July 27, 2000 – Timed to co-opt media attention on the high-profile ruling to shut down music-sharing website Napster, England's loudest heavy metal band Spinal Tap has announced the launch of its new music-sharing service Tapster. The Tapster service launches today (www.tapster.com) with a free download by one of rock's formative and most influential artists, Spinal Tap. Tapster, a highly sophisticated file-sharing program, is launching to promote Tap's never-before-heard track, "Back from the Dead." Prior to being traded through other peer-to-peer applications, "Back from the Dead" will be exclusively available on Tapster.com.

"This will be far more controversial than Napster, really," said Tap's Nigel Tufnel. Bassist Derek Smalls added, "We're not unnecessarily concerned about intellectual property – this isn't about Harvard, Yale or Oxford."

The launch of Tapster and the release of "Back from the Dead" coincides with a full-blown marketing campaign in support of the re-release of the classic rockumentary, This Is Spinal Tap. Arriving on September 12, This Is Spinal Tap will be re-released in theaters and on special edition DVD/VHS by MGM Home Entertainment, in association with European film studio StudioCanal. "There's a fine line between exploitation and opportunism," said singer David St. Hubbins in commenting on the timing of Tapster's launch.

"Napster's a bit complicated, really, what with all of the songs available," Tufnel continued. "One of the brilliant things about Tapster is that there's only one song to choose from." Analysts agree, commenting that Tapster will likely replace Napster almost immediately. "All you do is replace the N with a T," said a UK-based source who requested anonymity.

"To say that Tapster is revolutionary is an understatement: I see it as one of the most significant developments in technology since the mousetrap," said Ian Clarke, heralded developer of Freenet. "I have been using Tapster since the early sixties, and it is as good now as it ever was."

An IPO is in the planning stages, according to Tap insiders. The band declined to comment, although Tufnel somewhat cryptically reported that they were looking into "one of those UFO things."

About This Is Spinal Tap
Realistically capturing the essence of Tap's members as brilliant musicians and talented wordsmiths with a true love for the art form, Rob Reiner's first film, This Is Spinal Tap, will live in history for future generations as the best spoof of the rock and roll scene. Opening with the band's sold-out New York tour (venue capacity: 100) and ending with their riveting performance at a Santa Monica amusement park puppet gallery, This is Spinal Tap combines early TV appearances with live concert footage and soul-searching interviews in a film that is nothing short of phenomenal. Christopher Guest, Michael McKean, and Harry Shearer play core band members Nigel Tufnel (lead guitarist), David St. Hubbins (lead singer) and Derek Smalls (bass guitarist) respectively. Billy Crystal, June Chadwick, Fran Drescher, Ed Begley Jr., Paul Shaffer, Bruno Kirby, Howard Hesseman, Dana Carvey, Angelica Huston and more make cameo appearances.