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CNN Live Today

Power Chords 101

Aired September 19, 2003 - 11:50   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.


LEON HARRIS, CNN ANCHOR: The old schoolmarm has a soft spot for a bit of classic rock. Mayhem and hijinks ensue. We're talking about this new film "School of Rock."
Now if you love power cords, and who doesn't, you should check this out when it opens up in about two weeks. Veteran actor Jack Black stars as a down and his luck guitarist, who scams his way to a teaching job at a posh prep school, and then turns the students into a bunch of rock 'n' roll rebels. And guess who's here with us in studio today, Jack Black.

Good to see you in the flesh.

I've got to ask you about that. Was that you really playing?

JACK BLACK, ACTOR: It was me playing and singing. I always sing. I never Milli Vanilli the voice. On a couple of the really hard guitar solos, no, it's not me. I'm more a power chord dude. The noodling, I leave the noodling to my partner KG and Tenacious D (ph). I have a band on the side.

HARRIS: So you have stunt fingers play the tough part you.

BLACK: Yes, and we're going to play "Leno" in a few days. And If I have to do the solo, it will be scary, because I'm going to have to do my famous "ventrilist" solo, and that's where I do the solo, but with my mouth, and I try to keep my lips from moving, you know.

HARRIS: Back up a second, you do the Hendrix thing? What do you do?

BLACK: No, I'm going to pretend to play, but then I'll sing the solo.

HARRIS: A little hee-haw, there?

BLACK: You can't see I'm singing the solo, though.

HARRIS: And you sound just like the guitar. I'm surprised to hear that, because first of all, you were my man after "High Fidelity." And when I saw you what I though was lip-syncing "Let's Get It," I said, there's no way this guy can be this funky. Was that actually you singing?

BLACK: Well, that -- you know, it didn't come natural. I really had to work -- I practiced that song a lot, and it's definitely one of the hardest songs I've ever learned. He does some off-rhythms, yes, let's get him one, Marvin Gaye, the master.

HARRIS: Well, you impressed this guy.

BLACK: Thank you.

HARRIS: And that's why I'm really glad to see you get this chance here at being the man.

BLACK: This is my big shot, man, you know. I was nervous, because it's a gamble when you step up to a bigger responsibility. I was definitely carrying it on my shoulders, but I was excited about it, too. I was up to the challenge.

HARRIS: What does your gut tell you about this one. I'm happy to see you get back with Joan Cusack. You obviously work well with the Cusacks.

BLACK: I love the Cusacks. If I could by Jack Cusack, I might switch the name. My dad would be bummed about it, but she's one of my favorite actors of all time, and it was great to watch her work, because when you see her in her other movies, you go, man, she's just born with this awesome talent, there's no way I can do that, but then you see her on the movie working on it behind the scenes, and she's really thinking about how to solve the characters, and it was cool to see that I could do it, too. All I have to do is work it.

HARRIS: So you're not just a funny guy, you're actually a pretty deep guy?

BLACK: Being a funny guy is not always fun and games. So there's a lot of hard work.

HARRIS: You're good at it. We've got to get a break in here, but I have to ask you about this -- I mean, this movie, it seems like it's "Footloose" for kids or what?

BLACK: I like to say it's more like a "Bad News Bears" of rock, because I loved "Bad News Bears." "Footloose" is a little silly. This one is -- we try to go back to the old school kids' movies, like "Willy Wonka," the ones that were really funny, and not so soft. I didn't want to do the soft version of Jack Black.

HARRIS: We're going to have to leave it there, because we've got to go. But good to see you in the flesh, Jack.

BLACK: Thanks a lot.

HARRIS: Good luck with the film.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com







Aired September 19, 2003 - 11:50   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
LEON HARRIS, CNN ANCHOR: The old schoolmarm has a soft spot for a bit of classic rock. Mayhem and hijinks ensue. We're talking about this new film "School of Rock."
Now if you love power cords, and who doesn't, you should check this out when it opens up in about two weeks. Veteran actor Jack Black stars as a down and his luck guitarist, who scams his way to a teaching job at a posh prep school, and then turns the students into a bunch of rock 'n' roll rebels. And guess who's here with us in studio today, Jack Black.

Good to see you in the flesh.

I've got to ask you about that. Was that you really playing?

JACK BLACK, ACTOR: It was me playing and singing. I always sing. I never Milli Vanilli the voice. On a couple of the really hard guitar solos, no, it's not me. I'm more a power chord dude. The noodling, I leave the noodling to my partner KG and Tenacious D (ph). I have a band on the side.

HARRIS: So you have stunt fingers play the tough part you.

BLACK: Yes, and we're going to play "Leno" in a few days. And If I have to do the solo, it will be scary, because I'm going to have to do my famous "ventrilist" solo, and that's where I do the solo, but with my mouth, and I try to keep my lips from moving, you know.

HARRIS: Back up a second, you do the Hendrix thing? What do you do?

BLACK: No, I'm going to pretend to play, but then I'll sing the solo.

HARRIS: A little hee-haw, there?

BLACK: You can't see I'm singing the solo, though.

HARRIS: And you sound just like the guitar. I'm surprised to hear that, because first of all, you were my man after "High Fidelity." And when I saw you what I though was lip-syncing "Let's Get It," I said, there's no way this guy can be this funky. Was that actually you singing?

BLACK: Well, that -- you know, it didn't come natural. I really had to work -- I practiced that song a lot, and it's definitely one of the hardest songs I've ever learned. He does some off-rhythms, yes, let's get him one, Marvin Gaye, the master.

HARRIS: Well, you impressed this guy.

BLACK: Thank you.

HARRIS: And that's why I'm really glad to see you get this chance here at being the man.

BLACK: This is my big shot, man, you know. I was nervous, because it's a gamble when you step up to a bigger responsibility. I was definitely carrying it on my shoulders, but I was excited about it, too. I was up to the challenge.

HARRIS: What does your gut tell you about this one. I'm happy to see you get back with Joan Cusack. You obviously work well with the Cusacks.

BLACK: I love the Cusacks. If I could by Jack Cusack, I might switch the name. My dad would be bummed about it, but she's one of my favorite actors of all time, and it was great to watch her work, because when you see her in her other movies, you go, man, she's just born with this awesome talent, there's no way I can do that, but then you see her on the movie working on it behind the scenes, and she's really thinking about how to solve the characters, and it was cool to see that I could do it, too. All I have to do is work it.

HARRIS: So you're not just a funny guy, you're actually a pretty deep guy?

BLACK: Being a funny guy is not always fun and games. So there's a lot of hard work.

HARRIS: You're good at it. We've got to get a break in here, but I have to ask you about this -- I mean, this movie, it seems like it's "Footloose" for kids or what?

BLACK: I like to say it's more like a "Bad News Bears" of rock, because I loved "Bad News Bears." "Footloose" is a little silly. This one is -- we try to go back to the old school kids' movies, like "Willy Wonka," the ones that were really funny, and not so soft. I didn't want to do the soft version of Jack Black.

HARRIS: We're going to have to leave it there, because we've got to go. But good to see you in the flesh, Jack.

BLACK: Thanks a lot.

HARRIS: Good luck with the film.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com