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Fresh Air Weekend: 'Spinal Tap II' director Rob Reiner; Musician Billy Strings

Michael McKean, Harry Shearer and Christopher Guest play aging rock stars in the mockumentary Spinal Tap II: The End Continues.
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Michael McKean, Harry Shearer and Christopher Guest play aging rock stars in the mockumentary Spinal Tap II: The End Continues.

Fresh Air Weekend highlights some of the best interviews and reviews from past weeks, as well as new program elements specially paced for weekends. Our weekend show emphasizes interviews with writers, filmmakers, actors and musicians, and it often includes excerpts from live in-studio concerts. This week:

Spinal Tap is back. Director Rob Reiner says they're still dialed up to 11: In 1984, the mockumentary This Is Spinal Tap satirized heavy metal bands. Now the characters are back for a sequel, Spinal Tap II. Reiner says "they have grown neither emotionally or musically."

After losing his mother to an overdose, musician Billy Strings plays to honor her: Strings says his guitar has been his best friend for as long as he can remember. After his mother's death this past June, music became a source of catharsis.

You can listen to the original interviews here:

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