I didn’t see the movie Spinal Tap until later. Don Arden said to me: ‘We’ve got a front cover to do tomorrow.’
I said: ‘Okay. Me and Geezer?’
‘With Spinal Tap.’
‘Spinal Tap? Who the bloody hell is Spinal Tap?’
I don’t think even he knew at the time.
‘I think it’s some up-and-coming band and they have a movie coming out.’
‘And we are doing a front cover with them? We’ve never heard of them!’
Me and Geezer did the shoot with them anyway, which was funny, but I still didn’t have the faintest idea who they were. It was only later when I saw the movie that I realised what it was all about and where they got the idea for the scene with the tiny Stonehenge from.
Iommi, Tony. Iron Man
Is Jeff the main basis for the character of Nigel Tufnel, the guitarist in the spoof documentary This Is Spinal Tap? I can’t say for sure, beyond noting that Jeff, too, has an extensive guitar collection which no one is allowed to touch or even look at. But the writers must surely have got the idea of the ever-changing drummer from the Jeff Beck Group.
Stewart, Rod. Rod