ANVIL's LIPS Offers Advice To New Bands: 'If You Expect To Make Money, Quit Now'

In a new interview with music writer Joel Gausten, ANVIL singer/guitarist Steve "Lips" Kudlow discusses a number of topics, including the band's new album, "Anvil Is Anvil", crowdfunding and the lasting effects of the now-legendary 2008 documentary "Anvil! The Story of Anvil". An excerpt appears follows.

After years of stress and struggle in one of the most savage industries in the world, Kudlow finally achieved global recognition — and saw his life completely turn around. When fans saw the film, they got an intimate view inside the life of a middle-aged man working at Choice Children's Catering and playing at mostly empty venues. But thanks to the film's popularity and a renewed interest in the band, Kudlow was finally able to fulfill his decades-long dream and do ANVIL as a full-time profession.

"It's fantastic, miraculous," he says. "I'm grateful as fuck."

While ANVIL stands as an encouraging example of success through perseverance, Kudlow cautions newer musicians that the industry is not the place to look for riches.

"Don't ever expect to make money, because that's not why you're doing it," he says. "If you expect to make money, quit now. Don't bother. Find your money elsewhere until you can make your band big enough so you can make money, but don't expect to make money from the band. Don't put that weight on the band that they have to make money. If you do, you're going to ruin your future. You have to find ways to finance your life and set your life up so that you can do music.

"Basically and fundamentally, the equation is 90 percent for them and 10 percent for us," he adds. "It works like that all the way to the fucking top. That's the real truth. You've got to fucking dig in and work your ass off to get anything out of this; it's just the way it is. If you look at a band like METALLICA, they spend $1 million putting on a show. Well, that's all the money they might get paid for the show. Where are they making their money? Probably the t-shirts, and that's precisely what the fuck it is. You don't make money from royalties. There's no more record sales; it's almost gone. The only time music is worth anything is before you record it."

The complete feature is available at JoelGausten.com.