| Kyle Gass | |
|---|---|
Kyle Gass performing live, 2006 |
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | Kyle Richard Gass |
| Also known as | KG Kage Rage Kage Kaginski Klip Calhoun |
| Born | July 14, 1960 Castro Valley, California, U.S. |
| Genres | Heavy metal, comedy rock, hard rock, acoustic rock |
| Occupations | Guitarist, songwriter, actor |
| Instruments | Acoustic guitar, classical guitar, electric guitar, vocals, flute |
| Years active | 1993–present |
| Labels | Epic, Sony BMG |
| Associated acts | Tenacious D, The Kyle Gass Band, Trainwreck |
| Website | www.tenaciousd.com www.trainwreckwithkg.com |
| Notable instruments | |
| Martin Guitar , Gibson Guitars, B.C. Rich , Taylor Guitars | |
Kyle Richard Gass (born July 14, 1960), also known as KG or Kage, is an American rock musician, singer-songwriter and actor. He is a member of the bands Tenacious D and Trainwreck. In Tenacious D (which also features Jack Black), Gass plays lead guitar and sings backup vocals, and also plays the role of Black's comic foil in most of their comedy routines. He is the godfather of Jack Black's son.[1][2]
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Kyle Gass was born in Castro Valley, California. Much like his musical career, Gass' acting career also started at a young age. His first gig was for a 7-up advertisement. Later in his career he met actor Tim Robbins, who recruited him into the Actor's Gang. Gass soon graduated from UCLA. In 1986, a 16-year-old Jack Black was one of the new recruits in the Actor's Gang, and the two were introduced. According to Gass, he actually did not like Black at first, but the duo eventually settled their differences and soon became best friends. Gass taught Black how to play guitar, and the two soon formed the band Tenacious D.
Gass was featured in several episodes of the television show Fear of a Punk Planet, which has since been released on DVD. He has also made an appearance as a lawyer in the Good Charlotte video for "Lifestyles of the Rich And Famous". Along with Black, Gass made a comedic appearance as a hapless airplane mechanic in the Foo Fighters' 1999 video "Learn to Fly."
Gass appeared in the comedy Elf as a would-be children's author. Gass also made a cameo appearance with Michael Richards in the Seinfeld episode, "The Abstinence". Gass has had small parts in many of Black's films (Year One, Kung Fu Panda, Shallow Hal, Saving Silverman, The Cable Guy, etc.). He has also appeared in Jacob's Ladder with Tim Robbins. Gass also appeared in season 9 of Friends as a mugger, as the porn director in the 2008 teen sex film Extreme Movie, Walrus Boy in Wieners, and as the dirty trucker in the mens room in the 2008 film Sex Drive. He co-starred in the movie Tenacious D and the Pick of Destiny, alongside Jack Black. In October 2008, Gass appeared as the character Decatur Doublewide in the film Lower Learning.[3]
Gass had a cameo role as a singing karaoke cowboy in the 2007 movie Wild Hogs. He auditioned for a role as a demon in the pilot episode of Reaper, directed by Kevin Smith, but wasn't hired, to Smith's disappointment.[4]
While appearing on Late Night with Conan O'Brien on November 15, 2006,[5] Gass claimed to have been the youngest graduate of the Juilliard School of Music with a degree in classical guitar studies at the age of 13. It should be pointed out that Juilliard did not have a guitar program in 1973, but began its graduate level guitar program in 1989 under Sharon Isbin, and its undergraduate program in 2007. Earlier, in an article in the Sunday Times on October 29, 2006, Black stated that Gass was the youngest graduate of Juilliard.[6] On May 13, 2008, Gass was a phone in guest on the Adam Carolla Show. When Adam Carolla asked him "... And did you go to Juilliard?" Kyle replied "I didn't. I—you know, I made that up as a joke," he continued "and I thought it would be hilarious, and then I've been hearing about it ever since. Apologies to Juilliard."[7]
Gass is featured as a minor character in the 2009 video game Brütal Legend (of which Jack Black plays the lead role), in which he portrays Kage the Cannoneer, a self-pitying giant in charge of a mortar cannon.
Gass is also currently starring in a web show entitled "Guitarings" with John Konesky
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