The one band who gave Jack Black the greatest show of his life: “A historical musical experience”
Finding yourself in a swaying mass of sweaty bodies, moving as one to the music of one of your favourite bands, is a pleasure we often take for granted. A tale as old as time itself, the way a song or set of tunes can connect with your mind, body and soul on a personal level is magic in itself, but how it can do that and one thousand other people at the same time, so that the audience, in some ways, becomes one entity writhing in audial ambrosia. It’s something Jack Black knows all too well.
He’s not only one of the more talented members of the comedic cinematic set, delivering a ream of movies that are capable of splitting even the sturdiest sides, but as one half of Tenacious D, the rock group he enjoyed with Kyle Gass until very recently, Black also performed many an incredible live show. But as joyous as being on stage can be, Black will never forget one performance which showed him the beauty of being in the audience.
Jack Black and Nirvana are both cultural institutions. Although they might occupy different realms, with the former being primarily an actor and the latter one of the most significant bands of all time, they are both united by music. Black’s position as a front-facing member of Tenacious D has landed him squarely in the middle of musical performances for most of his career. From legendary cuts such as ‘Tribute’ to their film Tenacious D In The Pick of Destiny, they’ve made an indelible impact on popular culture.
In addition, Jack Black’s most famous work as an actor came from 2003’s School of Rock, which crystallised his position as one of Hollywood’s most prominent rock music buffs. For anyone unaware of the film, the somewhat controversial Richard Linklater project follows the struggling guitarist Dewey Finn (Black). He is fired from his band and poses as a substitute teacher at a prestigious school.
After watching the students’ musical skills, he creates a band hoping to win a Battle of the Bands and pay his rent. The flick introduced a new generation to rock music by mentioning the work of a host of musical legends and featuring cuts from the likes of Led Zeppelin, Ramones and Deep Purple. If you mention it to almost anyone of a certain age, they will be able to reel off references and explain the impact it had on them.
Duly, when Black was asked about Nirvana’s breakthrough album, 1991’s game-changing Nevermind, on its 20th anniversary, he had a lot to say. The American actor revealed himself to be a lifelong fan of the grunge pioneers, saying that he was a fan of theirs in the days of 1989’s Bleach, their debut record.
He stated: “Has it been that long? Uh, yeah, that was definitely one of the formative experiences for me, listening to Nirvana for the first time. I’m proud to say I was there before Nevermind, I was there for Bleach. Someone turned me on to that album, and I was just like, ‘Who are these guys that are changing music?’ Yeah, that was one of the times when it was like I had never heard anything like it before, and it was so compelling. It must have been similar to what it was like when people first heard Led Zeppelin or The Beatles.”
“I remember seeing them live in San Francisco, I don’t remember the date, but I remember it was the night that Bill Graham had died. They were so fuckin’ good. The thing that was amazing about them was not just them; they were compelling and incredibly charismatic, but also the crowd. The crowd was in a trance. Just (an) undulating mass of pleasure, and everyone knew that this was a moment – they were witnessing a historical musical experience”, he recalled.
Black concluded: “Ever since then, I know that it’s the crowd that’s just as important as the band in making a show incredible, ‘coz as good as Nirvana was, if they were in front of a bunch of stiffs, that show wouldn’t have been so great. It takes two to tango.”
This symbiotic relationship is one that Black takes into everything he does. Never afraid to allow the mask to slip, Black understands that to be an artist is to work with your audience and it’s a lesson he learned from one of the greatest bands of all time.
