You can, of course, view "This is Spinal Tap" as merely a movie that was directed by Rob Reiner back in '84, a flick that featured a very hirsute Harry Shearer, a very satin-shirt-y Michael McKean, and Christopher Guest, who can chew gum and stare blankly into the far distance better than any living actor, or, for that matter, far distance-starrer. Or you can choose to view "Spinal Tap" as some kind of higher level of rock, a greater good, a clarion call to all of us that, no matter what life throws our way, we can usually rock our way right out it -- if we are willing to rock loud enough.
Because we know you're itching to go Google the hundreds of golden "Tap" quotes this instant -- "this one goes to 11" being probably the most famous -- we'll get to the good stuff. The lads -- as in Christopher, Michael, and Harry -- are heading back on the road for their "Unwigged & Unplugged" tour -- that's right, no comical wigs, no epic loudness, no David St. Hubbins or Nigel Tufnel -- and there's a stop at the Wiltern in late April included. This is all in advance of a CD later this spring.
So what will the wall-shaking hits like "Stonehenge" and "The Majesty of Rock" sound like played, well, more softly, even sweetly? We bet we're not alone in wanting to find out.
