Line #22 Music/TenaciousD


1	[[quoteright:315:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/tenacious_d_tribute.jpg]]
2	[[caption-width-right:315:Your socks have officially been rocked off.]]
3	[floatboxright:
4	Influenced by:
5	+ Music/TheWho, Music/LedZeppelin, Music/{{Metallica}}, Music/ThinLizzy, Music/TomWaits, Music/{{Kiss}}, Music/{{Dio}}, Music/JimiHendrix, Music/MeatLoaf, Music/OzzyOsbourne, Music/TheBeatles, Music/NeilYoung, Music/FooFighters, Music/{{Journey\|Band}}, Music/{{Styx}}, Music/{{Oasis}}, Music/JimmyEatWorld]
6
7	-->''Since the beginning of time, 'twas written in the stones that a band would come.\
8	Well, now that band has come, and now they're here to come again, in your earpussies.''
9
10	They are but men. ROCK!
11
12	Tenacious D, also known as "The D" and modestly referred to as "The Greatest Band In the World", are an American duo formed of lead vocalist/guitarist/actor/LargeHam Creator/JackBlack and lead guitarist/backing vocalist/StraightMan Kyle Gass (aka J.B. and K.G., aka Jables and Kage) that have been active since 1994. They are known for their use of acoustic guitars and their wacky sense of humour, revolving heavily around [[RefugeInAudacity audacity]], [[VulgarHumor vulgarity]] and lampooning clichés associated with HeavyMetal and RockAndRoll, while being a really awesome heavy metal band, just ''because they can''.
13
14	Initially performing as an "acoustic metal" duo, Black and Gass got attention thanks to their short-lived TV series ''Series/TenaciousD'', which ran on {{Creator/HBO}} in 1997. Despite being only three episodes (six features) long, the series helped bring attention to The D, and they quickly secured spots opening for Music/{{Beck\|Musician}}, Music/PearlJam, the Music/FooFighters and Music/{{Tool}}.
15
16	By the time the band signed to a label in 2000, they had a pretty high profile thanks to Black's acting work. Backed by a colleciton of notable musicians that included [[Music/{{Nirvana}} Dave]] [[Music/FooFighters Grohl]] on drums and guitars, Music/OingoBoingo guitarist Warren Fitzgerald, bassist Steve [=MacDonald=] and Music/{{Phish}} keyboardist Page [=McConnell=], ''Tenacious D'' showed the band maturing into an outright metal band while still retaining the acoustic guitars and perfecting their outrageous humour and parodies. Split between full band-reworkings of songs from the TV series, a few new songs and comedic skits, the debut blew the minds, kicked the asses (with karate!) and rocked the socks of everyone who ever heard it, and provided the band with its SignatureSong: "Tribute", a tribute to "the best song in the world" that the band played to defeat Satan but promptly forgot afterwards. ItsALongStory.
17
18	In 2001, Tenacious D gained notoriety for releasing the extremely bawdy [[UsefulNotes/AdobeFlash animated short]] {{music video}} by ''WesternAnimation/TheRenAndStimpyShow'' creator Creator/JohnKricfalusi for the song "Fuck Her Gently" which was featured (alongside ''WebAnimation/HappyTreeFriends'') in that year's annual Festival of Sick and Twisted Animation. ([[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fuck_Her_Gently NSFW]], naturally enough.)
19
20	For their next project, The D decided to blow minds in the movie world as well and began working on a movie, ''Film/TenaciousDInThePickOfDestiny''. A soundtrack was also recorded, named simply ''The Pick of Destiny'' and featuring contributions from Grohl, Music/MeatLoaf and Music/RonnieJamesDio. The film came out in 2006 and failed at the box office, probably due to Satan's intervention, while the soundtrack got a mixed but positive reception.
21
22	After laying low for a while, they came back to blow everybody's minds once again with their new album, ''Rise of the Fenix''. Critical reception was decent, but the fans were far more positive, calling it a welcome return to form.
23
24	In 2018, Tenacious D released a Website/YouTube mini-series titled ''"Post-Apocalypto"'', a crudely drawn, slideshow of an animated series involving the duo attempting to survive a nuclear apocalypse. Praised by fans, the album/soundtrack was released on November 2, 2018.
25
26	----
27	!!Discography:
28	* ''Tenacious D'' (2001)
29	* ''[[Film/TenaciousDInThePickOfDestiny The Pick of Destiny]]'' (2006)
30	* ''Rize of the Fenix'' (2012)
31	* ''Post-Apocalypto'' (2018)
32	----
33	!!These are the greatest and best tropes in the world:
34	* AffectionateParody: Of heavy metal, ThePowerOfRock and the machismo within.
35	* AndADietCoke: In "Drive-Thru", JB orders the smallest meal sizes possible, saying that he's trying to watch his figure, when in reality, the amount of food he's ordering would still equate to being more calories than he needs.
36	* AngelUnaware: In ''Tribute'', Satan at least thinks the duo are angels in disguise when they manage to defeat him.
37	* AnimatedMusicVideo:
38	** The infamous "Fuck Her Gently" was animated by ''WesternAnimation/RenAndStimpy'' creator, Creator/JohnKricfalusi.
39	** [[WebVideo/OneyPlays Oney]] animated the video for "Video Games" depicting Jack as various video game characters.
40	* AssShove: "Put... two of them... up your ass! And give me... ''four''... Chicken [=McNuggets=]!"
41	* {{Bowdlerise}}: They record clean versions of all of their songs, and write lyrics so they can be sung either way without screwing up the meter or rhyme. An example would be from "Beelzeboss": "Goddamnit, Kage / He's gonna make you his sex slave" becomes "Golldurnit, Kage / He's gonna make you his best slave".
42	** [=iTunes=], along with several other sites, have opted to apply {{Pixellation}} to the very phallic phoenix on the cover of ''Rize of the Fenix''. The cover of the physical release remains uncensored though.
43	* ClusterFBomb: [[spoiler: FUCK YOU! You fucking dick! Always naysaying... everything I ''create''. You piece of shit, ''you'' create something like [[SeriousBusiness inward singing]]! You fucking ''shit''! You fucking sit in your tower! Fucking nap... What's funny?! YOU FUCKING BITCH! Fucking... fucker! Fucking... cock ass!]]
44	* DepartmentOfRedundancyDepartment: {{Invoked}} in "Tribute".
45	--> ''All of a sudden, there shined a shiny demon''\
46	''In the middle of the road.''
47	* DisproportionateRetribution: The ClusterFBomb above? Sparked by Kage stating that JB's method of inward singing "wasn't really non-stop".
48	* DistinctionWithoutADifference: "[[https://youtu.be/GNJtPFXUnm4 Video Games]]" sees Jables insist that he doesn't play video games anymore. Except for ''VideoGame/GodOfWar''. And ''VideoGame/Fallout4''. And ''VideoGame/RedDeadRedemption2''. However, Jables insists that the latter isn't a game, it's "an incredible journey through old American history" and it doesn't count. At the end, he then suddenly changes course and says that he does still play video games after all.
49	* EpicRocking: "City Hall".
50	* TheFace: Invoked as part of the concept behind ''Rise of the Fenix'', parodying the RealitySubtext of Black becoming a successful mainstream actor after ''Film/SchoolOfRock'', and detailed in both "The Ballad of Hollywood Jack and the Rage Kage" and the video for "To Be the Best". After Jables becomes a humongous A-list star, [[AcquiredSituationalNarcissism he turns into a total egotistical douche]] ("Hollywood Jack") and abandons Kage for fortune and glory; only after Kage has a mental breakdown, is committed, escapes, and makes an attempt on Jables' life does he realize the error of his ways and help his best friend get back on his feet.
51	* FatAndSkinny: Downplayed. Here's it's "Fat and Slightly Fatter".
52	* FunnyForeigner: "Felix Char" from "Classical Teacher", played by Jables with a ridiculous Spanish accent (and most likely a fake mustache) as a way to snap Kage out of his recent funk.
53	* HotBlooded: Jack. Whenever he's being calm, rest assured he's gonna shout about something very soon.
54	* IKnowKarate: ''"With karate, I'll kick your ass.."''.
55	* IntercourseWithYou:
56	** "Kielbasa" parodies/homages the innuendo-based SexDrugsAndRockAndRoll song by by taking the concept to it's extreme; Juice? In your Caboose?
57	** "Fuck Her Gently" is a ballad about putting romance back into sex. [[RefugeInAudacity Sung in true Jack Black fashion,]] of course.
58	** "Double Team" as well.
59	* InTheStyleOf: "Tribute" is clearly meant to sound like a shorter version of [[Music/LedZeppelin "Stairway To Heaven"]]. In a roundabout way, the band are calling that song the greatest in the world.
60	* TheJuggernaut: [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qR7U1HIhxfA The Metal]] is about the successive failed attempts of all music genres to destroy the [[HeavyMetal Heavy Metal]], and his [[CurbStompBattle massive retaliation]].
61	--->''"No-one can destroy the metal\
62	The metal will strike you down with a vicious blow\
63	We are the vanquished foes of the metal\
64	We tried to win for why we do not know"''
65	** Played straight in [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cBtjSHm3ZH0 this video]], where [[ArrogantKungFuGuy Jables]] himself tries to defeat The Metal, who is pictured as a invincible metallic giant. He has a [[IKnowKarate lots of movements]], including frontal kicks, spinning kicks and [[GroinAttack groin attacks]], but The Metal [[NoSell doesn't even flinch]]. The "[[CurbStompBattle fight]]" ends with Jables [[AintTooProudToBeg begging for his life]].
66	* LargeHam: Jack, who else?
67	* MetalScream: "Master Exploder" features a few phenomenal ones. Makes sense, as the song is about this trope taken up to SuperScream levels.
68	-->''I do not need''
69	-->''A microphone''
70	-->''My voice is [[PrecisionFStrike fuckin']]''
71	-->''POWERFU-U-U-UL''
72	* TheMovie: ''Film/TenaciousDInThePickOfDestiny''.
73	* NakedPeopleAreFunny: Jack spends a lot of the video for "Video Games" naked, riding a horse around the world of ''VideoGame/RedDeadRedemption2'' shooting various [=NPC=]s.
74	* ObsessionSong: "Lee", a song dedicated to their obsessive fan Lee (played by JR Reed). Yeah, you got that right, they wrote an obsession song for a fan to freak him out so he would stop obsessing over them.
75	* OddFriendship: Jack and Kyle are friends with Maynard James Keenan of Music/{{Tool}} and even toured as an opening act for the dark prog metal band before they became famous in their own right. The musical comedy duo was generally received with confusion by Tool fans.
76	* PlanetSpaceship: "Deth Starr" is about building a Death Star from ''Franchise/StarWars'' to explore the galaxy, humanity then goes on to build a million of them.
77	* PowerBallad: "Dude I Totally Miss You," part two of "The Road".
78	* ThePowerOfRock: So powerful, they beat the ''devil''!!!
79	* TheRoadie: The song ''The Roadie'' was made as a thank you letter to all the roadies out there who's work goes unappreciated. [[spoiler:In the song's official music [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3b1acvZRvV4 video]] however, the titular roadie Sebastion is portrayed as being a legitimately good roadie that had worked with Music/VanHalen, Metallica and [=AC/DC=] in the past, but eventually gets drunk and destroys Jack and Kyle's green room after being rejected by a groupie. He then goes on to buy drugs, reject a boy who comes to him with a paternity test and then cons money out of them in exchange for a hooker, causing Jack and Kyle to fire him shortly after.]]
80	* RockstarSong: "Rock Your Socks" is basically a weird, nihilistic rant about what it takes to be rock stars.
81	* RottenRockAndRoll: Parodied extensively with the duo alternating between worshipping Satan, fighting Satan, experimenting with alternative musical techniques, and beating each other up for straying from the traditions of their chosen genre.
82	* {{Scatting}}: Jack occasionally does this, usually to imitate the sound of a guitar solo. He refers to it as a "ventrilo-solo".
83	* SelfTitledAlbum: Their debut.
84	* SexDrugsAndRockAndRoll: Cock pushups? "I've been getting ready".
85	* ShoutOut:
86	** Young Nastyman, Wonder Boy's ArchEnemy in the song "Wonder Boy", is named after a supporting villain in the British comic book series ''ComicBook/{{Miracleman}}''.
87	** The song "Video Games" specifically namedrops ''VideoGame/GodOfWar'', ''VideoGame/Fallout4'' and ''VideoGame/RedDeadRedemption2'', and the music video has even more video game references.
88	* SilentBob: Kyle, to some extent.
89	* SmallNameBigEgo: Jack Black's persona parodies bragging HeavyMetal bands by being this. He's not nearly as [[IdiotHero smart]], [[IceCreamKoan wise]], or [[KavorkaMan sexy]] as he thinks he is.
90	* SongStyleShift: "Double Team" changes styles about three times. "Deth Starr" changes from mellow, ethereal acoustic music to hard rock and eventually back again.
91	* SophisticatedAsHell: "Classico" is the trope in music form, especially since the Für Elise part. In general, the D likes to combine FloweryElizabethanEnglish with tons of swearing.
92	* StageNames: JB and KG or Jables and Kage, whichever is more metal.
93	* StandardSnippet: "Classico" and "Rock Your Socks" quote Bach's ''Bourrée in E minor''.
94	* StealthInsult: "Tribute" includes a few bars from favorite songs, and a reminder that the Greatest Song in the World sounds nothing like this.
95	* TheStarscream: [[spoiler: Jables ''and'' Kage]] in "City Hall".
96	* StraightMan: Kyle.
97	* StylisticSuck: The "leaked" SpecialEffectsFailure laden video to [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ls3rD8VfiSY "Rize of the Fenix"]].
98	* SubliminalSeduction: "Karate" ends with a reversed sound clip of Jack Black saying something along the lines of "eat donkey crap".
99	* SurprisinglyGentleSong: Parodied with the "song for the ladies", "Fuck Her Gently".
100	** Played straight with "39" off of ''Rize of the Fenix''. Hell, it would be a great radio song if it weren't for all the cursing and lyrics about Jack Black fingering his own anus.
101	* TarotMotifs: The cover for the band's SelfTitledAlbum is designed after the Devil tarot card, signifying how the band is not afraid to tackle violent and sexual themes.
102	* TestosteronePoisoning: Intentionally evoked.
103	* ThreeChordsandtheTruth: Their simplistic sound combined with humorous lyrics often strike a "power chord" with their fans.
104	* TrainingMontage: [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nai7w1frB1E "To Be The Best"]].
105	* VitriolicBestBuds: A RunningGag in their early years is that Kage keeps quitting the band, and then [[EasilyForgiven forgiving Jables]] for his ego and coming back. Hence, the song "Kyle Quit The Band" ("But now we're back toge-e-ether, uh").
106	* WatchTheWorldDie: "City Hall", they talk about watching the collapse of civilization from an underground bunker.
107	* WordSaladLyrics: "Exploding brains from Alzon to Zanzibar... to the shores of ye olde rustic Chinook!"
108	* WowingCthulhu: ''Tribute'' is about them impressing the devil by playing "the best song in the world".
109	----

Context Music / TenaciousD