While he played in bands throughout his life, the birth of his first child inspired him to further his ambitions as a musician, including singing for the first time as he did not like the sound of his voice.

[4] De Jong wrote the album's songs in his Nieuwegein attic over an extended period of time.

"[7] Once the album came out, De Jong had to take an unpaid leave of absence from his job in order to tour.

[7] The album cover of Spinvis features the three-song cassette demo tape that Erik de Jong mailed to Excelsior Recordings.

[8] De Jong's attic consisted of a computer, a synthesizer, a mixing console, some peripherals, several musical instruments and a few of his children's toys.

Excelsior Recordings decided not to re-record any of De Jong's original attic takes.

[12] In a glowing review, AllMusic's Philip D. Huff said that "The songs on Spinvis appear to be simple and messy, but in fact they are elaborately and inventively orchestrated.

Only on a second or a third listen does one hear that almost every second line rhymes, and that there are quirky sound effects beneath all the great rhythm tracks.

[1] The album finished second in Oor's year-end critics' list for 2002, behind Queens of the Stone Age's Songs for the Deaf.

[14] "Smalfilm" finished in second place for the 2002 VPRO Song of the Year voting, behind "No One Knows" by Queens of the Stone Age.

[15] "Voor ik vergeet" was sung by Lenette van Dongen in her theatre program Vedette.

[16] In 2025, Oor crowned it as the best album from the Netherlands of the 21st century, comparing its impact to The Velvet Underground & Nico of Nederpop.