ANVIL's LIPS Slams Former Bassist: 'Since The Departure, We've Done A Lot Better'

Drummer Robb Reiner and guitarist/vocalist Steve "Lips" Kudlow of Canadian metal legends ANVIL spoke to Metal Exhumator about the addition of bassist Chris Robertson, who joined the band in 2014 as the replacement for Sal Italiano. Sal was in ANVIL only for two years after the departure of Glenn "Glenn Five" Gyorffy, who played with the group for a decade and a half. Following his exit, Glenn issued a statement expressing his joy of no longer "working with self-righteous, narcissistic, sociopathic, stiff, boring, grumpy old men who kill all the fun and enjoyment out of living the dream." He added that he was "meant to feel expendable" and treated like he was "riding their coattails after 15 years of loyalty and love for what I was part of."

Regarding ANVIL's current formation, Robb said: "Musically, it's working good." Lips added: "Musically, it's working great. It couldn't be better."

According to Reiner, Robertson "just works here. He's in the band, but he kind of just works here," he said. "Lips and myself, we write all the music."

Lips chimed in: 'And we run the business. It's our business, so he's an employee. [Laughs] It's just the way it's ended up working out best. It's the most comfortable and the most reasonable way that it can work out. So that's why it is that way."

Robb added: "But it's a good fit. He does his job well."

Lips also touched upon ANVIL's experience working with a former bandmate — whom he did not mention by name — saying: "We had a bass player that we let in on the business and we let in on the personal level and we let in on the writing, but he wasn't doing anything for it. And when that happens, it's taken for granted and it's taken advantage of. And that's why it didn't work. We were still doing all the work, and the other guy is really hanging on to us and then he's not really responsible for anything. And then, at the end of the day, [he's] resenting us because we're getting all the attention because of the movie [referring to the documentary 'Anvil! The Story Of Anvil'] and everything, [and] he got jealous. 'How come not me?' Well, it's not my fault that you were two years old when the band started. You joined way after. You're not an original member. You're not really a contributing member either. And people know the difference. They can hear the difference. They know where the music is coming from — they know it's coming from Robb and I. You're not looked at in the same way, and no matter what I do, I can't change that. But the unevenness and the bumpy road he created until the point where he had to go. And from that, we learned we've gotta keep things separate, and then everything is fine.

"The worst part of it is the guy, after the fact, years later, is going, 'I wrote the songs,'" Lips continued. "Well, obviously, you didn't, because the band's continued without you long after, and doing way better without you. Wait a minute — that doesn't add up. Maybe you were actually a detriment rather than a good thing for the band — you were actually a bad thing for the band. Since the departure, we've done a lot better."

Robb added: "It's good now. And we're gonna keep it this way."

Gyorffy joined ANVIL in 1996 and appeared on seven of the band's albums, including "This Is Thirteen" and "Juggernaut Of Justice", on which he wrote and sang the song "This Ride". He was initially replaced by Italiano — a member of the Long Island, New York IRON MAIDEN tribute band LIVE AFTER DEATH and original progressive metal act THE NIGHTMARE STAGE, as well as a former member of the acclaimed '80s heavy metal group CITIES.

ANVIL's latest album, "Legal At Last", was released on February 14 via AFM Records.