Spoof musical stories

[Brewdude]

How many of you here have seen "This Is Spinal Tap" or "That Thing That You Do"? And what did you think of them?

Both are spoofs of an actual R&R band and both are very well done IMHO. They do a great job of re-creating an era and sound, plus all sorts of other tongue-in-cheek references to a point in time that many of us went through, depending on our age and experience.

I've seen both and being a musician coming up in the mid-60's, can relate to much of both films from a musician's standpoint. Yet not all of us are musicians, and I'm particularly interested to hear what those of us who don't play instruments feel about these flicks, but are still music lovers. (Musicians please do also weigh in here).

Very interested to hear your opinion, including and especially the spoof aspect. It's very well done on these, and if one didn't know better it would be easy to buy into the fantasy that the content suggested. Again, MHO.

And perhaps the best and most successful spoof band was The Monkees. Great 60's pop tunes, catchy hooks, but largely executed by the "Wrecking Crew" who were evident on much of the pop scene in the 60's.

Yes there is a method to my madness here, which will be evident in due course.

Perhaps this belongs in the Music forum, but that forum doesn't seem to get all that much traffic so I'll post this question here and if the mods want to move it that's fine with me.

Cheers,

RR

 

[Psmith]

Hey Brewdude

I always liked those kind of shows. Spinal Tap was pretty funny and found you have to watch it a few times to pick up everything like their cold sore outbreaks etc..I also liked Bad News...a spoof of a British metl band (worth seeing). I remember watching The Ruttles with Eric Idle too when I was younger("All You Need Is Cash").

 

[RDPipes]

I really enjoyed "That thing you do" . I think it was directed well, kept my interest, and I really like the music. "Spinal Tap" on the other hand I haven't seen, yes that's right I've never seen it so you can shut the gaping mouths now.

 

[AJ]

I really enjoyed "That thing you do" . I think it was directed well, kept my interest, and I really like the music. "Spinal Tap" on the other hand I haven't seen, yes that's right I've never seen it so you can shut the gaping mouths now.

Don't feel left out Ron. I don't have a clue to what it is or what it's about.

AJ

 

[RobJ]

I enjoyed both movies, having seen This Is Spinal Tap several times over the years. The David St. Hubbins name was inspired by an old friend of mine Derek St. Holmes (guitarist/vocalist with Ted Nugent). I thought they did a great job of capturing the big arena bands from back when. While a spoof, there's more truth to that movie than not.

Regarding That Thing That You Do - I didn't so much take that one as a spoof, but as a film about a fictitious band that could have mirrored the stories of many one hit wonder bands from the '60s. A very entertaining movie, and a lot of the inter-band politics and squabbles have been lived through probably by most anyone who's played in bands for any length of time.

Just a note on the "wrecking crew". According to Carol Kaye back when all those hit records were being made there was no such thing as the wrecking crew, they were just a bunch of top shelf jazz musicians who ended up working in recording studios around LA in the '60s. The name "wrecking crew", Carol says was something drummer Hal Blaine came up with well after the fact to promote a book he wrote. I know Carol a bit, and frankly I'm siding with her on this argument.

Sorry for the rat hole dive but I love to talk music. 8)

 

[Stick]

Interesting thread Rande.

I've seen the film 'That thing that you do' and very much enjoyed it. Thought it was a classic 'feel good' film and I enjoyed the sounds too. I had no idea it was a spoof of a real band though. Which band was it Rande?

The Monkees were great fun too though I'm just a little too young to remember them in the moment.

Looking forward to seeing where this is all leading fella...

 

[Brewdude]

Interesting thread Rande.

I've seen the film 'That thing that you do' and very much enjoyed it.  Thought it was a classic 'feel good' film and I enjoyed the sounds too.  I had no idea it was a spoof of a real band though.  Which band was it Rande?  

The Monkees were great fun too though I'm just a little too young to remember them in the moment.

Looking forward to seeing where this is all leading fella...

Not a spoof of any particular band mate, just a fictitious story about a pop band from the 60's. And I still regard it as a spoof in it's own way.  RobJ said it well:

Regarding That Thing That You Do - I didn't so much take that one as a spoof, but as a film about a fictitious band that could have mirrored the stories of many one hit wonder bands from the '60s. A very entertaining movie, and a lot of the inter-band politics and squabbles have been lived through probably by most anyone who's played in bands for any length of time.

And yes Rob, I'm also aware that the term "Wrecking Crew" is a fairly recent development. It's amazing the number of hit tunes those revolving musicians contributed to over the years.


I also remember "The Rutles". It was a great spoof of the Beatles, very well done in all ways from the compositions/arrangements/vocal harmonies/etc. Think I remember George Harrison consulting on that project. Have the LP, seen the film, and still like that stuff.

Looking forward to seeing where this is all leading fella...

All will be revealed in due course old chap.





Cheers,

RR

 

[Stick]

Not a spoof of any particular band mate, just a fictitious story about a pop band from the 60's.

I getcha Rande.
Interest piqued!

 

[George Kaplan]

Spinal Tap quotes pop into my conversation as often as Month Python. I really like that troupe of actors and their improvisational writing style.
That Thing You Do was OK.I don't know if I'd call it a spoof, per se, but hey, it's your thread!
Along the lines of "a true story of a band that never was," have you seen "The Commitments"? That's one of my favorites. Great music too.

 

[RobJ]

Yes Christopher Guest and his long list of cohorts are a talented gang indeed. A Mighty Wind was another of their "mockumentaries" I liked a lot. I do think This Is Spinal Tap is the best of the bunch though.

I did enjoy The Commitments very much too.

 

[MichaelM]

I've seen parts of Spinal Tap, and never heard of the others mentioned. I'm not a fan of that type of music, so I guess I don't get the humor. Along the lines of the wreaking crew, I can highly reccomend the documentary Standing in the Shadow of Mowtown.
Mike.