David Kaffinetti, a former member of the fictional/parody rock act Spinal Tap, reportedly died on July 11.
The musician, who is known for playing the role of keyboardist Viv Savage in the 1984 cult-classic film “This Is Spinal Tap,” was 79.
While there has been no official news release or statement made about the death of the U.K-born musician — who spent years living in the Bay Area — there have been several posts on social media from his friends and associates addressing the matter.
“Our friend and @spinaltap band member @kaffinetti passed away,” a post reads on the Instagram page of Brand New Pack, a psychedelic folk-rock act from Oakland. “Dave was amazing guy. I had the opportunity to open for his band MOAWK featuring my close friend @tomfalletti, hang out with him, and even have him record keyboards on a tune I produced. We’ll miss your infectious laugh and great playing.”
The Wikipedia page for Kaffinetti (who has also known as Dave Kaff) has been updated to reflect the news of his death.
Spinal Tap has been in the news as of late with fans looking forward to the release of a long-awaited sequel — “Spinal Tap II.”
Besides performing in “This Is Spinal Tap,” Kaffinetti was also known for his work in the prog-rock act Rare Bird, which released five studio albums during its run from 1969 to 1975 and scored a hit in its native U.K. with the single “Sympathy.”
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This story will be updated as more details become available.