Spinal Tap consists of David St. (lead guitar, vocals), Derek Smalls (bass, vocals), Nigel Tufnel (lead guitar, vocals).
This article is about the band; a spinal tap is also an informal name for a lumbar puncture.
Spinal Tap is a mostly fictional heavy metal band best known from the 1984 rockumentary This Is Spinal Tap. The band members are portrayed by Michael McKean (as "David St. Hubbins"), Christopher Guest (as "Nigel Tufnel") and Harry Shearer (as "Derek Smalls"); they first appeared in a 1978 ABC comedy special, The TV Show.
The band is "mostly fictional" in the sense that its primary members have always been actors parodying heavy metal stereotypes, yet by playing concerts and releasing albums, they've blurred the line between fact and fiction. The film was accompanied by an album of the same name.
Fans of Spinal Tap have assembled the "mostly fictional" details about the band based on the film, albums, concerts and related promotional material. This includes a list of the band's former members and a discography (below) compiled by Chip Rowe, webmaster of the Spinal Tap Fan Site at spinaltapfan.com.
Spinal Tap has had a succession of drummers, all of whom have died under odd circumstances: one in a "bizarre gardening accident"; another "choked on vomit," (although it was never determined whose vomit it was) and a third from apparent spontaneous human combustion.
Guitarists "Ricky from San Francisco" (1982)
Bass Guitarists Ronnie Pudding (1964-1967) Danny Jarman (1967)
Backing Vocalists Lhasa Apso (1965-1966) Julie Scrubbs-Martin (1965-1966)
Harmonica Players Little Danny Schindler (1965-1966)
Tambourine Players Jeanine Pettibone (1982)
Horn Players Jimmy Adams (1965-1966) Geoff Clovington (1965-1966)
Keyboardists Jan van der Kvelk (1965) Tony Brixton (1965-1966) Nick Wax (1965-1966) Dicky Laine (1965-1966) Denny Upham (1966-1968) Ross MacLochness (1974-1975) Viv Savage (1975-198?)
