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Spinal Tap - New Album Press Release

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Spinal Tap - Back from the Dead Official Press Release

SPINAL TAP is "BACK FROM THE DEAD" and CELEBRATING with NEW ALBUM RELEASE JUNE 16, 2009 [15 June 2009 - UK]

Album includes 19 songs and hour-long DVD

LOS ANGELES, CA (Jonus PR) -- May 1, 2009 -- This year marks the 25th anniversary of the cult classic film This Is Spinal Tap and now England's Loudest Heavy Metal Band, SPINAL TAP, is celebrating with the release of their first new album in almost two decades, Back From The Dead (The Label Industry Records/Artist2Market/INgrooves). Street date is Tuesday, June 16, 2009. SPINAL TAP's last album was 1992's Break Like The Wind.

On Back From the Dead, Tap members David St. Hubbins, Nigel Tufnel and Derek Smalls unearth their long-self-suppressed studio versions of the classic songs from the movie This is Spinal Tap, as well as six new additional songs, and an exclusive hour long accompanying DVD featuring a track-by-track video commentary by the band. Back From The Dead also features guest appearances by Phil Collen, Keith Emerson, John Mayer and Steve Vai. "This album title says it all. We're back from the dead. But we weren't dead. But we definitely are back," proclaimed Hubbins.

Back From The Dead is a deluxe CD/DVD package aggressively priced and containing 19 original Spinal Tap songs, a one-hour DVD and unique pop-up diorama package that unveils three 12-inch action figures (courtesy of Sideshow Collectibles) of the band along with a proportionally sized Stonehenge. Back From The Dead is destined to be a collector's item, especially among collectors.

The new 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.

The new songs recorded specifically for Back From The Dead 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, hop scotching from genre to genre all with moments of brilliance. The album is that perfect combination of Loudness, Vulgarity and a pinch of Evil. Back From the Dead promises to finally give SPINAL TAP their rightful place in history as "The true unsung and misunderstood geniuses of Rock 'n' Roll" and they dedicate this new album to all those metal titans the world has come to love-or at least tolerate.

Back From The Dead was 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 movies "Waiting For Guffman," "Best In Show," "A Mighty Wind," and "For Your Consideration."

And if that is not enough, the band will be releasing a very special 11 inch, limited edition vinyl version of Back From The Dead.

• More About Spinal Tap Back From The Dead
  Downloads, track listing

About Spinal Tap

SPINAL TAP formed in 1964 when good friends David St. Hubbins and Nigel Tufnel joined forces and formed The Originals. After finding out that there was already a group with that title, they would go through a series of name changes until finally joining up with bassist Ronnie Pudding and drummer John "Stumpy" Pepys, becoming The Thamesmen. After releasing two minor hit singles, "Gimme Some Money" and "Cups and Cakes," Pudding left to form Pudding People and was replaced by Derek Smalls. With this line-up, the band recorded "(Listen to the) Flower People." A surprise hit, the single went gold in the United Kingdom and the band toured worldwide.

SPINAL TAP's 1982 tour in support of the album Smell The Glove was captured on film by director Marty Di Bergi resulting in the documentary This Is Spinal Tap, which the band immediately labeled a "hatchet job" and "character assassination."

In 1992, when SPINAL TAP seemed almost forgotten, they re-formed and returned to the spotlight along with a new album Break Like The Wind. In 2007, the band reunited to play the Live Earth Concert at Wembley Stadium in London to show their support for Global Warming. On June 30, 2009, SPINAL TAP will reunite once again for their "One Night Only World Tour" at London's Wembley Arena.