How do you make “Stonehenge” more epic? Have an actual, to-scale model of the ancient monument descend onto stage, for one. For another, bring Elton John on board for a new version of the classic Spinal Tap track. Spinal Tap II: The End Continues director Rob Reiner has assured that John “was spot on” in his guest appearance in the upcoming sequel, as were the various other rock star cameos throughout the film. John, Paul McCartney, Garth Brooks, and Trisha Yearwood are all featured on the tie-in album The End Continues, which debuts the same day as the movie on September 12.
On the new version of “Stonehenge,” “John brings his most arena-sized vocals to the mix, lording over shredding guitar, swirling synths, pounding drums, shrill pan pipes, and a full-band medieval jam session. Tufnel still holds down the eerie spoken parts,” per a press release from Spinal Tap. The video, depicting the band playing for a stadium full of adoring fans, is tinged with nostalgia as the performance cuts back to the group in their younger years singing along to the very same track.
Nostalgia is an inevitable theme of any legacyquel, and surely part of the reason John and McCartney got involved in The End Continues. “The real world of rockers loves the movie. They’ve come to embrace it. And I can’t tell you how many times I’ve been approached by rockers who said, ‘It’s a staple on the tour bus. We watch it over and over again,'” Reiner told Entertainment Weekly. “The first time I met Sting, he said, ‘I’ve watched this thing so many times. Every time I watch it, I don’t know whether to laugh or cry.’ Because it’s so close to the reality of their lives.” The late Ozzy Osbourne had a similar reaction (via Consequence Of Sound), years ago telling Conan O’Brien, “Funny thing about Spinal Tap, when I went to see it I was the only person in the audience that wasn’t laughing because it was really like a documentary to me. Those things actually happened.” You can check out the full tracklist for The End Continues below.
