Jackson United
Encyclopedia
Jackson United is an American punk rock
band formed by singer and lead guitarist Chris Shiflett
in 2003. Shiflett recruited his older brother Scott Shiflett
(bass) and Pete Parada
(drums) to complete the band. A debut eponymous EP was recorded and released in 2003. Shortly after this release Parada left the band. He was replaced by Cary Lascala, and the group was then further expanded with the addition of a rhythm guitarist, Doug Sangalang.
Scott Shiflett
left the band in 2004, replaced by Omen Starr. The band released its first full length album, Western Ballads
in 2004. After touring Lascala and Starr departed, and Scott then returned to band in 2005. 2008 saw the release of their second full length album, Harmony And Dissidence
. As the band were without a drummer at the time, Foo Fighters bandmate Dave Grohl
offered Chris his services, along with fellow bandmate Taylor Hawkins
. When touring for the album Scott was busy with a reuniting Face To Face, so Charlie Ellis was recruited to play bass, and Mighty Mighty Bosstones member Joe Sirois
took over on drums.
and Me First and the Gimme Gimmes
guitarist, formed the band as his own side project after years of playing a supporting role in other songwriters' successes, and had the desire to release material he had written on his own. The band were originally just called 'Jackson', taken from Chris' long running pseudonym, Jake Jackson. Shiflett recruited his older brother Scott Shiflett
(bass) and Pete Parada
(drums) to complete the band. Both were members of punk rock band Face To Face
at the time.
Their eponymous debut EP was released on 20 October 2003, featuring five tracks recorded by the trio in early 2003.
. Replacing him was Cary Lascala who had enjoyed a brief stint as a member of Communiqué
. The group was then further expanded with the addition of a second guitarist, Doug Sangalang.
In 2004 the band decided to change their name due to the difficulty of obtaining any form of legal protection over simply 'Jackson'. It was considered to be too common a word to be granted copyright. They therefore elected to simple add 'United' to the name, and have since been known as Jackson United. Shortly after this Scott announced his departure from the band, citing a desire to spend more time at home. He was replaced by Top Brown's Omen Starr.
Following the touring in support of the album the band entered a long period of inactivity, mainly due to Shiflett's commitments with the Foo Fighters. As a result, Lascala and Starr decided to leave the band to pursue other ventures. Scott Shiflett returned to bass duties, but a drummer was not recruited at this time.
bandmates Dave Grohl
and Taylor Hawkins
were revealed to be sharing the drumming work. "Well it was just a lucky turn of events where we tried to start tracking drums with this other guy and it didn’t really work. Dave dropped by the studio one day and I told him what was going on and he offered up his services... he also offered up Taylor’s services", Shiflett told an online fanzine. As well as Grohl and Hawkins, the album also featured touring Foo Fighters members Rami Jaffee (keyboards) and Drew Hester (percussion).
Harmony and Dissidence
was released in 2008, firstly as an online digital download through the itunes
service on April 8, followed by a physical CD release in Japan, Australia, United States and United Kingdom. Help Save The Youth Of America (A Billy Bragg
cover), Poison In The Blood and Loose Ends (a more up-tempo version of a song previously released on the debut EP) were featured as bonus tracks on some releases.
When the band embarked on touring for the album, Scott was busy with a reforming Face To Face
, and so Charlie Ellis was recruited as bass player. Joe Sirois, of Mighty Mighty Bosstones fame, was recruited as the official drummer for the band.
Punk rock
Punk rock is a rock music genre that developed between 1974 and 1976 in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia. Rooted in garage rock and other forms of what is now known as protopunk music, punk rock bands eschewed perceived excesses of mainstream 1970s rock...
band formed by singer and lead guitarist Chris Shiflett
Chris Shiflett
Christopher Aubrey "Chris" Shiflett is best known as the lead guitarist for the rock band Foo Fighters as well as the punk rock cover band Me First and the Gimme Gimmes. He is the younger brother of musician Scott Shiflett.-Career:Shiflett joined Foo Fighters after the release of their third...
in 2003. Shiflett recruited his older brother Scott Shiflett
Scott Shiflett
Scott David Shiflett is a bassist. He plays with the band Face to Face and is also associated with the bands Viva Death, Me First and the Gimme Gimmes and Jackson United . He also played on 22 Jacks debut album Uncle Bob...
(bass) and Pete Parada
Pete Parada
Peter "Pete" Parada is an American drummer who has been a member of several notable musical acts. Parada's drumming career began in 1996 when he joined Steel Prophet and recorded one album with them a year later. Subsequently he joined Face to Face and Saves the Day, and in 2007 became the new...
(drums) to complete the band. A debut eponymous EP was recorded and released in 2003. Shortly after this release Parada left the band. He was replaced by Cary Lascala, and the group was then further expanded with the addition of a rhythm guitarist, Doug Sangalang.
Scott Shiflett
Scott Shiflett
Scott David Shiflett is a bassist. He plays with the band Face to Face and is also associated with the bands Viva Death, Me First and the Gimme Gimmes and Jackson United . He also played on 22 Jacks debut album Uncle Bob...
left the band in 2004, replaced by Omen Starr. The band released its first full length album, Western Ballads
Western Ballads
-Track listing:# "Lions Roar"# "All The Way"# "A Better Life"# "Down To You"# "She’s Giving In"# "Unchanged"# "Fell Into"# "Loose Ends"# "OK Alright"# "Here Come Hollow"# "Pure"# "Long Shadow"# "Sharp Edges"# "That Curse"...
in 2004. After touring Lascala and Starr departed, and Scott then returned to band in 2005. 2008 saw the release of their second full length album, Harmony And Dissidence
Harmony And Dissidence
Harmony and Dissidence is the second full length album by Jackson United. It was released in 2008 through Magnificent Records, Acetate Records and Deck Cheese Records.-History:...
. As the band were without a drummer at the time, Foo Fighters bandmate Dave Grohl
Dave Grohl
David Eric "Dave" Grohl is an American rock musician, multi-instrumentalist, and singer-songwriter who is the lead vocalist, guitarist, and primary songwriter for Foo Fighters; the former drummer for Nirvana and Scream; and the current drummer for Them Crooked Vultures...
offered Chris his services, along with fellow bandmate Taylor Hawkins
Taylor Hawkins
Oliver Taylor Hawkins is an American musician, best known as the drummer of the rock band Foo Fighters....
. When touring for the album Scott was busy with a reuniting Face To Face, so Charlie Ellis was recruited to play bass, and Mighty Mighty Bosstones member Joe Sirois
Joe Sirois
Joe Sirois is an American drummer who played with The Mighty Mighty Bosstones from 1991 until their hiatus in 2003. He also played drums for the Boston based band Street Dogs from 2004 to 2007 when he reunited with the Bosstones....
took over on drums.
Formation and debut EP (2003)
Chris Shiflett, more famously known as Foo FightersFoo Fighters
Foo Fighters is an American alternative rock band originally formed in 1994 by Nirvana drummer Dave Grohl as a one-man project following the dissolution of his previous band. The band got its name from the UFOs and various aerial phenomena that were reported by Allied aircraft pilots in World War...
and Me First and the Gimme Gimmes
Me First and the Gimme Gimmes
Me First and the Gimme Gimmes is a punk rock supergroup and cover band that formed in 1995. The Gimmes work exclusively as a cover band. The band is named after a children's book of the same name by Gerald G. Jampolsky and Diane V. Cirincione...
guitarist, formed the band as his own side project after years of playing a supporting role in other songwriters' successes, and had the desire to release material he had written on his own. The band were originally just called 'Jackson', taken from Chris' long running pseudonym, Jake Jackson. Shiflett recruited his older brother Scott Shiflett
Scott Shiflett
Scott David Shiflett is a bassist. He plays with the band Face to Face and is also associated with the bands Viva Death, Me First and the Gimme Gimmes and Jackson United . He also played on 22 Jacks debut album Uncle Bob...
(bass) and Pete Parada
Pete Parada
Peter "Pete" Parada is an American drummer who has been a member of several notable musical acts. Parada's drumming career began in 1996 when he joined Steel Prophet and recorded one album with them a year later. Subsequently he joined Face to Face and Saves the Day, and in 2007 became the new...
(drums) to complete the band. Both were members of punk rock band Face To Face
Face to Face (punk band)
Face to Face is an American pop punk band from Victorville, California formed in 1991 by frontman Trever Keith. Originally known as "Zero Tolerance", Keith had been the only constant member of the band during their years of touring and recording albums. The group was initially signed by Dr. Strange...
at the time.
Their eponymous debut EP was released on 20 October 2003, featuring five tracks recorded by the trio in early 2003.
Name and line up changes
Shortly after the debut EP release Parada left the band due to his full-time commitment as the then-drummer of Saves The DaySaves the Day
Saves the Day is an American rock band from Princeton, New Jersey, formed in 1994. The band consists of lead vocalist and guitarist Chris Conley, guitarist Arun Bali, bassist Rodrigo Palma, and drummer Claudio Rivera....
. Replacing him was Cary Lascala who had enjoyed a brief stint as a member of Communiqué
Communiqué (band)
Communiqué is an indie rock band from the San Francisco Bay Area. The band originated as American Steel, but decided to record under the name Communiqué during the taping of A Crescent Honeymoon in 2002 because the synth-rock sound did not match the punk style of American Steel.-Band members:*Rory...
. The group was then further expanded with the addition of a second guitarist, Doug Sangalang.
In 2004 the band decided to change their name due to the difficulty of obtaining any form of legal protection over simply 'Jackson'. It was considered to be too common a word to be granted copyright. They therefore elected to simple add 'United' to the name, and have since been known as Jackson United. Shortly after this Scott announced his departure from the band, citing a desire to spend more time at home. He was replaced by Top Brown's Omen Starr.
Western Ballads and further lineup changes(2004)
With the new line-up of Shiflett, Lascala, Sangalang and Starr in place the band toured around the world, including the UK and Australia. On 11 October 2004 their debut full length album, Western Ballads was released. The album was composed of songs recorded during the sessions for the debut EP, and as such did not feature any contribution by current members Sangalang, Lascala or Starr, although the trio were thanked prominently in the liner notes.Following the touring in support of the album the band entered a long period of inactivity, mainly due to Shiflett's commitments with the Foo Fighters. As a result, Lascala and Starr decided to leave the band to pursue other ventures. Scott Shiflett returned to bass duties, but a drummer was not recruited at this time.
Harmony and Dissidence (2007-2008)
In January and February 2007, Shiflett left many updates on the band's official postboard regarding their current recording sessions. Still without a full time drummer, Foo FightersFoo Fighters
Foo Fighters is an American alternative rock band originally formed in 1994 by Nirvana drummer Dave Grohl as a one-man project following the dissolution of his previous band. The band got its name from the UFOs and various aerial phenomena that were reported by Allied aircraft pilots in World War...
bandmates Dave Grohl
Dave Grohl
David Eric "Dave" Grohl is an American rock musician, multi-instrumentalist, and singer-songwriter who is the lead vocalist, guitarist, and primary songwriter for Foo Fighters; the former drummer for Nirvana and Scream; and the current drummer for Them Crooked Vultures...
and Taylor Hawkins
Taylor Hawkins
Oliver Taylor Hawkins is an American musician, best known as the drummer of the rock band Foo Fighters....
were revealed to be sharing the drumming work. "Well it was just a lucky turn of events where we tried to start tracking drums with this other guy and it didn’t really work. Dave dropped by the studio one day and I told him what was going on and he offered up his services... he also offered up Taylor’s services", Shiflett told an online fanzine. As well as Grohl and Hawkins, the album also featured touring Foo Fighters members Rami Jaffee (keyboards) and Drew Hester (percussion).
Harmony and Dissidence
Harmony And Dissidence
Harmony and Dissidence is the second full length album by Jackson United. It was released in 2008 through Magnificent Records, Acetate Records and Deck Cheese Records.-History:...
was released in 2008, firstly as an online digital download through the itunes
ITunes
iTunes is a media player computer program, used for playing, downloading, and organizing digital music and video files on desktop computers. It can also manage contents on iPod, iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad....
service on April 8, followed by a physical CD release in Japan, Australia, United States and United Kingdom. Help Save The Youth Of America (A Billy Bragg
Billy Bragg
Stephen William Bragg , better known as Billy Bragg, is an English alternative rock musician and left-wing activist. His music blends elements of folk music, punk rock and protest songs, and his lyrics mostly deal with political or romantic themes...
cover), Poison In The Blood and Loose Ends (a more up-tempo version of a song previously released on the debut EP) were featured as bonus tracks on some releases.
When the band embarked on touring for the album, Scott was busy with a reforming Face To Face
Face to Face (punk band)
Face to Face is an American pop punk band from Victorville, California formed in 1991 by frontman Trever Keith. Originally known as "Zero Tolerance", Keith had been the only constant member of the band during their years of touring and recording albums. The group was initially signed by Dr. Strange...
, and so Charlie Ellis was recruited as bass player. Joe Sirois, of Mighty Mighty Bosstones fame, was recruited as the official drummer for the band.
Current members
- Chris ShiflettChris ShiflettChristopher Aubrey "Chris" Shiflett is best known as the lead guitarist for the rock band Foo Fighters as well as the punk rock cover band Me First and the Gimme Gimmes. He is the younger brother of musician Scott Shiflett.-Career:Shiflett joined Foo Fighters after the release of their third...
– lead vocals, lead guitarLead guitarLead guitar is a guitar part which plays melody lines, instrumental fill passages, guitar solos, and occasionally, some riffs within a song structure...
(2003 – hiatus) - Scott ShiflettScott ShiflettScott David Shiflett is a bassist. He plays with the band Face to Face and is also associated with the bands Viva Death, Me First and the Gimme Gimmes and Jackson United . He also played on 22 Jacks debut album Uncle Bob...
– bass guitarBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
(2003, 2004 - hiatus) - Doug Sangalang – rhythm guitarRhythm guitarRhythm guitar is a technique and rôle that performs a combination of two functions: to provide all or part of the rhythmic pulse in conjunction with singers or other instruments; and to provide all or part of the harmony, ie. the chords, where a chord is a group of notes played together...
, backing vocalsBacking vocalistA backing vocalist or backing singer is a singer who provides vocal harmony with the lead vocalist or other backing vocalists...
(2004 – hiatus) - Joe SiroisJoe SiroisJoe Sirois is an American drummer who played with The Mighty Mighty Bosstones from 1991 until their hiatus in 2003. He also played drums for the Boston based band Street Dogs from 2004 to 2007 when he reunited with the Bosstones....
– drumsDrum kitA drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
, backing vocalsBacking vocalistA backing vocalist or backing singer is a singer who provides vocal harmony with the lead vocalist or other backing vocalists...
(2008 – hiatus)
Former members
- Pete ParadaPete ParadaPeter "Pete" Parada is an American drummer who has been a member of several notable musical acts. Parada's drumming career began in 1996 when he joined Steel Prophet and recorded one album with them a year later. Subsequently he joined Face to Face and Saves the Day, and in 2007 became the new...
- drumsDrum kitA drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
(2003) - Cary Lascala - drums (2003–2007)
- Omen Starr - bass guitarBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
(2004)
Discography
- Jackson (EP) (2003)
- Western BalladsWestern Ballads-Track listing:# "Lions Roar"# "All The Way"# "A Better Life"# "Down To You"# "She’s Giving In"# "Unchanged"# "Fell Into"# "Loose Ends"# "OK Alright"# "Here Come Hollow"# "Pure"# "Long Shadow"# "Sharp Edges"# "That Curse"...
(2004) - Harmony and DissidenceHarmony And DissidenceHarmony and Dissidence is the second full length album by Jackson United. It was released in 2008 through Magnificent Records, Acetate Records and Deck Cheese Records.-History:...
(2008)