"She Means Dolby, Alright?" - 'This is Spinal Tap' Quiz

Answer: Punctuality

"In 1966, I went down to Greenwich Village, New York City to a rock club called the Electric Banana. Don't look for it, it's not there anymore. But that night I heard a band that for me redefined the word "rock and roll". I remember being knocked out by their, their exuberance, their raw power -- and their punctuality", says real life film director Rob Reiner, who plays Martin 'Marty' DiBergi, a film commercial maker. In his own words he "wanted to capture the sights... the sounds... the smells of a hard working rock band on the road".

Having played in a band many decades ago, I think Reiner needed therapy!

Answer: Smell the Glove

Spinal Tap is touring the United States in support of their latest album release, 'Smell the Glove'. The tour starts badly; at a recording industry convention held in Atlanta Ga., David St. Hubbins excitedly tells the attending guests in the Polymer Records hospitality suite that they should "wait until you see the cover". Ian Faith, after being taken to one side by tour promoter Bobbi Fleckman, and the band are accused of being sexist due to the imagery that they had chosen for the record sleeve - a picture of a young woman on her knees wearing a dog collar, restrained by a leash and being forced to smell a man's hand enclosed in a black leather glove.
"They're not going to release the album because they have decided that the cover is sexist" says exasperated manager Ian Faith to the band at the party.
"Well, so what? What's wrong with bein' sexy?" added guitarist Nigel Tufnel.
"Sex-IST!" exclaims Ian Faith.
"IST!" adds David St. Hubbins.

Answer: Spinal Pap

Many amongst you will recognise the band's chauffeur Tommy Pischedda, played by Bruno Kirby, from blockbuster movies 'City Slickers', 'Good Morning Vietnam' and 'The Godfather Part II'; he is a chauffeur with something of a Frank Sinatra fixation. There are a number of comedic referrals to the band name scattered throughout the film if you listen carefully for them... And clearly to the surnames of some characters as well!

Answer: The Thamesmen

Due to the fact that another band were already using the name that they had originally wished to use, they were forced to look for something else:

"We had to change our name actually" offered St. Hubbins during an interview.
"Well there was another group in the East End called The Originals and we had to rename ourselves" added Tufnel.
"The New Originals" said St. Hubbins.
"The New Originals" added Tufnel, "and then they became...The Regulars, they changed their name back to The Regulars and we thought well, we could go back to The Originals but what's the point?"
"We became The Thamesmen at that point" concluded Tufnel.

Answer: He choked on vomit...somebody else's!

Spinal Tap appears to go through drummers on a regular basis. According to guitarist Nigel Tufnel, after the death of 'Stumpy' Pepys the authorities instructed the band to "best leave it unsolved". The band's second drummer to die, Eric 'Stumpy Joe' Childs passed away after choking on vomit. Quite disgustingly, and according to Tufnel during the same interview, he had choked on somebody else's vomit!

"What happened to 'Stumpy Joe?" asked DiBergi
"Ah, it's not a very pleasant story" answered Derek Smalls. "He choked. The actual official explanation was he choked on vomit; they didn't have the facilities for testing at Scotland Yard. They couldn't say exactly whose vomit he choked on" continued Smalls.
"Yeah, you can't dust for vomit" added Tufnel!

Answer: Fender

"Now this is special, too, still got the ol' tagger on it...never even played it," says Tufnel.
"You just bought it and...?" Says DiBergi, reaching out with his hand to touch the Fender.
"Don't touch it! Don't touch it!" Shouts Tufnel.
"Well uh I wasn't...I wasn't gonna touch it, I was just pointing at it!" replied DiBergi in surprise.
"Well don't point, even," replies a calmer Tufnel as they both cross the room to inspect Tufnel's amplifiers.

If this film is remembered for anything, it is this scene in which DiBergi and Tufnel are inspecting the latter's guitar collection and Nigel Tufnel explains to DiBergi why they have such a live advantage over other bands.
"Most amps go up to ten...does this mean it's louder?" asks DiBergi.
"Well, it's one louder" replies Tufnel.

Answer: The food

Typical of many an incident reported in the music press over the decades, when asked if everything is OK by manager Ian Faith, Tufnel starts to complain about the quality and type of food that the band have been provided... particularly the sliced meat and rye bread!

Answer: A translucent chrysalis-like container

This scene never fails to make me laugh out loud and is, in my opinion, the funniest in the entire film. On a darkened stage the three band members are each encased in what look to be a translucent chrysalis-like containers. As the first chords of the song are struck St. Hubbins' chrysalis opens and he steps onto the stage followed, a few seconds later, by Tufnel who has also exited his container.

Despite the frantic efforts of a member of the stage crew to release him, the prop containing Smalls malfunctions, leaving him trapped inside. Just as the song reaches its climax, Smalls is released from captivity and punches the air in salute to the cheers of the audience just as the final notes of the song die away. Hilarious!

Answer: A cricket bat

Don't be fooled by what Faith says, his cricket bat is nothing more than his 'enforcer'! In a scene inserted during the interview, an enraged Faith is seen destroying a hotel room contents with it. From his tone it can also be safe to assume that, in the past, he has also used it as a weapon!

Answer: Cancer

When St. Hubbins informs the band that his girlfriend Jeanine is travelling over from the UK to join the band, Nigel Tufnel is clearly unhappy with this. Jeanine's arrival contributes to a number of minor disputes among the band, particularly over her ideas to transform the band's image through the use of astrological signs and making further plans for the tour using astrological star charts, which exacerbates the situation.

Although it is not her initial arrival that leads to Tufnel leaving the band it is a major contributing factor; but the straw that breaks the camel's back is an occurrence a little later in the tour that is responsible for that!

Answer: The band get lost on the way to the stage.

Having already forced the crowd to await their arrival on stage, the band finally decide to make their way from their dressing rooms. Unfortunately, they become lost in the maze of corridors backstage in the theatre. Taking directions from the janitor working in the bowels of the building doesn't seem to help and they remain trapped and confused in the labyrinth of passages.

It is never revealed whether or not the band ever makes it to the stage!

Answer: Stonehenge

The design for the Stonehenge stage prop was hurriedly drawn on a napkin with all dimensions provided by Tufnel. Suffice to say that the somewhat confused Tufnel doesn't know the difference between feet and inches. It's a 'man' thing y'know.

The band's after show discussion descends into a blazing argument between St. Hubbins, his girlfriend Jeanine and Ian Faith about the latter's inability to get anything correct. After being informed by St. Hubbins that Jeanine will be co-managing with him, Faith takes umbrage and walks out.

Answer: An Air Force base

Welcoming the band as Spinal Tarp, the officer commanding is clearly as confused as why the band is there as the band members are! He asks them if they can play a couple of slow ones so that he can have a dance as well. The band launch into a raucous rock number and Tufnel begins to experience difficulties with his equipment; his wireless system is, unfortunately, picking up transmissions from the base control tower which are being reproduced at high volume over the band's PA system.

As the Air Force personnel begin to return to their seats, clearly not enjoying their entertainment, Tufnel loses his temper, throws his guitar forcefully onto the stage, breaking it, and storms off.

It is this incident that forces Tufnel's temporary absence from the band.

Answer: A puppet show

At this show the band, lost without their second guitarist, announce that Spinal Tap 2 will be heading in a different direction musically and launch into a free-form jazz number penned by Derek Smalls that they have titled 'Jazz Odyssey'; suffice to say that it doesn't go down well with the tiny number of fans present in the rather large auditorium!

Answer: Japan

After receiving his message, the band begin their performance with Nigel Tufnel observing from the side of the stage. Unable to contain his excitement, and after being encouraged by David St. Hubbins, he dashes onto the stage and rejoins the band. The film's final scenes close with Spinal Tap on stage performing in front of thousands of screaming Japanese fans.