The Sheffield Scenester

Every kid who loves rock 'n' roll bugs their parents for a guitar and dreams of becoming a big rock star. If their parents eventually give in and buy the axe, it becomes a passport to stardom. You can't do it all on your own though, you need a band. If you're lucky, you might just find another kid who wants to rock. In 1973, guitarist, Steve "Lips" Ludlow found drummer, Robb Reiner, and Anvil was born.

Lips once turned down a personal invitation from Lemmy to join Motorhead. Crazy? Or just dedicated to the band he believed in more than anything? That's a trick question because Lips is both of those things.

They forged a career taking them on a thirty year journey, often ending up in the wrong place at the wrong time, and on the wrong side of record companies who made legends of artists who were inspired by Anvil to begin with. That's enough to make most quit, but not Anvil. There is no doubting the commitment and passion of Robb and Lips. This was perfectly captured in the 2008 documentary, 'The Story of Anvil'. If ever there was a film about living your life on your own terms, this is it. Following the band members as they work day jobs in order to keep roofs above their heads and their dreams alive, it's hard not to be inspired.

The success of the film gave Anvil a whole new audience and reminded older heavy metal fans that the band were still very much alive and kicking. In fact, they're more focused than they've ever been. That focus and confidence means they are currently touring with songs spanning their entire career, from the most recent release to the very first song Lips wrote. I guess dedication really is what you need!

Waiting outside Sheffield Academy 2, I spotted fans who had been around for most of those thirty-plus years, as well as those like myself who discovered the band much more recently thanks to the film. On a personal level, I felt like the gig would bring the story full circle. To a happy ending, if you like. The age range amongst the audience demonstrates just how enduring heavy metal is. Amongst the Anvil fans were a few metal heads sporting Girlschool T-shirts, as they had the honour of opening the show. Anvil once supported at shows in their home of Canada when Girlschool toured there. Now Girlschool were back home supporting Anvil.

The room was packed as Girlschool appeared on stage, opening with the first song from their first album, 'Demolition Boys'. The energy and pace from more than thirty years ago is still present in ever-youthful founding members, guitarist, Kim McAuliffe and bassist, Enid Williams. They perhaps wouldn't thank me for pointing out the age thing, but I also suspect that they'd reflect on what a wild ride their career has been thus far.

On the length of their career and the way the band pace themselves these days, Enid told me after the show; "We took a break and slowed down for a bit. It helps keep things fresh. Allows you to find the enthusiasm again. We're really enjoying it at the moment and the crowd here was excellent." They certainly showed no signs of slowing down on stage and guitarist, Jackie Chambers, brings an almost infectious enthusiasm which seems to rub off on the rest of the band. Described many times over the years as being the female version of Motorhead, it's clear to see they enjoy what they do and they are happy to showcase new material as well as the older songs.

'I Spy', taken from their latest album 'Legacy', fits into the set comfortably. This song was dedicated to a good friend of the band, the great Ronnie James Dio, who passed away recently after a battle with cancer.

Long time fan favourites, 'Hit and Run', 'Screaming Blue Murder', 'Not for Sale' and 'Race with the Devil' made up the bulk of a relatively short set. It's good to leave an audience wanting more. Closing with 'Emergency' and leaving to a fierce round of applause, Girlschool proved to be the perfect opening act.

As the stage was cleared to make way for Anvil, it was surprising how little equipment they had. Guitars, and amps turned up to eleven, naturally. The band have been on a great journey since the release of their documentary, but they haven't changed. Setting up their own equipment and waiting at the side of the stage for the lights to go down, there are no egos here and they're all about the music. Sure, they appear to have made a few quid and Lips has treated himself to a couple of nice guitars, but it's the least they deserve.

Lips looked as happy as a kid at Christmas when the band ripped into the instrumental, 'March of the Crabs'. For just a three-piece band - Lips is joined by drummer Robb and bassist Glenn Five - the depth of sound is impressive. It's as if Lips is playing two guitars at the same time and he never misses a note. Glenn is as dependable as you could hope for, and Robb's one of the fastest drummers you'll ever see.

All this talent and ability only serves to leave the couple of hundred fans in the room wondering why this band never made it as big as the likes of Scorpions, Bon Jovi, Metallica or Iron Maiden. Safe to say that things such as band mismanagement have played a big part in that, because if success were determined by sheer devotion to your chosen art, Anvil would be superstars.

'666' followed the frantic opener, with Lips growling the words with a wild, almost sadistic look in his eye. He was in his element. 'School Love' isn't quite as heavy in comparison, but the riff's impressive and it's a classic track about the band members chasing after girls back in their school days.

Stopping in-between songs to talk to the crowd, Lips seemed genuinely humbled by the response to the songs and it's as though he's always searching for the right words to express just how grateful he is.

"You've made my dreams come true", he beamed. "I can't thank you enough!" Of his experience of being a film star, Lips asked, "So, who here saw the movie? Now you're more than just fans. Hell, you're my family! You came to my house for Christmas, you met my wife, you even met my mother!"

'Winged Assassin' and the title track of their most recent and self-produced album, 'This is Thirteen' kick the set off again, before we're assaulted by the epic 'Mothra', which includes some of the most thunderous bass lines you're likely to hear. Lips also stepped forward to showcase his ability. Then came his trademark party trick. Pulling a vibrator out of his back pocket, he used it to play a three minute solo. Turns out, vibrators and guitars produce some amazing sounds!

Those who saw the documentary may recall Lips and Robb talking about the first song they ever wrote, 'Thumb Hang', after learning about the Spanish Inquisition during a school history lesson. For one reason or another, they never recorded it and it was forgotten about. After recalling its creation during interviews for the film, they recorded it for inclusion on 'This is Thirteen', and the results are impressive. Live, this one goes down brilliantly. 'White Rhino' gives Glenn and Lips a moment to rest as Robb batters his drum kit into submission. Standing at the side of the stage, Lips looks on as if he's never seen this before. There's no doubting that he's simply a fan of music and doesn't take any of it for granted. There's a honest and respectful, almost brother-like bond between the two of them and it's nice to see.
Just as I had earlier in the evening, Lips picked up on the mix of older and younger fans in the audience; "I can tell that some of you were kids when we first played Sheffield, and now look, you're bringing your own kids. Heavy metal is timeless, man!" Lips also took a moment to mention and pay respects to Ronnie James Dio, who he grew up listening to. The crowd responded with a full-blooded and heartfelt "Dio!" chant which would have made the great man himself proud.

'Mad Dog', about Lips' sex-crazed British Bulldog (of course!) and 'Forged in Fire' brought us towards the end of the set, before we get to hear perhaps their most popular song, 'Metal on Metal'. We all banged our heads and punched the air in unison. Quite a sight. Closing the show with 'Jackhammer', a song about a girl their former bass player once spent a night with, the small but crazy audience were begging for more. I got the feeling the band would have played all night if they could.

Both Girlschool and Anvil stayed to meet fans after the show and I was fortunate enough to spend time with all three members of Anvil. Talking to Robb about the speed of his drumming, he modestly commented, "I do what I do. That's what I've always done. For me, heavy metal should be loud and fast. Simple really."

On taking over as bassist in a band who have been described as the real life version of Spinal Tap, Glenn remarked; "I've been here for about fourteen years and I've loved it. It's tough, but it's crazy. Crazy is good! We love what we do and I wouldn't change it. Things are as good as they've ever been right now so we're just riding the wave."

I waited until I was last in line to speak to Lips, as I wanted to chat with him for as long as possible. On a personal note, I found the Anvil documentary quite inspiring. As an amateur photographer hoping to one day earn a living from a hobby, I wanted to talk to Lips about his equivalent experience of that as a guitarist. He offered; "Whether it's that (photography), rock 'n' roll, or whatever, it's all the same. It's the arts, man! Some people have a cut-off point where they say, 'Alright, I can't justify this anymore and I need to earn money to keep my home', so they go and do something else. I think we reached our cut-off points long ago but things carried on. Had no money, sacrificed a lot, struggled to feed our families. Kind of selfish I guess, but we were supported by people who believed in us. Friends, family and fans. The movie and the tour at that time was a last roll of the dice. It worked."

Commenting on his relationship with fans, Lips says; "I mentioned in the show earlier how I met Tommy Aldridge. We were filming the movie backstage at a festival and he was on the bill. I went to say hi but he was horrible. He didn't care. I've always had a good relationship with fans because I'm just like them and they're why I'm here. I'm a fan of rock 'n' roll, a fan of heavy metal, and a fan of Anvil. I know where they're coming from and I know what all this means. That experience with Tommy made me see how I never wanted to be thought of in the same way I now think of him. Hey, I saw you waiting at the back of the line didn't I. I make sure I speak to everyone. You all deserve it."

Who knows what the future holds for Anvil. With all due respect, the time to become huge heavy metal megastars may have passed because things have changed. Music has changed and the industry has changed. But with the focus they have to keep the band going, the ticket sales are enough to generate income allowing them to continue on their terms and finance their own material. I doubt they'd describe it as organic, but that's what it is. It's real, it's honest, and long may it continue!

Words & Photos by Paul Handley