Anvil Leaving Crowds 'Mesmerized' on Current Tour

To say the last couple of years have been a whirlwind for Canadian metallers Anvil is a bit of an understatement. Thanks to the mass popularity of the 2008 documentary 'Anvil! The Story of Anvil,' the forefathers of modern metal are enjoying a mass renaissance and getting the credit they so richly deserve. The band is finally on their own headlining tour, skipping city to city across America before heading down under for their first-ever performances in Australia. This summer, Anvil will also play some major European fests. But that is in the future, and Anvil drummer Robb Reiner likes to live in the present.

"It's been awesome. Every day. We've done 14 or 15 shows. We've been dropping anvils on every city and it's unbelievable," Reiner tells Noisecreep via phone just an hour outside Dallas. "People are coming out, and we're not just blowing them away -- they're mesmerized. And I'm celebrating. Best time of my life. The party is on the stage, performing."

Truth be told, Reiner comes off as a simple man: short with his words, but hearty with his laughs. And his excitement for this current tour is genuine. It should be, too -- it's more than three decades in the making.

"It's just like a room full of love. Everybody is coming to watch us have fun. We're having fun, and we go and meet the people every night. Not a lot bands do that. We talk to everybody, take pictures, sign autographs, and they bring their old albums, CDs, pictures. It's like love everywhere," Reiner continues. You can almost hear him smile over the phone.

Anvil's aggressive touring schedules means they have not started the recording process for their next album, 'Juggernaut of Justice.' The veteran band is taking it all one thing at a time and enjoying the ride. Instead of running on stage and into the studio all in the same week, Reiner says he and the rest of Anvil would rather be with fans.

"We're genuine real people. We're not jaded rock star a--holes."

You can catch Anvil on tour in America through Feb. 12. The band will sweep back into the U.S. for a couple of East Coast make-up shows in mid-March.

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