​Tenacious D’S Kyle Gass

When Kyle Gass isn’t busy rocking socks off with Jack Black as part of the comedic rock duo Tenacious D, he rounds up a talented team of players for the Kyle Gass Band. The latest project of his was formed following the breakup of his longtime band Trainwreck in 2011 and features a ’70s-tinged classic rock sound that will satisfy plenty of Tenacious D fans.

Prior to their performance at the Aquarium on April 14, the Rage Kage himself took the time to chat with HPR about the side project, his many film cameos and a little bit about The Greatest Band in the World.

HPR: Tell me about the band you’re playing with. They’re considered a super group. Give me a breakdown of the players involved.

KG: We’ve got John Konesky from Tenacious D and Wynchester, lead guitar extraordinaire. We’ve got Mike Bray from Champaign, Ill., virtuoso vocalist and also a shredding lead guitar player; Jason Keene, or ‘Uncle Jazz,’ on bass, my oldest friend in Los Angeles, also a virtuoso; and our newest member Tim ‘Bone’ Spier. ... He’s the cutest member, I think. The girls like Bone.

HPR: Tell me about this newest album. It really reminds me of some Tenacious D songs.

KG: I wonder why that is? [Laughs] Why would that be? Yes, I trade in the humor of the rock. So, there’s definitely likely to be some humor involved. Everyone in the band has a really good sense of humor, so it seems to be a natural fit for us.

HPR: When you first started playing music was that always your intention to lean more toward comedy?

KG: No, I just wanted to play well but it was actually later on and it seemed like the way to go for me. I really liked Spinal Tap a lot and that kind of got me going on this like, ‘Oh, we can combine those two really well. I get it.’ I didn’t really see myself sort of writing serious songs about women that break your heart. Who wants to hear that? ... That’s a lame thing. Boo. I mean, you fall in love with a beautiful woman and hit it off and then it doesn’t work out for whatever reason, maybe the best of reasons. You weren’t meant for each other at that time. And so I wrote a song about it. And it goes something like this: [Sings] You could’ve loved me but you said, no. You could’ve loved me, but you just go. [Laughs] Did you like it? I just wanted to let you know the creative process there.

HPR: What were you doing for work before your music and acting career took off?

KG: Just kind of typical acting jobs, sort of a string of dead end things like scary guy messenger. One time I counted traffic. Just sat there and counted traffic for, I don’t know, how many stop lights were timed or something. One time I was a dishwasher at a Mexican restaurant for one day until the kitchen flooded. That was a low point. I did security for — celebrity security, actually — I did security for Cher and Olivia Newton John, David Geffen. It was like check in. They’d have security guards at their house and they would check in to me, believe it or not, every hour ... I’ve had a series of crappy jobs but I knew that my destiny, pardon the phrase, was for rock ’n’ roll and comedic acting.

HPR: You’re known for your numerous roles in film and television. Do you have any favorites?

KG: Am I? I’m known? I’m so small no one would know me. But thank you. I always talk about my role in ‘Elf’ because it’s a very popular Christmas movie and I always wanted to be in an annual movie that came back every year where you stayed young and beautiful and you got residuals every year. I do actually like ‘Wild Hogs,’ very popular, the whole karaoke scene. I was in ‘Almost Famous’ but I was cut out. But you can see my scene on the bootleg edition. And I’m really good in it. I’m really good.

HPR: You’ve had a long working relationship with Bob Odenkirk [who co-created Tenacious D’s short-lived HBO series], any chance of seeing you pop up in ‘Better Call Saul’?

KG: There’s always a possibility, but not likely. I don’t know, maybe, you never know. I mean, Hollywood’s weird. I don’t think Hollywood thinks of me too much for acting because I don’t really hustle too much. But you never know. I got a movie just recently, an independent film called ‘Gnaw.’ I think it’s some kind of horror movie.

HPR: OK, is that a big role then?

KG: It actually is a pretty big role. I was surprised. I usually do the bit parts but this movie’s small enough that they needed me. They needed some kind of name so they got me.

HPR: So the fans are hungry for more of The D. When are we going to get it?

KG: As soon as it’s done. But always remember, we will serve no D wine before it’s D time.

IF YOU GO

Kyle Gass Band with The Kamikaze Snowmen

Thursday, April 14, 9 p.m.

The Aquarium (Dempsey’s upstairs), 226 Broadway N.

Advanced tickets are available at etix.com