Spinal Tap, the sequel is coming. But who will be the drummer?
Forty years after Rob Reiner created the best parody of rock (and especially metal) culture comes news that there’s going to be a sequel to Spinal Tap. Makes sense, really, since so many real bands from that era are back on the road. So why not Tap? I’m sure the mini-Stonehenge set is in storage somewhere. Dust ‘er off and bring ‘er out!
Reiner had this to say to Deadline (via Pitchfork).
I’m back playing Marty DiBergi. The band was upset with the first film. They thought I did a hatchet job and this is a chance to redeem myself. I am such a big fan and I felt bad they didn’t like what they saw in the first film. When I heard they might get back together, I was a visiting adjunct teacher’s helper at the Ed Wood School of Cinematic Arts. I drop everything to document this final concert.
There’s also talk of having a bunch of real bands make cameos.
I have so many questions.
The four principals are still with us: Reiner, Michael McKean (David St. Hubbins), Harry Shearer (Derek Smalls), and Christopher Guest (Nigel Tufnel). But will Paul Schaffer be back as radio plugger Artie Fufkin? Fran Drescher as publicist Bobby Flekman? Will Billy Crystal reprise his brief mime role where he bossed around Dana Carvey?
Tony Hendra won’t be playing manager Ian Faith because he died last year. Fred Williard is no longer with us, so if there’s another army gig for the band, they won’t be greeted by him. Same with Howard Hesseman who appeared as Terry Ladd.
Most of all, who will be Spinal Tap’s drummer? It’s well known that they went through a lot of them (bizarre gardening accidents, spontaneous combustion, choking on someone’s vomit). Ric Parnell, the real-life drummer from Atomic Rooster who played Mick Shrimpton, died IRL on May 1.
I have to say it: My interest is turned up to 11. Expect a release sometime in 2024.
I find for these type of things if you go in with a low-expectations, they might actually surprise you in the end. This team is pretty f’ing funny, so why not?
Two things….
1. When I worked in and around Philadelphia at the turn of the century, there was a label radio rep named Bobbi Silver. This lady was so GD nice, she sent out her handwritten holiday cards every year so that you got them the Monday after Thanksgiving! No idea how she did it, but I miss getting those cards. Bobbie retired in 2011 and I’ve been long out of radio and Philly.
Anyways, there was a rumor that she was the basis for Fran’s Bobby Flekman. One day I asked her about it and she spun a yarn that she was saddled with one of the guys, I can’t remember if it was Guest, Shearer, or McKean, because they had just put out a record on her label. So, she took him around on a publicity tour, while he was working on Tap. She doesn’t know for sure, but she’s pretty sure she’s Bobby Flekman.
2. On one of the DVD issues of This Is Spinal Tap, the guys do a commentary track completely in character! And from what I remember they just shit talk the director the whole time. Seems like the perfect thing to watch right before the sequel comes out.