Spinal Tap (stylized as Spın̈al Tap, with a dotless letter i and a metal umlaut over the n) is a parody heavy metal band that first appeared on a failed 1979 ABC TV sketch comedy pilot called The T.V. Show, starring Rob Reiner. The sketch, actually a mock promotional video for the song "Rock and Roll Nightmare," was written by Reiner and the band, and included songwriter/performer Loudon Wainwright III on keyboards. Later the band became the fictional subject of the 1984 rockumentary/mockumentary film This Is Spinal Tap. The band members are portrayed by Michael McKean (as David St. Hubbins), Christopher Guest (as Nigel Tufnel) and Harry Shearer (as Derek Smalls).
This Is Spinal Tap was accompanied by a soundtrack album of the same name. In the years following the film's release, the actors have portrayed the band members at concerts and released music under the Spinal Tap name. Guest, McKean, and Shearer toured in the United States in April and May 2009 and performed as Spinal Tap in a "One Night Only World Tour" on 30 June 2009 at Wembley Arena in London, three days after playing the Glastonbury Festival. Support at Wembley Arena came from the same trio's fictitious folk music band The Folksmen.