Tenacious D Unveils Banjo-Laced ‘Video Games’ Single

Jack Black and Kyle Gass are back with the first new Tenacious D original in five years. The country-tinged “Video Games” arrived today accompanied by an animated video that finds avatars of the duo embedded in a variety of classic games.

Clocking in at a mere 90 seconds, “Video Games” is signature Tenacious D featuring hysterical lyrics belted out by JB and a catchy chord progression. However this is the first D tune to incorporate banjo.

Tenacious D’s last album, Post-Apocalypto, came out in 2018. Black and Gass have since released a yearly series of covers to benefit various charities.

The pair recently launched The Spicy Meatball Tour. Both “Video Games” and fellow new original “The Spicy Meatball Song” were debuted on opening night in Atlanta at the Shaky Knees Festival on Saturday, May 6 and have been performed at the two shows that have followed since.

“It’s about growing up and leaving childish things behind…But then realizing that video games are more than just mindless toys….in fact they can be a true expression of huge ideas that belong in the pantheon of great works of art!” noted Tenacious D. “It’s about time someone defended the honor and integrity of this bold new horizon. Leave it to the greatest band in the world…Tenacious D!!!”

Jables and KG tapped Oney Plays to create the animated video for their new single. “I have only been to 2 concerts in my life, and they were both Tenacious D shows. It’s a real honor to work with Jack and Kyle, although I do feel bad about shooting Kyle’s penis off via animation,” explained co-director Chris “Oney” O’Neill.

“It was fun throwing Jack and Kyle’s characters into different video game worlds; we tried to make use of every shot by cramming in gags and references to classic games from our childhood,” added co-director Adam Paloian.

Watch Tenacious D’s “Video Games” visual below: