Tenacious D is an acoustic rock and comedy duo composed of Jack Black and Kyle Gass. Their satirical songs and guitar melodies have garnered them a substantial following. Starting out with a small 'cult following', Tenacious D is now commonly featured in full-length feature films, and both men have profitable acting careers. Despite their success on the big screen, Tenacious D continues to charm audiences with their hilarious lyrics, selling out tickets on their musical comedy tours.
Jack Black and Kyle Gass met in an acting class in 1994, and they decided to form a humorous rock band. They began playing at local clubs, and their debut consisted of one song, 'Tribute' at an open mike night. When they were playing at one such club, Al's Bar, comedian David Gross approached them about playing with him in some comedy shows. Tenacious D toured with him around the LA circuit. They appeared with him in several comedy shows alongside comedians such as Ben Stiller and Janeane Garofalo. With all this touring, the band gained popularity and garnered a considerable fan base in the Los Angeles area.
Tenacious D's popularity continued to grow. The band appeared in the 1996 film, Bio-Dome, the movie that created their nationwide fan base. Along with David Gross, they appeared on the HBO comedy special Mr. Show with Bob and David. In 1998, Tenacious D entered the mainstream media when they were featured on Saturday Night Live. They were so successful that HBO gave them their own series. Although it ran for only three episodes, the band aired most of their first songs.
With all these television appearances, many record companies started a bidding war over who was going to sign them. Epic finally signed the group in 1999, and they recorded their first album, Tenacious D. On their first album, they collaborated with artists like the Dust Brothers, Phish, Red Kross, and Dave Grohl.
To promote their debut album, Tenacious D went on their first nationwide tour, opening for bands like Beck, The Foo Fighters, and Pearl Jam; they embarked on their own tour shortly afterwards. In 2001, Tenacious D had a second national tour. Due to the band's growing popularity, they played larger sites and sold out tickets to many of their shows.
Despite the band's success, both members have continued to pursue their acting careers, and a Tenacious D movie is in the works. Jack Black has appeared in movies such as High Fidelity, Bob Roberts, Saving Silverman, The Cable Guy, and School of Rock. Gass has had supporting roles in Idle Hands, Evolution, and Jacob's Ladder.
Tenacious D has such a large cult following largely due to their satirical, and sometimes raunchy, songs. Their humor has brought a new element to the music industry, combining rock with comedy. Jack Black's sense of humor has made him famous, not only for his music, but for his acting abilities. Tenacious D is still playing shows and recording for their fans worldwide.
