David St. Hubbins

David Ivor St. Hubbins (born August 13, 1947) is a fictional character who is the lead singer and rhythm guitarist of the mock rock band Spinal Tap, which was the subject of "rockumentary" film This Is Spinal Tap (1984). David is played by actor Michael McKean, who improvised the role through the whole film. Michael McKean writes in his introduction to This Is Spinal Tap: The Official Guide, "When I am called upon to generate copy about the mostly fictional entity called Spinal Tap, I usually do so in the mostly fictional character of David St. Hubbins..."

Character biography

St. Hubbins, whose name is derived from Saint Hubbins, whom David describes as the "Patron Saint of Quality Footwear", was born August 13, 1947, in Squatney, London, England. He grew up in Squatney in flat #45. Fellow Spinal Tap band member Nigel Tufnel lived next door in flat #47. They did not know each other at first. At age 7 and 8, the new friends Nigel and David began their musical adventure together. David says: "We left school and started playing Tube station skiffle. It was like the filings feel about a magnet. We were the filings, Spinal Tap became the magnet". They have recorded the first song they wrote together in 1955: "(Cry) All the Way Home".

After his first divorce, St. Hubbins was married to his longtime girlfriend, Jeanine Pettibone (June Chadwick). They moved to Pomona, California, where they opened two "boutiquerias". They were divorced in early 2000 and remained on friendly terms. David credits Jeanine, and her love of astrology, with getting his cosmically challenged life back in order. In an interview with David and Jeanine, David said, "Before I met Jeanine my life was cosmically a shambles. I was using bits and pieces of whatever eastern philosophy would drift through my transom". His relationship with Jeanine caused some turbulence in the band, especially when she became the band's manager toward the end of the tour documented in This Is Spinal Tap. According to the movie, David has a son named Misha.

He was at times working on a project he was very excited about, an Icelandic album of Broadway tunes called Björk, Björk with Lamont Sanford, which has not yet been released.

The fictional character of David St. Hubbins took part in the non-fictional musical advocacy group Hear 'n Aid.

David St. Hubbins - An update

David has undergone some radical changes in his personal life, but he hasn't let the world of music pass him by.

In early 1998, he and his longtime lady love, designer-astrologist Jeanine Pattibone - St. Hubbins, separated to consider other options. They remain close psychic friends and meet on neutral ground every six weeks to discuss community property. David is also enjoying a long-delayed bout of parenthood, having recently been awarded custody of his adult son by another liaison. Devon McCardle - St. Hubbins.

He continues to scout new talent, lending his expert touch to many burgeoning career. His newest find: Poca-Pola, a Japanese-American pop trio, with whom he is creating songs for a series of educational shorts called "The Math Bath." Says David, "It's not like the dry old lessons we had at school. It swings. And these Asian girls really know their numbers!"

He continues work on his magnum opus, the operatic Beowulf of London. But rock 'n' roll is still the major means of expression for this "Yeoman of the Codpiece."

References

• The Ultimate Spinal Tap Discography - an illustrated guide to Tap's albums (both real and imagined)
• David St. Hubbins explains the umlaut
• Everything you need to know about Spinal Tap