NEW SPINAL TAP ON TAP
Marking the 25th anniversary of their groundbreaking documentary, Spinal Tap will release Back from the Dead, their first album in almost 20 years, on June 16.
The disc will come out on the legendary band’s own The Label Industry Records label, with the involvement of distribution/marketing company Artist2Market (A2M) and digital distributor INgrooves.
Spinal Tap’s last album was 1992’s Break Like the Wind.
On Back from the Dead, Tap’s David St. Hubbins, Nigel Tufnel and Derek Smalls unearth their long-self-suppressed studio versions of the classic songs from This is Spinal Tap, as well as six new additional songs, and an exclusive hour-long DVD featuring track-by-track commentary by the band. The album also features cameos by major Tap fans Phil Collen, Keith Emerson, John Mayer and Steve Vai.
"This album title says it all,” claims Hubbins aka Michael McKean. “We're back from the dead. But we weren't dead. But we definitely are back."
Got that? Neither did we.
The deluxe CD/DVD package includes a pop-up diorama package with three 12-inch action figures of the band and a “proportionally sized” Stonehenge. Back from the Dead is destined to be a collector’s item, especially among collectors.
The album includes the newly interpreted Tap classics “Hell Hole,” “Tonight I’m Gonna Rock You Tonight,” “Heavy Duty,” “Rock ‘n’ Roll Creation,” “America,” “Cups and Cakes,” “Big Bottom,” “Sex Farm,” “Stonehenge,” “Gimme Some Money” and “(Listen to the) Flower People.:
"While the movie and soundtrack accurately represented our stage sound at the time, the studio versions of these songs on this album represent the cosmic maturation of the material, within a digital context. Also, they're louder," stated Smalls aka Harry Shearer.
The new songs recorded specifically for the album include “Warmer Than Hell,” “Short and Sweet,” “Celtic Blues,” “Rock ‘n’ Roll Nightmare,” “Back From the Dead” and "the first known studio recording of the soon-to-be-long-forgotten 'Jazz Oddyssey.’”
Back From The Dead once again shows Spinal Tap defies categorization, “a perfect combination of Loudness, Vulgarity and a pinch of Evil,” produced by CJ Vanston, who arranged and played keyboards on the band’s Break Like The Wind album and was musical director for their 1992, 2000 and 2007 tours. As a film composer, he has produced music for Christopher Guest’s Waiting for Guffman, Best in Show, A Mighty Wind and For Your Consideration.
Retail distribution and marketing of physical CDs will be handled by Artist2Market (A2M) while digital marketing and distribution will be serviced by INgrooves.
Fans can find a free download for the previously unreleased “Saucy Jack” from Hubbins’ unfinished musical about Jack the Ripper on the band’s website www.spinaltap.com. There are also rumors that there will be exclusive versions of “Sex Farm” and “(Listen to the) Flower People” available on certain digital outlets.
In addition, the band will also be releasing a very special 11-inch, limited edition vinyl version of Back From The Dead.
