Teenage Head (band)
Encyclopedia
Teenage Head is a Canadian
rock group from Hamilton, Ontario
and was one of the most popular Canadian punk rock
bands during the early 1980s.
Originally from Hamilton, Ontario
, the group was formed by Frankie Venom (Frank Kerr), Gord Lewis, Steve Mahon and Nick Stipanitz. Stipanitz has since been replaced by Jack Pedler, and Venom died of cancer on October 15, 2008.
in Hamilton, Ontario
. By May 1978, they released their first single "Picture My Face" on Epic Records
, and their self-titled debut, Teenage Head
, followed a year later.
The band would also make an appearance at the infamous concert The Last Pogo in 1978 at The Horseshoe Tavern
in Toronto, Ontario, which ended in a riot. The concert was made into a short film by Colin Brunton; in 2006, Brunton began a feature-length doc about the concert, and includes interviews and footage of Teenage Head. It was released on DVD in 2008 as a tribute to the late Frankie Venom.
1980's Frantic City was the band's breakthrough album, making them stars across Canada with the hit singles "Let's Shake" and "Somethin' On My Mind". They toured to support that album, including opening the major Heatwave
festival in August. In June 1980 their performance at Toronto's Ontario Place
sparked a riot. The incident made headlines across the country, and led Ontario Place to ban rock concerts for several years afterward.
In September 1980, riding high on the success of Frantic City and the band's unintended notoriety, Attic Records
, their Canadian label, set up a series of showcase gigs in New York City, hoping to attract a US record deal. Only a few days before their scheduled departure, Lewis was seriously injured in a car accident and the showcase was cancelled. Lewis was temporarily replaced by David Bendeth
, although he was able to return in time to play on the 1982 album Some Kinda Fun, which was another success.
Their 1983 record Tornado was marked by controversy, with the band's American
label M.C.A. demanding that they change their name to Teenage Heads to placate the more conservative American audience.. The title track proved to be the band's last big hit in Canada.
During this time the band appeared, as themselves, in the campy B-movie Class of 1984
(starring fellow Canadian Michael J. Fox
) and performed "Ain't Got No Sense".
In 1985 after the release of Trouble in the Jungle, Venom was replaced by Dave Desroches
, who led the band for three years before departing to form his own band, The Dave Rave Conspiracy. Venom eventually rejoined the band in 1988, but Stipanitz would be replaced by Mark Lockerbie,who would play on the 1996 album "Head Disorder". Lockerbie was in turn replaced by Jack Pedler.
In 2003, the band recorded a host of previously released material with Ramones drummer Marky Ramone
at Catherine North Studios in Hamilton and Metalworks Studios
in Toronto
with well known Ramones producer, Daniel Rey
. The resulting album was released in Canada on April 22, 2008, titled Teenage Head with Marky Ramone.
In the spring of 2007, Teenage Head would play their first dates out west (Alberta and BC) for the first time in more than ten years. They would return again in the spring of 2008.
On October 15, 2008, Gord Lewis announced that Frankie Venom had died following a battle with throat cancer.
The remaining members of the bands continued to perform after Frankie's death playing a tribute show for him, and performing at the 2008 Hamilton Music Awards.
In 2011, long time fan and music store owner Pete MacAulay joined the band as the new singer, to "take Frankie's space, not his place".
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
rock group from Hamilton, Ontario
Hamilton, Ontario
Hamilton is a port city in the Canadian province of Ontario. Conceived by George Hamilton when he purchased the Durand farm shortly after the War of 1812, Hamilton has become the centre of a densely populated and industrialized region at the west end of Lake Ontario known as the Golden Horseshoe...
and was one of the most popular Canadian punk rock
Punk rock
Punk rock is a rock music genre that developed between 1974 and 1976 in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia. Rooted in garage rock and other forms of what is now known as protopunk music, punk rock bands eschewed perceived excesses of mainstream 1970s rock...
bands during the early 1980s.
Originally from Hamilton, Ontario
Hamilton, Ontario
Hamilton is a port city in the Canadian province of Ontario. Conceived by George Hamilton when he purchased the Durand farm shortly after the War of 1812, Hamilton has become the centre of a densely populated and industrialized region at the west end of Lake Ontario known as the Golden Horseshoe...
, the group was formed by Frankie Venom (Frank Kerr), Gord Lewis, Steve Mahon and Nick Stipanitz. Stipanitz has since been replaced by Jack Pedler, and Venom died of cancer on October 15, 2008.
History
Teenage Head was formed in 1975 when the band members were students at Westdale High SchoolWestdale Secondary School
Westdale Secondary School is a public high school founded in 1931 in Hamilton, Ontario. It is the second oldest high school in the city of Hamilton and is located in Westdale Village, a suburb in the west-end of the city. It is administered by the Hamilton-Wentworth District School Board...
in Hamilton, Ontario
Hamilton, Ontario
Hamilton is a port city in the Canadian province of Ontario. Conceived by George Hamilton when he purchased the Durand farm shortly after the War of 1812, Hamilton has become the centre of a densely populated and industrialized region at the west end of Lake Ontario known as the Golden Horseshoe...
. By May 1978, they released their first single "Picture My Face" on Epic Records
Epic Records
Epic Records is an American record label, owned by Sony Music Entertainment. Though it was originally conceived as a jazz imprint, it has since expanded to represent various genres. L.A...
, and their self-titled debut, Teenage Head
Teenage Head (Teenage Head album)
Teenage Head is the debut album by the Canadian punk rock band Teenage Head.-Track listing:All songs were composed by Frank Kerr, Gordon Lewis, Steve Mahon, Nick Stipanitz.-Personnel:* Robin Brouwers - assistant engineer* Alan Caddy - producer...
, followed a year later.
The band would also make an appearance at the infamous concert The Last Pogo in 1978 at The Horseshoe Tavern
Horseshoe Tavern
The Horseshoe Tavern is a concert venue located at 370 Queen Street West in downtown Toronto, and has been in operation since 1947. Owned by "JC", Ken Sprackman, Craig Laskey and Naomi Montpetit, the venue is a significant part of Canadian musical lore...
in Toronto, Ontario, which ended in a riot. The concert was made into a short film by Colin Brunton; in 2006, Brunton began a feature-length doc about the concert, and includes interviews and footage of Teenage Head. It was released on DVD in 2008 as a tribute to the late Frankie Venom.
1980's Frantic City was the band's breakthrough album, making them stars across Canada with the hit singles "Let's Shake" and "Somethin' On My Mind". They toured to support that album, including opening the major Heatwave
Heatwave (festival)
Heatwave was a rock festival August 23, 1980, outside of Toronto at Mosport Park, Bowmanville, Ontario. The slogans used to promote the show were variously the "Punk Woodstock", the "New Wave Woodstock", or "The 1980s Big Beat Rock and Roll Party"....
festival in August. In June 1980 their performance at Toronto's Ontario Place
Ontario Place
Ontario Place is a multiple use entertainment and seasonal waterfront park attraction located in Toronto, Ontario, and owned by the Crown in Right of Ontario. It is administered as an agency of the Ontario Ministry of Tourism and Culture. Located on the shore of Lake Ontario, just south of...
sparked a riot. The incident made headlines across the country, and led Ontario Place to ban rock concerts for several years afterward.
In September 1980, riding high on the success of Frantic City and the band's unintended notoriety, Attic Records
Attic Records (Canada)
Attic Records was a Canadian independent record label, founded in 1974 by Alexander Mair and Tom Williams. The label was known for developing Canadian talent, including Anvil, Lee Aaron, Maestro Fresh Wes, The Nylons, Teenage Head, and Triumph...
, their Canadian label, set up a series of showcase gigs in New York City, hoping to attract a US record deal. Only a few days before their scheduled departure, Lewis was seriously injured in a car accident and the showcase was cancelled. Lewis was temporarily replaced by David Bendeth
David Bendeth
David Bendeth is a multi-platinum award-winning record producer. Born in London, England and then moved to Toronto as a teenager, He has worked with acts such as Paramore, Papa Roach, Killswitch Engage, In Flames, The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus, Underoath, Breaking Benjamin, Cavo, Taking Back Sunday,...
, although he was able to return in time to play on the 1982 album Some Kinda Fun, which was another success.
Their 1983 record Tornado was marked by controversy, with the band's American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
label M.C.A. demanding that they change their name to Teenage Heads to placate the more conservative American audience.. The title track proved to be the band's last big hit in Canada.
During this time the band appeared, as themselves, in the campy B-movie Class of 1984
Class of 1984
Class of 1984 is a 1982 action-thriller movie about a newly hired music teacher at a troubled inner city school, where students have to pass through a metal detector due to problems with gangs, drugs, and violence. It was directed by Mark L...
(starring fellow Canadian Michael J. Fox
Michael J. Fox
Michael J. Fox, OC is a Canadian American actor, author, producer, activist and voice-over artist. With a film and television career spanning from the late 1970s, Fox's roles have included Marty McFly from the Back to the Future trilogy ; Alex P...
) and performed "Ain't Got No Sense".
In 1985 after the release of Trouble in the Jungle, Venom was replaced by Dave Desroches
Dave Desroches
Dave "Rave" DesRoches is a Canadian rock musician from Hamilton, Ontario.To the general public, he’s the sometime Teenage Head rhythm guitarist on the early recordings who graduated to lead singer during a Frankie Venom hiatus in 1985 and catapulted the band back into the charts...
, who led the band for three years before departing to form his own band, The Dave Rave Conspiracy. Venom eventually rejoined the band in 1988, but Stipanitz would be replaced by Mark Lockerbie,who would play on the 1996 album "Head Disorder". Lockerbie was in turn replaced by Jack Pedler.
In 2003, the band recorded a host of previously released material with Ramones drummer Marky Ramone
Marky Ramone
Marky Ramone is an American musician. He is best known for being the drummer for the Ramones, but has also played in other notable bands like Dust, Wayne County and the Backstreet Boys, Richard Hell & The Voidoids, and the Misfits.Although he is not the original drummer , Marky is the only living...
at Catherine North Studios in Hamilton and Metalworks Studios
Metalworks Studios
Metalworks Studios is a music recording studio in Mississauga, Ontario, Canada. It was established in 1978 by Gil Moore of the Canadian rock group Triumph.-Music Artists:*Alexisonfire*Adriana Lombardo*Jason Dawson*Kate Voegele*Demi Lovato*Fair to Midland...
in Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
with well known Ramones producer, Daniel Rey
Daniel Rey
Daniel Rey is an American musician, music producer and songwriter from New York City best known for his work with the Ramones....
. The resulting album was released in Canada on April 22, 2008, titled Teenage Head with Marky Ramone.
In the spring of 2007, Teenage Head would play their first dates out west (Alberta and BC) for the first time in more than ten years. They would return again in the spring of 2008.
On October 15, 2008, Gord Lewis announced that Frankie Venom had died following a battle with throat cancer.
The remaining members of the bands continued to perform after Frankie's death playing a tribute show for him, and performing at the 2008 Hamilton Music Awards.
In 2011, long time fan and music store owner Pete MacAulay joined the band as the new singer, to "take Frankie's space, not his place".
Singles
| Year | Title | Chart positions | Album |
|---|---|---|---|
| Canada (RPM) |
|||
| 1978 | "Picture My Face" | Teenage Head | |
| 1978 | "Top Down" | Non-LP re-recording of a song originally from Teenage Head | |
| 1980 | "Somethin' On My Mind" | |
Frantic City |
| 1980 | "Let's Shake" | |
Non-LP re-recording of a song originally from Frantic City |
| 1982 | "Some Kinda Fun" | |
Some Kinda Fun |
| 1982 | "Let's Go To Hawaii" | ||
| 1983 | "Tornado" (as Teenage Heads) | Tornado (EP) | |
| 1983 | "Blood Boogie" (as Teenage Heads) | ||
| 1984 | "Top Down" (live version) | Endless Party | |
| 1985 | "Frantic Romantic" | Trouble In The Jungle | |
| 1987 | "Can't Stop Shakin'" | Electric Guitar | |
| 1988 | "Everybody Needs Somebody" |
Studio Albums
- 1979 – Teenage HeadTeenage Head (Teenage Head album)Teenage Head is the debut album by the Canadian punk rock band Teenage Head.-Track listing:All songs were composed by Frank Kerr, Gordon Lewis, Steve Mahon, Nick Stipanitz.-Personnel:* Robin Brouwers - assistant engineer* Alan Caddy - producer...
- 1980 – Frantic CityFrantic CityFrantic City is the second studio album by Teenage Head. Released in 1980, it was a hit in Canada, going gold.- Track Listing :- Personnel :Teenage Head*Frankie Venom - vocals*Gordon Lewis - guitar*Steve Mahon - bass...
- 1982 – Some Kinda FunSome Kinda FunSome Kinda Fun is the third studio album by Teenage Head. Released in 1982, it was one of the top albums of the year in Canada.- Track Listing :- Personnel :*Frankie Venom - vocals*Gordon Lewis - guitar*Steve Mahon - bass...
- 1983 – Tornado EP (as "Teenage Heads")
- 1986 – Trouble in the Jungle
- 1988 – Electric Guitar
- 1996 – Head Disorder
- 2008 – Teenage Head with Marky Ramone
External links
- Official site
- CanadianBands.com entry
- Fan site
- "Frantic City" fan site
- Teenage Head in film
- http://www.sonicunyon.com/teenagehead/ Teenage Head at Sonic UnyonSonic UnyonSonic Unyon Recording Company is an independent record label based in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. The retail store is located on Wilson Street near James Street North)...