Early Career

Stack Jones began his musical career by performing at live venues in Miami's original music circuit with his band The Spinouts. Band members were Jones, as the writer and guitarist, Jorge (Lenny) Respedo on bass, Randy Blitz (formerly of Screaming Sneakers) on drums, and Steve Hoffman (formerly of The Rollin' Pinz) on vocals. Steve Hoffman was replaced by vocalist Steven Lambert and Randy Blitz was replaced by Joey Maya who had been the powerhouse drummer in Miami's punk band, The Reactions.

The first Spinout gig took place at Manor Lanes Bowling Alley in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. During the band's live performance, a bomb exploded under a van in the parking lot. The explosion was so powerful that it shook the entire building, knocked people off their feet and blew out windows in office buildings hundreds of yards away. The blast did major damage to the parking lot, and destroyed several vehicles. Luckily nobody was injured.

The Spinouts performed a variety of music, from rockabilly to pop punk, rock, surf and hard rock. The band, and hardcore fans often clashed during live performances, where the audience expected a particular genre of music, but The Spinouts would deliver another. This especially irked the rockabilly traditionalists, who'd come to shows decked in oldies garb, and find The Spinouts dressed like punks, or glam rockers. The Spinouts performed in venues throughout the East Coast of the U.S., including New York City's legendary CBGB's, and Gildersleeves, as well as Miami's Jockey Club. The band opened a show in Key West, Florida for The Atlantic Rhythm Section, and stole the show, receiving several encores from the enthusiastic crowd. The Miami Herald wrote, "Stack Jones writes tunes that segue into a set like a hand into a well-worn glove. Boring is one adjective I'd never use to describe this guy."

In 1983, The Spinouts released a single on Pete Moss', Juke Box compilation album. The song titled, Shake Like A Hurricane was an anthem that supported the University of Miami's powerhouse football program, which won the National Championship that same year. This compilation album can still be purchased at The Pete Moss Memorial All-Night Record Shop. The record is described as a snapshot of the South Florida punk/new wave scene during this time.

In 1984, band manager Alan Kavares, and fans believed The Spinouts had a hit single with, Once Burnt Twice Shy. The band entered the studio to record their debut album. However, the self-produced EP released in 1985; Revelation VI, did not include the catchy rockabilly tune. A staff writer for the Miami News, (a now defunct newspaper), wrote; "It appears that another band hijacked The Spinouts' studio sessions." Revelation VI was dark and heavy, with apocalyptic overtones. The audience that came to know The Spinouts as a flashy, retro act was surprised by the release. The Spinouts relished in the controversy.

In 1985, Jones won Best Guitarist Award at the first annual Miami Music Awards show. The Spinouts were interviewed for MTV by (FM Station) Y100 DJ Corey James, and appeared on a variety of local TV, and radio shows, such as the University of Miami's WVUM radio station, and The Ed Rich Rock Show. While making their appearance on The Ed Rich Rock Show, the band was given answer cards to fill out. These were to be the answers the band would give to Mr. Rich during the live broadcast. The band intentionally shuffled the cards, and gave straight face responses that were not relevant to the questions posed. Ed Rich remained composed during the 30-minute airing, but didn't appreciate the prank.

The highlight for The Spinouts was headlining the famous Coconut Grove Bed Race to an estimated audience of 70,000. The opening act was a then relatively unknown, Miami Sound Machine. The band also performed the ballad, Needles And Pins live at Club Blitz in Hialeah, Florida with The Ramones legendary front man, Joey Ramone.

On December 12, 1985 shortly after returning to Miami from New York, Jones' learned his girlfriend, Maia Matasowski, flight service manager for Arrow Air, died in the Arrow Air Flight 1285 crash in Gander, Newfoundland. The accident was investigated by the Canadian Aviation Safety Board (CASB), which determined the probable cause of the crash was due to ice on the wings. However, another (CASB) report stated that the accident could have been caused by an on board explosion prior to impact. On the day of the crash, Islamic Jihad, a wing of the Iranian backed Hezbollah, claimed responsibility, in retaliation to the U.S. military's failure to deliver arms in exchange for cash. This matter led to the now infamous Iran Contra scandal during the Reagan era presidency. The Spinouts disbanded shortly after this incident.

In December 1985, former Spinout vocalist, Steven Lambert, brother Gary Lambert, Billy La Volpe and Ron Norton, formed the hardcore punk band, Amazing Grace. Amazing Grace had some early club, touring and college radio success with their debut single, The Day, which the band released independently on their debut album titled, Entities. The album was produced by Hal Hansford who is most known for his work with The Romantics, and their album titled, In Heat. Surprisingly, rare copies of Entities can still be found online, and sells for as much as US $1600.00 a copy.

In 1986, Amazing Grace, guitarist Billy La Volpe left the group, and Steven Lambert asked Jones to join the band. At the time Amazing Grace was performing hardcore punk, and Jones agreed to join if the band broadened their music style that would eventually include alternative, hard rock, and southern rock. Amazing Grace agreed, and the band's popularity increased as a result of this change.

Jones appeared as a guest speaker on WSVN News Radio, WQAM Miami, Piper High School WKPX radio, and University of Miami radio station WVUM. This was during the time when conservatives were pushing new legislation to impose an Explicit Lyrics and Parental Advisory Labeling scheme on record albums. Jones argued that labeling music would circumvent the First Amendment right to free speech that was guaranteed under the U.S. Constitution. "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances."

During this period, Amazing Grace oftened performed at The Cameo Theater, with nearly every act that made it's way to south Florida including, The Lord's of the New Church, Killing Joke, Suicidal Tendencies, The Ramones and many more.

Early on, Smidek Corporation, a company that operated a variety of businesses, including a recording studio, managed Amazing Grace. Smidek would later be accused by state, and federal DEA agents as being a front for drug smuggling, with ties to Pablo Escobar of the infamous Medellin cartel. The owner of Smidek, Dave Smith, was a childhood friend of Steven Lambert. Both Smith, and Lambert were indicted along with Pablo Escobar. Smith and Escobar (in abstencia) were convicted of drug smuggling, tax evasion and conspiracy. The charges filed against Steve Lambert were dismissed due to lack of enough evidence to convict.

During the Smidek era, Stack Jones, and Amazing Grace recorded the band's second album with producer Hal Hansford titled, On And On. Amazing Grace appeared on the TV show Miami Vice, performing their song 14. At this time the band was receiving a lot of national attention, and a vast amount of airplay on underground, and college radio stations, as well as getting their records spun by DJ's at the hippest dance clubs in both the states, and internationally.

Bill Bakula of Bandman Productions, a premier Miami based concert promoter, who often booked Amazing Grace to perform with international acts, married Jamie Shoop who is credited for discovering Prince in Minnesota. During the early stage of Prince's career, Shoop had been his personal manager. Shoop also managed Los Angeles' rockers Warrant of Columbia Records. It was during this period, Shoop was introduced to Amazing Grace, and began to manage the band's career.

In 1989, the band recorded an album with nine-time nominated, and two-time Grammy Award winning producer Karl Richardson. The untitled project, considered by some as Amazing Grace's best recordings, was never released, due to the legal issues surrounding the band's singer, and former management. That same year, Ron Obermen, the vice president of Columbia Records, was quoted as saying: "I'm Amazed by Amazing Grace." He wanted the band to relocate to Los Angeles, and to develop the band. Jones pushed for the band to relocate, but Lambert's legal woes prevented the band from aspiring to the national level. During this period, the band recorded videos for their songs, 14, and Fire In The Distance. The bands recorded Beauty (Deeper Than The Flesh), which was the bands strongest studio recording, produced by Karl Richardson. The studio tapes were accidentally destroyed due to improper storage of the masters. Other Amazing Grace recordings include, All The World Is Roses, Don't Walk Away, End Of Time, and Sweet Vibrations. As a result of the destruction of the studio tapes there are no known copies of the video 14, and the band's single, Beauty (Deeper Than The Flesh). The entire Richardson session's masters are gone forever. Rare copies can be found on tape, of most of the studio sessions.

With all the legal troubles that the band's management and singer were experiencing, it was difficult to remain a cohesive unit. To make matters worse, manager Shoop was hospitalized with severe liver failure. Shoop fell into a coma, and nearly died as a result of the now well-documented Tylenol poisoning case. At the time it was not known that Acetaminophen (Tylenol) caused serious liver damage. See WebMD.com for further details. It was at this point that Jones decided to end his relationship with Amazing Grace, and relocate to Los Angeles, California.

Movin' On

In 1996, Jones received a BA in film production from Loyola Marymount University (honors Magna Cum Laude). In 1997, he received audio/video engineering certification from Soundmaster Recording Institute, which was owned and operated by legendary record producer/engineer, and former MCA Records president, Brian Ingoldsby. The audio/video engineerig school has since changed its name to Pinnacle College.

Jones didn't stay out of the entertainment industry very long. He began to write, and develop projects for Japanese TV production company, Tsuburya Productions, and with two-time Emmy Award winning TV producer Alan Sacks, creator of the sitcom, Welcome Back Cotter, the show that made John Travolta a living legend.

Jones began to write screenplays after befriending his next-door neighbor Sally Marr, the mother of legendary comedian Lenny Bruce. Sally got Jones his first break in the film industry when she sent a copy of his screenplay, Vow Of Silence to legendary film producer Marvin Worth, who had produced The Lenny Bruce Story, with Dustin Hoffman. An interview with Mr. Worth led to other writing opportunities. "I met Sally in an odd manner. I noticed the paint on my new truck was damaged, and that it was caused by the car parked next to mine in the apartment where I was residing at the time. I knew the car was owned by an elderly woman who lived next door to me, so I knocked on her door to find out what happened." Marr, told Jones that she had paid the groundskeeper a few dollars to park her car, because she didn't want to damage the "nice new truck." Ironically, "Playboy Magazine was interviewing Sally during the time this conversation took place, and much of it ended up printed in the next issue, and that's how I learned who my neighbor was, and how our friendship began to develop."

In 1999, Jones is credited for doing stunts for the comedian Carrot Top in a film titled, Chairman Of The Board. In 2002 Jack Stone is credited for editing the award-winning Young Man Kang, Korean/American film, Soap Girl. The film won the Audience Award at the Big Bear International Film Festival, and received international theatrical release in 2002.

In 2007, Jones received a Juris Doctorates from the University of La Verne College of Law, and in the same year, a California brokers license. He received several awards during this period including an IVAMS award for excellence in mediation and arbitration. Jones left the states, and relocated to Japan when the banking, real estate, and finance crises resulted in destroying the entire world economy.

Stack's Back

In 2009, Jones returned to music, and signed a recording contract with Cherry Street Records, and released three solo albums including, Stack Jones 13 Rowdy Row, and Mostly Odd Things He Does. The standout tunes on 13 Rowdy Row are Ugly Ducklin', Deal With The Devil, and C'mon Be My Gal. Ugly Ducklin' has netted Stack several awards including, Best Male Vocalist, Artist Of The Week, and Song Of The Week. The album Mostly Odd Things He Does, has some beautiful acoustic songs including, Different Shades Of Blue, Dream On, and Where Is God. During this time, Jones recorded a live album titled; Live/Love/Live. The album Mostly Odd Things He Does has five music video releases, titles include, Dream On, Different Shades Of Blue, I Heard From Her Today, Madness, and Where Is God. Stack also wrote, and illustrated a children's story titled, The Ladybug Loses Her Hat during this same period.

In 2010, Jones worked with activist Ric O'Barry to help make the world aware of the dolphin slaughter that takes place annually in Taiji, Japan. Ric O'Barry is notable for his contribution as an animal rights activist, and the Academy Award winning documentary, The Cove.

In 2011, Jones, along with hundreds of thousands of others, found himself stranded in Japan as a result of the triple disaster that struck on March 11th, 2011. Jones had been residing in the northeastern region for three years prior to the disaster, and had been photographing the region, including many of the areas that are now gone. During this time Jones appeared on two episodes of MSNBC Dateline with Brian Williams, with his photography appearing on PBS, and ABC. His photography of the disaster netted a Wordpress.com, Freshly Pressed Award for Jones' blog titled, Photo Journal Japan, which can be viewed at http://photojournaljapan.wordpress.com. During this time Jones began writing a book titled, An Unfortunate Event: Japan's Triple Disaster. Jones is also working on a documentary on the same subject matter, and a new album titled, Five Sides To Every Story, scheduled to be released in late 2012.

Discography
• Stack Jones: Mostly Odd Things He Does. (2010)
• Stack Jones: Live/Love/Live. (2010)
• Amazing Grace: Risen From The Dead. (2010)
• Stack Jones: 13 Rowdy Row. (2009)
• Miami Rocks Too: Compilation album. (1990)
• Amazing Grace: Untitled Karl Richardson Production. (1988)
• Amazing Grace: On and On. (1987)
• Rick Lennick's Florida Explosion. (1985)
• A Sea of Glass: Entering Therein. (1985)
• Spinout: Revelation VI. (1984)
• Pete Moss: Juke Box Compilation. (1983)

Filmography/Videography
• NHK: Breaking news video footage Yuriage, Japan. (2011)
• MSNBC Dateline: Disaster reporting In Japan. (2011)
• ABC: Disaster reporting in Japan. (2011)
• PBS: Disaster reporting in Japan. (2011)
• Stack Jones: Dream On. (2010)
• Stack Jones: Different Shades of Blue. (2010)
• Stack Jones: I Heard From Her Today. (2010)
• Stack Jones: Madness. (2010)
• Stack Jones: Where Is God. (2010)
• Stack Jones: Senme6 Interview. (2010)
• Soap Girl: Editor and sound mixer. Winner Big Bear International Film Festival Audience Choice Award. (2002)
• Chairman Of The Board: Stunts. (1998)
• Samurion Interactive. (1997)
• Amazing Grace: Video All The World Is Rose. (1991)
• Amazing Grace: Video Fire In the Distance. (1989)
• Amazing Grace: Video 14. (1989)
• Miami Vice: Amazing Grace appearance and performance. (1988)
• Ed Rich Rock Show: Spinouts appearance and performance. (1984)
• MTV: Spinout interview. (1984)

Published Work/Awards
• Tokio Tag Art: http://.tokiotagart.com/p/photography.html (2012)
• Japan Today: Tepco's Liability To Japan. http://.japantoday.com/category/opinions/view/tepcos-liability-to-japan. (2012)
• Big Blue Orb: Plastic Planet. http://bigblueorb.wordpress.com. (2011)
• Japan Ease: Learn Japanese. http//:japanease.wordpress.com. (2011)
• Law Subject Outlines: Know Your Rights. http://lawoutlines.wordpress.com. (2011)
• Photo Journal Japan. http://photojournaljapan.wordpress.com. (2011)
• The Banking Swindle. A Historical Perspective. http://criminalbankingmonopoly.wordpress.com. (2011)
• The Seed Indeed. Adolescent Abuse In The Treatment Industry. http://theseedindeed.wordpress.com. (2011)
• The Ladybug Loses Her Hat: Stack Deck Publishing. (2011)
• IVAMS Award: Mediation and arbitration excellence award. (2007)
• Miami Music Awards: Best guitarist award. (1991)
• Unfulfilled Man: New Voices in American Poetry. ISBN 0-533-09451-8. (1991)
• Is Prison: New Voices in American Poetry. ISBN 0-533-09451-8. (1991)
• Epilogue: American Poetry Anthology Volume X, Number 1. ISBN 0-88147-074-0. (1991)