# RIP Ric Parnell aka Spinal Tap drummer Mick Shrimpton **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [May 2, 2022, 4:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rip-ric-parnell-aka-spinal-tap-drummer-mick-shrimpton/963815 "2022-05-02T16:22:28Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 15\ **Page:** 1
**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:** [May 2, 2022, 4:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rip-ric-parnell-aka-spinal-tap-drummer-mick-shrimpton/963815/1 "2022-05-02T16:22:28Z")
Ric Parnell is now joining the likes of Peter James Bond, John “Stumpy” Pepys, and Eric “Stumpy Joe” Childs. The article doesn’t say the cause of death but I assume it was a bizarre accident. > **[Ric Parnell, Spinal Tap Drummer 'Mick Shrimpton,' Dead at 70](https://ultimateclassicrock.com/ric-parnell-spinal-tap-dead/?fbclid=IwAR3oPsd2Sl58bpfTBns-G38hUAZjtfmn2ez05zdtGSYZn39uSxrd4hKeXhs)** > > Drummer Ric Parnell, best known for his role as 'Mick Shrimpton' in the film 'This Is Spinal Tap,' died in May 2022. [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/S0QdAbGym8A/hqdefault.jpg "spinal tap drummer interview") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S0QdAbGym8A) And also because why not, here is Spın̈al Tap’s song [Majesty of Rock](https://youtu.be/RsOxgwF9LlM) which is not only a silly bit with goofy lyrics but also a sincere acknowledgement of the rock and roll greats who came before them. ---
**Author:** ![Ike\_Witt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ike_witt/32/283_2.png) [@Ike\_Witt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ike_Witt)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2022, 5:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rip-ric-parnell-aka-spinal-tap-drummer-mick-shrimpton/963815/2 "2022-05-02T17:00:36Z")
We can only hope that the police will try to dust for vomit. ---
**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:** [May 2, 2022, 5:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rip-ric-parnell-aka-spinal-tap-drummer-mick-shrimpton/963815/3 "2022-05-02T17:31:05Z")
You can’t “dust for vomit”. Am I wrong to point out that Mick died of spontaneous human explosion at the end of the film, leaving nothing but a stain, in Japan, and was replaced by Joe “Mama” Besser? I am? ---
**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:** [May 2, 2022, 5:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rip-ric-parnell-aka-spinal-tap-drummer-mick-shrimpton/963815/4 "2022-05-02T17:35:16Z")
Yes, he died and left like a little green stain or something. Joe “Mama” Besser sounds familiar. ---
**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:** [May 2, 2022, 6:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rip-ric-parnell-aka-spinal-tap-drummer-mick-shrimpton/963815/5 "2022-05-02T18:29:34Z")
Yes, Mick spontaneously combusted and was replaced at the end of the film. For the 92 album Break Like the Wind Mick’s identical twin brother Ric played drums. ---
**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:** [May 2, 2022, 7:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rip-ric-parnell-aka-spinal-tap-drummer-mick-shrimpton/963815/6 "2022-05-02T19:28:19Z")
Dozens of people spontaneously combust each year. It’s just not widely reported. (I completely forgot that Ed Begley Jr. was the Tap’s first drummer until I started at looking at videos to get the quote right.) ---
**Author:** ![Horatius](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/horatius/32/3572_2.png) [@Horatius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Horatius)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2022, 7:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rip-ric-parnell-aka-spinal-tap-drummer-mick-shrimpton/963815/7 "2022-05-02T19:36:29Z")
Best leave it–unsolved really. ---
**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:** [May 2, 2022, 7:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rip-ric-parnell-aka-spinal-tap-drummer-mick-shrimpton/963815/8 "2022-05-02T19:52:31Z")
> [@Intergalactic\_Gladiator](#): > > Yes, Mick spontaneously combusted and was replaced at the end of the film. For the 92 album Break Like the Wind Mick’s identical twin brother Ric played drums. I should have figured that the curse on Tap drummers would not have abated, and many more would succumb in the next 40 (!) years. Hell, they even could have changed their name again. As for the deceased Ric, I always thought he was an actor. He was really a rock drummer. He did pretty good in the movie. I love this: While living in Missoula, Montana, Parnell co-hosted an 8-midnight radio program, _Spontaneous Combustion_ , ---
**Author:** ![Ike\_Witt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ike_witt/32/283_2.png) [@Ike\_Witt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ike_Witt)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2022, 12:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rip-ric-parnell-aka-spinal-tap-drummer-mick-shrimpton/963815/9 "2022-05-03T00:02:02Z")
> [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](#): > > You can’t “dust for vomit”. Well, I did say try. And let’s be honest, Spinal Tap is almost 40 years old now and it is possible that advances in forensic science will now allow vomit to be dusted for. 🔬 ---
**Author:** ![nearwildheaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/90db22/32.png) [@nearwildheaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nearwildheaven)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2022, 12:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rip-ric-parnell-aka-spinal-tap-drummer-mick-shrimpton/963815/10 "2022-05-03T00:08:45Z")
Per “Forensic Files”, you can’t dust for vomit - by which I mean that it’s very difficult, if not impossible, to get DNA from, ahem, free-standing stomach contents. The stomach acid destroys it. ---
**Author:** ![Wallaby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/dc4da7/32.png) [@Wallaby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wallaby)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2022, 12:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rip-ric-parnell-aka-spinal-tap-drummer-mick-shrimpton/963815/11 "2022-05-03T00:43:11Z")
But what if you have really strong DNA? Like, really powerful. ---
**Author:** ![Princhester](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/3e96dc/32.png) [@Princhester](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Princhester)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2022, 12:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rip-ric-parnell-aka-spinal-tap-drummer-mick-shrimpton/963815/12 "2022-05-03T00:46:46Z")
Well, he lived a long life\* so his family can’t be too sad. \*Relatively speaking. ---
**Author:** ![Llama\_Llogophile](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/49beb7/32.png) [@Llama\_Llogophile](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Llama_Llogophile)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2022, 1:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rip-ric-parnell-aka-spinal-tap-drummer-mick-shrimpton/963815/13 "2022-05-03T01:47:24Z")
It really puts perspective on things though, doesn’t it? ---
**Author:** ![McDeath\_the\_Mad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a3d4f5/32.png) [@McDeath\_the\_Mad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/McDeath_the_Mad)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2022, 4:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rip-ric-parnell-aka-spinal-tap-drummer-mick-shrimpton/963815/14 "2022-05-03T16:58:26Z")
“Too much fucking perspective…” MtM ---
**Author:** ![Llama\_Llogophile](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/49beb7/32.png) [@Llama\_Llogophile](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Llama_Llogophile)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2022, 5:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rip-ric-parnell-aka-spinal-tap-drummer-mick-shrimpton/963815/15 "2022-05-03T17:34:40Z")
> [@McDeath\_the\_Mad](#): > > “Too much fucking perspective…” One of my favorite lines in the movie. I love the idea of having too much perspective. That sort of absurd insight epitomizes the humor of Spinal Tap.