Soundgarden has paid tribute to the late director Rob Reiner, reflecting on their connection to his iconic film, *This Is Spinal Tap*. The beloved mockumentary follows a fictional band called Spinal Tap, which actually went on tour in 1984 after the film’s release. The tour ended in Seattle, Soundgarden’s hometown, where Spinal Tap left behind a giant skull prop they had been traveling with.
In an Instagram post, Soundgarden shared that Pearl Jam’s Jeff Ament repaired the skull and gave it to them for their performance at the Seattle Bumbershoot Festival in 1990. The post also included a quote from Reiner’s book, *A Fine Line Between Stupid and Clever: The Story of Spinal Tap*. In it, actor Michael McKean, who plays David St. Hubbins, jokingly claims that “Spinal Tap invented grunge” by leaving the skull in Seattle.
Soundgarden posed the question, “Did Spinal Tap invent grunge?” They acknowledged that while Reiner may not have created the genre, he certainly warmed hearts and made people laugh with his stories and characters. His charm and wit inspired many musicians and fans over the years.
Tragically, Rob Reiner and his wife, Michele Singer Reiner, were found dead in their Los Angeles home on December 14. Their son, Nick Reiner, has been arrested in connection with their deaths.
