Anvil -

Anvil was a Canadian hard-rock/metal band behind the 1982–83 Attic/Polydor albums Hard ‘n’ Heavy, Metal on Metal, and Forged in Fire, followed by the 1987/88 Metal Blade/Enigma titles Strength of Steel and Pound for Pound.

Members: Steve “Lips” Kudlow (guitar, vocals), Robb Reiner (drums), Dave Allison (guitar, 1981-89), Ian Dickson (bass, 1981-93), Sebastian Marino (guitar, 1989-95)

Background

Anvil formed in 1978 in Toronto when singer–guitarist Steve “Lips” Kudlow and drummer Robb Reiner assembled the group Lips with bassist Ian Dickson and rhythm guitarist–singer Dave Allison.

Kudlow received an electric guitar around age ten from his father, a tailor. His older brother connected the instrument to the family stereo and taught him chords from the Beatles Rubber Soul songbook. Reiner took jazz drum lessons at twelve and studied drums in school band classes. Allison bought an electric guitar and amplifier at eight with money from a paper route. He played rhythm guitar around age thirteen in a trio with drummer Mike Poitras and lead guitarist Dave McLean.

Kudlow met Reiner in 1973 through mutual friend Marty Hoffman, a guitarist in North York. The pair played in Gravestone, which became GAWD, and performed original hard-rock songs at regular weekend shows in a school cultural center. Reiner toured separately with Whalebone, a band of older musicians, while Kudlow attended high school.

The pair also played in Kickback, which performed early versions of “School Love” and “Bedroom Game” under different titles. Kudlow decided to sing lead vocals when the singer in Kickback punched him at a concert. The partners wrote “Bondage,” “School Love,” and “Bedroom Game” in 1976 for the projected group Lips. They spent about a year on songs prior to the recruitment of additional musicians.

Lips rehearsed daily for ten months, chiefly with Kudlow, Reiner, and Allison; Dickson joined late in the rehearsal period. The quartet played week-long club engagements across Ontario and Quebec and returned to individual venues at roughly two-month intervals. They secured bookings with set lists that advertised current hard-rock covers, then played predominantly original material alongside Ted Nugent songs.

Lips financed the July–December 1980 sessions at Quest Recording in Oshawa, Ontario, where Kudlow and Reiner produced Hard ’n’ Heavy with engineer Paul LaChapelle.

Discography:

Hard ‘n’ Heavy (1981)
Metal on Metal (1982)
Forged in Fire (1983)
Strength of Steel (1987)
Pound for Pound (1988)

Sources

“Lips” — Encyclopaedia Metallum. Toronto formation date and original four-piece lineup. (Encyclopaedia Metallum)
“Interview: Steve ‘Lips’ Kudlow — Anvil” — Sean Bennett, March 13, 2020. Kudlow describes the first electric guitar, the family stereo, and chord lessons from his older brother. (The Rockpit)
“Robb Reiner” — Drummerszone. Quotes Reiner on jazz lessons at twelve and drum study in school band classes. (Drummerszone)
“North York Kids Still Banging Heads After 36 Years” — Ron Johnson, October 20, 2009. Reiner interview that identifies Marty Hoffman and the North York connection. (Streets of Toronto)
“Anvil” — Terroraiser, No. 3 (31), 2007, pp. 20–21. Kudlow interview on the 1973 partnership, Gravestone and GAWD, original material, and weekend school-center performances. (MetalScans)
“Anvil’s Lips Kudlow and Robb Reiner Talk About Their New Album, Embracing Their Roots, and Conspiracy Theories” — Mark Lacey, July 16, 2024. Direct accounts of Whalebone, Kickback, early song versions, and Kudlow’s decision to sing lead. (Myglobalmind)
“Anvil: Steve ‘Lips’ Kudlow Interview” — Chris Phillips, October 2016. Kudlow dates three early songs to 1976 and describes the year of preparation for Lips. (eonmusic)
“Still Hungry — Dave Allison” — Gary Alikivi, November 12, 2017. Allison recounts the first instruments and trio, ten months of rehearsals, late arrival of Dickson, and Ontario–Quebec club engagements. (Alikivi)
“Lips — Hard ’n Heavy” — Museum of Canadian Music. Original Splash pressing credits identify the producers, engineer, studio, and July–December 1980 sessions. (Museum of Canadian Music)