Recently, COMAs own Adam Burton had the oportunity to sit down with Jason Miller, vocalist of gODHEAD before his show in Saint Petersburg, Florida.

Interview written, conducted and transcribed by Adam Burton, photographed by j. ward

[COMA] Has there been anything in particular that has inspired your most recent album The Shadow Line?

[Jason Miller] Yeah, the whole album is sort of inspired by a combination of life experiences and social commentary. That’s usually my area lyrically of writing. That’s where I tend to fit, inspired by things that have affected me, usually in a negative way, and either invoking those memories, writing them down on paper or bringing out the feelings that I have about certain social issues.

[COMA] What do you feel has been your biggest personal sacrifice in getting where you are today?

[Jason Miller] Probably friendships and relationships in general because when your traveling all the time its hard to maintain decent relationships with people. Be it friends or romantic relationships, I tends to sort of separate high maintenance people form the low maintenance people you know, cause I have friends and maybe I won't have talked with them for six months, but then when I see them again its right where we left off. I have other friends that try to demand more of my time they tend not to be my friend too long cause there’s not a whole lot of time I can give. You have to really separate out separate your time and spend it wisely.

[COMA] Now that your looking back on things is there something you wish you could have done differently in getting were you are today?

[Jason Miller] yeah, I mean, I feel we’ve made a couple of business mistakes, I mean at the time they all seemed good so it was kind of... hind sight is twenty twenty. But you know, I’m happy where I am right now so I don’t really have any regrets. You have to stand by the decisions you make you can't blame other people for it. Ultimately they're your decisions so you have to stand by that.

[COMA] Is there any kind of particular message you're trying to get out to your fans with your music?

[Jason Miller] I want people to realize that their not alone. I get a lot of email from people that tend to say things like, “your music helped me through a hard time.” “though this relationship or through this hardship that I had.” So when I get mail like that its really encouraging and makes me feel like I'm doing the right thing. That I'm going down the right path and trying to help people. I want people to feel camaraderie in the lyrics and know that their not alone and that they can take solace in music. That’s a great thing.

[COMA] Yeah, I know you said that in another interview with someone else that you like to keep your songs more general so your fans can really relate to them.

[Jason Miller] Yeah, I don’t do it on purpose per say, but I tend to just write rather ambiguously for the most part rather than something very specific. That way, it can be applied several different ways and it can be more personal for the listener.

[COMA] And also, with that question, when your shooting your videos do you feel it takes more away from that?

[Jason Miller] Yeah, it does. Trapped in your lies can be more applied to a relationship, but when we filmed the video we ended up making it very political, but when you do videos you gotta choose a direction.

[COMA] How did your families feel about your musical career before you were signed? And now?

[Jason Miller] My dad was a lot more skeptical then my mom. My mom was always really supportive. My dad was more supportive once we got signed, it just took him more time to see it. I was really happy like when I got a gold record for the Queen of the Damned soundtrack and a gold record for The Punisher sound track but that’s something tangible that everyone can understand. When I gave him those it was a good turning point for his support, not that he didn’t support me before that, but you know it was something tangible that he could see.

[COMA] How did you guys end up getting on like The Punisher soundtrack and all that?

[Jason Miller] It's all politics. It's all if the music supervisor for that particular movie likes your band or not or if that song is going to fit in a certain scene and all that.

[COMA] Is there any other career choice you would have made besides music?

[Jason Miller] Yeah, I was majoring in history in college, so I probably would have been a history teacher or a historian or something. Now, I basically have three careers since I own a recording studio and I also do a lot of acting in Hollywood.

[COMA] Yeah, I was reading that you had started doing voice overs.

[Jason Miller] Yeah, I do alot of that on the side as well. I guess I have other outlets besides music that can entertain people and what not.

[COMA] What do you feel has really been your biggest challenge to overcome?

[Jason Miller] When you go through those phases of low moral with the band. I mean, it can be a challenging time when there’s uncertainty about your future with you career. When you future doesn’t seem so clear its hard to keep everything together.

[COMA] Is there anything you think your band hasn’t really been able to make it through before?

[Jason Miller] I mean, nothing that’s been put in front of us have we not been able to make it through. I think one thing that we would certainly like to have is a hit record which we never really had. We’ve sold just enough records to put out another one but we’ve never really had that break out hit. I think everyone, when they get to a certain point in their career, would like to experience that.

[COMA] From all the tours you have done, what is your most memorable moment?

[Jason Miller] My most memorable moment is from playing at London's Docklands Arena and looking out and not being able to see the end of the people.

[COMA] What's the biggest difference between touring over in Europe and touring in the States?

[Jason Miller] It seems as if the European crowds are more appreciative because music doesn’t come through there as much as it does here.

[COMA] Do you like touring over there better then touring here?

[Jason Miller] I like touring here better because there, you're in a different country just about every day. There is a different language just about everyday, which can be exciting and adventurous and all that, but you never really get enough time to see anything. I've been to Paris but I've never been outside of the tour bus and the venue. I've seen the venue the tour bus and that's it. You know, that can be kind of frustrating, going to all these great cities and then going “oh, I'm going to London, Paris and Barcelona.” Well yeah, I'm going there but then I'm leaving that night so i don't really get to see or do anything. The same goes in the states. So in that sense, you're in a bubble in both places. I'd rather be in a bubble in the US cause at least my cell phone is gonna work.

[COMA] i bet its frustrating going over there and being able to go out and see the sights and stuff.

[Jason Miller] It can be. When you have a day off you tend to really just check everything out.

[COMA] How did you guys all end up meeting?

[Jason Miller] I met Ulrich at a club in DC and when I met Mike, he was actually a guitar tech for another band. Glen's our newest member so we found out about him in audition.

[COMA] How's he working out for you guys so far?

[Jason Miller] Great, great. You know, he's like our seventh drummer or something. It's very Spinal Tap. We just go through drummers like crazy, but he's really really good so he can definitely help the whole song and the whole show to have a really good drummer like him.

[COMA] How did you get into singing?

[Jason Miller] Ever since i was like, 5 I've been singing in front of people, so its just something that's been in my blood my whole life. I've been a performer in some capacity since kindergarten. [laughter] Like community theatre and stuff like that. I don't know, somewhere early on i decided to sing and I just went with it.

[COMA] Is there anywhere you would like to go with gODHEAD lyrically or musically you haven't been able to go yet?

[Jason Miller] No, I feel like I have a lot of freedoms to do what i want lyrically and musically, so i don't feel like the band is holding me back creatively in anyway. I mean, I always want to see where we're going to go next, but there's nothing that we've done that I've been like, i wish i could do that a little bit more. It's certainly just compromising among all of us but i enjoy the collaborations between us cause thats really what makes the band what it is.

[COMA] Of all the songs you guys have recorded to date, are there any you wish you could have redone or done a different way?

[Jason Miller] Anytime I go back and listen to our old records I always want to redo the whole thing.

[laughter]

[COMA] Do you guys have any special plans coming up in the future?

[Jason Miller] Well, we're going to be touring again with the album that just came out. I'm sure we'll be back again. We're really just concentrating on touring a lot with this record, going to Canada and going to Europe and Japan.

[COMA] Have you guys been to japan before?

[Jason Miller] No.

[COMA] Well that should defiantly be an experience. What has been your guys longest amount of time on tour so far?

[Jason Miller] I think five months without a break.

[COMA] Of all the musical memories you have from when you were a kid, what kind of music did your parent play?

[Jason Miller] They actually gave me Beatles and Stones records early on when I was a kid, so I appreciate that. It's what kinda got me into rock and roll, my parents were really into the Beatles.

[COMA] I know you guys did a cover of Eleanor Rigby, is that where you got that from?

[Jason Miller] No, that was actually our bass players idea. I was against it cause i felt like, you really don't cover The Beatles. They're sort of sacred, but then he played me the arrangement and i thought it was pretty cool and just went with it.

[COMA] Well, that's about all the questions we have for you. Thank you very much.

gODHEAD's new albumn "The Shadow Line" is available now.
Visit gODHEAD's official website at godhead.com

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