Rock Docs Podcast: Anvil! The Story of Anvil, with guest Fran Broderick of Left-Handed 2nd Baseman

Rock Docs is back with an episode that’s metal AF. Anvil! The Story of Anvil is the 2008 documentary about Canadian heavy metal band Anvil, directed by Sacha Gervasi. The group formed in the early 1980s and has been going for four decades, having released 19 albums, their most recent being last year’s Impact is Imminent.

The documentary is centered around the two core members of the band, Steve “Lips” Kudlow and Robb Reiner, who were childhood friends and confront the challenges of being middle-aged rockers who never quite achieved the level of success that they felt they deserved. The two artists work construction and delivery jobs and try to support their families while continuing to follow a decades-long dream. The film follows them through a European tour that goes poorly, a heated recording session, and other triumphs and misfortunes. Yet despite the setbacks, Kudlow and Reiner are such sympathetic characters (Lips gives some amazing speeches!) that you can’t help but root for them—whether or not you’re actually a metalhead.

This week’s guest is Fran Broderick, who makes music as Left-Handed 2nd Baseman. Hear his new album The Dogs Race to the Door and other releases over at Bandcamp.

Listen to the discussion below and check out the trailer for the film. Anvil! The Story of Anvil is available to stream on Hulu, Amazon Prime and various other streaming services.