Listen to What the Flower People Say

The Live Earth concerts have achieved what Bob Geldof's lame-o Live 8 never could: launching the Spinal Tap comeback.

The mock heavy metal group immortalized in the 1984 mockumentary, "This is Spinal Tap," will reunite for a performance at Wembley Stadium in London as part of the Live Earth concerts scheduled worldwide for July 7.

The original members of Spinal Tap will be there: guitarist Nigel Tufnel (played by Christopher Guest), singer David St. Hubbins (Michael McKean) and bassist Derek Smalls (Harry Shearer). Rob Reiner, who both directed "This is Spinal Tap" and played the fake documentarian Marty DeBergi in the film, will also be in attendance.

A new 15-minute film directed by Reiner on the band's reunion will also play at the opening night of the Tribeca Film Festival in New York on Wednesday.

And at the end of the band's set, Al Gore will spontaneously combust. You know, several, you know, dozens of people spontaneously combust each year. It's just not really widely reported.

Comments

[Agent Rogersz]

It happens sometimes. People just explode. Natural causes.

[Doctor Duck]

Mud flaps, baby. Al Gore's got 'em

[Guy Montag]

Well, one of the drummers died in a freak gardening accident too.

[ed]

The warning sticker on my washing machine says my clothes may also spontaneously combust. Maybe the key for humans is to avoid spinning really, really fast.

[Matt J]

It's like, how much more green could they be? and the answer is none. None more green.

[Gil Grissom]

And you can't dust for vomit.

[thoreau]

On an awesomeness scale, this rates 11! Because, I mean, when you have something awesome but it just needs that extra little bit of awesomeness, you bring it up to 11!

[Guy Montag]

I wish these writers would quit calling them a "mock heavy metal group". They are just as real as The Monkeys, The Archies, Winger and Kiss.

[joe]

Or the Silver Platters.

[ron]

actually spinal tap has been getting together for random new songs and occasional shows off-and-on about every 5 years since the movie came out. most recently in 2000 with the "back from the dead" tour and single.

[JW]

But will there be a 18" Al Gore lowered onto the stage so that dwarves can dance around him?

[VM]

JW - I think you're making a big deal out of it.

[kevrob]

How much do yu have to spend on carbon credits to offset turning it up to 11?

Kevin
(Who lives within walking distance of Shank Hall.)

[jimmydageek]

But will there be a 18" Al Gore lowered onto the stage so that dwarves can dance around him?

The preferred nomenclature is "little people"...

[thoreau]

Sadly, Al Gore was trapped in his bubble cage (made of recycled plastic, of course) and was unable to join the set.

[James Anderson Merritt]

Guy Montag | April 25, 2007, 10:35am | #
I wish these writers would quit calling them a "mock heavy metal group". They are just as real as The Monkeys, The Archies, Winger and Kiss.
===============================================

Well, how many of those you named were specifically formed with the purpose of mocking their own genre, as opposed to merely participating in it (by whatever means, at whatever level)? Maybe KISS, but they were nevertheless always accepted as "real" by the industry and the fans.

You might as well ask the difference between WKRP and a real radio station. WKRP is a fabrication, intended to let television poke fun at the radio industry. Real radio stations and radio personalities, on the other hand, are these days (and, in some cases, for decades) practically self-parodies, whatever their genre.

I think the difference between "real" and "mock" is that "real" enterprises invite judgment and business profit for doing (or, as in the case of the early Monkees, pretending to do) something, whereas "mock" enterprises indeed consciously, deliberately mock the things they resemble. With rock and roll, there has always been a lot of overlap between the two, and at some point, you have the Monkees deciding that not playing their own instruments is a form of "mocking" that they will abandon -- as KISS at one time abandoned their makeup. On the other extreme, you have Spinal Tap, whose members can now put on their characters as KISS put on its makeup, to provide paying audiences with a musical entertainment experience: the reality of what they can do has overshadowed the original "mocking" intentions.

Perhpas the difference between "mock" and "real" is the difference between clowning around in rodeo garb, and being a rodeo clown.

[James Anderson Merritt]

By the way, I'd pay money to see Al Gore spontaneously combust.

[JW]

Well, I tend to understate the hugeness of it.

[thoreau]

How many other forums have this much fun? I'll bet that a lot of forums out there envy us.

FWIW, I envy us.

[VM]

JW - making a big deal out of it was the idea. 🙂

You're right Dr. T. You're right.

*rides off on rodeo clown

[Seitz]

What day did the lord create Spinal Tap, and couldn't he have rested on that day too?

[dhex]

"I wish these writers would quit calling them a "mock heavy metal group". They are just as real as The Monkeys, The Archies, Winger and Kiss."

none of those bands are real, though.

in kiss' defense, they did write "going blind," which was masterfully covered by the melvins. so in that sense they weren't a total waste of space.

[JW]

VM--True, that would have been a good idea. Al is in danger of being crushed.

But are we going to do Stonehenge tomorrow?

[VM]

No we're not going to do fucking Stonehenge.

BTW - Spinal Tap first. Puppet Show last. At least the dressing room is big!

Shark Sandwich. Shit Sandwich.

[kevrob]

The Monkees may have been more real than The Archies, but the least real of them all were The Detergents.

Kevin

[Rich Ard]

w00t Melvins!

Also, there was a cover on "Kiss My Ass" of Calling Dr. Love which featured members of TOOL, Faith No More, and Rage Against the Machine that was pretty good.

[gaijin]

We'd like to dedicate our next song to Dr. Gore. Ladies and gentleman, Break Like The Wind...

[JW]

Just how much more black can this be?

[ChrisO]

In ancient times, hundreds of years before the
dawn of history, there lived a strange race of people...the libertarians

[AC]

I'm sure I'd be much happier about this if I wasn't under such heavy sedation.

[Warren]

H&R drive me out of my mind
How could I leave this behind?

[lunchstealer]

So any news on planned reunions for The Folksmen?

[VM]

Lunch - they tried, but they missed the 5:19 and cried, cried, cried all the way home...

[aaron]

I hope they open with Jazz Odyssey.

[pinko]

H&R fit me like a flesh tuxeeeedo
I want to sink it with my...

[Davy Jones]

I've always wanted to do a cover of the ballad, "Lick My Love Pump".

[Happy Jack]

They are just as real as The Monkeys, The Archies, Winger and Kiss.

Maybe, but they aren't as unreal as Iron Butterfly.

[Starcrash]

What's wrong with being sexy?

[brotherben]

It is comforting that mock rock groups can also embark fruitfully on the "We're broke and we're back together reunion tour."

[VM]

Brotherben -

kinda like DANGER KITTY

hier

[Jim Bob]

My new amps go up to infinity.

[Brian Sorgatz]

Messrs. Tufnel, St. Hubbins, and Smalls do a funny audio commentary on the DVD: "DiBergi had an agenda. He wanted us to look like prima donnas. Tee bloody hee."

[Guy Montag]

How much do yu have to spend on carbon credits to offset turning it up to 11?

How much you got? I have plenty to spare 🙂

James Anderson Merritt,

That was the greatest mock response ever!

[John]

Can they please enlist Al Gore as the drummer?

[biologist]

I prefer Deathtongue, or their later incarnation (post-Senate-testimony re: Tipper Gore's parents' music censorship group) Billy and the Boingers

[Tuba Player Opus\'s Biggest Fa]

PIMPLES FROM HELL!!!!!!!

[biologist]

Let me graze into your veldt
Let me stomple your albino
Let me nibble on your buds,
I'm your...LOVE RHINO

[Tippy]

OFF WITH HIS HEAD!!!!!

[Eric the .5b]

You can't do that, Tippy.

[thoreau]

For all the haters who don't like Spinal Tap, I have only one thing to say:

Smell the glove!

[Seitz]

I always preferred the New Originals.

[Pro Libertate]

Or The Thamesmen. They were moderately mediocre.

[edward przydzial]

Tuesday May 1st, 2007

PHOTOGRAPHER TO FILE COPYRIGHT INFRINGEMENT ON GENE SIMMONS

Gene Simmons of the rock band KISS facing another lawsuit...

Press Release - 07:46:30 - Associate Press Newswire

KISS bassist GENE SIMMONS has been notified he's violated another photographers copyrights.

Edward Przydzial of Beverly Hills states; "Mr. Simmons has stolen and used/abused my copyrights as far back as 1997 when they returned to the classic make-up era of the 70's... He has used my images on merchandise magazines, books, kisstory, metal edge magazine kiss specials and more. He has made no attempt to pay me or request usage in the proper protocol."

Przydzial from East Detroit states that "Simmons' knows full well he's violating my copyrights." And has been in contact with Przydzial through Bill Randolph's office in New York. Przydzial also claims that during his last dealings with Mr. Simmons, he made it clear that he would continue to use any photographs he chooses, if they are images of KISS or of any member of KISS, Simmons' thinks he can legally do this. Fact is, he cannot and copyright laws say it takes 75 years before a copyright runs out. Mr. Simmons is not in the clear.

Przydzial photographed the band from the years 1975 to 1983. He claims a loss value of more then a million dollars in black & white images and color slides. Paul Stanley and Gene Simmons along with FBI agents in tow confiscate costumes and collectables from one of the many KISS conventions put on by fans of the rock band. Federal agents also confiscated costumes from a man named Joe Marshall of Detroit at the very same convention. Federal agents took nearly 12,000 images of KISS between those years from Przydzial.

Przydzial also claims his photos have been published copyrighted under "The KISS Company" without his permission. He states that Fin Costello's name was put on one of his photos in the book "Behind The Mask" published by Warner Books, he also states the transcripts for that book were confiscated from "The Kiss Museum News" fan club that Edward ran edited and published. He says a man named Curt Gooch used an image of his in the KISS Touring History Book and Mr. Gooch put his own name on it, instead of Edwards.

"Mr. Simmons' lied to federal agents about the truth of ownership. Simmons actually claimed he was "The KISS Museum" on the document he signed. Stealing said images as federal agents hand over Przydzial's copyrighted photographs collection. And possible money changing hands or some other "sealed file" agreement."

"Right now I'm compiling and have been since '97. I've got a huge box of KISS stuff with my images from calendars to lunch boxes. Lot's of KISS merchandise have my photos on it." Sony Signatures has also been named as part of the suit if Przydzial decides to pursue this further.

Associate Press Corp.