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Not too surprisingly this isn't the case, all because Sir Denis Eton-Hogg (Patrick Macnee), the owner of their record company, objects to their chosen cover. Sure it might be sexist, as go-between Bobbi Flekman (Fran Drescher) helpfully suggests, but that's half of the appeal of these musical dinosaurs. Anyhow, from hereon the group are on a downward spiral of hotel cock-ups, declining audiences, steadily worsening venues and non-existent promotion, thanks to Artie Fufkin (Paul Shaffer). By the time the group hit the deep South, concerts are being cancelled all over the place and the band members are bickering. David attains a measure of comfort from the appearance of his girlfriend Jeanine Pettibone (June Chadwick) but that just makes thing worse for everyone else. Ultimately messing about with over-blown sets and new directions just won't cut it; Spinal Tap are stepping towards the file marked "Where are they now?".
This Is Spinal Tap is a perfect send-up of the music industry because the film is played absolutely straight. It doesn't go directly for the most obvious targets or the biggest laughs but, instead, lets the characters and situations speak for themselves. What emerges is a bunch of dim-witted musicians playing songs with terrible lyrics, yet not quite being so bad that they couldn't be successful. Because of this intrinsic believability and willingness to let the roles play themselves out, This Is Spinal Tap is a whole lot more honest and entertaining than the majority of rock movies. Hence, this is where the hidden humour lies, in the off-the-cuff remarks and improvised comments of the cast, all of which add valuable depth.
The central characters, Nigel and David, are perfectly realised as childhood chums who grew up with the dream of being stars then found themselves slightly lost when they made it. Through archive footage of their earlier incarnations (flower-power and suchlike), their roots are revealed. In addition, all of the band members are musicians in their own right, which adds an essential verisimilitude to the proceedings (this is all far more convincing than big-name actors pretending). Of course, when the "Yoko Ono" figure of Jeanine appears on the scene, disaster is sure to follow. Wedging herself between David and everyone else, the pseudo-mysticism that she employs is a splendid touch. All around though, numerous cameos enhance the flavour of the movie, giving it the sparkle of reality (it's no wonder that so many too it at face value).
Examples of the continued satirical thread which runs through This Is Spinal Tap are easy to come by. For example, the group's back catalogue of identical sounding albums are textbook definitions of how to combine adolescent sexual fantasies with regurgitated philosophical musings. Bombastic and crammed with smutty innuendo (such as "you fit me like a flesh tuxedo"), Tap's songs are perfect for spotty young men. On a slightly more surreal note, the long-running saga of the group's drummers and their fate is an inspired touch. So, via a great mix of "live" footage (on-stage crotch shots to the fore), interviews and backstage moments, the rise and fall of "the loudest band in Britain" is charted magnificently. The opportunity to view This Is Spinal Tap should never be missed!
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