A Disgruntled Derek Smalls Tells Paul Shaffer That the Original ‘Spinal Tap’ Movie Was a Hatchet Job

While appearing on AXS TV, a rather disgruntled Derek Smalls (played beautifully by Harry Shearer) complained to host Paul Shaffer about the original This Is Spinal Tap movie by Rob Reiner, saying that was an absolute hatchet job.

It’s an American tour, 26 cities one cancellation, so 25 and I’m going to be scientific about this, 93.9 7% of the time we found our way to the stage straight away you never saw that in the film. …Coming out of the Pod I did that at least half the time on the road successfully.

Smalls also talked about his new solo album “Smalls Change Meditations Upon Aging” and making a video with a star-studded orchestra.

Many guests in the video that we shot here including Steve Vai, Steve Lukather, Dweezil Zappa… Tenacious D, everybody was there.

The Full AXS TV Interview

Spinal Tap II: The End Continues

Shearer, Michael McKean, and Christopher Guest will all be reprising their respective roles as Derek Smalls, David St. Hubbins, and Nigel Tufnel in Spinal Tap II: The End Continues, which is set to be released in September 2025.

Spinal Tap II: The End Continues, directed by Rob Reiner with Christopher Guest, Michael McKean, and Harry Shearer reprising their iconic roles as the legendary heavy metal band Spinal Tap. Reiner returns as documentarian Martin “Marty” DiBergi, with cameos from music legends Elton John, Paul McCartney, and Garth Brooks and Trisha Yearwood. Also appearing will be Paul Shaffer, Fran Drescher, Don Lake, John Michael Higgins, Nina Conti, Griffin Matthews, Kerry Godliman, and Chris Addison.