NationStates Jolt Archive

Call me stupid but i can't work it out from the mockumentary.

No. If you look closely, you'll notice all of the major "Spinal Tap" members in "The Folksmen" in the movie "A Mighty Wind". The actors are Michael McKean (You might remember him from "Laverne and Shirley" as Lenny), Harry Shearer (Ned Flanders and several other voices on "The Simpsons") and Christopher Guest (who also directed "A Mighty Wind" and some other films).

Oh. Well, i realised that the band in the film were actors but i thought maybe the film was taking the mick out of a real band.

Yes.*



















* In that they all played their own instruments on the music credited to them, which is a lot more than can be said for some "real" bands.

The band was a massive joke, and I mean that in the nicest possible way. Yes, they play their own instruments, but the whole setup was a gag. They had fun doing it too.

While technically speaking they wren't a real band, they DID release 2 albums:

This is Spinal Tap (Polygram - 1984)
Break Like the Wind (MCA - 1992)

Okay, it is true that they played their own instruments and wrote and sang the songs themselves...and released the albums. And good for them, I have serious admiration for all of the members. They did the same with "A Mighty Wind".

So in that sense, they were a "real" band. Or more so than The Monkees, at least.

Yes they were.

Bad News were better.

Warriros of Genghis Khan urinated on anything Spinal Tap did. :lol:

Well, if people are willing to take Michael Moore's movies as documentaries, there's no reason to think Spinal Tap is any different. I'm sure it's real.

Interesting anecdote:

I'm told that the Folksmen originated as an opening act for actual Spinal Tap concerts that McKean, Shearer, and Guest actually performed (as a bit of a gag, being a semi-ficticious band).
Apparently, the three of them would come out on stage as the Folksmen, perform folk music, get booed off the stage by metal/comedy fans, and come back as Spinal Tap, to wild applause.

No. If you look closely, you'll notice all of the major "Spinal Tap" members in "The Folksmen" in the movie "A Mighty Wind". The actors are Michael McKean (You might remember him from "Laverne and Shirley" as Lenny), Harry Shearer (Ned Flanders and several other voices on "The Simpsons") and Christopher Guest (who also directed "A Mighty Wind" and some other films).

yeah, you have to look real close. i mean if you're blind.

and also: WERE spinal tap a real band? what the hell? i weep for the laws of grammar.

Okay, it is true that they played their own instruments and wrote and sang the songs themselves...and released the albums. And good for them, I have serious admiration for all of the members. They did the same with "A Mighty Wind".

So in that sense, they were a "real" band. Or more so than The Monkees, at least.

So, Spinal Tap only barely qualify as being a real band despite -

1.) writing their own material.
2.) playing their own instruments.
3.) releasing two albums
4.) playing multiple live concerts

I would hate to see how many 'real' bands fail your test.

I'll also note that the Monkees can probably claim to be more of a real band than Spinal Tap because they:

1.) wrote more songs (even when one removes those written for them)
2.) played their own instruments on more recordings (even when one removes the contributions of session musicians)
3.) released more albums
4.) played more concerts.
and 5.) they had Jimi Hendrix supporting them on tour...

All I can say is, both movies were awsome!

and also: WERE spinal tap a real band? what the hell? i weep for the laws of grammar.

I'm not sure which colonial variance of English you speak, mate but i'm pretty certain groups of things or people (e.g. companies and bands) can be referred to as singular or plural entities. The fact i don't really see the point of using Standard English on a forum notwithstanding, i'm not sure why i'm taking grammatical tips from someone who doesn't use capital letters, seemingly ever.

And Jimi Hendrex weren't awfully real either, was he?

Perhaps the more accurate answer would be that Spinal Tap wasn't a band prior to the movie, but became one in the process.

They are supposed to be based a lot on the band Saxon

They reminded me a bit of Def Leppard in their self-titled biography. But then again Metal bands are all a bit samey. Of course the Def Leppard film wasn't funny apart from the bit where the drummer crashes listening to a tape of himself and then the next thing is him staggering about with only one arm...i'm sure it never happened quite like that.

There were a parody of quite a few hard rock & metal bands, including Black Sabbath, Uriah Heep, Saxon and others... :lol: :wink:

Yes, Spinal Tap is a real band. That was just humorous movie made about them.

So, Spinal Tap only barely qualify as being a real band
I didn't use the word "barely". I said "In that sense, they were a real band". In other words, I was agreeing with the post I was responding to. Please don't put words in my mouth. Interesting points about the Monkees, though. I wasn't aware that they played their own instruments at any point before their reunion tour in the 80's.

I'm told that the Folksmen originated as an opening act for actual Spinal Tap concerts that McKean, Shearer, and Guest actually performed (as a bit of a gag, being a semi-ficticious band).
Apparently, the three of them would come out on stage as the Folksmen, perform folk music, get booed off the stage by metal/comedy fans, and come back as Spinal Tap, to wild applause.
Also, when Michael McKean hosted Saturday Night Live in the 1980's, they did a short film on The Folksmen and gave a live performance of "Old Joe's Place". Funny bit. I believe that was before the concert tour you refer to, but I could be wrong.

Call me stupid but i can't work it out from the mockumentary.

They have 2 albums, were on The Simpsons, and played at the tribute concert for Freddie Mercury.

So the answer is "no, not really, unless you want to count them as something like the Weird Al of hard rock".