Talk About Rock Music

I never did get to see this 1984 ‘documentary’ about the fictitious British rock band Spinal Tap first time around – I was only six when it was released. This one of the reasons why this is No.2 rather than at the top spot.

I happened to stumble upon the film a few years ago, after seeing a clip while playing Scene It the interactive board game. The clip on the game was of course the amp that goes ‘up to eleven’ scene.

This film was actor Rob Reiner’s filmmaking debut and chartered the rise and fall of the rock group as a movie within a movie on the band’s US tour.

There are some outstanding moments in the film and the dialogue is really funny with the band infighting that goes on. My particular favourites include; the Stonehenge theme concert and the miniature props, the party food scene and the scene below:

[Nigel is playing a soft piece on the piano]

Marty DiBergi: It’s very pretty.

Nigel Tufnel: Yeah, I’ve been fooling around with it for a few months.

Marty DiBergi: It’s a bit of a departure from what you normally play.

Nigel Tufnel: It’s part of a trilogy, a musical trilogy I’m working on in D minor which is the saddest of all keys, I find. People weep instantly when they hear it, and I don’t know why.

Marty DiBergi: It’s very nice.

Nigel Tufnel: You know, just simple lines intertwining, you know, very much like - I’m really influenced by Mozart and Bach, and it’s sort of in between those, really. It’s like a Mach piece, really. It’s sort of…

Marty DiBergi: What do you call this?

Nigel Tufnel: Well, this piece is called “Lick My Love Pump”.