Tenacious D Biography

Tenacious D, the super-sized acoustic metal/comedy combo who was rightfully acclaimed as the best band on Earth, was an unusual success story. Tenacious D was probably so successful because they were so unlikely: few people would have guessed that two chunky guys pounding on acoustic guitars and singing songs like a tribute to the greatest song in the world (because they forgot how the greatest song in the world went after conquering the Devil with it) would become one of the biggest cult bands of the late '90s and early '00s. But the sheer charm, wit, and energy of singers/guitarists/actors Jack Black and Kyle Gass (as JB, Jables, KG, and Kage, among other names) propelled them from L.A.'s underground comedy scene to their own HBO series and a major-label album contract. The crazed, wide-ranging sense of humor and intensity that Black brought to Tenacious D helped him become a sought-after character actor, appearing in films such as Bob Roberts, The Cable Guy, and Saving Silverman; Gass' film career includes supporting roles in Jacob's Ladder, Idle Hands, and Evolution. Similarly, the D's act featured Black's theatrical, versatile vocals and Gass' deft guitar support in seemingly stream-of-consciousness songs about smoking marijuana, the duo's musical and sexual prowess, and subjects straight out of Dungeons & Dragons, as well as equally absurd and inventive sketches. The two met in an acting class and began performing together in 1994, making their stage debut at Al's Bar later that year, playing only one song, the aforementioned ode to the world's best song, Tribute. That night, comedian/actor David Cross was in the crowd, and he encouraged Black and Gass to join him and other like-minded artists like Ben Stiller and Janeane Garofalo in a series of alternative comedy performances. The D quickly headlined concerts at Pedro's and Largo, establishing a cult following; not even their dismal cinematic debut in 1996's Bio-Dome halted their momentum. The following year, their appearances on Bob Odenkirk and David Cross' brilliant HBO sketch comedy program Mr. Show With Bob and David, as well as a 1998 performance of Sex Supreme on Saturday Night Live (which sang the praises of a ménage à trois with KG and JB), hinted at the duo's just-below-the-surface popularity, which began to rise into the mainstream with the group's 1999 HBO series. Tenacious D included, among other adventures, the group's hunt for Inspirato, the cosmic creative force; a love triangle between Black, Gass, and a deeply pierced, Satanic clog dancer who threatened the group's destruction; and the discovery of Lee, Tenacious D's biggest fan. More of the D's wonderfully idiotic tunes emerged on the show, and fans began swapping and auctioning Tenacious D video and audiotapes. The pair also opened for pals such as Beck, Pearl Jam, and the Foo Fighters before embarking on their first full-fledged tour; Epic won a bidding battle to sign the group. In the year 2000, Black's fame and notoriety as an actor rose with parts in films such as Jesus' Son and, particularly, High Fidelity, where his portrayal of the larger-than-life record store clerk Barry catapulted him to stardom. Meanwhile, the band collaborated with the Dust Brothers, Dave Grohl, Phish's Page McConnell, Redd Kross' Steve McDonald, and other pals on their self-titled first album. The D's momentum reached critical mass in 2001, when the band embarked on their second countrywide tour, playing much larger venues than previously and selling out many of their dates. And, despite a last-minute attempt to recall Tenacious D due to its back cover, which featured two infants bound on an altar, their debut charted at a shockingly solid number 33. Meanwhile, Spumco, Ren & Stimpy creator John K.'s production business, created an appropriately funny and filthy video for the track Fuck Her Gently, and, last but not least, the pair continued work on a Tenacious D film.

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