Sale.

I am in the middle of a large garage sale at my church to raise money for the high school ministry.

It is not the biggest that i have been a part of, but still crazy.

It starts tomorrow.

 

These were taken on Wed., we have a lot more stuff than this now.

Ridiculous.

SPLASH!

I have just recently started a new series with my students at CREW. On Tuesdays nights we are going through a serires called Splash, and we are discussing what the students can do to make a splash in their worlds.

I am hoping to take a few weeks to discuss what makes us as Christians different from the rest of the world, and how we can use those differences in a way that expresses love and grace and judgementalism or legalism.

So far we have discussed the Resurrection (kind of our Easter thing) and then next week we are talking about having a New Master and no long being a slave to sin but a slave to righteousness.

I plan on having a week where we discuss the gospel and how that is tied into the Great Commission as well as a week that is devoted to helping the students develop what their testimony is and how to tell it to others.

Through the course of studying for this series it has filled me with a sense of urgency in how I approach those around me in regards to how I live out my faith. I am hoping that this series will build on the idea that we are to live lives that are constantly "on mission".

If any of you have some stories of what it has looked like in your life to live "on mission" I would love to hear them. I am hoping to be able to share some stories of other Christians who are sharing their faith with those that they come in contact with.

92.93

On my ESPN bracket I was in the 92.93% for the country. Not too bad, however I was still ranked in the 300,000s in the country.

There are a lot of people that use ESPN for their bracket.

I was boosted since I chose UNC to win it all. Way to go Tar Heels.

30:30

Right now I am sitting in a coffee shop waiting for Aaron (the Denver Seminary student I mentor) to show up. I have been working on a book(let) that I am writing for the students in CREW. It is basically a 30 day challenge to spend 30 minutes a day with God.

The book will take the students through then entire gospel of John during these 30 days along with some suggested topics of prayer and some interpersonal questions for the students to think about. I am personally really excited about this challenge and I am praying that we will have many students partake in this. It is my home that this 30 day challenge will be something that will be habit forming (like cigarettes, but in a way that doesn't cause cancer).

If you have any desire to look at this book when I am done with it and possible use it with your group let me know.

It has been challenging for me in how I view Jesus as well as his ministry.

Hopefully the students that do this will end up with a relationship with Jesus that is deeper than ever. That they will grow to trust a Jesus that is not a white, republican, gay-bashing version that is paraded around far too often but rather be challenged by the Jesus that is fully God and fully man who changed teh course of history for his father's glory.

Work & Rest

It seems to me that a lot of the blogs and articles I read about ministry or theology seem to telling us that we have to be working 24/7 in order to make a difference. That if we were to take any time for ourselves that we are sinning or worse being unproductive.

It makes me wonder what these people think of the sabbath.

It makes me wonder what these people would say when it has been proven that those people who take one day off a week to refresh are actually more productive than those who do not.

Taking time to refresh is a crucial part of ministry, if we do not have a day to relax, go hiking, spend time with family, watch a movie, or nap then we are going to burn out, plain and simple.

I have also gotten the impression from some of these writers that if we are not working then we are worthless. I worry about this approach a great deal because Christianity is a relationship with Christ, a relationship that we do not deserve, a relationship that we can never earn. But that is not what is being communicated. We are communicating that if people don't work their butts off everyday then they are not worthy, they are wasting our time. This is fo far from the idea of Christianity and grace.

I think we should all strive to be more productive, to work harder, to do our best, but I do not think that translates into working more often, just smarter.

Let's be careful that the quality of work we do represents Christ, but lets also make sure that the way we work represents Christ. Not the idea that we have to earn something, but the idea we have been given something we can never earn.