Taking in musical influences that include rock, Americana, country and even metal, Jason Charles Miller’s Cards On The Table album came out earlier this year on Golden Robot Records, and now he’s brought out his cover of the Iron Maiden classic. ‘Wasted Years’.
Miller’s cover infuses the legendary anthem with an acoustic charm and a touch of country twang, offering a fresh perspective on a beloved rock hit.
The song’s acoustic reimagining showcases Miller’s exceptional vocal talent and his unique musical sensibilities. By adding a dash of authentic country flavour while staying true to the song’s rock roots, Miller crafts a captivating and emotionally charged rendition that pays homage to the original while carving out its own niche.
“‘Wasted Years’ is one of the most profound songs ever written about life on the road as a musician,” said Miller. “The lyrics have always touched me deeply, and I wanted to put my own spin on the loneliness one feels when listening to them. We shot the entire video in one shot, which takes an incredible amount of planning. Luckily director Andrew Fogel and our amazing steady cam operator, Allen Chen are experts in their craft! We put a few easter eggs on the walls, too. See if you can spot them!”
A showcase of his ability to blend genres effortlessly and deliver a fresh perspective on a classic. The track also boasts an exceptional ensemble of musicians, including Paul Cartwright, whose masterful violin and viola skills, along with his string arrangement, bring an exquisite layer of depth to the song, while Cameron Stone, renowned for his iconic cello solo in the Game Of Thrones theme song, contributes his unparalleled talent on the cello.
The music video, directed seamlessly in a single take by Andrew Fogel, promises a visually captivating experience that complements the song’s profound emotional depth.
Additionally, the single artwork offers his personal reinterpretation of Iron Maiden‘s iconic “Wasted Years” artwork, adding a unique and personal touch to this exceptional release.
You can stream/buy the single here and check out the video here at RAMzine.
Regarding Cards On The Table, thought-provoking, contemplative lyrics are said to be interspersed throughout the album, alongside “monster riffs, unforgettable melodies, and chilling harmonies”, as well as featuring performers Kenny Aronoff, Austin Hanks, Duane Betts, Eban Schletter, Paul Cartwright, and Cameron Stone.
An accomplished performer with more than two decades of professional experience as a singer, songwriter, producer and voice actor, Jason Charles Miller has quietly established himself as a veteran presence in Americana, country and southern rock.
As a solo artist he’s performed alongside and opened for country and rock greats including Billy Ray Cyrus, Alan Jackson, Eric Church, Toby Keith, Ashley McBryde, Allman Betts Band, .38 Special, Night Ranger, Gary Allan, Justin Moore, Big Kenny of Big And Rich and Jerrod Niemann.
In 2019, Miller was lead vocalist on the Billboard chart-topping theme song for the Final Fantasy XIV: Shadowbringers video game. He has also contributed two songs to the Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance soundtrack, three songs to the highest selling video game of 2020, Cyberpunk 2077 and has even sung backup for Robert Smith of The Cure on the Reeves Gabrels/Robert Smith track ‘Yesterday’s Gone’.
He is also the on-camera host of the Webby award-nominated show Starter Kit on Geek & Sundry, teaching celebrities how to play tabletop role playing games. He also appears as a host and on-air personality on streaming channels including Dungeons & Dragons, Nerdist, Hyper RPG, The Young Turks and College Humor. Plus, he’s the co-host of Bardic Inspiration, a weekly D&D song writing show sponsored by Idle Champions of the Forgotten Realms on the CNEGames Twitch channel.
You can also see Miller on-screen in the SyFy original movie Battle Planet, in Chatroom Of Solitude on Stan Lee’s World of Heroes network, playing himself in season 5 of The Guild, and squabbling with Lewis Black and Andy Dick in various productions on Comedy Central. As a voice actor, he has hundreds of animated and video game credits (see highlights below) and has even narrated a film for NASA.
Widely recognised as the frontman and founder of the rock band Godhead, he has over 2.6 million streams on Spotify and has toured the world with the likes of Ozzy Osbourne, Rammstein, Disturbed, Linkin Park, Slipknot, and Korn frontman Jonathan Davis.
In 2004, Jason penned the all-star collaboration ‘Forever In Our Hearts’, a song to benefit the victims of the 2004 tsunami in South Asia that included Brian McKnight, Mya, Jacoby Shaddix [Papa Roach], Nate Dogg and many more. Originally from Clifton, VA, he now lives in Los Angeles, CA where he owns and runs the successful recording complex Central Command Studios… Busy guy!
Back in April, he released a full band version of ‘The River’, an acoustic folk song that quickly turns into a wall of heavy metal thunder.
Its lyrics are inspired equally from the 1849 California gold rush and the works of J.R.R. Tolkien, ‘The River’ (co-written by Miller with award winning hit songwriter Bart Allman) apparently “pulls you into the water, threatening to never let you up for air!”
‘The River‘ is available here, and you can check out the video to both it and previous single ‘Chasing The Sun’ here at RAMzine.
New album Cards On The Table is available here.
