# Background viewing before This is Spinal Tap **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** movies\ **Created:** [September 8, 2022, 9:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/background-viewing-before-this-is-spinal-tap/971206 "2022-09-08T09:39:54Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Princhester](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/3e96dc/32.png) [@Princhester](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Princhester)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2022, 9:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/background-viewing-before-this-is-spinal-tap/971206/1 "2022-09-08T09:39:54Z")
My son is supposed to watch and do a commentary on a mockumentary, for school. One of the options is This is Spinal Tap and that’s what he wants to watch because he’s heard me raving about it. But I want him to enjoy it and he was born this millennium. He has had nothing to do with stadium rock or heavy metal or any of the bands that the movie mocks. He hasn’t heard of John Bonham or Keith Moon. His music is made by “DJs” and “producers” sitting in front of a computer. He wouldn’t know what a guitar amp was. What’s the best documentary (or movie or whatever) to give him a crash course on why drummers continually dying, or one’s amp going up to 11, is funny? ---
**Author:** ![Spoons](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spoons/32/3141_2.png) [@Spoons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoons)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2022, 9:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/background-viewing-before-this-is-spinal-tap/971206/2 "2022-09-08T09:50:55Z")
If _This is Spinal Tap_ is one of the options, then what are the others? Perhaps he might do better with _Best in Show_, or if music is necessary, then _A Mighty Wind_. ---
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2022, 9:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/background-viewing-before-this-is-spinal-tap/971206/3 "2022-09-08T09:53:12Z")
I had no idea who John Bonham or Keith Moon were when I saw _Spinal Tap_ for the first time. You don’t need to provide context for the jokes. He won’t get some of the references, but that’s not where most of the humor comes from. I can’t say for sure he knows what an amplifier is, but if he doesn’t, it’s definitely not because he listens to music made after 1999. He knows who Kanye West is, so he’ll get the concept of extremely limited people with a lot of fame struggling to be functional outside of their narrow discipline, which is about 50% of the humor in the movie. The other 50% is how the entertainment industry is full of amoral scumbags, which also hasn’t changed at all. Just show him the movie. If you explain the joke first, he won’t find it funny. ---
**Author:** ![Crafter\_Man](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crafter_man/32/458_2.png) [@Crafter\_Man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crafter_Man)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2022, 10:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/background-viewing-before-this-is-spinal-tap/971206/4 "2022-09-08T10:00:59Z")
My first thought was to watch [The Song Remains the Same](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Song_Remains_the_Same_(film)), but he probably will be bored with the music. So have him watch the informal banter that was filmed between the concert footage. ---
**Author:** ![Princhester](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/3e96dc/32.png) [@Princhester](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Princhester)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2022, 10:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/background-viewing-before-this-is-spinal-tap/971206/5 "2022-09-08T10:05:34Z")
That was my first thought ---
**Author:** ![Smapti](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smapti/32/17938_2.png) [@Smapti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smapti)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2022, 10:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/background-viewing-before-this-is-spinal-tap/971206/6 "2022-09-08T10:11:53Z")
> [@Crafter\_Man](#): > > My first thought was to watch [The Song Remains the Same](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Song_Remains_the_Same_(film)) Throw in [The Kids Are Alright](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Kids_Are_Alright_(1979_film)) and you’ve got pretty much everything you need to know. ---
**Author:** ![Peter\_Morris](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/peter_morris/32/359_2.png) [@Peter\_Morris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peter_Morris)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2022, 10:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/background-viewing-before-this-is-spinal-tap/971206/7 "2022-09-08T10:17:35Z")
Just for reference, my mother knows nothing about rock music, but she watched Spinal Tap and liked it. I think the film is very accessible, the majority of the jokes can be understood without prior reference. ---
**Author:** ![Smid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/838e76/32.png) [@Smid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smid)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2022, 10:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/background-viewing-before-this-is-spinal-tap/971206/8 "2022-09-08T10:40:30Z")
Perhaps [The Decline of Western Civilization Part II: The Metal Years](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0094980/?ref_=ttls_li_tt) ---
**Author:** ![hogarth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hogarth/32/1773_2.png) [@hogarth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hogarth)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2022, 10:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/background-viewing-before-this-is-spinal-tap/971206/9 "2022-09-08T10:46:19Z")
A good companion piece is **Anvil!: The Story of Anvil** ---
**Author:** ![Princhester](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/3e96dc/32.png) [@Princhester](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Princhester)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2022, 11:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/background-viewing-before-this-is-spinal-tap/971206/10 "2022-09-08T11:09:53Z")
OK you’ve convinced me. I won’t suggest he watch anything beforehand. Let’s face it he’s a teen and probably wouldn’t have done so anyway! ---
**Author:** ![muldoonthief](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/muldoonthief/32/3188_2.png) [@muldoonthief](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/muldoonthief)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2022, 12:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/background-viewing-before-this-is-spinal-tap/971206/11 "2022-09-08T12:19:33Z")
As long as he knows what Stonehenge is, he’ll be fine. ---
**Author:** ![Tibby](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tibby/32/17030_2.png) [@Tibby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tibby)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2022, 2:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/background-viewing-before-this-is-spinal-tap/971206/12 "2022-09-08T14:28:13Z")
I think if your son appreciates mockumentary style humor (in this case, _“rockumentary”_) in general, he will do fine. You could add to his knowledge of the notorious, devil-may-care lifestyles of many metal bands simply by explaining it to him. Perhaps find some YouTube videos showcasing the antics of Ozzy Osbourne as examples. Also explain the **27 Club** to your son to drive home the frantic and dangerous results of many rock and roll lifestyles. Then find some videos highlighting the wild antics of John Bonham and Keith Moon in particular as examples of talented but reckless drummers (though due to their ages of death, they aren’t included in the 27 Club). > [@Spoons](#): > > Perhaps he might do better with _Best in Show_, or if music is necessary, then _A Mighty Wind_. I love **Best in Show**. Fred Willard (RIP) is hilarious in that movie. I love all the films by the Christopher Guest et al comedy troop. If your son would better understand a mockumentary about the pretentious world of national dog shows, **Best in Show** would be ideal. If he would better understand the humor of marginally talented amateur play productions, **Waiting for Guffman** would be perfect. **A Mighty Wind** would be great to use as a lampoon of folk music. Assuming these films are available for your son’s project, that is. ---
**Author:** ![Princhester](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/3e96dc/32.png) [@Princhester](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Princhester)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2022, 3:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/background-viewing-before-this-is-spinal-tap/971206/13 "2022-09-08T15:10:44Z")
They all are. But they all have the same (potential) issue ie he doesn’t have the background in show dogs or 60’s folk music either And he wants to do Spinal Tap because he’s heard me giggling about it. ---
**Author:** ![RitterSport](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rittersport/32/6326_2.png) [@RitterSport](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RitterSport)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2022, 3:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/background-viewing-before-this-is-spinal-tap/971206/14 "2022-09-08T15:14:30Z")
Have him watch Get Back, so he can see how brilliantly Spinal Tap mocked an actual band situation. At least he’ll get the jokes about David St. Hubbins’ girlfriend screwing everything up… ---
**Author:** ![Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba9def/32.png) [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Just_Asking_Questions)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2022, 3:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/background-viewing-before-this-is-spinal-tap/971206/15 "2022-09-08T15:26:52Z")
> [@RitterSport](#): > > Have him watch Get Back, Excellent (if it weren’t nine hours! ) Between that and The Song remains the Same, it’s amazing how much of TiST comes directly from reality. But I’d recommend it the other way. Spinal Tap _first_, then the others. That way he won’t know what to believe. “Is this another parody, dad?” “No, son, this is real. These people paid money to allow other people to make a movie that allowed themselves look this bad.” ---
**Author:** ![Intergalactic\_Gladiator](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/intergalactic_gladiator/32/112_2.png) [@Intergalactic\_Gladiator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Intergalactic_Gladiator)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2022, 3:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/background-viewing-before-this-is-spinal-tap/971206/16 "2022-09-08T15:34:57Z")
Start him out by having him watch Lenny and the Squigtones on American Bandstand. [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/mS5qlEcttEw/hqdefault.jpg "Lenny and The Squigtones - American Bandstand, 1979!") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mS5qlEcttEw) ---
**Author:** ![Shoeless](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shoeless/32/7099_2.png) [@Shoeless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shoeless)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2022, 3:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/background-viewing-before-this-is-spinal-tap/971206/17 "2022-09-08T15:43:10Z")
Look up some videos of Peter Gabriel era Genesis and some other 70s prog rock bands with outrageous theatrics, to give him a better appreciation of “Stonehenge”, the pods that won’t open/close on cue, etc. Also, maybe a puppet show or two. ---
**Author:** ![TroutMan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/troutman/32/6721_2.png) [@TroutMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TroutMan)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2022, 3:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/background-viewing-before-this-is-spinal-tap/971206/18 "2022-09-08T15:57:51Z")
> [@Princhester](#): > > OK you’ve convinced me. I won’t suggest he watch anything beforehand. That’s probably best. There are a lot of great suggestions here: _Decline of Western Civilization II_ for the ridiculous excesses of metal like drugs, groupies, and hair; _Get Back_ for band conflicts; the Zeppelin and Who movies for the typical rockumentary; something about prog for the theatrical aspect of concerts in the 70s. But that’s a lot material for anyone, especially a teenager. It was more about the accumulation of all the bits and pieces over time, not something you can cram in a weekend. I think he can appreciate it fine coming in blind. Bonus, it will give you something to talk about after the movie. You can give him the history of drummers dying, bands split up by girlfriends, etc. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2022, 4:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/background-viewing-before-this-is-spinal-tap/971206/19 "2022-09-08T16:02:15Z")
Agree with everyone that says send him in cold. Half the fun will be watching him figure out some of the jokes. You don’t need prep to get “These go to 11” or “Lick My Love Pump.” Although it would help if he knows Boston has 35 colleges/universities. ---
**Author:** ![RitterSport](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rittersport/32/6326_2.png) [@RitterSport](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RitterSport)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2022, 4:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/background-viewing-before-this-is-spinal-tap/971206/20 "2022-09-08T16:34:57Z")
What?? I thought it wasn’t a big college town. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/background-viewing-before-this-is-spinal-tap/971206.md?page=2)