On a scale of 1 - 10, 11 is actually more. See the whole thing is the amps go up to 11, but they can never be more than 100% loudness. If your scale is 1 - 10, then you give an 11, then you are actually giving 110%
This is almost 30 years old, based on a movie from 8 years earlier, for a band which "started" 20 years before the movie and it is as brilliant today as ever.
And this comment was written last year, so that makes it 59 years ago when they started. Still got a long way to go before they equal the Rolling Stones, lol
@@naslan I've said it before: for a parody rock band, Spinal Tap sure knocked the stuffing out of a lot of those fake-a$$ Sunset Strip "metal" bands. I love 'Stonehenge!!!'
So much more here than in a typical screenplay. It’s like an archeological dig. With each viewing something previously unnoticed is discovered. Your point about their mastery of British humour is spot on.
@@DerekDerekDerekDerekDerekDerek They're flawless. It's rock 'n' roll. The flaws are part of the perfection. Find a single English rock 'n' roll star from that era who doesn't sound like they're faking their British accent to some degree.
"Actually we got married here in the States thinking that it would make us both citizens. We just hadn't read the green card book thoroughly enough ..." Hilarious.
Charlie: I heard, Nigel, that you had been doing some inventing? Nigel: Yeah well I said that. Charlie: Yes. David: That's where we all heard it. (cameraman laughing)
WrongRealities Don't worry mate, B'jorn up there doesn't have the comprehension to know you're simply quoting the sketch. He thinks you're saying this interview is fake, which it is but it isn't. Christopher Guest loves to take his characters and have them play in live situations. It's brilliant
Never mistook them for a real band, but after seeing `This Is Spinal Tap' it was a few months before I could watch *real* musicians being interviewed, without laughing. They played the part beautifully.
0mn1vore, the 'actor/musicians' who make up Spinal Tap ARE 'real musicians', and very good ones too. They were not just faking and lip-syncing in the movie. They write their own songs, and perform them. But they are not just Spinal Tap. They are also the folk music trio "The Folksmen", who sometimes 'open' for Spinal Tap when they do live performances, and in that guise they are at least as good as the majority of non-parody folk music groups. If you want to see them, they are a key part of the movie "A Mighty Wind", which was directed by Christopher Guest (aka Nigel Tufnel). That movie is a mockumentary just like "This Is Spinal Tap" is. And for that matter, Guest also directed his regular group of very talented actors/singers/comedians in other great mockumentaries such as "Waiting for Guffman" (poking fun at small town community theater), "Best In Show" (behind the scenes at national dog shows), and "For Your Consideration" (about the cast of a movie being made coming to believe that there is awards-season buzz about their film). Seems everyone who is aware of Spinal Tap also knows how Harry Shearer (Derek Smalls) is also the voice of about half the characters on "The Simpsons", but it is interesting to do some research and learn how much, and how deeply, these three talented and accomplished guys have influenced so many other movies, etc; through their writing, composing and directing skills. They are giants of the entertainment industry, although probably most people have no idea. Of course, all of them have worked as actors many times in a wide range of films, usually in bit parts, but always done very well.
There's a recent interview with Damon Albarn (from Blur and Gorillaz) in which he shows his gear to the interviewer... I was constantly waiting form him to tell him to not even look at the instruments
@zoomsp91 We need this link. Honestly, anyone naming a song / album with ,'Darren'in the title is lacking.Mr Albrn's mockney accent is poorer. than David's or Nigel's ...
@@fosizas You missed the winking smiley, obviously. Because I know Nigel was played by the 5th Baron Haden-Guest (thus, a Brit). IOW, I made a joke. And I obscurely references The Nanny, where Charles Shaughnessy (incidentally, another 5th Baron :D) got letters criticizing his accent, while also praising Daniel Davis' accent (who is an American) :D
In 1985, when I first saw This is Spinal Tap, I completely fell for it. I was 13 and I thought it was all true. It took me 7 years to find out that they were a spoof (mainly thanks to their comeback and the fact that I'd reached 20) and, much worse, that they were AMERICANS. I still can't believe that part. That real yanks could make something as "British" funny as this is hard to take. It's just freakish. Or I've been brought up a snob. Well, I dunno - they're just brilliant for all time.
Speaking of which, they have another mockumentary where they play a fictional bluegrass band called a Mighty Wind I reckon it's just as hilarious as Spinal Tap
It's pretty funny, especially if you remember the folk song era. It was a big deal for a while. When Dylan went electric it kind of went to the back burner, but it was always there...i.e. CSNY, Joni Mitchell, etc.
A six and a half minute interview on Good Morning America, and it happens to be one of the funniest bits of comedy and satire ever (extemporaneously, I must add) conceived and executed!
"Does the world really want you to come back?" Man, right out of the gate! Mr. Gibson did a great job playing along and GMA had gumph airing this. Awesome!
He was certainly game, although his improvising skills weren't up to those of the boys... at 1:23 Nigel serves up the idea that he's been inventing, which obviously needed to be explored, but the interviewer whiffed on it and went back to "8 years in Japan and England..." You gotta take a swing at the fastballs right down the middle, man...
@@gravydavy4188 You made it 3 years with your face on fire, plus they travel with a paramedic now so you should be fine as long as you don't choke on any vomit.
I didn't realize until this video that Spinal Tap is actually a serious band with sensitive creative musicians. What a hatchet job they had to go through! Inescusable!
A and 2! A beautiful reminder of Nigel's chronic confusion, that which no one other than he and the little people of Stonehenge will know who they are or what they are doing.
Christopher Guest (Nigel) actually is (part) British - he's a Baron, no less! The 5th Lord Haden-Guest to be exact. He has dual citizenship, I believe. He was born in the States to British parents. His father was a British diplomat with the UN. The other two - Michael McKean & Harry Shearer are American.
"Not only did Leo Fender invent something on every single automobile---he also invented the electric guitar. He was sort of the Einstein of his day---and, he did it while Einstein himself was still alive." (Bass player on "The History of Rock" with Spinal Tap's own "greatest moments" in its history)
Charlie Gibson did a really good job at trying to play this like it was a straight interview with a classic rock band reuniting...He lost it a couple of times, but who wouldn't? Because he had no idea what they would say...
I guess once you realize what it takes to make it and have the personal awareness and honesty with self to realize you ain't got it... yeah, pretty mature. Well, a bit anyway.
+Randy Durger he sure has. He launched a company last year selling his own brand of amplification equipment. Using new technology he's invented allowing the knob to go up to 12
Jacob, yes it was for the reunion tour in '92. I saw them in Seattle and it was brilliant! The drunken Santa Claus wandering through the crowd was hilarious, as was the new version of "Stonehenge" - this time it was too big instead of too small. Only part of it would fit the theater when it was lowered!
This band was the most influential in all music not just Rock n Roll. Nearly every band and indeed solo artists have copied their stagecraft. Really missed !
Pure genius. I always think Derek Smalls is the unsung comedy genius but then I just go back to the interplay between the other two and decide they are all great.
I saw Spinal Tap in 1992 on this tour, in D.C. They were so funny and so good musically, it was one of my favorite shows ever. 2nd row center, a friend still has a FedEx envelope they used in a bit before throwing it in the audience.
Went on tour with Tap. Saw over1,035 shows. In 1980 they played some killer acoustic shows and made a concert movie at Radio City Music Hall. Great band. It's too bad about all the drummers.
Yes. I wasn't turned on to this band until high school in 1991. I saw the documentary and was immediately hooked. I turned a few of my friends on and we immediately started a tribute band. " Sniff the Glove". It was short lived. Only 2 live shows and our drummer also spontaneously combusted. Still can't explain that shit.
I love how this band (probably, I don't have any proof) inspired Gorillaz, with the whole intricate, multi-album plot line and the ridiculous backstories.
I love that with the passing of time more people are becoming aware of such ingenious humor and talent. Its an honor to admit that before the "dawn of the internet" and my drivers license, my older sister drove me around to various video rental stores in search of this masterpiece! IF the video was found, not one shop owner or manager would accept our buying price because they usually had one copy remaining. I was not a tech savvy teen and trying to locate a video store with at least one copy wa difficult, even here in Los Angeles. When I finally figured out how to duplicate recordings for my own use I extended my rental a few extra days to ensure my copy was of fairly decent quality. When I returned the video the store owner asked how the quality of my copy came out? I didn't lie and told him the quality came out decent enough cause its only for personal viewing. As he turned to give me change he handed me a bag and said "Movies like this should only be watched in the original recording format, not a duplicated version.....This movie might never become available on dvd and vhs is losing value." I kept the vhs til Spinal Tap was released on DVD and made sure that no outtakes, extended scenes, or commentaries were missing. I was surprised the dvd had more extras than the vhs for both Spinal Tap movies. My story proves that honesty and persistence truly paid off because that store owner knew I was an old soul with appreciation for hugely underated cult classics patiently waiting to be revived and praised.
@@tommyturner6923 it happened in the early 2000s though? I had it on VHS and eventually on dvd when the DVD released in like 2004 or 2005, it was one of my favorite movies around the time because I had just started playing guitar and discovered Steve Vai.
