The Greatest Band in the World: Tenacious D

There is nothing indie about this band. It has a label on Epic Records of the mega-media conglomerate Sony, and it is headed by steadily rising mainstream star of the comedic silver screen Jack Black. However, its music still rocks because it dares to be different and knocks righteous hard rock hair bands off their ridiculous pedestals.

Tenacious D is a death metal band mockery that consists of two pot-bellied, middle-aged men with acoustic guitars. What better way is there to toss fun at bearded, skinny jeans-wearing, flying-v guitar-thrashing heavy metal bands than with two seeming nobodies?

Jack Black is by no means a nobody anymore, and neither is his musical counterpart, Kyle Gass. The two actors/comedians got their start in music by borrowing classic guitar riffs from bands like Led Zeppelin and adding nonsensical and oftentimes expletive lyrics to make an ironic clash of folk metal music. The abrasiveness and black humor of their songs brought them a small spotlight in 1999 with a short-lived HBO TV series, and the group’s popularity really took off when they started touring with alternative pop groups like Weezer, The Strokes and Jimmy Eat World after the release of their 2001 self-titled debut album.

The absurd style of Tenacious D is best exemplified in their single "Tribute," which claims the band wrote the greatest song in the world, performed it for a demon that appeared to them on a road and then forgot how to play it.

The duo will take their musical act back in front of the camera lens on Nov. 17 with the release of their highly anticipated movie titled "Tenacious D in the Pick of Destiny." The musical soundtrack to the film and second compact disc release for the band will be available in music stores on Nov. 14. Stinkweeds is currently taking pre-order reservations for the CD and will throw in a free Halloween goodie bag complete with "Jack Black and friends" masks. Oooo, scary.