“A hymn to the human spirit.” “Brought me to tears.” “A masterpiece.” As clichéd as the two words “critics agree” sounds, critics did indeed agree that Anvil! The Story of Anvil was these things and more. The film, directed by Sacha Gervasi, a great friend of core Anvil members, guitarist Steve “Lips” Kudlow and drummer Robb Reiner, is a deft work of storytelling through heavy metal. The tale could as easily be set against the backdrop of the French Revolution or with some nuclear family in Nebraska. The story is alternately hilarious, dramatic, heartbreaking, transformative and redemptive. In a nutshell, the movie is essential watching – especially if you do not enjoy metal.
When I got the chance to talk with Robb Reiner, I found that the man in the movie is the same in life: the Canadian is affable, funny, and born to rock. I’ll let him tell most of the story:
Much, much, much more was discussed with Reiner –
and it’s all really good stuff. Interview contains strong language. Just a heads up.
N4U: What kind of stuff were you into as a kid that got you playing?
Reiner: I grew up with Black Sabbath, Jimi Hendrix, Cream, Deep Purple, Grand Funk Railroad, Humble Pie – stuff like that.
A lot of drummers have a constant rhythm going in their head; is that something that sort of afflicts you?
Yeah, I pick up on grooves. The reason I got into drums, the way I remember it, I saw the I Love Lucy show on TV where Little Ricky… Buddy Rich gave him a drum lesson. That was the turning point for me. I saw that and went to my mom and said, ‘I wanna f*ckin’ try that.’ I got a drum set and was just kind of a natural at it.
The first band you mentioned was Black Sabbath; were you drawn to heavy music right from the beginning back then?
Even Jimi Hendrix was heavy. Or Cream, with that heavy blues. Sabbath was the first band out of all of them that I can remember as a kid that had that had that guitar and bass… it was the heaviest thing ever. Most of my friends didn’t like it. I mean, I like Zeppelin too. They had some cool sh*t.
You started Anvil when you were really young.
Around 1973. The number could be ’74. I met Lips – we’ve been playing together since we were teenagers. We met at a jam through a mutual friend. We lived in the same neighborhood, a few streets apart. Lips would walk by my house many times – unbeknownst to me – and he’d hear me playing drums. He thought it was someone older than a 14-year-old kid, right? We hit it right off; we started jamming Sabbath songs, Grand Funk tunes, and started making up our own material right there. On the way home, I think it was me that suggested to him that we make a band… and we did.
To jump way ahead somewhat, how did you maintain through all those years?
It’s just passion. We do it for the right reasons; we honestly f*cking love what we do. It’s not like, ‘Ah we gotta write another song, oh f*ck…’ (laughs) It’s all about, ‘That riff is awesome, man! Listen to this drum beat we got goin’ for it!’ It’s always exciting.
It’s metal; it’s in you; it’s not a job…
That’s why the music still sounds vital, relevant and alive today. We love it. It comes from the soul, man. We never had to compromise; we just have to be ourselves.
I love that the film – the story and the themes – could be set against any situation. What’s been the most surprising response you’ve heard about it?
I’ve heard just about everything, really. The most common thing I’ve heard is that it’s extremely inspiring. From the biggest rock stars to the biggest rock managers, corporate people to people that have nothing to do with metal all say, ‘It’s so admirable that you guys do this for the right reasons.’ Things like, ‘It’s make me reevaluate my own life’ – we hear that all the time.
What’s it feel like to have that kind of affect on people?
It’s surreal, man. I’ve gotten used to it, but at the beginning… it was like well, we’re not as popular as we should be, but it doesn’t mean I’m an angry man or that I’m bitter, it means I’m still gonna write great songs with the same passion because I really love to do this. But I never knew it would touch people so deeply – never in a million years.
There was so much footage taken (over 300 hours), did you have any idea of how it would turn out?
I had no idea. I was wondering, after about a year into shooting, ‘What kind of a movie are they making?’ (laughs) They were filming everything. I mean, I knew they were making a documentary about the band, but they’re filmin’ arguments… I trusted his (director Sacha Gervasi’s) judgment. He assured me that he was only going to do the right thing and nothing but the right thing. There’s nobody else who could have made this movie.
I just want to say, to be sappy for a second, on a personal level, I was one of those people who was really touched by the movie.
I’ve heard it, I’ve read it, and if it affected you in a positive way, you obviously have a heart.
It doesn’t matter if you’re into metal or not, really. It’s transcendent – I know you’ve been talking to death about it but…
That’s okay, man. It’s all good. And thanks for your support of the band.
Thank you.
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Tour dates (they’re at the Pageant in St. Louis January 29)
and more info is at anvilmetal.com.
Photo Credit | Ross Halfin
