Kyle Gass

Kyle Gass
Kyle Gass performing live
Background information
Also known as	Adam Shea
Born	July 14 1960 (1960-07-14) (age 47) in Walnut Creek, California, U.S.
Genre(s)	Comedy Rock
Occupation(s)	Guitarist, Actor
Instrument(s)	Acoustic Guitar
Years active	1994 - Present
Label(s)	Epic, Sony BMG
Associated acts	Tenacious D Trainwreck
Website	www.tenaciousd.com www.twreck.net
Members
Jack Black
Notable instrument(s)
Martin Guitar

Kyle Richard Gass (born July 14, 1960)^[1] is an American actor and a member of the band Tenacious D (along with Jack Black) and Trainwreck. In Tenacious D, 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 often referred to as KG, My Brother Kyle (by Jack Black) or Kage, although he is sometimes given the nicknames Rage and Rage-Kage, in-jokes about his very calm personality. He is also known as the other half of Tenacious D.

Contents 1 Biography 1.1 Early life 1.2 Career 1.3 Trainwreck 2 References 3 External links

Biography

Early life

Gass was born and raised in Walnut Creek, California with his brothers Mitchell and Matthew. At the age of twelve, he began playing his first instrument, the flute. Soon after, he began playing the saxophone. By the age of twelve, Gass began playing an old nylon-stringed guitar^[2] that was lying around the house. While appearing on Late Night with Conan O'Brien on November 15, 2006,^[3] Gass claimed, in jest, to have been the youngest graduate of the Juilliard School of Music with a degree in classical guitar studies at the age of thirteen.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. For reference see article on Sharon Isbin. Earlier, in an article in the Sunday Times on October 29, 2006, Jack Black stated that Gass was the youngest graduate of Juilliard.^[4]

Career

Much like his musical career, Gass's acting career also started at a young age. His first acting gig was a 7up commercial. Upon graduating from Las Lomas High School in 1978, Kyle went on to attend UCLA. While in UCLA, Kyle met actor Tim Robbins, who recruited him into the Actor's Gang. Kyle soon graduated from UCLA in 1986. In 1984, a sixteen-year-old named Jack Black was one of the new recruits in the Actor's Gang, and it was because of this that the two had met. According to Kyle, he actually did not like Jack a whole lot at first, but the two eventually settled their differences and soon became good friends. Kyle even taught Jack how to play the guitar, and the two soon formed a band, calling it Tenacious D. Gass was featured in several episodes of the television show Fear of a Punk Planet, which has since been released on DVD. Kyle has also made an appearance in the Good Charlotte video for "Lifestyles of the Rich And Famous" as a lawyer who is questioning a dog. Gass appeared in an episode of Friends as Lowell, a mugger and a friend of Phoebe's from the streets, and in the comedy Elf as a would-be children's author. Gass also made a cameo appearance as a hotdog stand owner in the Seinfeld episode, "The Abstinence". He also appeared on several episodes of the short-lived Judd Apatow TV show, Undeclared, available on DVD. Gass has had small parts in multiple Jack Black films (Shallow Hal, Saving Silverman, The Cable Guy, etc.) He also has been part of most of Kung Fu Records' movies, Kung Fu Films, which includes Fear of a Punk Planet and Cake Boy. He has also appeared in Jacob's Ladder with Tim Robbins, playing the character of Tony. Gass has a cameo as a singing karaoke cowboy in the 2007 movie Wild Hogs starring John Travolta, Tim Allen, Martin Lawrence, and William H. Macy. Gass sings a Pussycat Dolls song, in addition to a few others. He recently auditioned for a demon part in The Reaper pilot to be directed by Kevin Smith, but wasn't hired to Smith's disappointment.^[5]

Trainwreck

Main article: Trainwreck (band)

Gass also plays guitar and sings vocals in the band Trainwreck, under the pseudonym Klip Calhoun. As of 2005, the band consists of:

• Klip Calhoun — guitar and vocals
• Daryl Lee Donald — vocals and percussion
• Lance Branson — keyboard and vocals
• John Bartholomew Shredman — electric guitar
• Boy Johnny — bass and vocals
• Dallas St Bernard — drums

The band started playing live in 2005 and recorded a live album in Los Angeles in 2004 with Gass and John King of the Dust Brothers producing. The album was released in December 2004 through Sony Music. Trainwreck has toured America supporting the Reverend Horton Heat and the Supersuckers. The band is recording its first studio album with King and Gass coproducing. It is also negotiating with television networks to record a pilot TV show. The name Trainwreck is derived from a very potent strain of cannabis.

References

External links

• Kyle Gass at the Internet Movie Database
• Trainwreck official site

•  • e Tenacious D
Jack Black · Kyle Gass Jason Reed · John Konesky · John Spiker · Dave Grohl
Discography	Studio albums: Tenacious D · The Pick of Destiny EPs: D Fun Pak Singles: '"Tribute" · "Wonderboy" · "POD"
Videography	TV/DVD/film: Tenacious D · The Complete Masterworks · Tenacious D in The Pick of Destiny Music videos: "Tribute" · "Wonderboy" · "Fuck Her Gently" · "POD" · "Classico"
Related	Articles: Discography · Tenacious D 2006-2007 Tour · Sax-a-boom · Lee · More Rocktastic Music from the Film Bands: Trainwreck · Foo Fighters

Trainwreck

Kyle Gass • Jason Reed • John Konesky • John Spiker • Kevin Weisman • Nate Rothacker • Chris D'Arienzo

Other musicians: Jack Black • Reverend Horton Heat • The Supersuckers

Management and producers: John King

Discography

Albums/EP: Trainwreck Live

Related articles

Tenacious D

This box:  •  • edit

Persondata
NAME	Gass, Kyle
ALTERNATIVE NAMES	Calhoun, Klip
SHORT DESCRIPTION	Guitarist, Actor
DATE OF BIRTH	July 14 1960
PLACE OF BIRTH	in Walnut Creek, California
DATE OF DEATH
PLACE OF DEATH