Spinal Tap Prepping Special Edition Album Reissues
Multiple versions of ‘This Is Spinal Tap’ (aka ‘Smell The Glove’) and ‘Break Like The Wind’ are on the way.
Spinal Tap’s first two albums are coming back in a huge way. The parodic heavy metal greats are now taking orders on vinyl and extra-long-box CD reissues of 1984’s This Is Spinal Tap, aka Smell The Glove, and 1992’s Break Like The Wind.
This Is Spinal Tap, which doubles as the official soundtrack to the influential mockumentary of the same name, is newly remastered by Bernie Grundman from the original stereo analog master tapes. The reissue is available in a vinyl edition and a One-More Extra-Long Box CD edition, which situates the album in a 19-inch CD long box. On the CD, the all-black packshot that mimics Smell The Glove’s censored cover art from the movie has been replaced by the incendiary original Smell The Glove artwork. A black leather glove is included with the package.
Break Like The Wind marked Spinal Tap’s triumphant return as a real-life recording entity, eight years after the theatrical release of This Is Spinal Tap. Like the debut album, Break Like The Wind has been remastered from the original stereo analog master tapes by Bernie Grundman. And just like This Is Spinal Tap, the band’s 1992 sophomore album is available in both vinyl and extra-long box CD formats. The 18-inch Extra-Long Box was first distributed as a promo item and is being released for the first time commercially.
Spinal Tap—David St. Hubbins, Nigel Tufnel, and Derek Smalls, as portrayed by Michael McKean, Christopher Guest, and Harry Shearer—has been back in the spotlight this year thanks to the release of Spinal Tap II: The End Continues. Released in September, the sequel finds director Martin “Marty” DiBergi documenting the fictionalized Spinal Tap’s reunion for one final concert, 15 years after last taking the stage together. Over the summer they also filmed live footage at Stonehenge for the forthcoming concert film Spinal Tap at Stonehenge: The Final Finale.
