Tenacious D

If you were wondering, Tenacious D is the name of the show of the greatest band in the world of the same name. It consists of Jack Black and Kyle Gass. Add a camera and if you air their crazy adventures on HBO then you have yourself one of the funniest half hours since neanderthals tried to create fire. Although it only ran for 3 episodes, I hope this goes the way of the short-lived Clerks animated series and is updated to DVD with more episodes.

Tenacious D recently has achieved a mainstream following through it's latest single 'Tribute' (receiving high rotations on MTV, and international stations such as Channel [V] in Australia), but what the everyday casual listener may not realise is the fact that the roots of Tenacious D were firmly planted long before the song graced international shores.

After some digging, I happened to come across a collection of episodes. Even though the CD was my introduction to the band, all fans need to see the shows to even grasp the genius the is 'the D'.

Of course, the show isn't just for fans. The series is a comedic delight in it's own right, outlining the very real struggle of an unsigned act, trying to make it big in the music industry and the struggles that come with it. New fans of the D who have heard the music will defiantly get a kick out of seeing the back stories behind some of the songs such as 'Lee' and 'Tribute'.

Jack Black and Kyle Gass are a great team, music wise and acting, perhaps because of the fact that they are playing themselves, and the elements of the Tenacious D story are autobiographical in nature.

Of course, Tenacious D aren't for every. Those who do not appreciate the comic stylings of the almighty Jack Black will probably not enjoy the show or the music. With that said, almost everyone with a sense of humour should be able to get a kick out of 'the D' in some way, whether through their music or acting.

The series is a must-see if not only for musicians, but also comedy lovers as well, and of course, new fans of the D.

I was lucky enough to record all three episodes that aired on HBO before they pulled the plug on the show, and I still watch them ritualistically and laugh my butt off. Jack Black is definitely one of comedy's funniest actors, and this is the highlight of his career (so far). Kyle Gass plays a mean guitar, and together these two will rock your socks off. They have caught the national attention of Tim Robbins, Ben Stiller (producing the Tenacious D movie!), the Foo Fighters (they have a cameo in a Foo Fighters video), and have a record deal with Epic Records (owned by Sony). There was talk of a Rhino video release of these episodes, and when it happens, buy it, because unfortunately, that is the only way you will ever be able to see this extremely funny show.

Two musicians with acoustic guitars attends a weekly open mic night. Doesn't sound like much, but it really is. The comedy is truly funny (especially the parodic stand-up bits), but the highlight of the show, and it is a bright highlight indeed, is the musical numbers. The song writing is without a doubt exceptional. "...having sex with me and KG, now were talking double team..." All songs are delivered with incredible feel and musical prowess, especially "Sex Supreme", "Explosivo" and "The Greatest Song in the World". The episodes should really come out on DVD, even if there only is about 60 minutes of material. For now, you could buy their CD. It features all their best songs from this show, except "Cosmic Shame", which i really enjoyed.

Get your hands on this show, especially if you have a keen interest in alternative music.

Tenacious D is the most amazing show I have ever seen in my life. It mixes comedy and music together so well. The open mic performances are creative and written well. Kyle Gass is a classically trained musician and Jack Black can throw down some insane lyrics. Folk-Metal is what I would classify the music as. Songs like "Jesus Ranch" and "Kyle Took a Bullet for Me" are two examples of their talent as both musicians and comedians. Too bad HBO canceled the series. If you havent, go buy the CD.