Tenacious D Still Arguing As ‘Destiny’ Draws Near
It wouldn’t be a conversation with Tenacious D if principal members Jack Black and Kyle Gass weren’t arguing with one another about anything and everything.
For instance, still up for debate is just how many songs will be featured on the soundtrack to the group’s film “Tenacious D in the Pick of Destiny,” due Nov. 14 via Epic.
“I think it’s around 12,” Gass tells Billboard.com. “I think it’s 18,” Black replies. “Well, it depends on what you count as a song,” Gass insists. “But tracks. How many numbers,” Black says. “Yeah, I’m not counting numbers,” Gass retorts. “Ten to 12 new songs.”
The duo can agree on a few tracks sure to make the cut, including first single “Pick of Destiny,” the video for which premieres today (Sept. 25) on MTV. “This is basically just a retelling of what you just saw,” Gass says of the clip. “Jack and I go see our own movie but we ruin the movie for the people watching.”
Fans can also look forward to “Master Exploder” (“Jack dreams how kick-ass we’re going to be once we have the Pick of Destiny,” Gass says), opener “Kickapoo” (which features Meat Loaf and Ronnie James Dio) and “Classico” (“It’s about when Jack and I first meet at Venice Beach, and a spontaneous jam happens,” Gass offers. “Jack starts singing along a classical riff to my classical guitar solo”).
“Destiny,” which opens Nov. 17, sports “one of the strongest openings and title sequences ever. I’m not even joking,” Black says. “We kick it off with a kick-ass animation, actually. What is a better one, Kyle, that you can think of? ‘North by Northwest’ by Alfred Hitchcock. That’s a good one, but is it better than the D?”
The question remains: with the movie and soundtrack about to be unleashed, is Tenacious D’s “destiny” now fulfilled? “In terms of brass rings, or quests for power and validation, yeah, this was it, except for one little piece of the puzzle: the cover of Rolling Stone,” Black says. “I think they’re waiting for the first week’s box office,” Gass quips.
Still, the D has a couple of pet projects in line, should “Pick of Destiny” fail to cement the group as one of rock’s all-time greats. “I’d love to make a sequel,” Gass says. “I’d like to do a complete album of covers with no songs written after 1937. I’d like to do a concept album, with the concept being about me. I’d like to do a third part, which is actually part six of a nine-part nine-ogy.” Says Black, alarmed, “A nine-part nine-ogy? I think that makes it an 81-ogy.”
Tenacious D will hit the road in late November for a North American tour, followed by dates in the United Kingdom. More touring is planned for early next year, including shows in Australia, according to Black.
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