Spinal Tap have never had much luck with drummers.
As fans of the parody British rock band will know, their original sticksman, John “Stumpy” Pepys, died in what was described in the original 1984 mockumentary as “a bizarre gardening accident”.
His replacement, Eric “Stumpy Joe” Childs, fared no better. He died having choked on (someone else’s) vomit, while the next man behind the kit, Peter “James” Bond, also perished in mysterious circumstances. He exploded on stage, taking the rock ‘n’ roll death cliche to its natural comic conclusion.
Now, more than 40 years after the release of This Is Spinal Tap – the film that would go on to inspire many other deadpan, fake documentaries including The Office – the band are back together for a sequel which finds them in search of a new drummer, to help them fulfil a freshly triggered contractual obligation: one last gig in New Orleans.
“We looked everywhere [for a drummer] but people knew our history somehow and they said, ‘no thank you’,” says frontman David St Hubbins, played by Michael McKean, but speaking to us in character alongside his two bandmates.
The film sees drum heroes Questlove, Lars Ulrich and Chad Smith all sounded out about taking on the most dangerous role in rock, but they decline, leaving room for newcomer Didi Crockett (Valerie Franco).
“They thought of all these reasons not to play, and then here comes this lovely girl who says, ‘I’ll play in your bloody band. I will dare the Reaper’,” he explains.
Bassist Derek Smalls, played by Harry Shearer – also the voice of Mr Burns in The Simpsons – confirms: “People made up excuses like, ‘I’ve got to wash the dog.’
“But the key was to get somebody who was fully breathing. And had no dog.”
“Yeah that helped a lot,” agrees guitarist Nigel Tufnel, portrayed by Christopher Guest in his best mockney accent. “Young is good as well because you’ve got a better chance of survival.”