Tenacious D - The Masterworks review by The Grim Ringler

To know Tenacious D is to love them. Well, this is true for, if no one else, the legion of crazed and rabid fans that have come to know and love ‘The D’ since their debut on HBO several years back. Featuring actor Jack Black on lead vocals and rhythm guitar and Kyle Gas as lead guitar and backing vocals, Tenacious D are the ‘greatest band in the world’ and their mission is to rock your socks off. Which may seem an easy task but no my friends, it isn’t. We live in a world of pre-fab pop music and angry white boys. Where are the old gods of rock? Where is the Dio? Where is the Dokken? Where is the Faster Pussycat? They are gone my friends. But in their stead the Lord of Rock Music has sent down two disciples to lead us all into the promised land of hot sex and kick ass jams, all set to the tune of the greatest song in the world. Not merely an acoustic heavy metal duo, no, these are the new music messiahs my friends, and we are but their pupils.

The Masterworks is essentially anything and everything a ‘D’ fan could ask for. You have all six of the HBO episodes, which aired as fifteen-minute shorts, and which introduced Tenacious D to the world. Each episode beginning with a ‘D’ gig at a local open mic night and then following them as they – search for Bigfoot, write a new song, find love and lose it, go on tour, or any number of other exciting and action packed things. Along with the television episodes you get a full-length concert that features the diabolical duo preaching from the book of Rock to the people of Britain. It’s a great show and, having seen them myself, really does capture the brilliance of the band. The concert makes up the first disc and the episodes are on the second and are nestled snuggly between some other nuggets of nougat. Along with the television episodes you get the three short films that are shown during their concert – one is for when the band ‘breaks up’ and Kyle quits, the others I am not so sure about as I don’t really recall them from the show I saw – and which are…wow. The first short follows what happens to Jack when the band breaks up and he tries his hand at prostituting himself…his only client turning out to be Kyle. The second short tells the tale of their get-rich-quick scheme to that involves them selling their ‘rock star’ sperm off to ladies that want to have a rock baby. The third and perhaps most disturbing short follows the guys out to the desert where they think they are on acid but turn out to have only used a home pregnancy kit instead…though it does turn out Kyle is pregnant. Oh my…if you have a weak stomach or had a traumatic childhood I warn you to steer clear of these shorts.

If you are a fan of Tenacious D there is little else you could ask for from this two-disc set. You get a great concert, their failed television show, some shorts, their musical appearances on talk shows, and a pretty cool documentary about their trials and struggles on the long road of rock while they tour the country. As good musically as it is funny, this is some great stuff. Never taking themselves seriously and actually having fun doing what they are doing, this is as good as any music dvd a band has released. Heck, I might even say borrow it from a friend or rent it if you can, just to see if the ‘D’ have something to offer you. For you see my friend, they are merchants of rock, and their wares…are many.

Great sound. Great production. Great Easter Eggs. If you like a little sass with your acoustic heavy metal then this is your next purchase friend.

…c…




9 out of 10 Jackasses
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