In a new interview with Finland’s Tumma Nuotti, former QUEENSRŸCHE singer Geoff Tate was asked to name the “funniest ‘Spinal Tap’ moment” of his career, a reference to the classic 1984 film mockumentary “This Is Spinal Tap” and the fact that many bands have talked about having experienced similar situations that the members of SPINAL TAP found themselves in. He responded (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): “Well, my ‘Spinal Tap’ moment would be the scene in the movie where — I can’t remember the characters’ names, but the guy’s complaining about backstage in his dressing room with the sandwich meat [SPINAL TAP guitarist Nigel Tufnel complaining about the deli tray; see scene below]. I saw the reality of that, the real one.
“Before the movie came out, I was on tour with WHITESNAKE, and [WHITESNAKE leader] David Coverdale was having a meltdown in his dressing room regarding the same issue about the catering and the meat didn’t fit the sandwich,” Geoff continued. “And I swear, somebody heard that and they wrote that into the ‘Spinal Tap’ movie years later, because it was the exact same scene.
“At the time, I remember I was very young and I remember thinking, ‘Why is [Coverdale] upset about that?'” Tate added. “But the older I get, I really understand that he wanted it done — he wanted his dressing room set up the way he wanted it to be set up. It makes it better and easier for him, and that’s why he has it there. And so it wasn’t done right. And so he was letting his guy know that he wasn’t gonna take it anymore. [Laughs]”
As previously reported, “Spinal Tap II: The End Continues”, the sequel to “This Is Spinal Tap”, will receive a theatrical release on September 12.
“Spinal Tap II: The End Continues” reunites director Rob Reiner with Christopher Guest, Michael McKean and Harry Shearer as they reprise their iconic roles as the legendary heavy metal band SPINAL TAP in this long-awaited sequel.
Reiner has returned to direct and write, and original stars/writers Christopher Guest, Michael McKean and Harry Shearer are reprising their roles as Nigel Tufnel, David St Hubbins and Derek Smalls, respectively. Reiner will also return as the documentarian Martin “Marty” DiBergi.
In the sequel, the fictional heavy metal group reunites after a 15-year hiatus for one final concert. Music legends Elton John, Paul McCartney, Garth Brooks and Trisha Yearwood are all set to make cameos.
The “Spinal Tap” sequel will also see the return of Fran Drescher, who will reprise her role as the band’s publicist, Bobbi Flekman, from the original 1984 movie. The film will also feature newcomers John Michael Higgins, Jason Acuña, Don Lake, Nina Conti, Griffin Matthews, Kerry Godliman, Chris Addison, Brad Williams and musician Paul Shaffer.
“This Is Spinal Tap” has become a cult classic since its first theatrical run 41 years ago. The film was produced independently on a shoestring budget of $2.25 million by a company owned by the four creators, Reiner, Guest, McKean and Shearer. Two years in production, the film was released in 1984. It soon became a cult favorite and spawned a genre that has come to be known as “mockumentary,” inspiring many subsequent filmmakers. Phrases from the film’s script have entered the general lexicon, including “none more black” and “it goes to 11,” the latter phrase exemplified by the Tesla car, whose audio system’s volume control goes to 11, as does that on the BBC‘s iPlayer.
Its reputation as one of the 20th Century’s most enduring comedies has increased exponentially in the ensuing years. The film has garnered international praise and acclaim, having been included in “best ever” lists such as The New York Times Guide to the Best 1,000 Movies Ever Made; Total Film‘s 100 Greatest Movies of All Time list; Entertainment Weekly‘s 100 Greatest Movies of All Time where it appeared on the “Just Too Beloved to Ignore” list; and achieving the coveted No. 1 spot on Time Out London‘s 100 Best Comedy Movies list.
In 2002, the film’s lasting appeal led the U.S. Library of Congress (the world’s largest cultural collection),to designate it as a culturally, historically or aesthetically significant film.
Although “This Is Spinal Tap” was first released in 1984 in the U.S. and U.K., the band SPINAL TAP was actually created in the late 1970s. The band’s rock musician characters “Nigel Tufnel” and “David St. Hubbins” were created by Christopher Guest and Michael McKean, with Harry Shearer creating bassist “Derek Smalls.” SPINAL TAP‘s comedic sole claim to fame was as “one of England’s loudest bands.” Performing as their beloved stage personae in the company of a rotating cast of percussionists willing to risk the kit (as so many of their predecessors have been accident prone),SPINAL TAP has toured the world multiple times since the film’s release. Hundreds of thousands of SPINAL TAP sound recordings have been sold over the ensuing decades and the film has been released on scores of video formats through the years.
In 2019, the band’s creators concluded a new agreement with Universal Music Group. The band’s recording of a full-length SPINAL TAP album featuring songs from the film is still available for physical sale, download and streaming today from UMG.
“This Is Spinal Tap” was released to little fanfare with some viewers convinced the bumbling dinosaurs — who had a knack of losing drummers in freak accidents — on screen were a genuine band. But word of mouth about the smartly observed film, which took a pop at bands such as STATUS QUO, LED ZEPPELIN and BLACK SABBATH, spread and it became a sleeper hit.
According to the Belfast Telegraph, McKean, Guest and Shearer prepared several scenes with Reiner but then ad-libbed. At the end of filming, they had more than 40 hours of footage, which was edited down to a more manageable form.
When “This Is Spinal Tap” was released, not everybody got that it was a “mockumentary.” U2‘s The Edge immediately embraced it, saying: “I didn’t laugh, I wept. It was so close to the truth.” Ozzy Osbourne didn’t understand it, saying the first time he watched it, he thought it was a real documentary. Early home video versions of the movie reportedly even had a disclaimer at the start and finish of the movie stating the band didn’t really exist.
