Teenage Head

Teenage Head earned frequent comparisons to Canada's counterpart of the Ramones, yet they merged new wave sensibilities with their punk rock identity in equal proportion. The ensemble shared an affinity for rock & roll predating the Beatles, particularly rockabilly, alongside a raucous, lighthearted energy that established them as an exceptional live act suited to lively gatherings. Their compositions delivered straightforward tributes to enduring rock & roll motifs such as automobiles, alcohol, romance, revelry, and youthful defiance. Although they gained unintended notoriety for igniting one of the largest rock & roll disturbances in Canadian history, the group never attained major success in the U.S., attributable in part to an untimely car accident amid their ascent and in part to an ill-conceived transition into a milder, traditional pub rock format. Even so, they endured as one of Canada's most cherished rock acts of the 1980s and continue to be recalled with affection.

Teenage Head originated in 1976 in Hamilton, Ontario, when high-school acquaintances Frank Kerr on vocals and Gord Lewis on guitar united after witnessing local performances by the New York Dolls and the Ramones. Classmates Steve Mahon joined on bass and Nick Stipanitz on drums, prompting Kerr to adopt the stage name Frankie Venom. Drawing their moniker from a renowned Flamin' Groovies song, the quartet rehearsed for several years in a garage setting before entering Toronto's club circuit. While shaped by the standard CBGB influences, the members also admired early rock & roll figures including Elvis Presley, Eddie Cochran, Gene Vincent, and Chuck Berry. Their initial single, "Picture My Face," surfaced in summer 1978 via the Epic affiliate Interglobal, and both that release and its successor, "Top Down," secured limited Canadian radio exposure. The band's self-titled debut album arrived in 1979, hampered by substandard production according to contemporary accounts, though extensive touring and dynamic performances helped cultivate a dedicated audience.

Under contract with Attic Records, Teenage Head delivered their second album, Frantic City, in early 1980. That June, amid growing popularity, they performed at the Ontario Place Forum, a notable outdoor site within a Toronto park. Admission to the show came bundled with park entry fees, resulting in thousands of attendees who gained access to the grounds yet were barred from the concert itself. Agitated and intoxicated, portions of the crowd attempted to breach the entrances, leading to clashes with police that produced multiple injuries and arrests; the following day, unsuspecting Teenage Head appeared in headlines nationwide. Although some bookings were lost, the exposure proved invaluable, promptly boosting Frantic City sales and propelling the album beyond gold certification.

In September, as interest peaked, Attic arranged showcase performances in New York City and extended invitations to industry representatives to secure a U.S. deal for Teenage Head. The opportunity collapsed when, two days prior to departure, the band suffered a severe car accident that left Gord Lewis with multiple broken ribs and a back injury. The shows were canceled, though guitarist David Bendeth was enlisted as a temporary touring substitute during Lewis's six-month recuperation. Lewis rejoined for the third album, Some Kinda Fun, issued in 1982 and highlighted by the hit title track alongside the controversial "Teenage Beer Drinkin' Party."

In 1983, Teenage Head sought entry to an American major label, MCA, through the Tornado EP, which emphasized their rockabilly influences. Concerned about the band's name, MCA required the removal of the double entendre by rebranding as the Teenage Heads and advocated a more refined, adult-oriented sound aimed at radio. The strategy collapsed, returning Teenage Head to Canada on Ready Records, which released the live album Endless Party in 1984. That recording introduced longtime studio collaborator Dave Rave, born Dave DesRoches, as an official fifth member handling guitar and backing vocals. The group shifted to Rave's Warpt label for 1985's Trouble in the Jungle, which marked Stipanitz's final contribution; he departed upon completion of the sessions, initiating a succession of drummers over subsequent years.

Frankie Venom's growing unreliability eventually prompted his exit, after which Rave assumed lead vocal responsibilities beginning with the 1987 EP Can't Stop Shakin'. The full-length Electric Guitar, released on Fringe Product in 1988, effectively concluded Teenage Head's initial run and included a guest guitar appearance by Daniel Lanois. Dave Rave established his own outfit, the Dave Rave Conspiracy, which garnered attention in the States, as did his later folk-rock duo Agnelli & Rave, which emerged from his work with New York folk ensemble the Washington Squares. In 1995, three-quarters of the original Teenage Head—Venom, Lewis, and Mahon—reconvened for a tour and the album Head Disorder, featuring new drummer Mark Lockerbie.

In 2003, the band entered the studio with former Ramones drummer Marky Ramone to revisit several classic Teenage Head tracks. The resulting album surfaced in 2008 as Teenage Head with Marky Ramone and served as Frankie Venom's final recording before his death in October 2008 following a struggle with throat cancer. Teenage Head maintained occasional performances, with longtime associate Pete MacAulay initially substituting on vocals until Dave Rave rejoined the lineup in 2016. Author Geoff Pevere issued a band history, Gods of the Hammer: The Teenage Head Story, in 2014. In 2017, Warner Music Canada, in collaboration with the members of Teenage Head, assembled and issued the career retrospective anthology Fun Comes Fast. Guitarist Gord Lewis passed away on August 7, 2022, at his Hamilton, Ontario, residence at the age of 65.