Guide Note

Tenacious D, the self-described "Greatest Band on Earth," is made up of actor/musicians Kyle Gass and Jack Black. The act is a comedy rock duo who released a debut self-titled album in 2001 and a feature-length film about the "history" of the band called Tenacious D: The Pick of Destiny.

Black and Gass met in The Actors' Gang in the late '80s, where they eventually created Tenacious D. In 1997, they appeared in a series of sketches that aired on HBO (the TV series was appropriately called Tenacious D). After the show was cancelled, the group met Foo Fighters frontman Dave Grohl, who would eventually play on their debut album.

By the time the D's 2001 debut was released, Black was becoming increasingly popular for his movie roles (particularly his breakout in High Fidelity). The album featured many songs that had first been heard in the TV series, now with a full-band format (some musicians on the album included Page McConnell and Warren Fitzgerald in addition to Grohl). It was certified platinum in the United States.

In 2006, Tenacious D: The Pick of Destiny was released in theaters. The accompanying soundtrack was, of course, provided by Tenacious D and featured several new songs.

Fast Facts

1. Name comes from term coined by basketball commentator Marv Albert
2. Tenacious D TV series produced by David Cross
3. Black and Gass appear in the Foo Fighters video "Learn to Fly"
4. Complete Masterworks DVD includes TV series, music videos, and a live concert
5. Grohl appears as Satan in The Pick of Destiny
6. Songs often include gratuitous profanity, as well as references to sex and drugs