Teenage Head - Trouble in the Jungle

Tracks

Side 1

		Track Name	Length
	1	Frantic Romantic	02:59
	2	Let Her Dance	03:45
	3	Drive-In	01:49
	4	Save Your Love	04:44
	5	I Can't Pretend	02:44
	6	Weekend	01:53

Side 2

		Track Name	Length
	1	Splatter Man	04:52
	2	Jam Up and Jelly Tight	01:58
	3	Parasite	03:35
	4	Teenage Heaven	02:01
	5	Sloppy Drunk	03:01
	6	I Need Your Love Tonight	01:49
	7	Little Sister	03:03

Photos

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Information/Write-up

Teenage Head are one of the most important and influential bands in the history of Canadian punk and hard rock, emerging from Hamilton, Ontario in the mid-1970s and helping define a uniquely Canadian strain of high-energy, rock-and-roll-driven punk. Often labeled “Canada’s Ramones,” the band’s sound was in fact rooted as much in 1950s rockabilly, British Invasion beat music, and Detroit garage rock as in first-wave punk, giving them a raw, swaggering style that set them apart from both art-punk and hardcore contemporaries.

The band formed in 1975 among students from Westdale High School in Hamilton. The early core lineup featured Frank Kerr (later known as Frankie Venom) on vocals, Gord Lewis on guitar, Steve Mahon (later Steve Marshall) on bass, and Nick Stipanitz on drums. The group took their name from the 1971 Flamin’ Groovies album Teenage Head, signaling their allegiance to classic rock-and-roll energy rather than punk fashion or ideology.

Teenage Head quickly developed a reputation as one of Southern Ontario’s most ferocious live acts, playing relentlessly across the Hamilton-Toronto circuit and becoming regulars at key venues such as the Town Casino, Crash ’n’ Burn, and other hubs of the emerging new-wave and punk scene. Their first single, “Picture My Face,” was released in 1978 on Epic Records and immediately established them as a rising force.

Their self-titled debut album Teenage Head followed in 1979 and went gold in Canada, a remarkable achievement for a band so closely associated with the punk underground. The record captured their stripped-down, street-level energy and established a template that combined tough, fast rock with hooks and humor.

Teenage Head became nationally notorious following their appearance at The Last Pogo concert at Toronto’s Horseshoe Tavern on December 1, 1978. The show was shut down by police after erupting into chaos, and the event became one of the defining moments in Canadian punk history. The concert was later immortalized in Colin Brunton’s documentary The Last Pogo, cementing Teenage Head’s place in the mythology of the era.

The band’s breakthrough came with Frantic City in 1980, which produced their signature hits “Let’s Shake” and “Somethin’ On My Mind.” The album went gold and made Teenage Head national stars. That same year, their appearance at Ontario Place’s Forum in Toronto drew massive crowds and again ended in disorder, prompting Ontario Place to temporarily ban rock concerts. These highly publicized incidents helped create Teenage Head’s reputation as both crowd-drawers and cultural flashpoints.

Through the early 1980s, Teenage Head continued to release successful records including Some Kinda Fun (1981) and the Tornado EP (1983). The latter was released internationally on MCA Records, and for a brief period the band was pressured to perform under the name Teenage Heads in the United States to avoid perceived sexual connotations. The title track “Tornado” became another major Canadian hit.

The band also made notable appearances in Canadian popular culture, including performing as themselves in the cult film Class of 1984, further reinforcing their image as a hard-edged, no-nonsense rock band.

Lineup changes became more frequent as the decade progressed. Frankie Venom departed in the mid-1980s, with Dave “Dave Rave” DesRoches stepping in on vocals for albums including Trouble in the Jungle (1986) and Electric Guitar (1988). These records reflected a more contemporary hard rock and new-wave influence while retaining the band’s core rock-and-roll identity.

In later years, Teenage Head experienced multiple revivals and continued to tour and record, including the 2008 release Teenage Head with Marky Ramone, which featured re-recordings of classic material with the Ramones drummer and producer Daniel Rey. The project underscored the band’s enduring association with first-generation punk history.

Frankie Venom passed away in 2008 following a battle with throat cancer, marking the end of an era for the band. Despite this loss, Teenage Head continued to perform and record, keeping their catalogue and live legacy active for new generations of fans.

In 2014, journalist and author Geoff Pevere published Gods of the Hammer: The Teenage Head Story, providing the first full-length book-length history of the band and further solidifying their status as a foundational act in Canadian rock history.

In 2022, founding guitarist Gord Lewis was tragically murdered in Hamilton, a shocking event that deeply affected the Canadian music community. Lewis had been the band’s musical anchor since its formation and was widely regarded as one of the most distinctive guitarists in Canadian punk and rock. The remaining members announced that Teenage Head would continue to perform, honoring Lewis’s legacy and wishes.

Today, Teenage Head are widely recognized as one of Canada’s premier punk and rock-and-roll bands, whose influence extends far beyond genre boundaries. Their combination of relentless touring, gold-selling records, legendary live shows, and cultural impact places them alongside the most significant Canadian bands of the late 1970s and early 1980s punk era.
-Robert Williston

Musicians
Frankie Venom: vocals
Dave Rave: guitar, vocals
Gordie “Lazy Legs” Lewis: guitar
Steve Marshall: bass
Nik Stipanitz: additional drums
Tim Gibbons: additional harmonica
Ed Roth: additional synthesizer (DX7, Oberheim)
The Touch: additional guitar

Songwriting
‘Frantic Romantic’ written by Dave Des Roches, Frank Kerr, Gord Lewis
‘Let Her Dance’ written by Bobby Fuller
‘Drive-In’ written by Brian Wilson
‘Save Your Love’ written by Dave Des Roches, Frank Kerr, Gord Lewis
‘I Can’t Pretend’ written by Robin Wills
‘Weekend’ written by B. Post and D. Post
‘Splatter Man’ written by Dave Des Roches, Frank Kerr, Gord Lewis
‘Jam Up & Jelly Tight’ written by F. Weller and T. Roe
‘Parasite’ written by Gord Lewis
‘Teenage Heaven’ written by Eddie Cochran and Jerry Capehart
‘Sloppy Drunk’ written by J.A. Lane and J. Rogers
‘I Need Your Love Tonight’ written by Bix Reichner and Sid Wayne
‘Little Sister’ written by Doc Pomus and Mort Shuman

Production
Produced by Dave Des Roches and Gord Lewis
Engineered by David Bottrill
Recorded at Lanois’ Studios (Bob & Dan Lanois Studio), Hamilton, Ontario
Remixed at Metalworks Studios, Mississauga, Ontario (tracks A1 and A2)
Lacquer cut at McClear Place

Artwork
Artwork and design by Brian D. Anderson
Logo and design by Steve Mahon
Front cover photography by Kathy Bellesiles

Notes
Manufactured by Arc Sound Co. Limited
Distributed by Arc Sound Co. Limited
Tracks A1 and A2 remixed by Hugh Cooper
Includes cover versions and originals spanning rock & roll, garage, and punk repertoire

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