Jack Black is paying tribute to one of his biggest creative influences, saying Tenacious D and School of Rock simply wouldn’t exist without Rob Reiner’s This Is Spinal Tap.

Appearing on Late Night with Seth Meyers this week, Black spoke passionately about the impact Rob Reiner’s 1984 rock mockumentary had on him, both as a musician and a performer.

“I don't really want to talk about anything other than Rob Reiner because he was such an incredible inspiration to me,” Black said. “There is no Tenacious D without Spinal Tap... There's no School of Rock without Spinal Tap.”

This Is Spinal Tap starred Christopher Guest, Michael McKean and Harry Shearer as the fictional heavy rock band Spinal Tap, skewering rock excess while still clearly loving the genre. That mix of parody and genuine affection would later become a defining part of Tenacious D’s appeal.

Black also encouraged the studio audience to do themselves “a favour” and check out the film, before broadening his praise to Reiner’s wider career. Reiner directed a run of classics including When Harry Met Sally, Stand By Me, Misery and A Few Good Men.

“I love so many of his movies. It’s like an incredible oeuvre of films that he made. What a genius,” Black said. “I just wanted to really quick give a shout-out to one of the biggest inspirations of my life and send love to the universe to one of the greats. He brought so much joy.”

The comments come following the news of the recent tragic deaths of Reiner and his wife Michele, with tributes pouring in from across the entertainment world. 

For Black, it was a moment to publicly acknowledge the creative blueprint that helped shape everything he’s done since.