The Story of Anvil | Whitespace blog

"Family's important stuff man"

Karen Woodhead
01 Mar 09, 02:13 AM

It’s a rainy February morning in London. I’m in the reception of Bauer Media, a client. Three aged guys are sitting on the sofa next to me, leather trousers and jackets, bandanas, buckles and long unkempt hair, except the middle one, who is bald with gold earrings all the way up his ear. By the way they are spread eagled across the sofa, I assume they are a huge rock band. I’ve no idea who. By the way everyone is fawning over them, I kind of think I should.

Nick is flicking through a magazine at the other end of the room and he mouths ‘I know who they are’. I feign a casual air and walk over. 'Anvil' he whispers. Nope. Still no idea.

Two weeks later I’ve just left the cinema after watching Anvil! The Story of Anvil. I felt I needed enlightening - if only for the sake of my client.

Forget Slumdog Millionaire, I’ve just sat through the funniest, saddest, most unbelievable, moving and inspiring film I’ve seen in the last ten years. It's a story of the band’s thirty year history, how fame passed them by, but how passion, friendship and an unfaltering belief in their own abilities have kept them together, still chasing the rainbow. What's more, after three decades of disappointment, it looks like they're finally going to catch it.

You don’t need to like heavy metal to be blown away by this film. You just need to have a dream.

All I can say is Robb Reiner, when you were collected in reception two weeks ago, you looked back at me when I stole your warm seat. It meant nothing to me then. Now I don't think I'll ever quite forget you. And thanks for reading this and for your emails. Fans in unusual places, uh?

Go see the film.

Sign the petition to get ANVIL to play at Glastonbury 2009 in June.