Latest news with #DavidKaff
Daily Mail
31 minutes ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
This Is Spinal Tap icon David Kaff dead at 79... just months before legendary film's sequel release
A legendary actor and musician who starred in This Is Spinal Tap has died aged 79. David Kaff, who played keyboardist Viv Savage in the iconic 1984 film, died peacefully in his sleep on July 11, per a statement from his band Mutual of Alameda's Wild Kingdom. It read: 'Our brother David Kaffinetti passed away peacefully in his sleep yesterday. 'We are devastated by this event. 'David always had a kind word and a quick wit that would slay you where you stand. Then he'd make you smile doing it! 'RIP dear brother.' This is Spinal Tap was first released in 1984 and starred Michael McKean, Christopher Guest and Harry Shearer. Directed by Rob Reiner, who also starred in the mockumentary comedy, it followed a heavy metal group Spinal Tap, dubbed as one of England's loudest bands, on their American tour. Kaff's keyboardist Savage was known for his motto: 'Have a good time…all the time' and 'Quite exciting, this computer magic!' Kaff's death comes just two months before a sequel to his iconic film will be released - Kaff did not reprise his role in the new film. Spinal Tap II: The End Continues will be released in September. It will follow Spinal Tap as they perform one last time after reuniting after 15 years. Director Rob Reiner said: 'So happy to be working with the folks at Bleecker Street who are passionate about keeping Tap's legacy alive and happy to give Marty DiBergi another shot at relevancy.' While Bleecker Street's CEO Andrew Karpen and president Kent Sanderson said: 'We feel privileged for the opportunity to work with Rob Reiner and the brilliant minds behind the original This Is Spinal Tap and to be part of a film that has resonated with so many.' They described the first movie as a cultural touchstone' and added: 'This Is Spinal Tap isn't just a movie – it's a cultural touchstone that pioneered the mockumentary genre and left an indelible mark on both film and music. 'Returning to this world through Spinal Tap II is an extraordinary chance to celebrate its legacy while creating something fresh for both new and devoted audiences.' This Is Spinal Tap has a whopping 96% score on Rotten Tomatoes and has been praised by many. In 2002 it was chosen for preservation by the National Film Registry, as the Library of Congress declared it was 'culturally, historically, and aesthetically significant.' Some fans have taken to social media to express their excitement of the new release, one posted on X: 'WAIT THEY'RE MAKING A SPINAL TAP 2???'; 'Can't wait for Spinal Tap 2.'; Kaff, born David Kaffinetti, was a founding member of British progressive rock band Rare Bird from 1969 to 1975. They were known for their 1969 track Sympathy which charted at number 27 and sold one million copies. He also played keyboards for Chuck Berry on album The London Chuck Berry Sessions. After shooting to fame in This Is Spinal Tap, the line-up toured and played Saturday Night Live in 1984. Kaff would later leave the group at the end of the year.
Los Angeles Times
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Los Angeles Times
David Kaff, who played keyboardist Viv Savage in ‘This Is Spinal Tap,' dies at 79
David Kaff, the British actor and musician who played keyboardist Viv Savage in Rob Reiner's hit 1984 mockumentary 'This Is Spinal Tap,' died Saturday. He was 79. His death was announced in a Facebook post by his band Mutual of Alameda's Wild Kingdom, which didn't specify a cause or say where Kaff died beyond noting that he 'passed away peacefully in his sleep.' 'We are devastated by this event,' the band added in the note. 'David always had a kind word and a quick wit that would slay you where you stand. Then he'd make you smile doing it!' As Savage, Kaff played keyboards in Spinal Tap behind lead singer David St. Hubbins (portrayed by Michael McKean), guitarist Nigel Tufnel (Christopher Guest) and bassist Derek Smalls (Harry Shearer). Reiner's film, which followed the band's introduction in a sketch on the 1979 ABC comedy special 'The T.V. Show,' expertly parodied the stylistic excesses of heavy metal — one enduring gag had Tufnel demonstrating that the volume knobs on his Marshall amplifier 'go to 11' instead of the usual 10 — and became a cult favorite eventually inducted into the Library of Congress' National Film Registry. The movie spawned a soundtrack featuring original songs written and performed by the actors, including 'Stonehenge,' 'Sex Farm' and 'Tonight I'm Gonna Rock You Tonight.' Kaff performed with Spinal Tap on 'Saturday Night Live' after the film's release but left the band before it made a second album, 'Break Like the Wind,' in 1992; he's not expected to appear in a long-awaited sequel to the movie, 'Spinal Tap II: The End Continues,' due in theaters in September. Kaff was born David Kaffinetti in 1946 and co-founded the British prog-rock group Rare Bird, which scored a Top 40 hit in the U.K. in 1970 with 'Sympathy.' In 1972, he played piano for Chuck Berry at a live gig that was recorded for Berry's album 'The London Chuck Berry Sessions,' which spawned the chart-topping 'My Ding-a-Ling.' Information about Kaff's survivors wasn't immediately available.
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
David Kaff, Who Played Viv Savage in This Is Spinal Tap , Dies at 79
Christopher Guest as Nigel Tufnel, Ric Parnell as Mick Shrimpton, David Kaff as Viv Savage, Harry Shearer as Derek Smalls, and Michael McKean as David St. Hubbins, 1984 (Aaron Rapoport/Corbis/Getty Images) David Kaff, who played keyboardist Viv Savage in Rob Reiner's 1984 mockumentary This Is Spinal Tap, has died. His band Mutual of Alameda's Wild Kingdom shared the news to Facebook, writing 'David always had a kind word and a quick wit that would slay you where you stand. Then he'd make you smile doing it!' A cause of death was not given, though the statement mentions that Kaff 'passed away peacefully in his sleep' on Saturday, July 12. He was 79 years. Born David Kaffinetti in 1946, Kaff got his start as a founding member of the British psychedelic rock band Rare Bird. The group was among the first to sign to Charisma Records, later the label home of Genesis and Peter Gabriel, and put out five studio albums between 1969 and 1974. Rare Bird's sole UK chart hit, 1970's 'Sympathy,' features a prominent organ line courtesy of Kaff. In 1972, Kaff also went into the studio with Chuck Berry for The London Chuck Berry Sessions, which yielded the No. 1 single 'My Ding-a-Ling.' In This Is Spinal Tap, Kaff portrays the frizzy-haired keyboard player in fictional metal band Spinal Tap. Despite a smaller role relative to lead actors Christopher Guest, Michael McKean, and Harry Shearer, Kaff's Viv Savage left his mark thanks to a combination of physical comedy (especially during the film's staged concert footage) and quotable one-liners. At one point, asked by McKean's David St. Hubbins if he's able to play Nigel Tufnel's (Guest) bassline on 'Big Bottom,' Savage quips back, 'I've got two hands, yeah I can do it.' Kaff played on This Is Spinal Tap's accompanying soundtrack and, in May 1984, performed in character alongside his co-stars on Saturday Night Live. He left the group by the end of the year and did not return for the recording of their subsequent studio albums—1992's Break Like the Wind and 2009's Back from the Dead—but continued to play music with Oakland's Model Citizenz and, most recently, psych-rock outfit Mutual of Alameda's Wild Kingdom. Kaff nonetheless maintained his fondness for Viv Savage over the years, telling BAM in 2011, 'I played him very close to my heart… just a little bit dimmer. If people like that character, chances are they'll like me.' Kaff won't appear in Reiner's forthcoming Spinal Tap sequel, but forever holds the distinction of delivering the original film's final line: 'Have a good time all the time—that's my philosophy, Marty.' Originally Appeared on Pitchfork
The Independent
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Independent
Spinal Tap star dies aged 79
David Kaff, the musician and actor best known for portraying keyboardist Viv Savage in the 1984 mockumentary This Is Spinal Tap, has died at the age of 79. His death was confirmed by his bandmates from Mutual of Alameda's Wild Kingdom, who announced he passed away peacefully in his sleep. Born in Folkestone, England, Kaff was a founding member of the prog rock band Rare Bird, achieving international success with their 1970 single "Sympathy." Kaff's character Viv Savage became iconic for his closing line, "Have a good time, all the time. That's my philosophy," and he contributed to the film's soundtrack and live performances. While a sequel, Spinal Tap II, is scheduled for release in September, Kaff was not slated to return for the new film.
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Iconic '80s Rocker Dead at 79, Leaving Band ‘Devastated'
Iconic '80s Rocker Dead at 79, Leaving Band 'Devastated' originally appeared on Parade. In the heyday of rock bands, one British heavy metal band captivated audiences in a film documenting their first United States tour in six years. There was something different about this 'rockumentary,' though. The band–and their comedy of errors documentary–was entirely a farce. This is Spinal Tap, the beloved Rob Reiner 1984 mockumentary, returned to the headlines last March with the announcement that Spinal Tap II: The End Continues will hit theaters on September 12. Before its satirical 'end' on the silver screen, though, the much-adored rockers have another, far more serious, end to contend with. David Kaff, 79, known for his portrayal of fan-favorite character Viv Savage, keyboardist in This is Spinal Tap, passed away on July 11. His current band, Mutual of Alameda's Wild Kingdom, announced his death on Facebook with a touching tribute. 'Our brother David Kaffinetti passed away peacefully in his sleep yesterday,' the band wrote. 'We are devastated by this event.' The message went on to say, 'David always had a kind word and a quick wit that would slay you where you stand. Then he'd make you smile doing it! RIP dear brother.' The band did not share a cause of death. Rolling Stone reported that Kaff was not slated to appear in the long-awaited This is Spinal Tap sequel, despite boasting one of the most memorable lines in the original film. When asked what his life's motto is, Kaff as Savage says, "Have a good time… all the time." Born in Kent in south-east England as David Kaffinetti, Kaff started his career in rock 'n roll as a keyboardist with the progressive rock band 'Rare Bird'. He followed this tenure with a spot in the short-lived 'supergroup' Natural Gas in 1975 according to a BAM interview with the rockstar in 1991, and was even a studio artist for Chuck Berry in 1972, People reported. Kaff went on to land the part of Viv Savage in This is Spinal Tap, a role that became so synonymous with his name that any time he changed his address, he had to also submit change of address paperwork for Viv Savage. 'There really are people who write to me and put Viv Savage on the envelope!" he told BAM with an emphatic laugh. Kaff performed several live shows with the fictional Spinal Tap band after the film's release, including a Saturday Night Live performance in 1984, before continuing his music career with bands like the Oakland-based Model Citizenz, according to BAM. Despite his prolific musical career, Kaff did not mind his fictional character's popularity. 'I played him very close to my heart," he told BAM, "just a little bit dimmer. If people like that character, chances are they'll like me." Iconic '80s Rocker Dead at 79, Leaving Band 'Devastated' first appeared on Parade on Jul 15, 2025 This story was originally reported by Parade on Jul 15, 2025, where it first appeared.
