Which rock band's first drummer, Stumpy Pepys, was killed in an obscure gardening accident, their second, Eric Stumpy Joe Childs, died by choking on vomit, and their third died from spontaneous combustion during a concert?
Spinal Tap (band) circumstances: one in a "bizarre gardening accident"; another who "choked on vomit" (a reference to John Bonham's and Bon Scott's deaths) — but not his own vomit; and, two from "spontaneous human combustion" onstage. Additionally, it is claimed that police described one of the deaths as a mystery "best left unsolved." The band Spinal Tap became a going concern, with the group (in character) playing gigs and appearing on a 1984 episode of "Saturday Night Live" to promote the film. The character of Mick Shrimpton having died in the film, R.J. Parnell played his "twin brother" drummer Ric Shrimpton for
Stump and Stumpy in the movie "Boarding House Blues" (1948), after which Hartman had become unreliable as a performer, and was replaced with Cromer. Harold Cromer was the M.C. for numerous Irvin Feld-produced rock and roll package tours in the late 1950s. He danced with LaVern Baker as she sang "Jim Dandy" and thus was billed as Harold "Jim Dandy" Cromer for most of these tours. Stump and Stumpy Stump and Stumpy were a dance/comedy/acting duo popular from the mid-1930s to the 1950s, consisting of James "Stump" Cross, and either Eddie Hartman or Harold J. Cromer as "Stumpy". Their act was mostly jazz