Are Chad Smith, Dave Grohl, and Jim Keltner Working on New Spinal Tap?

This many excellent drummers in the same room would usually be cause for celebration – if only Spinal Tap’s track record with percussionists wasn’t involved. A recent Tweet by the Red Hot Chili Peppers’ Chad Smith shows him, Nirvana/Foo Fighters’ Dave Grohl, and legendary session drummer Jim Keltner in a Hollywood studio discussing a colleague’s solo album. The only issue? That colleague is Spinal Tap’s (fictional) bassist Derek Smalls, and any fan of the band knows that their drummers have an unfortunate history of dying off rather spontaneously.

With friends @EastWestStudio. Derek Smalls @spinaltapprod solo album. Jim Keltner is not that small.. I swear pic.twitter.com/Y4ecYrwmUR

— Chad Smith (@RHCPchad) May 3, 2017

Smith’s tweet also tagged C.J. Vanston, who plays Spinal Tap’s keyboardist “Caucasian” Jeffery Vanston and is Spinal Tap’s real-life producer and musical director. The reference could mean a real-world release from the band’s universe could be coming up – we haven’t heard from them since the 2009 album Back from the Dead.

Grohl, Smith, and Keltner are all quite busy with their respective tours, so there’s really no telling how far along this new Spinal Tap-related project may be. Meanwhile, American comedian Harry Shearer (the man behind the band’s Derek Smalls) has taken small roles in a few movies over the past few years, so the potential for song-writing time is definitely there. Only time will tell if the mock stars see another revival!

(Thanks to Tom for the link.)