Anvil’s Steve ‘Lips’ Kudlow Talks ‘Anvil Is Anvil’ Album + More

Anvil frontman Steve "Lips" Kudlow was the guest on Full Metal Jackie's weekend radio show. The vocalist discussed the band's new album, 'Anvil Is Anvil' and reflects on the success of the 'Anvil! The Story of Anvil' documentary film that revived their career. Check out the chat below.

How ya doing?

I'm doing great.

Killer, thanks so much for being on the show. We're here to celebrate the latest Anvil album, it's called Anvil Is Anvil and it's out now. Lips, creatively what was important for you to accomplish with Anvil Is Anvil? How did you go about it?

Well, it's not a question of accomplishment. It's continuation. Continuation in doing what we do and specifically what we do [laughs], underlying it by calling the album that, calling it Anvil Is Anvil. It's definitely exemplifying the fact that that's what it is, it's sort of self-recognition and realizing what it is and staying completely within that framework. It's really the main intention.

What gets you into the creative zone and makes ideas flow?

[laughs] You really wanna know?! [laughs] I think the first thing that Robb [Reiner] would say is you have to smoke some green. [laughs]

I think a lot of people would say that.

I don't know that I disagree with it. It's really spontaneous. The entire process is really spontaneous. The more spontaneous, the more magic you can create. The longer that you take mulling over things and thinking about it, usually the longer it takes and the worse it comes out. So, you don't really give it a lot of forethought, you start into a new piece of music simply by picking up your instrument. Sometimes you discuss it before you get there. There is the autocation where you can actually discuss it before you even pick up your instrument and then you start creating. But, in most instances it's ... I pick up my guitar and there's a new riff, and away we go. The construction of a song usually takes somewhere between ten minutes and a half an hour, because for any given song, you need three really or four really good parts and it's all about how you arrange it.

But of course, what I've learned over the years and where I am now is finding the riff that represents the chorus line. When you identify it musically, as well as lyrically, you get a much stronger arrangement. That's what's been happening more lately with the way I'm going about writing the song is that I'm trying to make it so that when you hear the song, you don't forget the hook line and you don't forget hearing the song. That's with a timeless somewhat attitude to it. We're not going to do anything that's ridiculously outside the box. Stay within the realms of what we've grown up with, what we are and our own personal identity.

It's eight years since Anvil! The Story of Anvil was released. Much was said about how that movie affected your career, but in hindsight, how has it affected you as a person?

I don't think it's made any real significant difference as far as the way I go about my day to day life. Most of the time I don't think about [laughs], "Hey I was in a movie!" I don't think about those things. Nothing much changes. I go to rehearsal every day and if I'm not at rehearsals I'm going to gigs every day. What's really changed massively is the fact that I don't do deliveries, which is a great thing. I'm making a living from being in Anvil. That's the most positive and most forward that anybody could have asked for, and that's where I am. That's what I'm doing.

Anvil are much more than a band, it's a life-long friendship. What do you understand and appreciate about Robb now that maybe you didn't when you were younger?

I've always had the utmost respect for him. So I don't know. I don't really think any different now about him than I ever had. It's like my brother, what am I supposed to think? He's always there! Just like I'm always there. [laughs]

Thanks to Anvil's Steve "Lips" Kudlow for the interview. 'Anvil Is Anvil' is available at Amazon and iTunes. The band is currently touring Europe and will return to North America for dates in May. See their stops here. Find out where you can hear Full Metal Jackie’s weekend show at this location.

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