Spinal Tap: The Loudest Band Returns with Famous Friends

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The Legacy of Spinal Tap and Their Ongoing Musical Journey

Spinal Tap, the fictional British rock band, has always had a unique relationship with drummers. From the beginning, their history with drummers has been anything but stable. The original drummer, John "Stumpy" Pepys, met an untimely end in what was described as a bizarre gardening accident. His replacement, Eric "Stumpy Joe" Childs, also faced a tragic fate, dying from choking on someone else's vomit. The next drummer, Peter "James" Bond, met an even more dramatic end—exploding on stage, taking the cliché of rock 'n' roll death to its comedic extreme.

Now, over 40 years after the release of This Is Spinal Tap, the film that would become a cornerstone of mockumentary filmmaking, the band is back for a sequel. This new film follows them as they search for a new drummer to fulfill a contractual obligation: one final gig in New Orleans. According to frontman David St Hubbins, played by Michael McKean, the band tried everywhere, but potential candidates were deterred by their infamous history. “People knew our history somehow and they said, 'no thank you,'” he explains.

The film features several real-life drumming legends, including Questlove, Lars Ulrich, and Chad Smith, all of whom decline the role. Instead, the band turns to Didi Crockett, a newcomer who boldly accepts the challenge. “They thought of all these reasons not to play, and then here comes this lovely girl who says, 'I'll play in your bloody band. I will dare the Reaper,’” McKean says.

Bassist Derek Smalls, portrayed by Harry Shearer, confirms that many people made excuses like, “I've got to wash the dog.” But the key was finding someone who was fully breathing and had no dog. “Yeah, that helped a lot,” adds guitarist Nigel Tufnel, played by Christopher Guest. “Young is good as well because you've got a better chance of survival.”

Despite being a fictional band, Spinal Tap has managed to blur the line between fiction and reality. While they were created by American improvisers and director Rob Reiner, their popularity has led to real-life performances at major venues like Wembley Arena, Glastonbury Festival, and Carnegie Hall. In 2020, the band won a legal battle to reclaim the rights to their creation, which they claimed had earned them little due to alleged "Hollywood accounting."

In Spinal Tap II: The End Continues, Reiner returns as documentary filmmaker Marty DiBergi, exploring what the band has been up to since their split. The film reveals that Tufnel now works as a cheesemonger, Smalls runs a glue museum in London, and St Hubbins lives in Los Angeles making answering machine jingles. The reunion is sparked by a viral cover of their track Big Bottom by Garth Brooks and Trisha Yearwood.

The film has received mixed reviews. The Guardian praised it as "still funny" with "pin-sharp laughs and melancholy," while the Telegraph suggested fans should "dial down your expectations to -11." Despite this, actors Chris Adamson and Kerry Godliman have called it a "holy text of comedy."

The film also features real-life rock icons like Sir Paul McCartney and Sir Elton John, who appear in the new movie. “You feel like bowing,” admits Tufnel, while St Hubbins adds, “A nod anyway. A touch of forelock.”

As the band prepares for their final gig in New Orleans, they hope to follow in the footsteps of Oasis, becoming another "British" band to finally crack America. “They came to see us one time but we didn't meet them afterwards,” says St Hubbins. “They're youngsters compared to us.”

Spinal Tap II: The End Continues is set for release in cinemas on Friday, 12 September, along with the film’s new soundtrack.