Spinal Tap bandmates shade Paul McCartney as 'a very specific talent'

The pantheon of rock legends brims with iconic names. Jimmy Page. Jim Morrison. Joan Jett. And who can forget those deafening British metal mavens Nigel Tufnel, David St. Hubbins and Derek Smalls of Spinal Tap.

In 1984, director Marty DiBergi (Rob Reiner) brought us into the band's tunefully dysfunctional world with the documentary "This Is Spinal Tap." Now, four decades later, DiBergi is back with "Spinal Tap II: The End Continues" (in theaters Sept. 12), which chronicles the band's one-off final gig after not seeing each other in 15 years.

In a twist, two other music legends appear in the new film: Elton John, who joins the band for a performance of their big hit "Stonehenge," and Paul McCartney, who humbly tries to settle a debate over a key change in a St. Hubbins song, which earns the Beatle glares from the long-haired rocker.

USA TODAY recently caught up with Tufnel (Christopher Guest), St. Hubbins (Michael McKean) and Smalls (Harry Shearer) − in character − to discuss their return to the spotlight after becoming comfortably ensconced in their new lives as a cheesemonger (Tufnel), home recording studio tinkerer (St. Hubbins) and glue museum proprietor (Smalls).

Interview edited for length and clarity.

Question: Greetings, and what can I say gentlemen?St. Hubbins: You can say hello.

Tufnel: And he did.

Smalls: And there we are.

You all got back on stage for a final performance in this film. What was the hardest thing about that?

St. Hubbins: Stairs, definitely the stairs. And the balance. Sometimes strange fits of inappropriate hunger. But once I was on stage and in tune, it all fell back into place.

Smalls: When were you in tune?

St. Hubbins: All right, stop it now. You play the bass, you don’t need to be in tune.

In the sequel, you all seem to have a penchant for staying seated. It made me wonder, might you do a Spinal Tap unplugged one day?

St. Hubbins: We did already, we played at CBGB in 1992, and one day I’ll mix down those recordings. It was an acoustic set, just the three of us, and we had a great time. We discovered a lot about the material once we could understand what the other person was singing.

Smalls: But that was memorable for another reason. In the intermission, these Hells Angels came back to our dressing room and they gave us a different set list.

St. Hubbins: A lot of Motörhead stuff.

Interesting. I'm trying to imagine a song like "Big Bottom" done acoustic.

St. Hubbins: We have difficulty imagining that ourselves.

What about groupies at your age? Is that an enticing possibility?

Tufnel: They are out there, and we call them the grans. They want you to put in their hearing aids.

Hubbins: I have noticed when a woman gets older, a lot of her tattoos suddenly appear to be in italics.

Tufnel: Yes! I noticed the same thing.

David, in the documentary, you get a visit in the studio by Paul McCartney as you and Nigel are trying to work out a new song. He offered his advice, which agreed with Nigel's criticism of the tune, and you didn't seem pleased.

St. Hubbins: You could say that. Listen, I have lots of respect for Paul. He’s struggled to make his way with a very specific talent, a certain amount of chops as we say, and he’s got a decent voice. And he's a fine songwriter. And despite all that, he’s managed to be successful. That’s all I’ll say.

I take it you felt he was a bit of a buttinsky there.

St. Hubbins: I don’t know what that is, but it’s probably right.

And how about Sir Elton bringing down the house on “Stonehenge”? He seemed elated to be working with you.

St. Hubbins: He was amazing. He wanted to do the entire set, but we had to let him down easy and say look, just do a few songs, that's enough.

Nigel, I have to ask since I couldn’t see your amps clearly in the film, but back in 1984, your knobs famously went past 10 and up to 11. Do they still?

Tufnel: I’ve been working with Marshall (amplifiers) for a few years, and my knobs now go to infinity.

So the knobs just keep on spinning?

Tufnel: No, the symbol for infinity replaces the 11.

OK. So is that louder than 11?

Tufnel: I’ll leave that to you to decide.

St. Hubbins: You know, Marshall did put out for kids an amp where the volume only goes to six, and I think that’s great, gives them a chance to build up the calluses in their ears until they can play real music.

In this documentary, the friendship between you three seems to have been rekindled, true?

St. Hubbins: We’re getting along OK. Absence makes the heart grow acceptable.

Smalls: Isn’t the expression, friendship is wasted on the young?

Might you be enticed to get back on the stage one more time for fans who want to see you live?

St. Hubbins: Depends on the offer.

Tufnel: Depends on the location as well.

St. Hubbins: I'd say, an appropriate venue where we are gleefully underpaid would be fine as long as it’s a place we really like to play.

Smalls: With free parking.

St. Hubbins and Tufnel: Oh, yes.

Smalls: That’s a no-brainer.