???There's no road that ain't a hard road to travel on.
???No one is more familiar with this notion than Canadian rocker Sam Roberts. Struggling for years to get by while trying to live out his passion for music, Roberts is no stranger to the sacrifices that must be made in order to follow your aspirations.
???But his unwavering determination to break out on to the music scene has led to success. The musician is already a staple on the airwaves up north and, with the recent US release of his third full length album Love At The End Of The World, Roberts is finally getting some much deserved attention in the United States.
???"[Touring in the states is] getting better by far," Roberts said. "The last time we played in Portland, Maine, for example, there were five people there and this time the room was packed. We're playing smaller venues but the people are coming out and they're responsive, and there seems to be a gathering of momentum. I don't know what to attribute that to.
???"Maybe it's the fact that we could've packed it in a long time ago and just stayed north of the border and have our career center on Canadian fans alone, but we didn't."
???That option never took hold of Roberts's mind.
???It was after a particularly disastrous performance with his band in high school that Roberts realized that being a musician "was a possibility and not just some sort of far-fetched kid's dream."
???He soon discovered, however, that the music business is one of the toughest around. Many times, Roberts found himself very close to giving up.
???"I can't count how many times I thought, 'Well, this is it. I can't spend my life chasing this thing,'" Roberts said. "It's hard to make something happen for yourself out of nothing."
???The tribulations that came from the constant battle of trying to make it in the business, such as having to borrow money from his brother for bus fare, only strengthened Roberts, and he finally saw his dream become reality with We Were Born In A Flame, his first major release to hit stores.
???"Brother Down," the album's single, which quickly became Canada's song of the summer, isn't lighthearted in nature. Within the infectious melody, the lyrics reflect a serious topic that Roberts speaks and feels very passionately about: our way of life.
???Though not intentionally trying to package songs with a social or political ideology, Roberts's intentions are for listeners to take away a strong message from his lyrics.
???"It's more about the way humans treat other humans," Roberts said. "That to me is the root of so many of the problems that we face, political and otherwise. Even the economic crisis of today; so much of it comes from people taking advantage of other people.
???"That's what 'Brother Down' is about. It's about the way we allow ourselves to abuse each other for our own gain."
???Roberts continues this train of thought on his latest album.
???"Our instincts as humans seem to be divided into two extremes," Roberts said. "On the one hand, we have this tendency toward self-destructiveness. And anywhere from war to raping the planet that we live on, we do it all for our own gain and each time we do that it pushes us a little bit closer to the brink, to the end.
???"And on the other hand, we have this amazing and inspiring capacity to love and to be selfless and to sacrifice for the greater good instead of our own. As we push ourselves closer to the brink of destruction, the saving grace [that] exists in all of us pulls us back. So that to me is why the record's not just called 'The End Of The World.' There's always hope."
???On the first single off the album, "Them Kids," Roberts appears to offer up a less-than- hopeful view of the modern music scene, citing a disappearance of rock 'n' roll. But, he insists the song is more about accepting the ever-changing cycle of music.
???"This song is not so much a pointing-your-finger condemnation," Roberts said. "There's always change occurring in music, and it's always difficult to accept that change. [But] as a musician you have to do that. It's always a little jarring at first, but then eventually you come around to see what [music is] trying to say and how it reflects the lives of people today."
???It's these kind of thoughts combined with his ability as a songwriter that gives Sam Roberts a continuously increasing fan base. And though the crowds may be smaller here than in Canada, Roberts greets all shows with an appreciative enthusiasm for every fan in attendance.
???"If you're playing in front of 3,000 people or 150 people, there's always that expectation for a good show," Roberts said. "We still feel that same excitement for both.
???"We all worked hard to get where we are and it took a long time, and that brought us into contact with people from all walks of life. And I think we still feel that connection. They gave us what we have. We owe this to the people out there; we can't do it on our own. So the least you can do is to give back a little bit of yourself off the stage, to send people home with a good memory, and I think that comes from just being appreciative of the journey that we've taken to get here."
???A gifted lyricist and musician and a model for the success that a lot of hard work and determination can bring, Sam Roberts is truly one of the great talents of our generation.
???While the future may be bleak, Roberts tries to convey that there's still love at the end of the world.
Photo: Courtesy of Laron Fomby
