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Smell the Glove is a fictional Spinal Tap album in the story of This Is Spinal Tap, not a real 1982 album. The real release is the film’s soundtrack, which the official Spinal Tap store currently lists in Smell the Glove-themed vinyl and CD editions.
Is Smell the Glove a real album?
Not as a separate historic Spinal Tap release. The film’s fictional chronology places the album in 1982, but that date belongs to the band’s story, not to a real-world record release. A fan-maintained timeline records the fictional chronology; the official store identifies the available products as editions of the This Is Spinal Tap soundtrack.
That distinction explains why both statements can be true: the album is fictional, while listeners can buy a real soundtrack edition presented with its Smell the Glove artwork.
Why is the cover plain black?
In the film, the band’s label rejects the cover the group wanted and imposes an all-black sleeve. In the scene, David asks whether anything will appear on the cover or spine. Ian Faith, the manager, confirms that it will be blank and calls the design “simple, beautiful, classic!” Nigel notes that it will be “all black.”
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![Spinal Tap II: The End Continues [DVD]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/41gveMSUDPL._SL160_.jpg)
- Spinal Tap II: The End Continues [DVD]
David objects: “Well, I think it looks like death…it looks like mourning.” Ian defends the label’s commercial reasoning: “David, David, every, every movie, in every cinema is about death; death sells!” These are lines spoken by characters in the film, not statements by the actors or musicians about a real album. The joke is the clash between the band’s frustration and the manager’s confidence in a reductive marketing decision.
What can you buy now?
The official store currently lists two physical editions of the This Is Spinal Tap soundtrack with Smell the Glove-themed packaging. The specifications below are those given on the product pages; listed prices and stock can change.
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- Factory sealed DVD
| Edition | Format and packaging | Details listed by the store |
|---|---|---|
| Vinyl edition | 180-gram black vinyl; sleeve uses the band’s originally desired Smell the Glove cover art | Soundtrack remastered by Bernie Grundman from the original stereo analog master tapes; 11 tracks and a bonus poster |
| Extra-long-box CD edition | CD in a 19-inch-long box | Remastered soundtrack with a collectible black leather glove |
The vinyl presentation uses the artwork the fictional band wanted, rather than the blank sleeve imposed in the film. The CD’s long box and glove are a different kind of collectible packaging. The store’s descriptions do not establish a sound-quality advantage for either format, so packaging and your preference for vinyl or CD are the practical comparison points.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What does “none more black” mean?
It is a punchline associated with the film’s all-black cover: the design is treated as though making it blacker would be an artistic achievement, even though the sleeve communicates almost nothing. The humor comes from the gap between the band’s elaborate self-importance and a label decision that leaves them with a blank-looking package.
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Rank #3
![This is Spinal Tap - Special Widescreen Edition [DVD]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/41d9-J7itHL._SL160_.jpg)
- Region 1 DVD
- Widescreen
- Dolby Digital
How to avoid the common mix-up
- In the film: Smell the Glove is a fictional album, placed in 1982 in the story’s chronology.
- In the real world: the purchasable record is the This Is Spinal Tap soundtrack, including editions that use the album’s fictional branding or artwork.
- On the black cover: the blank sleeve is part of the film’s record-label gag; it is not proof of an actual 1982 release.
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
