Record Details

Catalog Search

Search The Catalog


A fine line between stupid and clever : the story of Spinal Tap : & smell the book : the oral history of Spinal Tap Cover Image Book

A fine line between stupid and clever : the story of Spinal Tap : & smell the book : the oral history of Spinal Tap / Rob Reiner, Christopher Guest, Michael McKean, and Harry Shearer with David Kamp & Marty DiBergi with David St. Hubbins, Derek Smalls, and Nigel Tufnel ; foreword by David Byrne.

Oral history of Spinal Tap (other title)
Story of Spinal Tap (other title)
Smell the book : (portion title)
Reiner, Rob, (author.). McKean, Michael, (author.). Shearer, Harry, 1943- (author.). Guest, Christopher, (author.). Kamp, David, (author.). Byrne, David, (writer of foreword.). Reiner, Rob. Container of (work): Smell the book. (Added Author).

Record details

  • ISBN: 9781668079140
  • ISBN: 1668079143
  • Physical Description: 196, viii, 67 pages, 16 unnumbered pages of plates : illustrations (some color), music ; 24 cm.
  • Edition: First Gallery Books hardcover edition.
  • Publisher: New York, New york : Gallery Books, 2025.

Content descriptions

General Note:
Foreword to Smell the Book written by David Byrne.
Includes: Smell the book : the oral history of Spinal Tap / Marty DiBergi, David St. Hubbins, Derek Smalls, and Nigel Tufnel ; foreword by David Byrne.
Since its original release in 1984, This Is Spinal Tap has evolved from a beloved cult film into a cinematic landmark: an all-time comedy classic that pioneered an entire genre, the mockumentary. Now, director Rob Reiner and his cowriters and costars, Christopher Guest, Michael McKean, and Harry Shearer, tell the complete story of the movie and its fictitious band--how they met, how Spinal Tap came to be, and how their low-budget indie film took on a life of its own. Years after the movie first came out, the Library of Congress selected This Is Spinal Tap for inclusion in the National Film Registry and Tap went on to play The Royal Albert Hall, Wembley Stadium, and to over 100,000 fans at the Glastonbury Festival in England. Reiner, Guest, McKean, and Shearer provide the backstories to the movie's famous lines--among them "Hello, Cleveland!," "None more black," "You can't dust for vomit," and "These go to eleven"--and to such Tap anthems as "Big Bottom" and "Stonehenge." Featuring never-before-seen photographs, band memorabilia, and personal reminiscences of their enduring creative partnership, A Fine Line Between Stupid and Clever will delight Tap-heads of all ages--just as the long-awaited Spinal Tap sequel is hitting theaters. BUT WAIT, THERE'S MORE! A Fine Line Between Stupid and Clever also comes with a bonus memoir by Reiner's directorial alter ego, Marty DiBergi, in which he interviews Tap band members Nigel Tufnel, David St. Hubbins, and Derek Smalls about their musical journey and their drummers who paid the ultimate sacrifice to the rock gods.

Search for related items by subject

Subject:
Spinal Tap (Musical group)
This is Spinal Tap (Motion picture)
Documentary-style films.
aMotion pictures > Production and direction.
aMotion picture industry > History.
aMotion pictures > History.
Rock musicians > England > Biography.
Heavy metal (Music)
Genre:
Autobiographies.
Biographies.
Upside-down books.

Available copies

  • 24 of 26 copies available at NC Cardinal. (Show)
  • 2 of 2 copies available at Onslow County Public Library.

Holds

  • 0 current holds with 26 total copies.
Sort by distance from:
Show Only Available Copies
Location Call Number / Copy Notes Barcode Shelving Location Status Due Date
Richlands Branch Library 782.42166 REI (Text) 36015000754842 Adult Nonfiction Available -
Sneads Ferry Branch Library 782.42166 REI (Text) 36015000754784 Adult Nonfiction Available -

Accessibility Features

Awards, Reviews, & Suggested Reads

Shelf Browser

MARC Record

LDR 04301cam a2200577 i 4500
00115712202
003CARDINAL
00520250918092707.0
008250829s2025 nyuafg e 000 0ceng d
035 . ‡a(OCoLC)1534733975
020 . ‡a9781668079140 ‡q(hardcover)
020 . ‡a1668079143 ‡q(hardcover)
040 . ‡aGCmBT ‡beng ‡erda ‡cDV1 ‡dRNL ‡dYU6 ‡dGO3 ‡dOCLCQ ‡dJST ‡dOCLCO ‡dNYP
05014. ‡aML421.S678 ‡bR45 2025
08204. ‡a782.42166092/2 ‡223/eng/20250828
08204. ‡a791.43/72 ‡223/eng/20250918
1001 . ‡aReiner, Rob, ‡eauthor. ‡0(CARDINAL)357294
24512. ‡aA fine line between stupid and clever : the story of Spinal Tap : ‡b& smell the book : the oral history of Spinal Tap / ‡cRob Reiner, Christopher Guest, Michael McKean, and Harry Shearer with David Kamp & Marty DiBergi with David St. Hubbins, Derek Smalls, and Nigel Tufnel ; foreword by David Byrne.
2463 . ‡aOral history of Spinal Tap
2463 . ‡aStory of Spinal Tap
24630. ‡aSmell the book : ‡bthe oral history of Spinal Tap
250 . ‡aFirst Gallery Books hardcover edition.
264 1. ‡aNew York, New york : ‡bGallery Books, ‡c2025.
264 4. ‡c©2025
300 . ‡a196, viii, 67 pages, 16 unnumbered pages of plates : ‡billustrations (some color), music ; ‡c24 cm.
336 . ‡astill image ‡bsti ‡2rdacontent
336 . ‡atext ‡btxt ‡2rdacontent
337 . ‡aunmediated ‡bn ‡2rdamedia
338 . ‡avolume ‡bnc ‡2rdacarrier
500 . ‡aForeword to Smell the Book written by David Byrne.
500 . ‡aIncludes: Smell the book : the oral history of Spinal Tap / Marty DiBergi, David St. Hubbins, Derek Smalls, and Nigel Tufnel ; foreword by David Byrne.
500 . ‡aSince its original release in 1984, This Is Spinal Tap has evolved from a beloved cult film into a cinematic landmark: an all-time comedy classic that pioneered an entire genre, the mockumentary. Now, director Rob Reiner and his cowriters and costars, Christopher Guest, Michael McKean, and Harry Shearer, tell the complete story of the movie and its fictitious band--how they met, how Spinal Tap came to be, and how their low-budget indie film took on a life of its own. Years after the movie first came out, the Library of Congress selected This Is Spinal Tap for inclusion in the National Film Registry and Tap went on to play The Royal Albert Hall, Wembley Stadium, and to over 100,000 fans at the Glastonbury Festival in England. Reiner, Guest, McKean, and Shearer provide the backstories to the movie's famous lines--among them "Hello, Cleveland!," "None more black," "You can't dust for vomit," and "These go to eleven"--and to such Tap anthems as "Big Bottom" and "Stonehenge." Featuring never-before-seen photographs, band memorabilia, and personal reminiscences of their enduring creative partnership, A Fine Line Between Stupid and Clever will delight Tap-heads of all ages--just as the long-awaited Spinal Tap sequel is hitting theaters. BUT WAIT, THERE'S MORE! A Fine Line Between Stupid and Clever also comes with a bonus memoir by Reiner's directorial alter ego, Marty DiBergi, in which he interviews Tap band members Nigel Tufnel, David St. Hubbins, and Derek Smalls about their musical journey and their drummers who paid the ultimate sacrifice to the rock gods.
61020. ‡aSpinal Tap (Musical group)
63000. ‡aThis is Spinal Tap (Motion picture) ‡0(CARDINAL)741015
650 0. ‡aDocumentary-style films. ‡0(CARDINAL)897577
650 0. ‡aaMotion pictures ‡xProduction and direction.
650 0. ‡aaMotion picture industry ‡xHistory.
650 0. ‡aaMotion pictures ‡xHistory.
650 0. ‡aRock musicians ‡zEngland ‡vBiography. ‡0(CARDINAL)348040
650 0. ‡aHeavy metal (Music) ‡0(CARDINAL)699773
655 7. ‡aAutobiographies. ‡2lcgft ‡0(CARDINAL)334997
655 7. ‡aBiographies. ‡2lcgft ‡0(CARDINAL)326681
655 7. ‡aUpside-down books. ‡2lcgft ‡0(CARDINAL)356082
7001 . ‡aMcKean, Michael, ‡eauthor. ‡0(CARDINAL)373354
7001 . ‡aShearer, Harry, ‡d1943- ‡eauthor. ‡0(CARDINAL)348517
7001 . ‡aGuest, Christopher, ‡eauthor. ‡0(CARDINAL)844590
7001 . ‡aKamp, David, ‡eauthor. ‡0(CARDINAL)467899
7001 . ‡aByrne, David, ‡ewriter of foreword.
70012. ‡iContainer of (work): ‡aReiner, Rob. ‡tSmell the book.
74002. ‡aSmell the book.
901 . ‡a15712202 ‡bAUTOGEN ‡c15712202 ‡tbiblio