Ric Parnell was a rock drummer best known for playing Mick Shrimpton in the cult classic film “This Is Spinal Tap.”
- Died: Sunday, May 1, 2022. (Who else died on May 1?)
- Details of death: Died at the age of 70.
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Spinal Tap’s Mick Shrimpton
Ric Parnell was a drummer for the 1970s rock bands Horse, Atomic Rooster, and the Italian band Tritons. He played drums on the 1982 hit song “Mickey” by Toni Basil and it has been reported that he turned down an offer to join arena rock legends Journey. He achieved his greatest fame when he played the role of ill-fated drummer Mick Shrimpton in the cult classic “This Is Spinal Tap” in 1984. The running gag in the mockumentary film is that all the Spinal Tap drummers die in unusual ways. Parnell as Mick Shrimpton appears throughout the film yet dies from spontaneous combustion at the end. He appeared on Spinal Tap albums and toured with the band as Ric Shrimpton, Mick’s twin brother, since Mick died in the movie. Recently, he hosted a weekly radio show titled “Spontaneous Combustion.”
Tributes to Ric Parnell
Full Obituary: Variety
