Jack O’Neill is well known in the music industry thanks to his classically trained pianist background alongside the time he spent as a member of the Texas band Jackopierce where he recorded and shared stages with a bunch of important artists such as T-Bone Burnett, Sheryl Crow, Alanis Morrisette, Butch Walker, Jack Ingram, performed live on Conan O’Brien and even with the Dallas Symphony Orchestra. Now he’s releasing his newest single “Weight of the World”. 

“Weight of the World” serves as a prelude to his upcoming album “North Star” which is set to release quite soon. The alt-rock anthem is a perfect example of Jack’s exceptional style which strongly reminds me of Journey and early 00’s Bon Jovi but with a modern spin. The steady rhythm is accompanied by trailblazing guitars and drums. Jack’s vocals are passionate and raw with lyrics that convey a sense of wonder. Being the son of a military paratrooper he spent most of his life moving from town to town, this left a strong impression on him, however, thanks to this he infused his life experience into his music, and the result is simply put, amazing. 

“I would navigate New York City entirely by proximity to Irish pubs. “Meet me on 7th Avenue South – across the street from Conway’s”. Etc & etc. My girlfriend and I were regulars of a certain pub when we first started dating. It was our local. We fell in love there and then, inexplicably, broke up on the sidewalk out front. Eventually, they tore the whole block down and replaced it with a massive office building. Our pub became a bank. It seemed to happen so fast. Hang around long enough and things will change. So you just keep moving. It ain’t the weight of the world. But it can sure feel like it.” – Jack O’Neill

Jack’s career has taken many ups and downs. After a successful track record with Jackopierce at the end of the 90s the band split up and he decided to pursue an acting career. Moving from Texas to New York he became an early member of the Flea Theater acting company where he put up plays by Mac Wellman, Kate Robin, Alice Tuan, and many more. However things took a turn for the worse, Jack had to resort to taking temporary jobs in order to pay out the bills. Sadly acting and songwriting took a resounding halt in this moment of his life. He felt stuck and aimless, with no real purpose in life so he started relying on alcohol to pull him through. In 2017 he decided enough was enough and took on faith. He quit his crappy job and also quit drinking. It was time to go back to his passion, songwriting and performing. There was no longer a doubt of the path he needed to take. 

Speaking a bit about his upcoming album as the title implies, “North Star” refers to the realization of one’s true self. In short, it’s about believing in yourself and in those you care about. Those who love you and the people who are close to you. The goal is to believe again, despite all your cynicism. The idea is to refuse to accept that we have passed the best days of our lives. Accepting that, yes, the world is gonna break your heart and we should not just lie down and take but fight back. A new fresh start for Jack where we will be more than happy to accompany him in this new journey.

Jack O’Neill happens to share the name of one of my favorite TV show characters, General Jack O’Neill from Stargate SG1. In a way both of them share the same cause, helping the others through their line of work. Jack uses his music to transmit a message of resilience and hope, helping his listeners to find their place in this messed up world and that’s a very noble goal to have in life.

Stay tuned for Jack’s upcoming album! If it’s anything like “Weight of the World” we’re in for a delight for the senses.

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