Tag Archives: This Is Spinal Tap

Spinal Tap drummer Ric Parnell has passed away

Posted by on May 2, 2022

  Rick Parnell, who portrayed Mick Shrimpton, the drummer of Spinal Tap, in the classic mockumentary, This Is Spinal Tap, has passed away. He was 70-years-old. Parnell played in bands such as Atomic Rooster in the early seventies. He also played drums for Radio Birdman’s Deniz Tek, who issued the below statement, yesterday (1st) on […]

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Watch Spinal Tap reunite for 35th anniversary

Posted by on May 1, 2019

Last year, it was revealed that this year’s Tribeca Film festival would turn up to 11 by screening This Is Spinal Tap for its 35th anniversary. The volume did turn up to 11 this past Saturday (27th) as the fictional band reunited for the first time in over a decade to perform a special acoustic […]

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2019 Tribeca Film Festival plans to turn it up to 11 with ‘This Is Spinal Tap’ screening

Posted by on November 21, 2018

The 2019 Tribeca Film Festival are set to turn the event up to 11 as This Is Spinal Tap will be screened in celebration of the classic film’s 35th anniversary. The festival is scheduled to run from April 24th through May 5th. In addition to the screening, we will see a Spinal Tap reunion as […]

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‘Spinal Tap’ bassist Derek Smalls to release debut studio album in April; hear title track

Posted by on January 17, 2018

Last summer it was unconfirmed when we heard Harry Shearer, the one who played Derek Smalls in This Is Spinal Tap was recording his debut solo album, Smalls Change. Those rumored details have finally been confirmed and bassist Small’s’ debut solo effort Smalls Change (Meditations Upon Ageing) will arrive on April 13th via Twanky Records/BMG. […]

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Harry Shearer to release Spinal Tap bassist Derek Smalls’ debut solo album

Posted by on June 9, 2017

Time flies when you realize it has been thirty-three years since the mockumentary classic This is Spinal Tap premiered in 1984. Just think about it, we have been saying the phrase, “turn it up to 11” for well over a quarter of a century. It has been reported that Harry Shearer, the one who played […]

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Vivendi seeks dismissal of Spinal Tap’s $400 million lawsuit

Posted by on March 1, 2017

Last year, Harry Shearer filed a lawsuit against Vivendi Universal about This is Spinal Tap, a classic 1984 film that started the mockumentary genre that’s continued on to this day. And while there have been plenty of lawsuits against movie studios or record labels, the lawsuit alleged that Shearer and co-creators Christopher Guest and Michael McKean […]

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Remember When: Spinal Tap confronted Metallica about a certain album cover?

Posted by on February 13, 2017

It’s not that often when metal creeps its way into mainstream pop culture. So when metal/hard rock acts do actually pop up in beloved sitcoms, dramatic films, cartoons or even reality series, it’s kind of awesome. So in the weekly column Remember When, Metal Insider recalls the most random instances of metal’s elite appearing in front […]

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YEAH! offering free rental of ‘This Is Spinal Tap’

Posted by on March 18, 2014

Earlier this month, seminal mockumentary This is Spinal Tap celebrated its 30th anniversary. YEAH! is offering a free streaming rental of the film. You can find some quotes about the film from Rob Reiner, Fred Willard, Jack Black, Brain Slagel, Dave Mustaine Maynard James Keenan and more here, and get information about streaming the film here.

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‘This is Spinal Tap’ – our favorite moments

Posted by on March 2, 2014

In honor of the 1984 Rob Reiner-directed mockumentary This is Spinal Tap celebrating it’s 30th anniversary today, Metal Insider staffers share their favorite moments from the cult classic. Really, it’s hard to single just one moment from the film, which satirizes not just the pretentiousness and self-seriousness of metal, but also of documentaries. But while […]

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Spinal Tap hint at 2014 Reunion

Posted by on July 23, 2013

The world’s loudest rock band Spinal Tap are teasing their public, hinting at a 2014 resurgence. Christopher Guest, aka Mr. Nigel Tufnel, spoke of future possibilities with the fictitious English metal band when interviewed by The Guardian to promote his new television sitcom Family Tree.  “We get asked to do shows on a regular basis. […]

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