Liverpool-born Anvil Springstien has been on the circuit for 40 years, after starting at Newcastle's Crack Club new material night in 1986. His unusual stage name dates back from the days when his act included a concrete slab being smashed on his chest with a sledgehammer (representing Marxism)

He left school with no qualifications, spent seven years at sea, then two years travellling through Europe, before returning to Europe to become a mature student, gathering a teaching certificate, a degree in sociology and an honours degree in politics. He tried various jobs, including barman, social worker, journalist and teacher before deciding on comedy.

He's since performed several Edinburgh shows, gigged in South East Asia, performed at music festivals and done TV warm-ups for Paddy Kielty.

In addition to his live work, he wrote a satirical column for the Middlesbrough Evening Gazette in the mid-Nineties, worked as a presenter on ITV's Net Dot Comedy in 1999-2000 and was a regular contributor to The Big Story, which aired on Granada and Tyne Tees in 2003 and on Radio Five Live's Late Night Curry with Edwina Curry.