Jack's Mannequin
| Company type | Rock band |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 2004 in Orange County, California, United States |
| Founder | Andrew McMahon |
| Headquarters | Orange County , United States |
Area served | United States, international |
Key people | Andrew McMahon (lead vocals, piano, keyboards) |
| Products | Music albums, singles, tours |
Jack's Mannequin is a rock group from the United States, established in 2004 in Orange County, California. Originally conceived as a solo endeavor for Andrew McMahon, who is also the lead singer of Something Corporate, the project secured a contract with Maverick Records and released Everything in Transit in August 2005, which reached number 37 on the Billboard 200 chart. Their follow-up album, The Glass Passenger, came out in 2008 under Sire Records, debuting at number eight on the Billboard 200 and selling 49,000 copies during its initial week. The band’s third album, People and Things, was released in 2011. Shortly after this, McMahon decided to discontinue using the Jack's Mannequin name for his music releases, opting instead to perform under his own name.
On November 30, 2015, McMahon announced a commemorative tour celebrating the tenth anniversary of Everything In Transit. Since then, the band has reunited to perform concerts scheduled for 2024 and 2025.
Formation and Everything in Transit (2004–07)
Andrew McMahon started his career as the lead vocalist and pianist for the Orange County-based piano rock ensemble Something Corporate. The inception of Jack's Mannequin can be traced back to December 2003 with the creation of the song "Locked Doors," which showcased a style distinct from Something Corporate’s sound. Following a hiatus from touring by Something Corporate in late 2004, McMahon shifted his focus to composing deeply personal songs that served as a form of emotional healing, exploring themes such as transformation and self-acceptance. He financed the recording process himself before securing a recording contract with Maverick Records.
The band's name transitioned from "The Mannequins" to Jack's Mannequin, drawing inspiration from a track titled "Dear Jack." This name took on added significance after McMahon was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia; the "Jack" referenced in the project symbolized someone affected by childhood leukemia.
Upon its release in August 2005, Everything in Transit received favorable reviews and was well-received by fans. However, a planned summer tour was canceled due to McMahon’s leukemia diagnosis and subsequent stem cell transplant donated by his sister Kate.
Several tracks from Everything in Transit were featured on the television series One Tree Hill, with actress Hilarie Burton appearing in the music video for "The Mixed Tape."
In May 2013, the song "Dark Blue" earned gold certification; later, in August 2021, the entire album also achieved gold status.
The Glass Passenger (2007–2009)
Work on the band’s sophomore album began during the summer of 2007. In August of that year, McMahon shared lyrics for "Cellular Phone" on his blog, and the track was performed live throughout both 2007 and 2008. By February 2008, live footage of "Caves" and "Suicide Blonde" had been uploaded to YouTube. Additionally, McMahon was featured on the cover of Alternative Press in January 2008.
The album titled The Glass Passenger represented a significant artistic development, blending energetic rock numbers like "Spinning" with more reflective pieces such as "Annie Use Your Telescope." Although initially slated for release on April 22, 2008, its launch was postponed until September 30, 2008.
On August 5, 2008, the EP The Ghost Overground was released via iTunes, containing two songs from the album alongside two live versions of tracks from Everything in Transit. Another EP named In Valleys followed shortly after on September 9, featuring one album track plus three b-sides.
During an MTV interview on August 28, 2008, McMahon disclosed that author Stephenie Meyer had written and directed the treatment for the music video of "The Resolution." He described working on this video as a collaborative and serene experience despite typical production challenges.
People and Things (2010–2011)
On September 28, 2010, bassist Jonathan "Dr. J" Sullivan departed to dedicate his efforts to his project Kid Is Qual. McMahon publicly supported Sullivan’s new musical pursuit. Subsequently, Mikey "The Kid" Wagner was introduced as the replacement bassist.
Andrew McMahon intended to enter the studio in Spring 2010 to work on the third album by Jack's Mannequin. Matt Thiessen, lead singer of Relient K, contributed approximately four compositions; three of these—"Amy, I," "People, Running," and "Platform Fire"—were featured on the album, which was released on October 4, 2011.
During tours in late 2010 and early 2011, McMahon showcased fresh material including "Restless Dream," "Hey Hey Hey (We're All Gonna Die)," and "Platform Fire." On March 21, 2011, he announced a summer tour alongside Guster and revealed the album’s title as People and Things.
The lead single from the album, "My Racing Thoughts", debuted on August 2, 2011. McMahon described People and Things as an exploration of relationships that aims to depict mature love with reduced sentimentality. He distinguished it from earlier works by noting that the debut album focused on breakups, the second addressed illness and healing, while this record carries a notably more hopeful tone.
Retirement of name (2012)
On February 2, 2012, McMahon hinted at concluding the Jack's Mannequin era. By August 25, 2012, the official Jack's Mannequin website redirected visitors to andrewmcmahon.com, marking McMahon’s transition to releasing music under his own name.
In September 2012, it was announced that Jack's Mannequin would hold their farewell concert during the 3rd Annual Dear Jack Benefit on November 11 in Los Angeles. The event sold out faster than any other show in McMahon’s career, leading to an additional performance on November 12. Special appearances included Jonathan "Dr. J" Sullivan, Jacques Brautbar, Matt Thiessen, and Stacy Clark. A live recording from these concerts titled Live from The El Rey Theatre was released in June 2013.
After concluding Jack's Mannequin’s final show, McMahon continued his musical journey as Andrew McMahon In The Wilderness. The touring ensemble initially comprised former Jack's Mannequin members Jay McMillan and Mikey Wagner, frequently performing tracks from the Jack's Mannequin repertoire.
Reunions (2015–2016, 2024–2025)
Jack's Mannequin briefly regrouped in late 2015 and early 2016 for a short tour commemorating the tenth anniversary of Everything in Transit, performing the entire album live. The 10 Years in Transit tour featured Bobby Anderson, Andrew McMahon, Jay McMillan, Mikey Wagner, along with Zac Clark from Andrew McMahon In The Wilderness on keyboards.
In 2018, Bobby Anderson (also known as Bob Oxblood) officially joined the Wilderness touring band, reuniting the final lineup of Jack's Mannequin. As of 2025, this lineup remains intact within Wilderness following the departures of Zac Clark in 2019 and Morgan Paros in 2022.
Jack’s Mannequin reunited for a set during the first-ever Andrew McMahon’s Holiday from Real Cruise in November 2024 with McMahon, Bob Oxblood, Mikey Wagner, and Jay McMillan; additional performances featured Zac Clark, Joe Ballero, and members of Something Corporate joining for select songs.
On July 26, 2024, they announced a scheduled appearance at Ocean's Calling Second Wave festival on January 20, 2025; however, this event was later cancelled. Then on October 29, 2024, it was revealed they would perform at the 2025 When We Were Young Festival in Las Vegas.
The MFEO Tour was unveiled on January 27, 2025 to mark the band's twentieth anniversary with headlining concerts and festival dates across the United States, Canada, and Japan. Additionally, they will support Mayday Parade during their Australian tour segment. The touring lineup includes McMahon alongside Oxblood, Wagner, and McMillan.
Members
- Definitive Lineup
- Andrew McMahon – lead vocals, piano, keyboards (2005–2012, 2016, 2024–present)
- Bobby "Raw" Anderson – lead and rhythm guitar, acoustic guitar, backing vocals (2005–2012, 2016, 2024–present)
- Mikey "The Kid" Wagner – bass guitar, backing vocals (2010–2012, 2016, 2024–present)
- Jay McMillan – drums, percussion (2005–2012, 2016, 2024–present)
- Members on Tour
- Zac Clark – keyboards (2016)
- Previous Members
- Jonathan 'Dr. J' Sullivan – bass guitar (2005–2010)
- Jacques Brautbar – guitar (2005)
Studio Albums
| Title | Album Information | Highest Chart Positions | Certifications | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US | AUS Chart |
CAN | JPN | |||
| Everything in Transit |
|
37 | — | — | 97 | US: Gold |
| The Glass Passenger |
|
8 | 19 | — | 29 | |
| People and Things |
|
9 | — | 57 | 130 | |
Video Albums
| Title | Details |
|---|---|
| Live from the El Rey Theatre |
|
Singles
| Title | Year | Peak Chart Positions | Certifications | Album | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US |
US AAA |
US Adult |
US Alt |
US Rock |
JPN | ||||
| "The Mixed Tape" | 2005 | —[lower-alpha 1] | — | — | — | — | — | Everything in Transit | |
| "Dark Blue" | — | — | — | — | — | — |
|
|---|
| "The Lights and Buzz" | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Non-album single |
|---|
| "La La Lie" | 2006 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Everything in Transit |
|---|
| "Cell Phone" | 2008 | —[lower-alpha 2] | — | — | — | — | — |
In Valleys |
|---|
| "The Resolution" | —[lower-alpha 3] | 28 | — | 27 | — | — |
The Glass Passenger |
|---|
| "Swim" | 2009 | — | — | 34 | — | — | — |
|---|
| "Dear Jack" | —[lower-alpha 4] | — | — | — | — | — |
The Dear Jack EP |
|---|
| 2011 | — | — | — | —[lower-alpha 5] | — | 68 | People and Things |
|---|
| — | — | — | — | — | — |
|---|
|- | colspan=10 style=font-size:90% | "—" indicates the track did not enter charts or was not released in the specified market. |-
EPs
- 7" vinyl single "Kill the Messenger" (2005)
- The Free Holiday EP (available via online streaming) (2006)
- The Ghost Overground (exclusive to iTunes Store) (August 5, 2008)
- In Valleys (iTunes Store exclusive release) (September 9, 2008)
- The Resolution EP (exclusive through Rhapsody/VCast) (September 23, 2008)
- Live from SoHo EP (iTunes Store exclusive) (March 10, 2009)
- The Dear Jack EP (available exclusively on iTunes Store) (November 3, 2009)
Non-album tracks
- "Lonely for Her" – bonus track included on the iTunes Store edition of Everything In Transit (2005)
- "The Lights and Buzz" – released as a digital download via iTunes Store (2005)
- "Meet Me at My Window" – featured on the compilation album Sound of Superman (2006)
- "Last Straw, AZ" – distributed through online release (2006)
- "Bruised (Remix)" – part of the soundtrack for Snakes on a Plane: The Album (2006)
- "Bruised (Acoustic)" – included on Fearless Records' compilation Punk Goes Acoustic 2 (2007)
- "God (featuring Mick Fleetwood)" – contributed to Instant Karma: The Amnesty International Campaign to Save Darfur compilation (2007)
- "La La Lie (West Coast Winter version)" – featured on Punk the Clock Vol. 3: Property of Gentlemen compilation (2007)
- "Mr. Tambourine Man" – part of the tribute album Chimes of Freedom: Songs of Bob Dylan Honoring 50 Years of Amnesty International (2012)
- "Wrecking Ball Heart" – available as a digital download on AndrewMcMahon.com (2012); this was the final recording by Jack's Mannequin
External links
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