Never Quit Before The Miracle: The Story of Anvil

19 snips

Sep 26, 2022

Discover the inspiring tale of Anvil, the 80's metal band that refused to fade away. Their journey is packed with resilience and unwavering dreams, even after decades in obscurity. The filmmakers share heartfelt anecdotes about the band’s struggles and triumphs, highlighting the transformative power of music and friendship. With nostalgic memories and emotional reunions, this story celebrates authentic artistry over commercial success. Join them as they navigate the highs and lows of their rock and roll existence, ultimately redefining what it means to succeed.

Ask episode

AI Snips

Chapters

Transcript

Episode notes

INSIGHT

Premonition of Success

Lips had a premonition about the documentary's success, believing a fan would help them.
He felt their early influence would bring a second chance after missing their first opportunity due to mismanagement.

INSIGHT

Sasha's Realization

Despite achieving Hollywood success, Sasha Gervasi felt unfulfilled and unhappy.
Reconnecting with Anvil reminded him of the importance of passion and perseverance.

ANECDOTE

Filming Anvil

Sasha Gervasi decided to finance the Anvil documentary himself, facing financial strain.
He hired a crew and started filming, even capturing a fight over payment in goulash.

Get the Snipd Podcast app to discover more snips from this episode

Get the app

Meet the masters of resilience. 80’s metal trailblazers: Anvil.

For those of you who bristle at the thought of heavy metal, set aside that resistance. Give this one a shot with an open mind and heart. And thank me later—because the story of Anvil—and the filmmaker who captured their tale—is nothing short of remarkable.

At 14, Steve ‘Lips’ Kudlow and Robb Reiner made a pact to rock together forever. In 1982 they birthed a highly influential album that would inspire the likes of Anthrax and Metallica—and then proceeded to drop off the map, toiling in obscurity for decades while the bands they impacted rose to superstardom.

Then, in 2006, filmmaker (and former Anvil roadie) Sacha Gervasi set out to find out what happened, discovering to his astonishment that 25 years later the band was still making music and remained steadfastly committed to the most impossible of dreams: making it big.

Now this is a story, he thought.

So Sacha grabbed a small camera crew and proceeded to follow the band as they persevered through obstacles, navigated a botched European tour, and recorded a thirteenth album. Despite rejection that would devastate the strongest among us, Anvil refused to give up on their dream—and never lost hope.

Today we tell this surprisingly touching and remarkably inspirational story.

And now, 50 years since the band debuted and 13 years after the rockumentary first premiered in 2008, the film is being re-released in 200 theaters across the US this week and later in theatres across Europe and beyond—a response to a new generation of enthusiastic young people who discovered and fell in love with the movie during Covid.

Watch: YouTube.

Read: Show notes.

Lips and Robb hold an unwavering conviction and extraordinary amount of courage that is nothing short of superhuman. They are inspiring examples of perseverance in the face of adversity, and I’m delighted to share their story.

I hope you find it as touching and compelling as I did. Enjoy!

Peace + Plants,

Rich