Spinal Tap, recently noted for their visionary peer-to-peer file sharing service Tapster, have announced that they will once again embrace the Internet via ARTISTdirect Auctions eBay.

‘Tapster.com was a marvelous success,’ said Tap singer David St. Hubbins. ‘We increased our traffic by more than 8,086,500 percent in the first 24 hours of the site’s launch. If you apply that formula to the Auctions, well, a Tap drumstick that would normally go for approximately $20.00 will likely fetch somewhere in the neighborhood of $160,000,000,000.’

In addition to pure financial gain, the recent Spinal Tap activity is meant to spark attention for the MGM Home Entertainment DVD release of the classic rockumentary This Is Spinal Tap. Loaded with extras, the special edition DVD release features an all-new audio commentary with the band, an all-new interview with director and star Rob Reiner and over one hour of rare footage that includes never-before-seen outtakes. The special edition VHS contains nearly five minutes of rare outtakes and the barely seen MTV-banned music video Bitch School.

Items up for bid include tickets to the exclusive 16th anniversary premiere of the film at the Egyptian Theater in Hollywood on September 5; tickets and backstage passes for the band’s invite-only appearance at Hollywood’s House of Blues and a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to bid on a space normally reserved for the paparazzi on the red carpet at the premiere.

‘Our fans can shout our names and then take our picture,’ explained bassist Derek Smalls.

In addition to the aforementioned, in several weeks Spinal Tap will auction one-of-a-kind memorabilia from the Spinal Tap archives, including attractive wardrobe pieces, stage props, autographed items, and amplifiers. Several guitars will appear on the auction schedule as well. Guitarist and guitar authority Nigel Tufnel, who had previously commented that a guitar in his collection was too delicate to be looked at, is allowing the guitar to be featured on the site — with one codicil: ‘It can be looked at, but not bid upon,’ he said.

Also on the auction block: used artifacts from the House of Blues gig, a trip to a prestigious to-be-announced New York late night television show in which the high bidder will gain entry by disguising him or herself as a member of the Spinal Tap entourage, and what can only be described as ‘stuff’ from the band members’ garage.
The auction, began this week. More unique ‘stuff’ will be added as the auction continues.