You would have thought Jack Black and Kyle Gass – who make up the two-headed rock behemoth that is Tenacious D – should be used to the whole World Premiere thang by now. But the explosions of energy and excitement resonating across Leicester Square, make tonight seem a very special celebration for the two comedy-rocking axe-masters.
Tenacious D In The Pick Of Destiny, a film Gass told Empire the pair have worked on for “the entire century”, marks the band’s first leap onto the big screen, following ten years of trucking their acoustic masterverks across the globe. With a host of cameo appearances from the likes of Meat Loaf, Tim Robbins and Ben Stiller (the movie’s producer), The Pick Of Destiny looks to the origin of The ‘D and charts the duo’s cosmic rise to ultimate Rockdom.
In a rather regal red-carpet chat with Empire, Messer’s Black and Gass – dressed head to toe in swathes of ermin and crowns made of the finest plastic – had this to say about their new movie and the power of their rock: “Well, we’ve always dressed as two kings” heralded Black. As Gass explained, “Jack is the King Of Rock and I am the King Of Roll, and together we make a wonderful dessert pastry”. “I am also a rock-a-tarian”, added Black, “which means I am half rock, half act[or]. The two cannot be separated, lest [pointing at Gass] he kill me!”
And they were prepared to point fingers at their co-stars also: “Meat Loaf was a very strict father. He was hard-ass”, revealed Gass. “And Tim [Robbins], Kyle and I go back to the late eighties” said Black. “And now that we are on top of the universe and part of cinema history, we would like to say thank you Tim. Yes, nicely done Tim.”
Within the confines of great rock groupings lies the holy grail of the live show – the band’s rider. According to these two incoming Monarchs, Tenacious D’s backstage requirements include: “Three Columbian ‘who-re-es’, an eightball of cocaine, an ounce of your best marijuana and some hummus”.
Finally, the pair were keen to impart some devilish advice to all wannabe Rock Gods: “Give up. You have no chance. Music as we know it now will soon become obsolete. We have conquered music. Thank you!”