“I’m like, ‘Oh my God, it’s Nigel!’ I was all freaked out like that – like I’m seeing my hero.”
Every touring musician has what they often affectionately call “Spinal Tap” moments – the kind of mishaps, snafus, and absurd predicaments that made the 1984 film This is Spinal Tap a timeless cult classic that’s as relevant today as when it was first released. Of course, in the movie, Spinal Tap are a fictional metal band that stumbles through the highs and lows of rock stardom while being filmed by fumbling documentarian Marty Di Bergi (played by director Rob Reiner). Yet musicians from all genres can relate to the lovingly satirical jabs at various elements of the rock and roll experience: Demoralizing stage prop malfunctions, regular lineup shifts, opportunistic label personnel, interactions with the press, mismanaged hotel arrangements, confused band members, and more.
During a recent interview with guitarist Andy Summers (ambient and jazz solo artist, The Police), the rock legend surprised us by revealing his largely undisclosed love for Spinal Tap and revealed his favorite Tap experience, which involved the actual Spinal Tap (or more accurately, one of its members). But wait, as we stated, Spinal Tap aren’t really a band… Or are they? Since they were chronicled in the enduring mockumentary, they’ve released three studio albums, the This is Spinal Tap soundtrack record, 1992’s Break Like the Wind, and the 66-minute-long 2009 remix and outtakes album, Back From the Dead, and they’re currently working on a new film, which makes them more prolific and enduring than many established acts (now, there’s a Spinal Tap-like quandary to ponder).
While he’ll never be forgotten for playing Spinal Tap’s guitarist and songwriter, the charmingly dim-witted Nigel Tufnel, actor Christopher Guest is best known outside the rock world as an accomplished actor, comedian, screenwriter, and director… which brings us back to Andy Summers. When The Police’s legendary guitarist recently crossed paths with Guest, he didn’t tap the actor on the shoulder and throw the devil horns. He didn’t even introduce himself. It was as if neither knew who the other was.
“It was a weird moment,” Summers told FretBuzz. “I was in a wine store/delicatessen with one of my kids and I was just thinking about a bottle of wine. Then, [Christopher] walked in, and I’m like, ‘Oh my God, it’s Nigel!’ I was all freaked out like that – like I’m seeing my hero.”
As Summers marveled at his “hero,” Guest fished through his wallet and dropped his credit card, which landed on his shoe. Since he didn’t notice, Summers walked over to him.
“I said, ‘Excuse me, sir, is this your credit card?” says Summers. “I really wanted to make some gesture to show that I knew who he was, but I didn’t. I just picked it up and gave it to him. He said, ‘Thanks, mate.’ And that was it.’”
Maybe Summers didn’t say anything to Guest because he knows how annoying it can be to have to put on a celebrity happy face in public. Or maybe he was starstruck, which is an even more appealing notion given his own success in a legendary rock band.
“I should have introduced myself,” he says in retrospect. “We could probably have had a great conversation.”
Summers is more than a Spinal Tap fan, he’s a bit of a band historian. He recently read an analysis of the film and significance in movie and music history (Ed – possibly Ethan de Seife’s “This is Spinal Tap (Cultographies), and he’s excited to talk about the minutiae.
“In this little academic book the writer says they were actually very good and played very well,” Summers says. “They’re good musician and they wrote good rock songs.”
Summers’ history with Rob Reiner’s cult classic dates back to the movie’s theatrical debut. “I was one of the first people to see it when it came out,” he says. “I was in New York and I was hanging out with a friend Vic Garbarini, [a journalist] who was knowledgeable about music. He said, ‘There’s this film called This is Spinal Tap. It’s on at midnight at the Waverly Theater in Greenwich Village and I hear it’s really funny.’ I went, ‘I haven’t even heard of it.’ And he said, “Well, let’s go and see it.’ I think there were only two of us. We were in an upstairs cinema, and we watched the movie and we were on the floor just howling through the whole thing.”
Like others who caught the movie in its infancy, Summers excitedly recommended it to friends, but as more people started attending the movie and it spread beyond the music community, something strange happened. “The audiences didn’t understand it. They thought it was a real band, which is totally Spinal Tap in itself.”
As a dedicated fan of the movie, Summers looks forward to the sequel Spinal Tap 2, which began shooting in March. The follow-up to the original was co-written by Reiner and stars the original cast of Guest, Michael McKean (frontman David St. Hubbins) and Harry Shearer (bassist Derek Smalls). The film will also feature appearances by Paul McCartney, Elton John, Questlove, Garth Brooks, and Trisha Yearwood.
Reiner, who will reprise his role in the original said in a press release, “I recently spoke to Marty DiBergi who said that he was more than happy to take a sabbatical from his position as a visiting Professor’s Assistant at the Ed Wood School of Cinematic Arts to once again document Spinal Tap to ensure their place in the pantheon of Rock and Roll.”
