Radio What Wave Playlist May 8/2014. All Teenage Head show to help celebrate the book release of: Gods Of The Hammer
1. The Flamin' Groovies....Teenage Head....from the LP of the same name and this is where Teenage Head got their name back in 1975.
2. Teenage Head....Picture My Face....live recording from 10/31/78 and broadcast on Q107 in Toronto.
3. Teenage Head...Little Boxes....as above.
4. Teenage Head....Tearin' Me Apart....their first single from 1978.
5. Teenage Head...Top Down....another 7" from 1978 and my absolute fave version of Top Down as they bring in the motorcycle sound effects and the Beach Boy style harmony vocals. If they had broken up at this point, this record would have made them legends in their own time....but Teenage Head did so many more things in their career....ie manic performances, riots, appeared in a movie or 2, released many records, CD's etc.
6. Teenage Head....Curtain Jumper....from their self titled debut LP that came out in 1979. If you're searching for their first LP, go for the second issue on OPM Music from 1981....WAY better mix and the picture on the rear cover of the LP is smaller than the original. The difference between the 2 releases is quite apparent on even a casual listen.
7. Teenage Head...Wild One.....recorded live in Edmonton 2/1980 and broadcast over the radio. Around this time, the band was moving towards it's peak. Constant gigging, partying and touring across Canada to insane audiences!! Then the SHIT started to happpen....if you were in Toronto on June 2/1980, the place to be was Ontario Place, an outdoor facility which was hosting live bands. On the bill, the one man band Nash The Slash!! Master of the tape loop, electric mandolin, electric violin, load of other electronic noises as well as being covered in tape from head to toe. Yep, this was the act to catch......except Nash was opening up for out heroes, Teenage Head!! The streetcars, trolleys and subways were packed with kids going to see Teenage Head at this show. Hot on their second LP, Frantic City and the AM radio (but only in Canada) Let's Shake, this was the band to see....unfortunatly WAAAYYYY too many people showed up and couldn't get in or were turned away. What do you do when you can't get in to a free show, why you riot!! Destroy a few police cars and join in on the ultraviolence and scare the shit out of the average Torontonian! And the final result, no more bands playing at Ontario Place, a ban that was in effect for several years due to the shit that went down.
And now we go to September 1980 and the band has a major car accident on the way back from a gig. Guitarist Gord Lewis is out of commission and won't be playing guitar for almost a year!! All those plans to go to the US have been put on hold. A fill in guitarist, David Bendith is recruited and the band soldiers on, playing only in Canada and this delays the finishing of the 3rd LP.
8. Teenage Head....Total Love....from the Frantic City LP 1980.
9. Teenage Head....Let's Shake....single version from 1980.
10.Teenage Head....Get Off My Back....live at The Spoke and Rim, Western University 2/18/1981. I recorded this live from CHRW back when it was broadcast live over the airwaves. It was only available on cablecast and only a portion of the city could pick it up. I lived with my parents at this time and was able to tape the entire show. Included are some great Frankie and Nick quotes, both battling for supreme smartassery!! A few of the comments probably should have been censored at the time, but what the fuck!!! It's rock and roll and how else would you ever learn that Elvis Costello was hung like the heater hose on a Mac truck?? And that he had Frankie's eyes popping out of his skull like a fish on the line....important trivia that we all need to know....and what was Frankie hinting about happened between him and Keith Demic...hahahahaha.
11. Teenage Head....Kissin' The Carpet.....as above. And did you know London is the VD capitol Canada? Not only have Teenage Head mentioned it, but also the Brutal Knights! Therefore it must be fact!! Why do you think Keith Demic was singing about 'wear your raincoat in the rain'?
12. Teenage Head...Something Else....as above.
13. Teenage Head....C'mon Everybody.....as above.
14. Teenage Head....Teenage Beer Drinkin' Party....from the Some Kinda Fun LP
Right around this time our good pal Dave Rave phoned in to talk about all things Teenage Head. Dave was in the band at the begininng and joined fulltime around 82/83 and eventually replaced Frankie when he left.
15. Dave Rave....Picture My Face....recorded live on Radio What Wave 8/1/13 when we had Dave on for a full show!!!
There was sooooooo much more Teenage Head that i wanted to play....we'll have to do part 2 one of these days! Big Thanx to Dave Rave for making the time for us here at Radio WW!!! Hope you enjoyed our little chat with Dave and our Teenage Head special!
Next week, we celebrate Ray Condo Day as it's Ray Condo Day in Toronto on May 16th!! We'll be playing only Ray Condo music....some of his punk stuff, Ray Condo and His Hardrock Goners and some of his later swing material!! There'll be lots of rare and live stuff from the WW Archves throughtout the show AND, we'll be chatting with Gayle Hurmuses who will be releasing a photo book about Ray Condo on the 16th. It'll be an action packed show you don't want to miss!!!
See ya next week!
And here's a link to the podcast: