The world's loudest (and arguably most accident-prone) band, Spinal Tap, is back. More than four decades after their groundbreaking mockumentary This Is Spinal Tap became a cult classic, the hilariously inept British rockers are reuniting for a long-awaited sequel, Spinal Tap II: The End Continues. The film finds the band – David St. Hubbins (Michael McKean), Derek Smalls (Harry Shearer), and Nigel Tufnel (Christopher Guest) – once again in search of a drummer, a necessity triggered by a newly discovered contractual obligation: one last, potentially explosive, gig in New Orleans.
Their search for a drummer proves as challenging as ever. Drumming legends like Questlove, Lars Ulrich, and Chad Smith all politely decline the notoriously dangerous position, leaving a wide-open door for newcomer Didi Crockett (Valerie Franco), who boldly accepts the challenge. As bassist Derek Smalls wryly observes, the key was finding "somebody who was fully breathing. And had no dog." The band's history of tragically deceased drummers, after all, is legendary.
Spinal Tap II follows director Marty DiBergi (Rob Reiner) as he delves into the band's lives 15 years after their tumultuous split. He finds Tufnel working as a cheesemonger, Smalls running a London glue museum, and St. Hubbins composing answer machine jingles in Los Angeles. The reunion is partly fueled by the viral success of Garth Brooks and Trisha Yearwood's country cover of Spinal Tap's hit song, "Big Bottom," a resurgence reminiscent of Kate Bush's "Stranger Things" revival.
The film explores the band's enduring legacy, their infamous "up to eleven" amplifiers (now going to infinity, thanks to a custom Marshall amp), and their comedic misadventures both on and off stage. It also features cameos from rock royalty like Sirs Elton John and Paul McCartney, adding another layer of absurdity to the already surreal narrative. McCartney even comments on the literary merit of the "pink torpedo" lyric in "Big Bottom." The sequel blends new songs like "Rockin' in the Urn" and "The Devil's Not Just Getting Old" with classic Spinal Tap tunes, creating a soundtrack as eclectic as the band itself.
Early reviews are mixed, with some critics praising the film's sharp humor and nostalgic charm, while others find it falls short of the original's comedic genius. Regardless of critical consensus, Spinal Tap's return promises a hilarious and poignant look at the band's enduring legacy and the enduring power of rock 'n' roll excess. Spinal Tap II: The End Continues hits theaters on September 12th.
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Originally published at: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cy5039lqzgvo
