According to Johnny Kannis, the Jackals were a school band that he started that played cover versions of material by Aerosmith, Alice Cooper, Blue Oyster Cult, Ted Nugent, Lou Reed and original country rock tracks written by Masuak, including "Death by the Gun".
According to Kannis the Jackals were "a school band that Chris Masuak and I started while we were in year 10 [with a] Maltese rhythm section." They played cover versions of material by Aerosmith, Alice Cooper, Blue Oyster Cult, Ted Nugent, Lou Reed and original country rock tracks written by Masuak, including "Death by the Gun". 
