Latest news with #MutualOfAlamedasWildKingdom
Yahoo
18 hours 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
a day 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
a day 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.
Yahoo
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
David Kaff, keyboardist who played Viv Savage in ‘This Is Spinal Tap,' dead at 79
David Kaff has died. The musician, who portrayed Viv Savage in the 1984 mockumentary 'This Is Spinal Tap,' passed away in his sleep last week. He was 79. His band, Mutual of Alameda's Wild Kingdom, revealed the heartbreaking news via social media on Friday, July 11. 'Our brother David Kaffinetti passed away peacefully in his sleep yesterday,' Kaff's bandmates . Sharing they were 'devastated' by his death, the band noted, '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!' Signing off their emotional message, they concluded, 'RIP dear brother.' His cause of death was not revealed. The British rocker — real name David Kaffinetti — was a member of the UK progressive band Rare Bird in the '70s before landing a small part in Rob Reiner's musical comedy 'This Is Spinal Tap.' Kaff's role in the '80s mockumentary about a struggling metal band wasn't huge, but his memorable line in the flick is one of the most quoted to this day. During the movie's credits, when asked about his life motto, his character says: 'Have a good time… all the time.' The keyboardist and his fictitious band in the famous mockumentary played several real-life shows together after the film gained popularity. They even made an appearance on a 1984 episode of 'Saturday Night Live.' Kaff was also a session musician on Chuck Berry's 1972 album 'The London Chuck Berry Sessions,' according to Ultimate Classic Rock. The musician spoke highly of playing Savage in the past. 'I have a great affection for Viv,' Kaff said of his character during a 1991 appearance at USC, in which he was tasked with speaking about the making of the beloved mockumentary, per BAM. 'I played him very close to my heart,' he continued, 'just a little bit dimmer. If people like that character, chances are they'll like me.' Kaff also revealed his hopes about a possible 'This Is Spinal Tap' sequel. 'I just hope I'm a part of whatever they do!' he shared at the time. Sequel rumors began swirling again in 2022, with Variety confirming earlier this year that 'Spinal Tap II: The End Continues' is set to hit theaters this fall after Bleecker Street acquired the US rights to the follow-up film. Reiner signed back on as the director, and the original stars Christopher Guest, Michael McKean and Harry Shearer will be reprising their roles as Nigel Tufnel, David St. Hubbins and Derek Smalls, respectively. The sequel picks back up with the members of 'one of England's loudest bands' for one final show after a 15-year hiatus. Reiner will also return as his character Marty DiBergi, a documentarian following the group on tour. While it's unclear if Kaff was tapped to join them in the follow-up film, music icons like Elton John, Paul McCartney, Garth Brooks and Trisha Yearwood will reportedly be making cameos. '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,' Reiner said in a statement in March. 'Spinal Tap II: The End Continues' is scheduled to make its theatrical debut on September 12.
The Guardian
a day ago
- Entertainment
- The Guardian
David Kaff, Spinal Tap keyboardist and musician, dies aged 79
David Kaff, the British actor and musician known for playing keyboardist Viv Savage in Rob Reiner's 1984 mockumentary This Is Spinal Tap, has died aged 79. His bandmates in Mutual of Alameda's Wild Kingdom confirmed the news on their Facebook page, writing that the musician had 'passed away peacefully in his sleep' on Friday. '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!' they wrote. 'RIP dear brother.' Born David Kaffinetti in Folkestone, Kaff studied classical piano as a child before falling in love with rock'n'roll in his teens. In his early 20s, he co-founded prog rock group Rare Bird, perhaps best known for their 1969 track Sympathy. However, he found greater fame playing the keys in This Is Spinal Tap's fictional heavy metal band, alongside the movie's co-writers Christopher Guest, Michael McKean and Harry Shearer. His memorable lines in the film include Viv's life philosophy: 'Have a good time … all the time.' Kaff performed as part of Spinal Tap at various gigs after the film's release, including their appearance on Saturday Night Live, but by the end of 1984, he had left the group. He played in various other bands in the subsequent decades, including Oakland's Model Citizens and San Francisco's Mutual of Alameda's Wild Kingdom – but Kaff remained fond of Spinal Tap and appreciative of fans' love for his character in the movie. 'I played him [Viv] very close to my heart, just a little bit dimmer,' he told BAM in 1991. 'If people like that character, chances are they'll like me.' A sequel to Spinal Tap, directed by Reiner and co-written by and starring McKean, Shearer and Guest, is due for release in September, but Kaff was not involved in the movie.
