One of the U.K.’s most original guitarists, his playing first came to prominence in the Late 80’s with Jah Wobble’s Invaders of the Heart. Brought up the son of a Diplomat in The Middle East, his intuitive style brought together Arabic and African elements with a new wave energy. He co-wrote 3 albums with Wobble including the Mercury Prize-nominated 'Rising Above Bedlam'. When the Invaders of the Heart disbanded,he made an album for Peter Gabriel’s Real World label with Algerian singer Abdel Ali Slimani, co-wrote with Natacha Atlas and recorded and toured with Sinead O’Connor.
With drummer/producer John Reynolds and Classical cellist Caroline Dale he formed Ghostland, making an eponymous album and contributing to Jazmin Dizdar’s movie Beautiful People, set in Bosnia and London.
In the late 90s he met up with kindred spirits Lo’jo from Angers, France, a relationship which led to his producing 3 albums with them. While working with Lo’jo in Bamako, Mali, Justin met Tuareg musicians whose music struck a chord on a deep level. Lo’jo developed the connection which led to a recording trip to the Southern Sahara In late 1999, resulting in Tinariwen’s debut album 'Radio Tisdas Sessions' Justin also played at the first Festival of the Desert on this trip, performing songs from his recently released 'Desert Road' solo album.
Off the back of the 'Desert Road' album he formed the 'Wayward Sheikhs' with longtime associate Salah Dawson Miller and ex- FYC/Beat guitarist Andy Cox. Among more conventional gigs, the Wayward Sheikhs played collaborative concerts with local musicians in Damascus, Syria and Tunis. His evocative guitar style has led to commissions for two feature films: 'Kin', set in the Namibian desert, and more recently 'Deadline Beirut' set in Civil War –torn Lebanon.
In 2004 he recorded and toured with Irish singer Damien Dempsey, as well as playing one-off collaborative concerts with Taj Mahal and Tinariwen, and, in the company of Robert Plant, with Alison Krauss and Los Lobos.
He started to work with Robert Plant in 2001. Together with Robert, Justin performed at the Festival of the Desert 2003, after which they began work with the Strange Sensation on the current album.