Spinal Tap reveals what keeps the band together after all these years

Over 40 years ago, “This is Spinal Tap” took rock fans behind the scenes for an intimate portrait of a band on the verge.

Directed by Marty DiBergi, cameras followed David St. Hubbins, Nigel Tufnel, and Derek Smalls on the road promoting their new album.

There was just one thing: Spinal Tap was actually a fictional band, created by Michael McKean (David), Christopher Guest (Nigel), and Harry Shearer (Derek), and the documentary director was played by award-winning director Rob Reiner, who also directed the mockumentary, one of the first of its kind.

“This is Spinal Tap” became a cult classic, and now the cast is returning for a follow-up faux documentary about the band in 2025, “Spinal Tap II: The End Continues.”

McKean, Guest, Shearer, and Reiner all reprise their roles and have been promoting the film completely in character.

When asked what keeps the band coming back together, David quipped, “poverty,” as Derek added, “money, lack thereof.”

David added, “The specter of dying alone and unwanted brings us back together.”

“It has a magnetic effect,” Nigel noted.

Spinal Tap was infamous for the seeming curse on their drummers, all of whom died during their time with the band. In the new film, several all-star drummers like Questlove, Lars Ulrich of Metallica and Chad Smith of the Red Hot Chili Peppers, are all asked to join, but decline.

“It’s baffling, it really is,” David said. “We thought that we were cursed.”

The band does get some assistance from some big-name musicians, like Elton John, who joined Spinal Tap for one of their signature songs, “Stonehenge,” and Sir Paul McCartney.

Some of the collaborations went better than others, though.

“Let’s put it this way, Elton John is like a ray of sunshine and the other onea bit of rain,” David said.

Nigel corrected him, saying, it was fair to refer McCartney as “the other one.”

“Sir Paul McCartney, brilliant singer, writer, bass player, arranger, everything,” Nigel said, while adding that David, though they have been friends for years, is “sensitive.”

As he put together the documentary, DiBergi admitted things felt familiar, which was both a good and bad thing.

“A lot like the band, I’m kind of stuck in my old ways,” he said. “They didn’t grow particularly musically or emotionally for that matter.”

“Spinal Tap II: The End Continues” is in theaters now.