Formed in the 1970s, Canadian heavy metal band Anvil has traveled the long road to stardom. Despite serving as an influence to Metallica, Guns N’ Roses, Slayer, Anthrax, and others, Anvil has placed only one album, which peaked at number 191, on the Billboard 200 chart to date. Over the past few months, though, things have started to improve for the aging rockers.
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In 2005, former roadie, Sacha Gervasi, reunited with the band and began shooting a documentary about the 30-year quest for fame waged by lead guitarist, Steve “Lips” Kudlow, and drummer, Robb Reiner. Earlier this year, the documentary titled Anvil! The Story of Anvil premiered at the Sundance Film Festival. Since that time, the film has grossed over $500,000 in the US and UK, and is currently being featured at the Cannes Film Festival. It has been hailed as “the year’s greatest rock movie” and “a hymn to the human spirit.”
Kudlow and Reiner are in France to support their documentary, and even scheduled a private concert at Morrison’s Irish Pub in Cannes.
About their recent career resurgence, Kudlow said, “The last year has been an exciting journey — we’ve toured the world with the film, and Cannes is like the cherry on top.”
In the meantime, Rocklahoma has added Anvil to its lineup on July 9. In addition, the band has begun work on another album titled Juggernaut of Justice.
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