I’m surely not the first, but I will recommend the movie “Anvil! The Story of Anvil” to everyone. Musician and non-musician alike should see this film.
In watching the film last night, I felt very uncomfortable in many ways. Not only because of some of the antics of the band in the film, but because it hit very close to home.
John Romano and Clark Becker of The Sugarmen play the BBC in London.
I’ve been on gigs in Europe where everything has gotten screwed up. I’ve had nights where the band and I are were ready to kick some behind, only to play before the bartender, a local drunk, and a waitress.
It is part of the music business.
When I was 20 I penned a radio hit for an artist named “Lil’ Suzy,” entitled “Take Me In Your Arms.” The song was a monster club music hit in a dying musical genre known as “freestyle.” I still get decent royalty checks from it. Anvil also was off to the races at the beginning of their career, gigging with the likes of The Scorpions and Bon Jovi.
Soon after my success with Lil’ Suzy the music business changed and I was ill-equipped to deal with it. Afterwards, I got waylaid by switching from stand-up comedy to painting to acting and finally back to music when I was 31. Yeeesh!
Anvil scores! Drummer Robb Reiner greets 72,000 fans last summer in Moncton, New Brunswick.
I’m under no misconceptions. I missed my prime music-making years. I’m grateful for whatever gigs I still get, and the band and I, The Sugarmen, have done some cool gigs over the last few years. Playing live on the BBC with Big George was a highlight so far. I’m also quite proud of the records I have made. My version of “Happy Christmas (War Is Over)” has done well and was played a couple of times on “Breakfast With The Beatles.” Pretty cool.
However, it has not worked out the way I wanted or hoped it would. Yet, my worst days playing in empty L.A. clubs and on the road are my favorite ones. Having a child and family are on par with playing music (I wouldn’t change a thing), but professionally nothing comes close to playing music live.
It is a perverse relationship. A typical L.A. club show costs me about $350 (musician fees, rehearsals, etc.) to put on. I make a good living in virtually every other over business endeavor I’m involved in, yet the club gig, which I’m basically paying to do, is more satisfying personally. I won’t even get into what a tour costs, oy vey!
It is a struggle I deal with every day. I am grateful for everything I’ve been given in life. I’m a successful internet entrepreneur and journalist. But, I’m still torn in two by my lifelong obsession with performing and music.
Anvil has put that struggle on film. I recommend you see it, as there are thousands of Anvils across the world.
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John Romano is the publisher and editor of Yes, But However!, a musician, a former political correspondent for BBC Radio London, and a serial web entrepreneur. Follow him on twitter: twitter.com/yesbuthowever or John Romano on Google+John Romano article archive.
