Spinal Tap II: The End Continues, the long-awaited sequel to film-maker Marty Di Bergi's infamous 1984 'rockumentary' about British hard rock band Spinal Tap, is coming to a cinema near you on September 12.
The film finds the iconic British hard rockers, older but none the wiser, preparing to play a reunion show in New Orleans. And while it will give fans the opportunity to catch up with comings and goings in the lives of David St. Hubbins, Nigel Tufnel and Derek Smalls, it also features guest appearances from a pair of British musicians who've attracted rather more critical acclaim, and scored substantially more album sales than Spinal Tap, namely Sir Elton John and Sir Paul McCartney.
In a new interview with Rolling Stone's Music Now podcast, Marty Di Bergi - or film director Rob Reiner, if we must insist upon letting real life intrude here - speaks about how the two musical giants came to be involved in the most eagerly-anticipated rock 'n' roll film of the year / decade / century.
"I reached out to Paul McCartney, I reached out to Elton John, and they immediately said, Yes," Reiner tells Rolling Stone's Brian Hiatt. "It wasn't like they hesitated."
"The interesting thing about the Paul [McCartney] scene is that it's based on something that actually happened," Reiner reveals. "There's a rehearsal complex in the Valley where there's a bunch of a rehearsal halls and stages for bands to get ready for their shows, and Spinal Tap was getting ready for one of its shows, Paul McCartney was in another room, rehearsing, and he happened to walk in one day when Spinal Tap was rehearsing and he says, 'Play us a song, fellas!' I think they did [The Folksmen's] Start Me Up... So [in the film] he happens to be in New Orleans and he stops by because he hears that they're rehearsing."
"People have always said he's the nicest person ever to be in rock," adds Reiner, "and there's no question about it, he is. He's a good, decent, down-to-earth person, you can't not like him. And so I love the fact that in the movie, David St. Hubbins trashes him, it's perfect. But he's the sweetest guy in the world."
Reiner also praises Elton John for his cameo in the film.
"Elton makes it very easy," he says. "I had only met him one time before, I didn't really know him that well, and he was great too. I mean, you know, these guys, they love playing, they love the music and they dive right in."
"I think the band were honoured, obviously, to be graced by [the presence of] these guys, two Knights, two Sirs, you know, Sir Paul and Sir Elton... they were real thrilled about that," the director adds. "But when it comes down to it, it's just guys playing, you know?"
Listen to the full interview here.
And you can watch the trailer for Spinal Tap II: The End Continues below.
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