Jack Black Reveals His Favorite AC/DC Album
via The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon / Youtube
When you think of someone at a rock festival, throwing up the rock-on hand sign, and jamming out with every bit of energy they have, Jack Black is probably someone who fits that picture perfectly. Music moves people in different ways; for some, it’s like food for the soul. Jack Black, the bearded actor and musician with a laugh that’s as big as his personality, is one to dive into the rhythms and melodies head first, especially when it comes to rock.
The Music in His Soul
Jack Black once talked about music and how it feels to him. He said, “I don’t have any real spirituality in my life – I’m kind of an atheist – but when music can take me to the highest heights, it’s almost like a spiritual feeling. It fills that void for me.” The funny and passionate guy we’ve seen in movies, from the lovable panda Po in “Kung-Fu Panda” to the sweet guy in “The Holiday,” really gets what music can do to a person’s heart and mind.
Everyone easily remembers one of Jack’s all-time great roles in the hilarious and rocking movie, “School of Rock.” If you saw it, you’d think Jack Black was born to play Dewey Finn, the character who pretends to be a teacher and turns his class into a band. But, did you know the role was actually written for him? Without Jack Black, that movie might have never hit the screen!
In the movie, Dewey Finn loves his classic rock. He’s an epic fan of the heavy guitar and powerful vocals. He played tunes from legendary groups like Black Sabbath, Deep Purple, AC/DC, and The Doors for his students. And it was no act — these bands really are what Jack Black listens to when he’s not filming a comedy or voicing a kung fu fighting panda.
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Jack Black’s Rock Favorites
Jack is a huge fan of Black Sabbath. He’s even mentioned that he loves the song ‘War Pigs’ because of its amazing sound. But his heart belongs to the harder, more powerful music found in the era when Ronnie James Dio was the frontman for the band. Jack Black loves rock — the kind of rock that’s loud, proud, and full of life.
One day, Jack Black was chatting with Entertainment Weekly in 2000, and he mentioned some of the greatest albums he’s ever heard. He talked about modern hits from bands like Radiohead and Pixies, but he had a special spot for the old classics of Black Sabbath and AC/DC. It’s pretty funny because usually, people pick one favorite album, but he picked a whole collection called ‘We Sold Our Souls for Rock ‘N’ Roll’ to celebrate both of his favorite singers.
But here’s the kicker when it comes to picking a true favorite. After naming five albums he can’t live without, Jack Black had an “oh wait” moment. “I can’t believe I left out AC/DC’s Back in Black! It kicks all those albums’ asses,” he declared with the passion of a true rock fan. Trying to fit it into his list, he joked, “Can you make that five and a half? No, put it like fuckin’ zero — it comes ahead of one.”
So what makes ‘Back in Black’ by AC/DC so special for Jack Black? It’s the album that rocked the world in 1980, showing everyone that the band could still own the stage even after losing their lead singer, Bon Scott. With Brian Johnson now leading the charge, they belted out head-bangers like ‘Back in Black’, ‘You Shook Me All Night Long’ and ‘Hells Bells.’ Those songs helped the band keep shining bright even during tough times.
