The Jacks – Remember You

By starrymag | April 10, 2020

By: Kemberlie Spivey

 

 

Q) How would you describe your sound?

 

A) It boils down to rock and roll. I think we are trying to have a unique thing push the genre into a new level, something you haven’t heard before with new production tricks and just songwriting. So, yeah, I say rock and roll.

 

Q) If I were a fly on the wall during a songwriting session with The Jacks, what would that be like? What is the typical process like putting a song together?

 

A) Pretty much all out warfare 24/7. Nah, I’m just kidding. It’s pretty much usually Johnny [Stanback] or Tom [Hunter] come in with an idea for a song. Then, the band will take it from there. It’s a really collaborative experience from that point on. We all have the same vision and same mindset of just wanting to make the song best as possible. So, we try to put our egos aside and focus on what’s the best for that song and for each part of that song. Usually Johnny or Tom comes in for an idea for one and then from there we kind of just collaborate on it. A lot of times we will get a song to make sure it sounds good between the four of us and then we will try it live in front of crowds and kind of test it a little bit before we really decide if we want to record it or not.

 

Q) What are some themes explored on your EP Remember You?

 

A) The title really comes from all pop songs sorta about past relationships, past friendships, past situations and kind of feeling nostalgic realizing that things are never going to be how they once were. We held on to a lot of the songs for a while and some of them were pretty much brand-new walking into the studio. It was a fun and exciting time for all of us probably getting to put some of the songs on the record.

 

Q) How do you feel your music has evolved since your first EP?

 

A) I think our mindset with it is a little more mature in the sense we have a clear vision of how we want to sound, kind of wanting to be a little bit more modern than technically used since we were recording. I think we kind of just wrote the first EP (which I still love until this day) …The five songs we wrote very much from the beginning of the band up until that point. We really wanted to have fun rock-n-roll songs and I feel like on our second EP more storytelling, really using fast experiences to influence our songwriting.

 

Q) What song off Remember You holds a special place in your heart and why?

 

A) I would say for me personally “Threw It All Away,” the first song off the EP. We wrote the song about a year and half ago, but the first time we ever played it was for the NHL Classic in front of 75,000 people so that was the first time we really heard anybody’s reaction to it. That was a really special moment for all of us and then out of our rotation live, the recording process for that song was so much more. I feel like Josh [Roossin] really took it to a new level to elevate it into something that we are really proud of.

 

Q) How involved are you with the production side of your music?

 

A) As time goes on, I think we are getting more hands on. When you are first starting out, you don’t realize (for us at least) …We didn’t realize truly how important production is when it comes to the sound of the song, especially when it is recorded. Now, I think almost every detail we want to be hands on as possible. Obviously, it is trusting a producer to do their job and working with the producer to collaborate to make the best thing possible. Production is absolutely key to us.

 

Q) You are headed out on your first headlining US tour. What can fans expect from a live The Jacks performance?

 

A) A full-out rock-n-roll experience. We leave everything on the stage and try to have as much fun with it. Hopefully, the crowd feels that as well and have a great time with us. We are really proud of our live show. I think that is how we converted most of our fans up until this point. Any time we get a chance to perform in front of more people, we are all always excited.

 

Q) What songs off the EP have you been enjoying playing live?

 

A) “Threw It All Away.” “Just A Little Bit” is a song we had for a long time, so one is always so much fun to play. We usually end or get close to ending our set with that song.

 

Q) What’s the biggest lesson you’ve learned working with one another?

 

A) I guess compromise and trust, put faith in one another. When we go on stage, obviously, we have to trust that each one of us is going to do our responsibility to put on the best show and compromise when it comes to songwriting. Putting your own ego aside to strive for the best goal possible.

 

Q) What do you hope is the message of your music?

 

A) I don’t know if we have a clear set message. Lyrically, songwriting wise, we really just want to write music that we like to listen to and hopefully other people do help push rock-n-roll back to the forefront and let everybody know out there who loves rock n roll that is far from the dead.

 

Q) If given the chance to collaborate with anyone, who would it be and why?

 

A) I gotta go with Lizzo. I honestly think it would be so much fun. I’m just such a huge fan of hers and what she does with music. You can hear in her music she is having a great time and the way she mixes R&B with soul and pop. I think a collaboration like that would make something really cool.

 

Q) Where are some of your favorite places to perform and what makes those locations so significant to you?

 

A) I love everywhere we get to play. San Francisco has been great to us. Dallas has been great to us. I think it’s just the timing of the show. We just had great crowds each time, the energy we felt from them, and the way they connected to our music. I think anywhere we get something like that is kind of a special feeling is always special to us.

 

Q) What would you like to say to everyone who is a fan and supporter of you and your music?

 

A) Thank you for being a part of the early stages of the rock-n-roll revolution, for believing in us and being a part of changing the world with us hopefully.

 

 

 

All Questions Answered By Bass Guitarist/Vocals Scott Stone