The surprising album Kyle Gass calls “pure rock ‘n’ roll”
Like many others, Tenacious D’s Kyle Gass became endeared to the idea of rock ‘n’ roll from an early age. From catching the coveted performance by The Beatles on The Ed Sullivan Show when he was just four to obsessing over Bob Dylan’s intriguing vocal delivery, Gass’ record collection is probably, for the most part, filled with exactly the type of rock virtuosos you might expect.
This isn’t a strange phenomenon by any means, especially considering both he and Hollywood star Jack Black formed Tenacious D in the 1990s due to their shared love of rock music. Despite initially being regarded as a gimmick band, however, Tenacious D has miraculously evolved into something much more worthy of note, spearheaded by Black’s larger-than-life charisma and Gass’ roaring riffs.
In a way, this both explains and contradicts their love for bands like The Beatles, as studying the Liverpudlian foursome and understanding their enduring legacy largely underpinned the formation of Tenacious D while teaching them all about the opposite of the rock ‘n’ roll attitude. Above all, however, it showed them how to infuse their music with a dynamism that sticks.
Choosing his favourite records for a feature with Music Radar, Gass chose two records by the Fab Four, including The White Album and 1964’s Meet The Beatles. While the latter exposed him to the basics of The Beatles’ appeal, the former demonstrated how sophistication in music can create a layered experience and cause you to resonate on a deeper level.
“Stylistically, it’s really interesting – going from hardcore electric sounds to strange acoustic interludes,” he explained.
Naturally, as Gass grew older and became exposed to more genres and musical visionaries, he explored other tapestries and infused them into his own music. One choice that might seem considerably unexpected is his appreciation for the rock group The Go-Go’s, specifically their 1981 opus Beauty and the Beat.
Gass initially discovered how much he enjoyed the record when he had a job that involved driving a lot. In his view, falling in love with it was a serendipitous affair, as it was the only tape he had at the time, resulting in him listening to it repeatedly. However, unlike The Beatles, Gass realised he enjoyed The Go Go’s mainly because of the “simplicity” of their music.
He said, “I loved the simplicity, energy and spirit. It’s pure rock ’n’ roll, man.”
Beyond the obvious fun element within The Go Go’s’ music, they also emerged at an important time, inspired by the likes of Blondie and the B-52s. By the time they arrived, they had reinstated the importance of the female presence in rock while embodying the era-defining new wave sound. Considering Gass’ music pulls on several different eras and genres that each invite you in, it’s no wonder he found himself singing along to the infectious melodies within their landmark debut album.
