TV ALERT—IRON MAIDEN: FLIGHT 666 DOC ON VH1

Show: Iron Maiden: Flight 666
Premiere Dates: Saturday, June 6, at 9PM on VH1 Classic
and Palladia; 12AM on VH1


The documentary Iron Maiden: Flight 666 premieres this
Saturday night, June 6, on VH1 Classic, Palladia and
VH1. The film centers around the first leg of the
legendary heavy metal band’s 2008 Somewhere Back In
Time World Tour, which had them play 23 sold-out
shows on five continents in just 45 days. And how
did they travel around the world for this tour? On
a customized Boeing 757—Ed Force One—piloted by
lead singer Bruce Dickinson!

"Having what is basically a flying 'splitter bus'
with all our gear and crew on board allowed us to
undertake a touring schedule the likes of which has
never been attempted before," says frontman/Astraeus
Airline Captain Dickinson. "By being independent of
flight and freight connections and schedules, we could
literally go where we wanted when we wanted. And so
we did. It was quite a journey—exhausting at times
with jet lag taking its toll—but our fans everywhere
were magnificent which made all the effort and planning
and time well worthwhile. It really was a unique
experience until, that is, we did it again earlier this
year!"

Iron Maiden: Flight 666 chronicles the rigorous tour life
of a classic band, capturing behind-the-scenes footage
from both on and off the stage. The film won the SXSW
Festival Award for Best Music Documentary.

John McMurtrie/Iron Maiden Holdings Ltd.

NewsBLITZ: ANVIL IS BACK!

There's been much talk about the documentary Anvil! The Story of Anvil, and music fans will finally learn the band's full story thanks to VH1 as the company has acquired the rights to the critically-acclaimed film, handling its television premiere (set to air sometime this summer) and subsequent DVD release and also distribute it theatrically (starting April 10 in New York and Los Angeles before a national roll-out).

The movie is the true-life story of Steve "Lips" Kudlow and Robb Reiner and their band, Anvil. The "demigods of Canadian metal" released one of the heaviest metal albums in history back in 1982—Metal on Metal. The record was a major influence on many future metal icons like Metallica, Slayer and Anthrax. However, Anvil took the path straight to obscurity following the initial hoopla. The film follows the group's last-ditch quest for fame and fortune. Reps say the flick is "a timeless tale of survival and the unadulterated passion it takes to follow your dream year after year." Musicians such as Slash, Lars Ulrich, Scott Ian and Tom Araya make appearances in the flick.

"This film is so much more than a documentary about the roots of metal. It's a story about the power of perseverance and the friendship and the passion that drives them," says VH1 president Tom Calderone. "Anvil! The Story of Anvil has a huge heart and will resonate with all of our viewers. This is the type of project that drew me into the VH1 fold and makes me especially proud to work here." Meanwhile, documentarian Michael Moore called the film "the best documentary I've seen in years" and the London Times says it's "possibly the greatest film yet made about rock 'n' roll."

And, in order to pick up where they left off 25 years ago, the band recently signed with a new manager and new agents in both the U.S. and the U.K. and has VH1 Classic serving as the exclusive presenter for their new tour.

VH1 Classic Presents: The Anvil Experience will hit seven cities this April and, at each tour stop, Anvil! The Story of Anvil will be shown and will be immediately followed by a short performance by the band.

The Anvil Experience Tour Dates:
April 6: Blender Theater—New York, NY
April 12: Slim's—San Francisco, CA
April 14: El Corazon—Seattle, WA
April 16: The Palladium—Worcester, MA
April 17: Trocadero—Philadelphia, PA
April 21: Crofoot Ballroom—Pontiac, MI
April 22: Metro—Chicago, IL

For more information on Anvil, click here.