Spinal Tap

Spinal Tap

Possibly the most famous imaginary rock band in history, heavy metal disaster area Spinal Tap were the subject of rock’s best mockumentary, This Is Spinal Tap.

Considered compulsory viewing for any serious rock fan, this classic film was the debut feature by Director Rob Reiner (When Harry Met Sally, Misery, The Princess Bride) and tells the tale of the British heavy rock band’s tour of the USA. It is a journey fraught with riotous misfortune and farcical incompetence, yet we come to deeply care for hapless band members Nigel Tufnell, David St Hubbins and Derek Smalls. Theirs are names that should be emblazoned in the rock pantheon, except that they couldn’t find the entry door.

The album is hugely entertaining too. Covering their early hippy days "(Listen to the) Flower People" but focussing on their extensive heavy rock era discography, tracks like "Big Bottom" and "Sex Farm" show the sensitivity of the St Hubbins/Tufnell songwriting team while tracks such as "Rock and Roll Creation" reek with grandeur.

Michael McKean (David St Hubbins) was recently seen in the TV series Good Omens (2019), Harry Shearer (Derek Smalls) has voiced Mr Burns in The Simpsons forever, while Christopher Guest, when not directing whimsical films, does whatever fair dinkum British Barons do.

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