To better understand his future, Jason is diving headlong into his past. In moving forward, he is exploring his roots, stripping his music to its most vulnerable core and paying homage to the artists that have touched his life, and the music that has shaped his soul.
“One of the things I've always loved to do is just sit around with an acoustic guitar and sing,” says Miller. “I’m a true believer that if a song doesn't sound good with just a singer and a guitar, then it's probably not a very good song.”
That principle has been at the core of Godhead’s music for years, and it is that same principle that is at the heart of his performances as a solo artist. “I want to present new songs with minimal instrumentation, letting the audience hear them in their purest form,” he states, citing an array of influences so vast, it’s no wonder his songwriting is so profound.
Godhead fans know the influence of Pink Floyd, David Bowie, Robert Smith and Peter Murphy on the band, but as a solo artist, Miller expands his palette to more reverently reflect the songwriters that truly define his roots as a singer, songwriter and performer: Johnny Cash, Bob Dylan, Neil Young, Kris Kristofferson, Fleetwood Mac, Willie Nelson… The inspirations are as vast as the artist they inspired.
“When I was young, my father used to sing me James Taylor songs to help me fall asleep, and growing up I always loved roots rock artists like Neil Young, Fleetwood Mac and Van Morrison,” he says. “If you are a Godhead fan for our hard beats, heavy riffs and industrial programming, you may find my solo material challenging, but that’s okay. If you are a fan of my vocal lines, lyrics and melodies, I think you are going to really enjoy what you hear. Recording without a band is a very big departure for me, but don’t get me wrong, everything you hear is still very much me.”
One wouldn’t be wrong to say that it’s more him, actually. Miller doesn’t abandon the darker tones that mark his material with Godhead, but as a solo artist he strips that darkness to its starkest, most primal essence, exploring the shadowy depths of country, folk, blues and Americana. It is beautiful and barren, humble and honest, naked and exposed, soulful and spirited…
It is the sound of an artist spreading his wings and setting himself free.
It is Jason Charles Miller.
The History…
Jason C. Miller is an accomplished and multi-faceted performer, with more than a decade of professional experience as a musician, songwriter, actor and voice personality.
Miller is most widely recognized as the frontman of the alternative rock band Godhead, the only band ever signed to Marilyn Manson’s Posthuman Records. The band has sold more than 200,000 albums, and toured the world with the likes of Manson, Ozzy Osbourne, Disturbed, Slipknot, Rammstein and Korn frontman Jonathan Davis. Godhead received a gold record for their placement on the Queen of the Damned soundtrack, and Miller has another gold record for the song “The End Has Come,” which he wrote with former Evanescence guitarist Ben Moody for the movie The Punisher.
As a songwriter, Miller wrote the all-star collaboration “Forever In Our Hearts” to benefit victims of the 2004 tsunami in South Asia. Performers on the track included Brian McKnight, Mya, Jacoby Shaddix [Papa Roach], Josh Freese, Nate Dogg and more. In addition to Moody, he has also written with Manson and Jeordie White [Nine Inch Nails/Marilyn Manson].
He has been featured on the pages of international magazines including Rolling Stone, Billboard and Guitar World, and has appeared worldwide on MTV, MTV2, VH1 and Fuse.
On screen, Miller most recently appeared in the Sci-Fi Network movie Battle Planet, and starred in and co-produced the independent short film “Everyday Joe,” which won an Audience Award at the eighth annual Valley Film Fest, in November 2008. Also in 2008, he portrayed Nosferatu in four Comedy Central commercials for Lewis Black’s Root of All Evil stand-up special, and also appeared in Day of the Dead, Steve Miner’s remake of George Romero’s classic zombie film.
As a voice actor, Jason C. Miller can be heard on more than 40 different animated series and video games.
Raised in rural Virginia near Washington D.C., Miller has been singing and acting since the age of five, appearing onstage throughout Maryland, Washington D.C. and Virginia. He attended George Mason University, where he formed the band Godhead and signed his first recording contract, a multi-album deal with Sol 3 Records that offered him his first exposure to international audiences.
The Dotted Line
Jason Charles Miller Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Another week with an empty cup
And we're all just expected to take it and smile
Loyal arms of the rank and file
Well some men will rob you with a knife or a gun
But if you see a man with a pen, you best run
For that is the most evil thing you can find
Just sign on the dotted line
Lawyers and lawmakers were once the rule breakers
Until they just rewrote their books
Behind their closed doors they just changed all the scores
And now we're the ones they call crooks
Well some men will rob you with a gun or a knife
But a man with a pen makes me run for my life
For those are the most vile creatures you'll find
Just sign on the dotted line
Now I'm sitting in prison wondering how it went wrong
I don't own one stitch of nothing, and my love is long gone
Let's just all sing together, till the walls close us in
And we're burned for our made up sins
Well some men will rob you with a knife or a gun
But if you see a man with a pen, you best run
For that is the most evil thing you can find
Just sign on the dotted line
The lyrics of "The Dotted Line" by Jason Charles Miller are centered on the theme of the manipulation and control of people by the powerful elite in society. The opening verse sets the tone for the rest of the song by portraying a sense of financial struggle and helplessness for the common people. The line "Loyal arms of the rank and file" highlights the societal expectation for people to just accept their financial struggles and not question the system that has caused it. The song then tackles the issue of corruption within legal and political systems. The line "Lawyers and lawmakers were once the rule breakers" shows how those in power changed the rules to benefit themselves and label those who opposed them as criminals.
The chorus then warns of the danger of signing legal papers without proper understanding or guidance, as it may lead to disastrous consequences. The last verse serves as a tragic conclusion to the story of the song, highlighting how the corrupt actions of those in power can lead to the destruction of the lives and relationships of the common people. The final message of the song seems to be a call for people to come together in solidarity against oppression and to not be fooled by the empty promises of the powerful elite.
Line by Line Meaning
These days the numbers just aren't adding up
Nowadays, things don't make sense mathematically.
Another week with an empty cup
Another week with nothing left.
And we're all just expected to take it and smile
We're all expected to just deal with it and be happy about it.
Loyal arms of the rank and file
We are all just blindly loyal to those in charge.
Well some men will rob you with a knife or a gun
Some people will steal from you using violence.
But if you see a man with a pen, you best run
But if you see someone with a pen, be even more afraid because signing things can be dangerous.
For that is the most evil thing you can find
Signing things can be incredibly harmful and have lasting effects.
Just sign on the dotted line
Be careful when signing things and make sure you understand the consequences.
Lawyers and lawmakers were once the rule breakers
Those who make the rules were once ones who broke them.
Until they just rewrote their books
They changed the rules to benefit themselves.
Behind their closed doors they just changed all the scores
They manipulated the situation to come out on top.
And now we're the ones they call crooks
Now they're accusing us of being criminals.
Now I'm sitting in prison wondering how it went wrong
Now I'm in jail, unsure how I ended up here after following the rules.
I don't own one stitch of nothing, and my love is long gone
I have nothing left, including the person I loved.
Let's just all sing together, till the walls close us in
Let's stick together until the end.
And we're burned for our made up sins
But in the end, we may still be punished unfairly for things we didn't do.
For those are the most vile creatures you'll find
People who manipulate and use their pens to deceive are the worst.
Writer(s): Jason Charles Miller
Contributed by Lincoln Y. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@MistressOfTheMind
A little too country for me, but shows your incredible talent and versatility, which I greatly admire and appreciate. I adore you, Jason! :-D
@rubyirene2500
My new favorite song!
@MrsKman1967
Just found this! I'm IMPRESSED!! Keep it up! Awesome Sir!!
@JasonCharlesMiller
Mrs Kman Thank you very much for the support!
@MrsKman1967
Jason Charles Miller
You are very Welcome Sir!! Just as Sexy too!! Sorry, I had to tell you that Forgive me!!
@MysticRick
Awesome as usual Jason. I don't listen to country much anymore, but I love listening to your style. Found you through Felicia, but you've got a dedicated fan now!
@sabella69
I can appreciate EVERYTHING about this song. Everything. Well done.
@cjgonzilla7676
I love it!!! Jason is such an amazing musician!!!!!
@nails97
Can't wait till I add this album and T-shirt to my others of yours!!!! Stay you,stay true!!! You're AWESOME! NY Love Sandie Lee
@nails97
BRILLIANT!!!!!!! This song is so dead on! You are an AMAZING artist and I can't get enough or tell you that enough! Thanks for sharing with all of us. NY Love Sandie