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David Kaff, who played keyboardist Viv Savage in Rob Reiner\u2019s 1984 mockumentary This Is Spinal Tap<\/em>, has died. His band Mutual of Alameda\u2019s Wild Kingdom shared the news to Facebook<\/a> yesterday (July 13), writing \u201cDavid always had a kind word and a quick wit that would slay you where you stand. Then he\u2019d make you smile doing it!\u201d A cause of death was not given, though the statement mentions that Kaff \u201cpassed away peacefully in his sleep.\u201d He was 79.<\/p>\n Born David Kaffinetti in 1946, Kaff got his start as a founding member of the British psychedelic rock band Rare Bird. The group was among the first to sign to Charisma Records, later the label home of Genesis<\/a> and Peter Gabriel<\/a>, and put out five studio albums between 1969 and 1974. Rare Bird\u2019s sole U.K. chart hit, 1970\u2019s \u201cSympathy,\u201d features a prominent organ line courtesy of Kaff. In 1972, Kaff also went into the studio with Chuck Berry<\/a> for The London Chuck Berry Sessions<\/em>, which yielded the No. 1 single \u201cMy Ding-a-Ling.\u201d<\/p>\n In Spinal Tap<\/em>, Kaff portrays the frizzy-haired keyboard player in fictional metal band Spinal Tap<\/a>. Despite a smaller role relative to lead actors Christopher Guest, Michael McKean, and Harry Shearer, Kaff\u2019s Viv Savage left his mark thanks to a combination of physical comedy (especially during the film\u2019s staged concert<\/a> footage<\/a>) and quotable one-liners. At one point, asked by McKean\u2019s David St. Hubbins if he\u2019s able to play Nigel Tufnel\u2019s (Guest) bass line on \u201cBig Bottom,\u201d Savage quips back, \u201cI\u2019ve got two hands, yeah I can do it.\u201d<\/p>\n Kaff played on This Is Spinal Tap<\/em>\u2019s accompanying soundtrack<\/a> and, in May 1984, performed in character alongside his co-stars on Saturday Night Live<\/em><\/a>. He left the group by the end of the year and did not return for the recording of their subsequent studio albums\u20141992\u2019s Break Like the Wind<\/em> and 2009\u2019s Back from the Dead<\/em>\u2014but continued to play music with Oakland\u2019s Model Citizenz and, most recently, psych-rock outfit Mutual of Alameda\u2019s Wild Kingdom.<\/p>\n Nonetheless, Kaff maintained his fondness for Viv Savage over the years, telling BAM<\/em><\/a> in 2011, \u201cI played him very close to my heart\u2026just a little bit dimmer. If people like that character, chances are they’ll like me.\u201d Kaff won\u2019t appear in Reiner\u2019s forthcoming Spinal Tap<\/em> sequel<\/a>, but forever holds the distinction of delivering the original film\u2019s final line: \u201cHave a good time all the time\u2014that\u2019s my philosophy, Marty.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n