The veteran spoof metal act Spinal Tap are recording new material together.

The band, which is formed of actors Harry Shearer, Michael McKean and Christopher Guest, are expected to release their new effort before the end of the year.

Spinal Tap made their debut in the 1984 film This Is Spinal Tap and released two albums - a self-titled debut and 1992's 'Break Like The Wind'.

Shearer, who plays bassist Derek Smalls, told BBC 5 Live that the new material will “be for download as well as on conventional media later this year."

Spinal Tap last performed together in 2007 at the Live Earth concert at London's Wembley Stadium.

Sheared said: "We've never recorded the song we did at Live Earth, 'Warmer Than Hell', and I think they (Spinal Tap) are trying to revisit their old success.

"Not that they were ever popular, maybe in their own universe. We'll do a song called 'Gimme Some More Money', probably with some dubious results."

(by Jason Gregory)