The Jacks

Thomas Hunter and Scott Stone go way back, having met when they were in kindergarten. With a mutual longtime love and passion for music, the duo have been playing music informally together since seventh grade. As one would imagine, knowing each other for nearly their entire lives has allowed them become pretty close. After growing up in Orange County and playing throughout their high school years, the duo slid up the freeway to attend college at USC.

Despite their long friendship — and noodling around — it wasn’t until last year, their senior year of college, that the duo decided they wanted to play music together in a more serious fashion.

“Back then it was mostly for fun,” Stone says. “We had a few original tunes, but mainly we were covering some of our favorite bands and musicians like Jimi Hendrix, Led Zeppelin, the Who and AC/DC, that kind of stuff.

Once deciding that music was their calling, the Fountain Valley-based group eschewed the usual rigors of applying for jobs and instead looked to fill out their new outfit’s lineup. At an open mic at the Ground Zero Performance Café venue on USC’s campus, they stumbled on Jonny Stanback who was belting out songs. Hanging out afterwards convinced the three (and their drummer at the time) they should forge ahead as a unit and thus, the Jacks were formed.

With a sound that’s inspired as much from classic rock as it is from the alternative boom of the ‘90s (Stone says they’re particularly fond of Oasis), the Jacks are positioning themselves as an emerging live act with an uptempo brand of no-frills rock.

In their 14 months since that encounter at Ground Zero, the Jacks have performed throughout Los Angeles and Orange County with a trip up north sprinkled in. As they’ve polished their live show since their initial formation, the quartet quietly composed a number of songs that will be on their debut EP. Though they’ve shared a few songs they were loosely working on in a short form release in the spring to show fans what they’re capable of and allowed them to get familiar with one another in a studio setting.

Recorded down near San Diego at Studio West, the five-song collection shows the promise that looms large for the group. As of now, the band is in the process of completing the final mixes ahead of it’s October 28 release date. The effort is sharper than those first few songs. With themes ranging from serious to sad, the ambitious ideas, Stone says, are prevalent throughout the EP. As are a couple of straight-up rockers about being young and having fun.

“At first, we really didn’t have a direction when we were writing,” the bassist explains. “Then our original drummer quit and our new drummer (Josh Roossin) came in with a better sense of direction for us. Pretty much every song that’s going on this EP we started writing in April.”

Without an extended release to their credit, the Jacks managed to put together enough songs to perform a 75-minute set of originals. Even with the EP on the way, the band continues to write and cobble together ideas with their sights set on releasing a full-length soon. For now, they’ll settle by finishing that, along with a string of local gigs, including at Indie Ignited at House of Blues Anaheim. Not bad for a band that are relative newbies.

“We’ve got our first single coming out at the end of September from the EP,” Stone says. “We’ve got a lot of plans for the rest of the year and it’s exciting that’s all coming together.” - OC Weekly

Indie rock band The Jacks have something about them, they have rock’n’roll in their veins and it shows in each of their tracks. They have a way about the melodies that flow like silk through the airwaves filling us up with the highest quality of indie rock that blends an old school charm with a modern twist that is invigorating. Their latest gem is simply called “Just a little bit” and after listening to it you’ll be left begging for just a little bit more music, a few more minutes to soak it all in and let it be part of you. Can you feel it in your bones? Has the air you breath become more energy-filled now? If yes then simply thank this amazing talented band from Southern California for giving the world the exact flavor of rock that the music scene needed nowadays. It is both raw and carefully executed and the way the soundscape takes form is hauntingly mesmerizing. So just listen and enjoy! - Wolf in a Suit

Weaving deliciously indie choruses from the heart of America, One Stop favourites The Jacks have returned with a follow up to their previous release, “Hot Reaction“.

New single, “Wings” brings forth the band’s characteristically addictive vocals, perfectly intertwining their alternative guitar licks with a hefty dose of nostalgia. This is a band holstering shed loads of promise, so it’s time you gave them a listen, have the advantage of being able to shout ‘I heard ’em before they got famous’ when they crack the big time, and indulge in some great music.

Check “Wings” out below, give them a cheeky follow and as always, let us know your thoughts! - One Stop Record Shop

Old school indie rock vibes that transport you to a car with the hood down as you are driving down the coast looking for a perfect beach in the southern coast of California. With a love and respect of the past and a knack for the present, this talented band delivers a track that embodies the 60’s, the 70’s and the energy of the now. With “Hot Reaction”, they start their incursion into the indie music scene as The Jacks and they do so in a memorable fashion. This debut single showcases a passion and knowledge of their craft along with vocals that break through the paradigm of indie rock showcasing an all-inviting nature in it. Remember their name, thank California and whatever they put in their food for their talent, and make sure you add them to your indie rock playlists. - Wolf in a Suit

If you’re searching for an authentic rock sound with a modern day twist, then look no further than Southern-California’s The Jacks.

Quenching your thirst for raw, vintage sounding 60s and 70s rock, this is a band you need on your playlist. Having formed in high school, their long-awaited debut single has finally been released – and it’s everything you want in a track.

“Hot Reaction” submerges you in fresh guitar sounds, the kind you’d most likely see with the likes of , dare I say it, Lynyrd Skynyrd. Along the way, you’ll find yourself met by modern vocals, perfectly intertwining the old with the new, merging slow, unsure lyrics with sudden licks of guitar. You think you can predict the track’s next step, only for a catchy and much needed whining solo to top off what must be considered something special. This track has got to blow up.

It’s hard to know if The Jacks will react quickly enough to take advantage of this gem – too many small U.S bands never make it above 500 monthly listeners on Spotify, sadly. That being said, we’ve got hope for these guys. The Jacks just have to keep doing what they already do best – create great music.

Take a listen and tell us what you think! - One Stop Record Shop