Asexuals

Websites:  No
Origin: Beaconsfield, Québec, 🇨🇦
Biography:

The Asexuals stand as one of Canada's most dynamic and enduring punk rock acts, charting a course from the hardcore basements of Montreal to the broader realm of alternative and college rock, while consistently challenging expectations and reshaping their sound.

Formed in 1983 by students from Beaconsfield High School—Sean “Head” Friesen (guitar), T.J. Collins (bass), and Paul “Wally” Remington (drums)—the band was soon joined by frontman John “Filthy” Kastner, and quickly coalesced into a blistering punk quartet. Early names like “Commonwealth” and “VD Teens” were discarded in favor of “The Asexuals”—a tongue-in-cheek reflection of their high school awkwardness and outsider stance. The band's sound blended breakneck hardcore energy with melodic instincts influenced by Hüsker Dü, The Nils, and The Replacements.

In 1984, they released their debut EP Featuring: The Asexuals through OG Music, followed swiftly by B.F.D., and contributed the incendiary “Contra Rebels” to the Primitive Air-Raid compilation—an inclusion that sparked backlash from punk purists for its misunderstood irony. Their first LP, Be What You Want, was originally issued on First Strike Records and later reissued by Psyche Industry Records after disputes with the label. Their second full-length, Contemporary World (1985), further explored post-hardcore and political themes, including a fierce punk rendition of Bob Dylan’s “The Times They Are A-Changin’.” The band hit the road for a grueling 69-date tour across North America, cementing their reputation as a DIY powerhouse.

In 1987, creative tensions culminated in Kastner's departure. He went on to form the Doughboys and later All Systems Go!, while The Asexuals reinvented themselves with Friesen and Collins sharing vocal duties and expanding their sonic palette. With the addition of bassist Blake Cheetah (later known as author Jim Algie), the band entered a more eclectic phase, reflected in their 1988 LP Dish—produced by Steve Kravac and released on Cargo Records. It featured acoustic guitars, horns, and pop hooks that hinted at broader ambitions while maintaining punk grit.

After touring Europe, the lineup shifted again, with Dom Pompeo stepping in on bass for Exile from Floontown (1991), a return to electric aggression and melodic punk that resonated with the emerging college rock scene. A series of EPs followed—including Walt’s Wish (1992) and Love Goes Plaid (1993)—before settling into a final studio phase with bassist Yuri Mohacsi. The 1996 album Fitzjoy, released by Hypnotic Records and distributed by MCA, was a refined and accessible culmination of the band's evolution, blending indie hooks with punk roots and marking the end of their initial run.

Friesen relocated to Austin and formed La Motta, while the band’s archive was celebrated in the Greater Than Later compilation (2000). But The Asexuals weren’t finished.

In 2010, the original lineup reunited to perform at Montreal’s Just for Laughs Cabaret and later at the Osheaga Festival, Canadian Music Week, and Las Vegas’ Punk Rock Bowling. Their 2017 Brave New Waves Session, recorded for CBC and issued on Artoffact Records, offered a crisp, energetic live-in-studio snapshot of their rebirth.

Today, The Asexuals are revered not only for their role in shaping Montreal’s punk scene but also for their rare ability to transition across genres without sacrificing identity. Whether charging through the underground with DIY EPs or experimenting with pop-punk, horns, and harmonies, their discography remains a testament to restless creativity, stubborn independence, and enduring relevance.
-Robert Williston

Lineups by Era:
1983–1987 (Hardcore Era):
John “Filthy” Kastner: vocals
Sean “Head” Friesen: guitar
T.J. Collins: bass
Paul “Wally” Remington: drums

1987–1989 (Post-Kastner Phase – Dish):
Sean Friesen: guitar, vocals
T.J. Collins: guitar, vocals
Blake Cheetah (Jim Algie): bass
Paul Remington: drums

1989–1993 (Exile from Floontown, Love Goes Plaid):
Sean Friesen: guitar, vocals
T.J. Collins: guitar, vocals
Dom Pompeo: bass
Paul Remington: drums

1993–1997 (Fitzjoy era):
Sean Friesen: guitar, vocals
T.J. Collins: guitar, vocals
Yuri Mohacsi: bass
Paul Remington: drums

2010–present (Reunion Era):
John Kastner: vocals
Sean Friesen: guitar
T.J. Collins: bass, vocals
Paul Remington: drums