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Spinal Tap

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Spinal Tap is the name of a fictional hard rock / 80s heavy metal band, created for the 1984 rockumentary film This Is Spinal Tap. However, due to the success of the film, the band went on to record and release two albums.

The band is a strong satire of the 80s heavy metal genre and scene, and their music reflects that, with blaring guitars, high vocals, and ridiculous lyrical themes, all of which take the stereotypes of the genre and exaggerate them to comedic extremes.

The first album of the band was a collection of songs made for the film, many of which were featured in the film itself. Their second album (Break Like the Wind) followed many years later, but was greeted with less enthusiasm, partially because people simply weren't interested in the band beyond their characters in the film, and partially because the heavy metal scene had already been killed by grunge by the time of the album's release.

All three members of the band have continued to pursue their separate careers in film and television.

The first album (This Is Spinal Tap) has a pure black cover, in reference to the movie, in which their latest album is forced to have a pure black cover ("none more black"). However, in the movie, the album is called "Smell the Glove," not "This is Spinal Tap."

Spinal Tap are played by Michael McKean, Christopher Guest and Harry Shearer. The three also play a folk group called The Folksmen in the film A Mighty Wind.

Spinal Tap have appeared in The Simpsons when Homer takes Bart and Milhouse to one of their gigs.

They recently made a 'comeback' appearance at LiveEarth at Wembley in 2007, and appeared on the Main Stage at Glastonbury 2009.