Jonny Stanback (lead vocals/rhythm guitar) Tom Hunter (lead guitar/vocals) Scott Stone (bass guitar/vocals) Josh Roossin (drums/percussion)
When it comes to playing rock & roll with a heavy influence from the British Invasion of the ‘60s and ‘70s mixed with Southern Rock, The Jacks simply don’t have a choice. “It’s what we listen to, it’s what we play,” bassist Scott Stone says, “and when you stick four guys like us in a garage with instruments, it’s just the kind of music we are going to make.”
“We’re trying to push the boundaries of the rock & roll genre by incorporating modern elements, but still keeping the core structure of a four-piece band,” Stanback says. “We are creating a sound that feels familiar, but is completely ours.”
The way they see it, playing rock at a time when pop and hip-hop are dominating the charts is an act of defiance. If any band is poised to help bring authenticity back to rock & roll, it’s The Jacks. The quartet has been making a steady ascent since forming in Los Angeles in the summer of 2016, selling out gigs at legendary hometown venues like the Troubadour, Roxy and Viper Room, and playing big festivals like Aftershock and Sonic Temple.
The Jacks got their name from a fan telling them early on that they were “jacks of all trades” when it came to playing different styles and blending their songs with those of their idols. They often performed four-hour shows covering songs from almost every era to make money to pay for their early recordings. Each of their tracks shows off a different side of the ensemble. From the hard-edged rockers to the more melodic numbers, you can hear how the band members have poured their hearts into each of the songs.
After relentless gigging and self-releasing singles, the band entered a local radio station’s battle-of-the-bands competition in 2017 – and won a recording contract. They passed on the offer and continued to tour and work on their songs waiting for the right opportunity. They found that opportunity when EDGEOUT Records signed them and put them in the studio with producer Matt Wallace (Maroon 5, Faith No More). The group released their debut self-titled EP with EDGEOUT / UME after working with Wallace at Los Angeles’ famed Sunset Sound Recorders.
As Wallace declares, “The Jacks deliver lean, rugged rock & roll with songs that feel like instant classics that make you want to move, with earworm hooks and melodies that will have you kinda upset when you find yourself unintentionally and inappropriately humming their songs at work, in church, in court, or at wakes. If the Strokes, Cage the Elephant, and the Stones had an equally talented, but more handsome baby, it would be named The Jacks!”
While their self-titled debut EP and first single, “Walk Away,” racked up almost three million streams and the release of a reimagined version of the holiday classic, “In The Bleak Midwinter,” cleared almost a million streams, the band spent much of the past year on the road touring including a West Coast run with The Shelters, and a nationwide tour supporting “American Idol” finalist Wade Cota. They also performed at the NFL pre-Super Bowl and NHL Winter Classic events, and “Walk Away” was chosen to be heard during the 2019 Stanley Cup playoff games’ broadcasts, highlight reels, and commercial bumpers.In spite of their rigorous touring The Jacks somehow made time to spend time in the studio creating new music.
For The Jacks’ second EP REMEMBER YOU, multiple GRAMMY® Award-winning producer Joe Chiccarelli (The Raconteurs, Weezer, Frank Zappa) was at the helm. The band once again delivers original songs infused with their passion for guitar-driven, groove-propulsive rock ‘n’ roll that is sung with sassy grit (“Threw It All Away”), heartfelt angst (“We Were Only Young”) and emotion (“Olivia”), or soaring anticipation (“The Only One”).
“The Jacks has managed to learn from the classics, but bring their own unique and modern aesthetic to the music,” declares Joe Chiccarelli.
Discography:
The Jacks- EP(2017)
Remember You- EP (2019)
Sacramento’s K-ZAP 93.3 FM plays The Jacks. All part of 50 years of Rock, Blues and More, 24-7 on our station’s stream at K-ZAP.ORG/LISTEN/
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