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How four teenagers from Hamilton came to be Teenage Head

To celebrate the re-release of Teenage Head's self-titled debut album, bassist Steve Mahon takes us through the story of how four teenagers from Hamilton, Ont. came to form one of Canada's pioneering punk bands.
CBC Radio ·
A photo from the shoot for Teenage Head’s first album cover. Left to right, Nick Stipanitz, Steve Mahon, Frankie Venom and Gord Lewis. (Teenage Head/Facebook)

Originally published on June 6, 2019

This year marks the 40th anniversary of Teenage Head's self-titled debut album, which has just been reissued on vinyl.

Along with bands like the Viletones and the Diodes, Teenage Head were at the heart of the explosion of creativity that was Toronto's punk scene in the '70s. Unlike those bands, they weren't downtown kids. They were from working class Hamilton, Ont., a city known for its steel mills and the CFL's Tiger Cats.

Their frontman, the notorious Frankie Venom, passed away in 2008, but the band is still playing today with their old friend Dave Rave on vocals.

To celebrate the re-release of their first album, bass player Steve Mahon takes us through the story of how four teenagers from Hamilton came to be Teenage Head.

Click 'Listen' near the top of this page to hear the full segment.

— Produced by Chris Trowbridge

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