‘This Is Spinal Tap’ Drummer Ric Parnell Dies at 70

You may not be all that familiar with the name Ric Parnell, but if you’re a comedy lover, chances are you know exactly who he is if someone mentions the spontaneously combusting drummer from This Is Spinal Tap. Parnell, a rock drummer who played on several famous albums before appearing in the 1984 Rob Reiner film, has died at the age of 70.

Parnell’s death was announced on Twitter by his Spinal Tap co-star Harry Shearer. “Ric Parnell, our drummer in This Is Spinal Tap, passed away today. No one ever rocked harder,” Shearer wrote.

Parnell played drummer Mick Shrimpton in the rock and roll mockumentary along with Shearer, who played bassist Derek Smalls, Michael McKean and Christopher Guest who played David St. Hubbins Nigel Tufnel, the bands guitarists and vocalists, and David Kaff as keyboardist Viv Savage, whose band, Spinal Tap, were launching a world tour. All the band’s previous drummers met their doom in different ways, from a mysterious gardening accident to choking on vomit, and Mick’s death was no less creative, he exploded while onstage during a concert in Japan.

Despite his on-screen death, Parnell joined the actors on a real world tour where they played live as Spinal Tap, with Parnell playing Mick’s twin brother, coincidentally named Ric.

Parnell was an accomplished musician outside the world of Spinal Tap as well, having played in the bands Atomic Rooster, and Tritons, and as a session musician he played drums on the Toni Basil album Word of Mouth which included her single “Mickey.”

At the time of his death, Parnell was living in Montana where he co-hosted a radio show perfectly titled “Spontaneous Combustion.”