Teenage Head: From Hamilton with energy

by JIM MASON

Back in 1973 it wasn't fashionable to be into punk. There were a few bands around then who delved into the now common-place form of music. People like Iggy Pop and his Stooges, The MC-5 and the New York Dolls were the original punks.

Back in that same time frame a group of four Hamilton kids were just entering high school. The then still wet behind the ears foursome soon found a common interest - punk.

Today those Hamiltonians form Teenage Head, a high energy pop group that doesn't wear the punk label. They were in Thunder Bay last weekend for dates at Confederation College and the CLE Coliseum.

Lead singer Frankie Venom explains that while the group was into punk during it's roots, and certainly before the lifestyle/music became popular, the band's present style is "just rock and roll - with a slight twist."

Since their first meeting as grade-niners Venom and his cohorts taken a few twists themselves.

After playing cover material that their idols semi-popularized, Teenage Head began playing their own tunes some four years ago.

In 1978 an admittedly "young and naive" Teenage Head signed a recording contract with ill-fated Inter-Global Records of Toronto. Harnessed with a house producer, the band quickly fired him and produced the album itself.

The result was a poorly produced disc that the band has since deleted. Venom now chalks the first album up to experience.

Also during the summers of 1977 and '78 Teenage Head ventured south of the border. The first journey to the U.S. east and mid-west was entitled "The Punk Pilgrimage" and included other Toronto based acts - The Diodes, The Violtones and the Curse.

"We made $11 U.S. on that trip", laughed Venom last Friday in Thunder Bay. "We came back and threw our manager a $1 bill and told him that was his 10 per cent."

A more memorable U.S. date came in New York City when Teenage Head opened for Devo at Max's Kansas City.

"The band didn't make much money but we sure learned a lot", says Venom.