Edition 7
CELEBRITIES
23th February 2011
Kyle Gass and Jack Black The storie behind their success
About Tenacious D General history behind Tenacious D
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Table of Contents
TABLE OF CONTENTS Page 3-4
Exclusive Photos
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Kyle Gass
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About Tenacious D in general
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Jack Black - The Storie behind his success
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Thomas Jacob “Jack” Black
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homas Jacob “Jack” Black (born August 28, 1969) is an American comedian, actor and musician. He makes up one half of the comedy and satirical rock duo Tenacious D. The group has two albums as well as a television series and a film. His acting career is extensive, starring primarily as bumbling, cocky, but internally self-conscious outsiders in comedy films. He was a member of the Frat Pack, a group of comedians who have appeared together in several Hollywood films, and has been nominated for a Golden Globe award. He has also won an MTV Movie Award, and a Nickelodeon Kids Choice Award.
Early life Black was born in Santa Monica, California, the son of two satellite engineers, Judith (née Cohen), who worked on the Hubble Space Telescope, and Thomas William Black. Black’s mother is Jewish and his father converted to Judaism. On The Tonight Show, he said his surname may have come from the oc-
cupational name Blacksmith. Black’s parents divorced when he was 10; Black moved to Culver City with his father and frequently visited his mother’s home. As a child, Black appeared in a commercial for the Activision game Pitfall! in 1982, which was later shown during an appearance on Jimmy Kimmel Live and again on The Tonight Show with Conan O’ Brien. When Black entered high school, his parents suggested that he should transfer to the Poseidon School, a private secondary school engineered specifically for students struggling in the traditional school system. Black eagerly accepted the proposition, as he didn’t like public school. He also attended the Crossroads School, where he excelled in drama. Black later attended UCLA but dropped out during his sophomore year to pursue a career in the entertainment business, at which point his father discontinued his financial support. Fellow UCLA alumnus Tim Robbins later cast Black in Bob Roberts. He also had recurring roles on the HBO sketch comedy series Mr. Show.
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Music Career Black, also known as JB or Jables, is the lead singer for the rock comedy band Tenacious D. Along with Kyle Gass, they have released two albums, a selftitled debut, and the follow up, The Pick of Destiny, from which one of their songs “The Metal” was used in the music video games “Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock” and “Brütal Legend”. “Rock Your Socks” from the album “Tenacious D” was played in the music videogame “Rock Band Unplugged”, and “Master Exploder” from “The Pick Of Destiny” went on to be used in music video games “Guitar Hero Van Halen” and “Rock Band 2”, along with their song “Tribute” from “Tenacious D”. “Master Exploder” and “The Metal” featured in the film Tenacious D in The Pick of Destiny. The film, directed by Tenacious D veteran Liam Lynch, features recurring characters such as Lee the superfan and Sasquatch. Tim Robbins cameos as does Dave Grohl as Satan. Ben Stiller also makes an appearance as a worker at Guitar Center, and also another appearance in the music video for “Tribute”. Tenacious D helped the United Mitochondrial Disease Foundation to raise awareness and funds
in San Diego on June 16, 2007. Tenacious D can be seen performing in the Pauly Shore film Bio-Dome where the duo are performing their song “The Five Needs” at a “Save the Environment” party. Black was also a guest star on an episode of The Ellen Degeneres Show entitled “Ellen the Musical”, alongside Broadway star Kristin Chenoweth and teenage singer-actress Olivia Olson. On the show, besides singing, he discussed his then-upcoming film Nacho Libre with the host. Black has also appeared on Dave Grohl’s Probot album, providing vocals for the hidden song “I Am The Warlock”, and Lynch’s Fake Songs album, providing vocals for the song “Rock and Roll Whore”. Black performed a cover of Marvin Gaye’s “Let’s Get It On” in the last sequence of High Fidelity. He lent his musical abilities to the Queens of the Stone Age song “Burn the Witch” with rhythmic stomps and claps, some performed with his eyes closed. He also provided vocals for The Lonely Island’s track “Sax Man” from the album Incredibad. Black has also recorded a duet on Meat Loaf’s new CD Hang Cool Teddy Bear. The song is called Like a Rose. Meat Loaf has also played Black’s father in the Pick of Destiny movie.
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Exclusive Photos!
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Kyle Gass 7
Kyle Richard Gass
K
yle Richard Gass (born July 14, 1960), also known as KG or Kage, is an American rock musician, guitarist, singer-songwriter and actor. He is a member of the bands Tenacious D and Trainwreck. In Tenacious D (which also features Jack Black), Gass plays lead guitar and sings backup vocals, and also plays the role of Black’s comic foil in most of their comedy routines. He is the godfather of Jack Black’s son.
Early Life Kyle Gass was born in Castro Valley, California. Much like his musical career, Gass’ acting career also started at a young age. His first gig was for a 7-up advertisement. Later in his career he met actor Tim Robbins, who recruited him into the Actor’s Gang. Gass soon graduated from UCLA. In 1986, a 16-yearold Jack Black was one of the new recruits in the Actor’s Gang, and the two were introduced. According to Gass, he actually did not like Black at first, but the duo eventually settled their differences and soon became best friends. Gass taught Black how to play guitar, and the two soon formed a band, calling it Tenacious D.
Career
Gass was featured in several episodes of the television show Fear of a Punk Planet, which has since
been released on DVD. He has also made an appearance as a lawyer in the Good Charlotte video for “Lifestyles of the Rich And Famous”. Along with Black, Gass made a comedic appearance as a hapless airplane mechanic in the Foo Fighters’ 1999 video “Learn to Fly.” Gass appeared in the comedy Elf as a would-be children’s author. Gass also made a cameo appearance with Michael Richards in the Seinfeld episode, “The Abstinence”. Gass has had small parts in many of Black’s films (Year One, Kung Fu Panda, Shallow Hal, Saving Silverman, The Cable Guy, etc.). He has also appeared in Jacob’s Ladder with Tim Robbins. Gass also appeared in season 9 of Friends as a mugger, as the porn director in the 2008 teen sex film Extreme Movie, Walrus Boy in Wieners, and as the dirty trucker in the mens room in the 2008 film Sex Drive. He co-starred in the movie Tenacious D and the Pick of Destiny, alongside Jack Black. In October 2008, Gass appeared as the character Decatur Doublewide in the film Lower Learning. Gass had a cameo role as a singing karaoke cowboy in the 2007 movie Wild Hogs. He auditioned for a role as a demon in the pilot episode of Reaper, directed by Kevin Smith, but wasn’t hired, to Smith’s disappointment. While appearing on Late Night with Conan O’Brien
Kyle Gass 8 on November 15, 2006, Gass claimed to have been the youngest graduate of the Juilliard School of Music with a degree in classical guitar studies at the age of 13. It should be pointed out that Juilliard did not have a guitar program in 1973, but began its graduate level guitar program in 1989 under Sharon Isbin, and its undergraduate program in 2007. Earlier, in an article in the Sunday Times on October 29, 2006, Black stated that Gass was the youngest graduate of Juilliard. On May 13, 2008, Gass was a phone in guest on the Adam Carolla Show. When Adam Carolla asked him “... And did you go to Juilliard?” Kyle replied “I didn’t. I—you know, I made that up as a joke,” he continued “and I thought it would be hilarious, and then I’ve been hearing about it ever since. Apologies to Juilliard.” Gass is featured as a minor character in the 2009 video game Brütal Legend (of which Jack Black plays the lead role), in which he portrays Kage the Cannoneer, a self-pitying giant in charge of a mortar cannon.
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Tenacious D
T
enacious D is an American rock band that was formed in Los Angeles, California in 1994. Comprising lead vocalist and guitarist Jack Black and lead guitarist and vocalist Kyle Gass, the band has released two albums – Tenacious D (2001) and The Pick of Destiny (2006). The band’s studio releases, and more recently its live performances, feature a full band lineup, including such musicians as guitarist John Konesky, bassist John Spiker and drummer Brooks Wackerman. Tenacious D formed in 1994 when the members performed as an acoustic duo. The band first gained popularity in 1999 when they starred in their eponymous television series and began to support large rock acts. In 2001, they released Tenacious D, their debut album featuring a full band. The first single, “Tribute”, was the band’s most successful achieving their only Top 10 in any chart, until they released “The Metal”, which was first shown at Saturday Night Live. In 2006, they starred in, and recorded the soundtrack for, the film Tenacious D in The Pick of Destiny. In support of the film, the band went on a world tour, appearing for the first time with a full band. Tenacious D’s music showcases Black’s theatrical vocal delivery and Gass’s acoustic guitar playing abilities. Critics have described their fusion of vulgar absurdist comedy with rock music as “mock rock”. Their songs discuss the duo’s purported musical and sexual prowess, as well as their friendship and can-
nabis usage in a style that music critics have compared with the storyteller-style lyrics of rock opera.
History Beginnings Black and Gass met in Edinburgh, Scotland during the Edinburgh Fringe of 1989. Both were members of the Los Angeles-based theatre troupe, The Actors’ Gang which was performing Tim Robbins’ and Adam Simon’s play Carnage. Initially there was animosity between the two as Gass felt threatened by Black—who was the main musician for the Actor’s Gang—though they eventually worked out their differences, and agreed to form a band. Gass taught Black to play guitar, in exchange for Black helping Gass with his acting. Initially when Black and Gass performed live they covered songs by Bobby McFerrin. Up until 1994 the duo did not have a name, so they gave the audience at their first concert, at the now defunct Al’s Bar, the chance to vote for one. Black and Gass gave them the choice between “Pets or Meat”, “Balboa’s Biblical Theatre”, and “The Axe Lords Featuring Gorgazon’s Mischief” (Gass’ personal favorite). “Tenacious D”—a basketball term used by commentators to describe robust defensive positioning in basketball —did not get the majority of votes, however, but according to Black “we forced it through”. In attendance was David Cross who
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later cast Jack Black in his sketch comedy television series, Mr. Show.
Television series (1997–-2000) Cross, with Mr. Show writer Bob Odenkirk, continued his involvement with Tenacious D by producing three half-hour shows based on the band. The series, entitled Tenacious D, premiered on HBO in 1997, immediately following an episode of Mr. Show. While a total of three episodes consisting of two shorts each, ten to twelve minutes in length, were produced, only the first was aired that year; the final two episodes did not air until the summer of 2000. According to Gass, the series was cancelled after HBO requested ten episodes, but in doing so, he and Black would have to relinquish their role as executive producers, and only write songs. After the series aired, the band continued to perform live. At a show at the Viper Room in Los Angeles, they met Dave Grohl, who remarked that he was impressed with their performance; this led to their cameo in the Foo Fighters’ “Learn to Fly” music video. The popularity of Tenacious D further increased as they began to open for high profile acts, including Beck, Pearl Jam, and Foo Fighters.
Musical style Satire and comedy are a major aspect of Tenacious D’s lyrical content. Gass said of their approach: “I’d love to do the straight music thing, but that’s kind
of against our mission, which is to rebel against the serious singer-songwriter mentality.” Their songs evoke heavy metal clichés of bands like Iron Maiden and Judas Priest. In particular, the song “Dio” pokes fun at the idea of a torch being passed. Songs like “Friendship” parody the lack of real friendship in rock groups with the lyric “As long as there’s a record deal, we’ll always be friends”. Tenacious D also employs the technique of deliberate backmasking on “Karate”, a technique employed by other metal bands like Slayer, who recorded a message in Hell Awaits.