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Steve (Lips) Kudlow and Robb Reiner, on drums,  playing at the Monsters of Transylvania Rockfest. 

Founded in 1981 by Steve (Lips) Kudlow and Robb Reiner, Anvil, who achieved worldwide notoriety with the song Metal on Metal, is the subject of the documentary Anvil! The Story of Anvil, directed by their former roadie, Sacha Gervasi. The film, which was critically acclaimed, is now available on DVD.

The film is quite possibly the greatest rock documentary since This Is Spinal Tap. And maybe, even funnier. It has its own Rob(b) Reiner and, if you look closely, an amplifier that goes to 11.

Anvil influenced some of the biggest names in heavy metal, including Metallica and Slayer, but while those groups rose to international stardom, Anvil faded into obscurity after a handful of albums.

Anvil! follows Kudlow and Reiner as Anvil embarks on a 2006 tour of Europe, led by a road manager who seems to be out of her depth. They leave their day jobs – Kudlow works for a caterer delivering food to schools – and look forward to the tour, hoping they catch the eye of a major promoter or record label.

After a successful start at a festival in Scandinavia, where Kudlow is like a kid in a candy store chasing after his rock idols, including rock drummer Tommy Aldridge and guitarist Michael Schenker, things go downhill when the band misses their train to their next gig.

In one tiny Czech club, Kudlow is restrained from beating up the club owner  who refuses to pay them as they arrived late (their bus got lost), and at the Monsters of Transylvania Rockfest in Romania, the band plays to 174 people in an arena meant to seat 10,000.

The London Times called this “the greatest movie ever made about rock ’n’ roll.” You don’t have to be an Anvil fan to enjoy it. It’s a funny, and at times sad, and other times a really pathetic look at a couple of men in their 50s with families still trying to make it big in the world of rock ’n’ roll. And it has a happy ending.

The documentary did bring the band back into the spotlight. They recently opened up for AC/DC, and the album they recorded during film, This Is Thirteen, was just released by VH1 Classic Records. As well, Kudlow and Reiner have written a book that’s also titled The Story of Anvil.

The DVD special includes deleted scenes from the film, a commentary track with Gervasi, Kudlow and Reiner, and an interview with Metallica drummer Lars Ulrich, who tries to offer some insight into Anvil. This is a treat for any rock ’n’ roll fan.

CJN