Anvil: The Story of Anvil

First things first--ANVIL (if your not familiar with the band) ROCKS! This book is the PERFECT companion to the dvd of the same name, but brings us much more detail that the doc lacked. The crazy stories from the road are worth the price of admission alone! ANVIL is finally getting some recognition--and a big bow of respect goes out to AC/DC for allowing ANVIL to come back out onstage when the stadiums were packed up and letting them play some more music--kudos to Angus & co. Before I continue...the first ANVIL album I ever heard was the groundbreaking 'Metal On Metal'--widely considered the bands best effort. The truth however, is this band has NEVER released a bad album--nor have they deviated from the sound that we ANVIL-HEADS have grown to love! The words 'sell-out' just aren't in these guys vocabulary! After the 3rd ANVIL album (the fantastic 'Forged In Fire'), the band seemingly dropped from the 'metal radar' (if you will)...trying to capitalize on the bands newer and more major deal, Attic Records released the sub-par 'Backwaxed' album--a mish-mash of 1 (killer) new track and four 'demoes' that the band FELT should remain unheard by the public. You gotta respect when a band wants that. Lips is still pissed to this day over 'Backwaxed'--and discourages ANVIL fans from even buying it--this ANVIL fan has to this day STILL not succumbed out of respect for Mr. Kudrow. I have all 13 of the other albums though! And every single one KILLS! This band pioneered the term 'Speed Metal'--they were doing it BEFORE 'METALLICA'--and in my book, doing it BETTER. Imagine the frustration of KNOWING that bands like METALLICA, SLAYER, MEGADETH,and ANTHRAX all borrowed from your sound and acknowledged it--yet your band still hasn't hit 'the big time'--seeing these bands rise to the top of the pile really had an effect on Lips and Robbo's lives--and this book gives you every detail. The stories connecting certain songs to their true stories are HYSTERICAL! At times you'll think Lip's missed his calling and should have been a comedian--and if you've ever seen the video for the song 'Mad Dog' off of 'Strength Of Steel', you'll know what I mean--his 'Nice Jewish Pet Shop Owner' is belly-bursting funny! It's all here...the ups, the downs, the drugs, the fights, the mishaps, the SEX--and ANVIL albums were never complete without sexually oriented gems like 'Jackhammer', 'Butter-Bust Jerky', 'Hair Pie', 'Bush Pig', 'Rubber Neck', and 'Safe Sex' (to name just a few over the years)--I know this sounds cliche, but I could NOT put this book down. Not since Marilyn Manson's 'Long Hard Road Out Of Hell' has a rock bands story enthralled me this way. After being an ANVIL fan for over 24 years, it's a great feeling to see them FINALLY getting their due. And the point that I'd like to make is there are quite a few 'ANVIL'S' out there--bands that have stuck to their guns and remained HEAVY, dirty, and fast--another personal favorite of mine that comes to mind (and also from ANV

Put quite simply, this is one of the best rock autobiographies that I have ever read. Full of emotion and soul, it covers the heartbreaking and often hilarious story of Anvil, one of the more influential yet obscure heavy metal bands of the early 80's. And make no mistake about it, Anvil WAS an influence and inspiration for a lot of artists, as testimonials from Slayer's Tom Araya and Anthrax's Scott Ian will attest to. But where those bands made the leap to commercial and critical success and went on to sell millions of records, Anvil didn't. Stardom slipped away from them and they fell off of the ledge. But where most bands would have called it a day, Anvil didn't. In fact, they've spent the last 25 years trying to recapture the glory days, financing their own recordings and tours, putting truth to the old axiom, `rock and roll will never die'. `Anvil, The Story of Anvil', tells their tale in all of it's gory glory. Anvil's core is made up of drummer Robb Reiner, and guitarist/ vocalist Steve `Lips' Kudlow, childhood friends who are brought together by a love of hard rock's transformative power. Their friendship is sorely tested in this story, as Anvil catches the early wave of thrash metal only to see itself fall off of the board and get drowned by the very bands that it helped to inspire. This is a deeply personal story, and it's just downright inspiring to anyone who feels like dreams are worth chasing, even when it seems like all is lost and you're playing to an audience of one. It's all here, the tales of road excess, the broken relationships, the bad decisions and the good ones, all told with forthright honesty and heartfelt conviction. These two guys made a vow to rock together until the end, and they absolutely meant it. Lips and Robb, don't ever stop rocking, guys. You've already won the battle and everything else is just gravy. As a 40-something metalhead myself, this book just made me want to throw up the Devil Horns and say `YEAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!' Highly recommended!

If you enjoyed the movie, you need to get the book! I saw the movie, which, for lack of a better description, was amazing! I listened to Anvil growing up in my teens. I had no idea that they were still playing after all of these years. After seeing the movie, I was really looking forward to reading the book. It begins by describing the life and times, from practically day one, of both Robb and Lips and takes you all the way up to the present. Their story is told in conversational style (i.e., Lips and Robb take turns describing important events in their lives -- the ups and downs of Anvil and their personal lives). It is an easy read. But more importantly, beause the story is told in the first person in conversational style, it is all the more a very personal one. I really appreciate their candor throughout -- especially with regard to all they've endured for last 30 or so years following their dreams. The telling of Anvil's story is hilarious, heartwarming and also heartbreaking at times. Query: I wonder whether they still have the ninety-five pound anvil that Lips threw during a show which bounced off the stage? (That's one of my favorite passages in the book as told by Robb. It reminds me of the crazy stuff that would happen at shows that one just can't make up.) There are some parts of the book that I enjoy reading repeatedly. For those who want to know what really happens on tour, Anvil's story won't disappoint (e.g., antics involving groupies, partying with Motorhead, etc.). After seeing the movie, I can hear Robb's and Lip's voices telling their story as I read. Their story inspires me and I hope others to not give up on dreams (or what is otherwise important in one's life), and to be resourceful and to do whatever it takes to make them come true! The book is just as good if not better than the movie in that, among other things, it is so very candid and personal. It takes courage to write with such candor. I hope Anvil enjoys success in the long-term because they are not only so very dedicated, talented, and deserving, but because they truly are great people. Long Live Anvil -- Forged in Fire!!!

Loved this book - read almost like a diary of the people in a heavy metal band spaning 30+ years- I have met and had a long conversation with this band almost 10 years ago and there is a great connection that two of the band members have that tested there frindship. Not fake or has-been rock stars but real men never giving up!

It's story's like this that makes life worth living! An amazing metal band finally gets it's break and it ROCKS! Anvil are a true balls to the wall Metal band that are there for one reason: The MUSIC!