JASON CHARLES MILLER – AN IN-DEPTH INTERVIEW

By Ralph Beauchamp

Jason Charles Miller is a man of many distinctions. He started his musical career as the lead singer and frontman of the industrial metal band Godhead. With Godhead, he played the Ozzfest and toured the world with such acts as Rammstein and Disturbed. In present time, Miller has focused on different audience. He currently is an accomplished singer/songwriter who have leaped across many genres including Americana, southern rock and blues in order to create something totally original and authentic. Miller will be releasing his new album on 8/16 entitled Knives In The Dark via One Opportunity Records. Speaking about the new full length:

“This is the first album I’ve written where my only goal was to write the best songs I can, and not worry about where they might be categorized,” says Miller. “By not going out of my way to write for a specific genre, I’ve made what is, hands down, the best – and most representative – album of my career.”

Knives will be Miller’s fifth full-length solo album, alongside multiple EPs and singles and a host of high-profile soundtrack and theme music work for shows and games including ‘Critical Role,’ ‘Metal Gear Rising,’ ‘Cyberpunk 2077,’ ‘Legends of the Multiverse’ and AEW professional wrestler Brandon Cutler. He also will be on tour later this month in support of Steel Panther.

Miller was kind enough to sit with AMP to discuss his musical journey through life.

AMP: What first got you into being a musician?

MILLER: Apparently I used to sing around the house a lot when I was a kid. I remember I was on a train with my dad when I was around 4-5 and there was an entertainment car in the back. There was a guy playing acoustic guitar and a mic. He was singing and getting no response. He then asked if anyone else wanted to come up and sing. Not understanding sarcasm since I was young, I volunteered. I sang “Take Me Home, Country Road” and allegedly brought down the house. So at that early age, I already understood how powerful and exciting music could be. That gave me the bug and I never looked back.

AMP: Who are some of your early inspirations?

MILLER: My first records were by John Denver and The Beatles. I grew up in rural Virginia, kind of out in the woods. So, I could only listen to what I was exposed to and what I heard on the local radio stations. From there, my heroes became artists like Led Zeppelin and Black Sabbath. Also, being from Virginia, I listened to a lot of country music like Merle Haggard, Johnny Cash and Willie Nelson. And you can’t forget Kiss. They were another big influence. So, you can see my inspirations are quite eclectic.

AMP: You were the frontman of the industrial ensemble Godhead. How was that experience for you?

MILLER: It was life changing. We toured the world on every level possible. From crappy vans to fancy RVs and buses. During festival season, we flew into the venues. We played Ozzfest and supported Marilyn Manson and Slipknot. It was an amazing time to be in a band. It definitely shaped everything that came afterwards.

AMP: As a solo artist, your music spans many genres and motifs. How would you describe your sound?

MILLER: I usually say southern rock or rock in order to keep it as simple as possible. I am inspired by a lot of southern rock pioneers. Blues is another of my favorite genres but I try to put my own stamp on both styles of music. Sometimes I say dark southern rock or goth southern. Honestly, I don’t even know. I sometimes rely on other people’s perception of me. Americana is another motif I get associated with. The thing is I really believe I don’t fit into any of these categories.

AMP: You recently signed with One Opportunity Records. How did that happen?

MILLER: It happened by accident. I was on tour with Faster Pussycat last November. The owners of the label came to visit one of their guitar players. They got there early enough to see my set. I didn’t know I was showcasing for anybody, I was just playing my gig. That sparked them to sign me. Actually it took awhile because I was still under contract with another label.

I really like One Opportunity’s attitude and how they look at the music industry. They are really like patrons of the arts. It’s so important to have a label that truly cares about promoting art as opposed to only looking at the bottom line. I’m sure they want to be profitable but they simply only promote the artists they like. It is a breath of fresh air.

AMP: Speaking of your new album, Knives In The Dark drops on 8/16. Can you give us a little insight into the releases?

MILLER: It’s a tale of two times. I recorded four of the songs in February of 2020. Right afterwards, I wanted to go on tour but everything froze because of Covid. I was sitting on those songs till I could complete the record therefore during the pandemic I just put out a couple of albums of left over tracks. I knew if I released an album of new material, it wouldn’t get the proper promotion. So I was holding onto the songs I really believed in. During that time I wrote a bunch more tunes and ended up recording six of those.

Actually, Knives In The Dark is a J R Tolkien inspired project. There is a chapter in the ‘Fellowship of the Ring’ entitled “Knife In The Dark” and I mused about it for a bit. So the title track on the album is about being pursued by your sins. The evils you have commited will come back and stab you in the back. Without you realizing it, your misdeeds will catch up to you sooner or later.

“The Enemy” is a about a friend or romance that you discover along the way has manipulated you. Eventually you see them or it as the enemy. “Digging In The Dust” concerns a relationship that has gone terribly wrong and then it gets even more complicated. It’s trying to revive a love affair from the dead but its already too late. Those are just a few insights. The rest is up to the listener.

AMP: You’ve collaborated with some high calibre artists. Is there one artist, past or present, you would love to work with and why?

MILLER: I think David Bowie would be great. I came close because I collaborated with his long time guitarist, Reeves Gabrels, who is currently in The Cure. Thoughts of a more current choice would be the guys from 49 Winchester. I’m a huge fan. It would be great to be in the studio with Blackberry Smoke. I did work with Charlie Starr.

People always ask me who was my favorite artist to work with and I always answer Billy Ray Cyrus. He was both fun and inspiring. In 2016, I co-produced one of his albums. He has so much charisma. You can see why he is such a superstar. When he is in a room with you, he emboldens you to do your absolute best. He has this undefinable energy about him. If I ever had a chance to work with him again, I totally would.

AMP: Is there an album you wish you had written?

MILLER: Probably Pink Floyd’s Dark Side Of The Moon. Going back to the collaboration question. Ronnie James Dio would have been amazing to hook up with. I performed at his cancer fundraiser the last two years. Also the documentary on his life, “Dreamers Never Die”, is truly amazing. It’s probably the greatest music doc. I’ve ever seen.

AMP: What’s next for Jason Charles Miller?

MILLER: I have a pretty wild couple of months coming up. I’ve had the good fortune of singing on a lot of video games soundtracks. There’s a game out called Final Fantasy XIV which is one of the most, if not the most, subscribed games in the world. I sang three songs on the soundtrack. Since it’s a multi-player game, it has a massive audience. Earlier in the year I got to sing at the Tokyo Dome. The creators sponsor these huge soundtrack concerts.

So, in about two weeks, I’ll be in China for four FF XIV concerts with a full orchestra. I’m back home for two weeks and my albums drops. Then I’m on the road for a month with Steel Panther. After another three days back home, I’m off to Japan to do two more soundtrack concerts. Two more weeks home and then off to South Korea. Just a little bit busy!

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