And Now...The Last Pogo & Show # 399

In 1978, a documentary was made by director Colin Brunton chronicling what was billed as the last Punk Rock concert in Toronto. Titled The Last Pogo the short film featured performances from Canadian Punk/New Wave artists from 1977/1978, amongst the performers The Scenics, The Secrets, The Mods, The Ugly, The Viletones, The Cardboard Brains, and Teenage Head were in the film. The concert took place at the famous Horseshoe Tavern in Toronto, which was run by Toronto promoters Topp and Cormier Gary at the time. In addition to the performances that make the film, police and firefighters kicked out the director and crew, but the soundman remained, it was originally released in 1979. After years of being out of print, the film was issued on DVD in 2008.

A soundtrack was also recorded and released entitled And Now Live From Toronto …The Last Pogo. Released in 1979, the soundtrack was made up of live performances from two dates at The Horseshoe Tavern. The soundtrack features performances from The Scenics, The Everglades, The Mods, Drastic Measures, Cardboard Brains, The Ugly and others. The soundtrack is further document of the bands and Punk/Post Punk scene at the time in Canada. All the recordings are live and the album, which is now out of print and features some excellent performances most notably the opening track, which is The Secrets version of “Shout”.

Currently director Colin Brunton and Kire Paputts have started a new project. Compiling more footage with 1978’s The Last Pogo as a starting point, the film makers are working on a new longer documentary which further explores Toronto’s cultural and musical explosion during the 1976-1978 time period. The film will be titled The Last Pogo Jumps Again: A Biased & Incomplete History Of Toronto Punk Rock Circa September 24 1976 To December 1 1978. The film is said to be released in a variety of formats soon. More information on the film can be found at http://www.thelastpogo.net/

This Week's Play List:

1. The New York Dolls – Trash
2. T-Rex – 20th Century Boy
3. The Shins – Bait And Switch
4. Velvet Underground - White Light/White Heat
5. Cowboy Junkies – Fuck, I Hate The Cold
6. Papermaps – US And Them
7. Joel Plaskett Emergency – You’re Mine
8. Jaill – She’s My Baby
9. Link Wray – Commanche
10. The Secrets – Teenage Rampage
11. The Everglades – Rock n’ Roll Cliché
12. Teenanger – Cops (But Not)
13. Sloan - Living With The Masses
14. Ty Segall – Maria Stacks
15. The Angry Dead Pirates – Moon
16. Neil Young – Walk On
17. The Stooges – Little Doll (John Cale Mix)
18. The Gruesomes – For All I Care
19. The Black lips – Family Tree
20. Ramones – I Can’t Be (Demo)
21. The D4 – Mysterex
22. The Clash – Bankrobber (Live From Here To Eternity II)

To download this weeks program, visit CJAM's schedule page for Revolution Rock and download the file for April 10. Or subscribe to Revolution Rock as a Podcast.

Let's Shake...Show # 196

This week was the first show as part of my 200th show count down (starting this week I will be doing a series of shows foucusing on a different band until i reach my 200th show). Recently Teenage Head released a new album this April comprised of re-recorded versions of their old songs with Marky Ramone from Ramones on drums. Teenage Head with Marky Ramone, as the album is called was released on Sonic Unyon Recordings. Produced by Daniel Rey (who has worked with Ramones) captured the Teenage Head with Marky Ramone sound on the 12 tracks featured in this collection. The album contains loud and energetic versions of Teenage Head songs ranging from their first 1979 self titled album (6 tracks), Some Kinda Fun (1980) (2 tracks), Frantic City (1982) (1 track), Head Disorder (1998) (1 track), and two tracks from 1988's Electric Guitar. 

For a more concise history of Teenage Head you can visit this post I did in 2007. Next week I will be doing a show on the Vancouver Canadian punk band Pointed Sticks. If you have a request for next weeks show feel free to leave a comment. 

 The Play List: 

1. Little Boxes (Teenage Head 1979) 

2. Get Off My Back (Teenage Head 1979) 

3. Top Down (Teenage Head 1979) 

4. Ain't Got No Sense (Teenage Head 1979) 

5. Picture My Face (Teenage Head 1979) 

6. You're Tearin' Me Apart (Teenage Head 1979) 

7. Total Love (Frantic City 1980) 

8. Infected (Frantic City 1980) 

9. Disgusteen (Frantic City 1980) 

10. Let's Shake (Frantic City 1980) 

11. Somethin' Else (Frantic City 1980) 

12. Let's Go To Hawaii (Some Kinda Fun 1981) 

13. Want You To Know (Some Kinda Fun 1981) 

14. Teenage Beer Drinkin' Party (Some Kinda Fun 1981) 

15. Some Kinda Fun(Some Kinda Fun 1981) 

16. Fist To Face (some Kinda Fun 1981) 

17. Wild One (Live 1978) 

18. Lucy Potato (Alternate Version) 

19. Disgusteen (Alternate Version) 

20. First Time (Teenage Head With Marky Ramone 2008) 

21. Full Time Fool (Teenage Head With Marky Ramone 2008) 

22. You're Tearin' Me Apart (Teenage Head With Marky Ramone 2008) 

23. You're The One I'm Crazy For (Teenage Head With Marky Ramone 2008) 

24. Little Boxes (Teenage Head With Marky Ramone 2008)

Disgusteens - The Teenage Head Story ... Show # 170

Teenage Head was a band that formed in 1976, in Hamilton, Ontario. The band took their name from Flamin' Groovies song. The band consisted of Frankie Venom (real name Frank Kerr) (vocals), Gord Lewis (guitar), Steve Mahon (bass), and Nick Stipanitz on drums. The band is often called the Canadian Ramones or Canada's answer to the Ramones, but in fact they had more of a rockabilly and 50's/60's rock influence than Ramones. Their influences ranged from punk bands and CBGB's bands, to Chuck Berry, Gene Vincent, Elvis Presley, and Rolling Stones. The bands first single was released in 1978, it was titled "Picture My Face". The song itself was a jittery punk influenced track. The band's first self titled album was released in 1979.

Teenage Head showed off the band's different style with influences ranging from Ramones-type punk to 50's/60's rock and roll. The album was recorded and produced by Teenage Head and Alan Cady, it was seen as a rough sounding recording. Despite what many people saw as a poorly recorded album, it contained excellently crafted songs and did get some airplay on radio.  It is seen as a Canadian punk/new wave classic. It was the band's live shows that drew in more of a fan base. In 1980, the band released their second album Frantic City, they also signed to a new label Attic Records. The album generated more airplay for the band with songs such as "Let's Shake" and "Something On My Mind". In June of 1980, the band played a concert at Ontario Place in Toronto, that turned into a riot due to fans being denied access to the concert. This little incident in turn gave the band publicity, which resulted in better sales of Frantic City, driving the album to go gold. During this time with all this publicity surrounding the band, Attic Records set up some shows in New York City in hopes of getting an American record deal.

Two days before the band was to head to New York for their series of shows, guitarist Gord Lewis was injured in a car accident, resulting in cancellation of the shows. He would be replaced during his recovery by guitarist David Bendeth. In 1982, Lewis returned and the band recorded and released their third album, Some Kinda Fun. The album featured the catchy "Let's Go To Hawaii", and songs that reflected their early days lyrics-wise such as "Teenage Beer Drinkin' Party". In 1983, The Tornado EP was released on the American record label MCA. The EP showed off the band's rockabilly roots more than any of their previous releases. MCA forced the band to change its name to Teenage Heads, in hopes of bringing in more of an American audience; it did not work. The band would release Trouble in the Jungle in 1985, after this release the band would gain a new singer Dave Rave (Dave DeRoches) who joined the band as a fifth member around 1985. Can't Stop Shakin' EP came in 1987, and the full length Electric Guitar in 1988, which spelled the end for the band. Dave Rave would form his own group after this the Dave Rave Conspiracy. Three of the original members of Teenage Head, Venom, Lewis, and Mahon returned in 1995 for a tour and a new album in 1998 (Head Disorder); Their new drummer was Jack Pedler. The band has continued to tour, and in 2004 re-recorded some material with Marky Ramone on drums. On October 15th, 2008 Frankie Venom (real name Frank Kerr) passed away after a battle with throat cancer. For more info on the band visit Teenage Head's Official website.

You can also check out the show I did entirely on the band Teenage Head here.

Canadian Play List:

1. Ugly Duckings – nothin’
2. Vindicators – hate
3. Demics – the least you can do
4. 49th Parallel – citizen freak
5. Modernettes – suicide club
6. Danko Jones - bounce
7. The Action – TV’s on the blink
8. Bureaucrats – she’s an American
9. Zr04 – gimme attention
10. Slander – petticoat junction
11. Gruesomes – I’m searchin’
12. Pointed Sticks – nothing else to do (1980 demo)
13. Pointed Sticks – part of the noise (1980 demo)
14. Scramblers – solitary man
15. The Government – fire escape
16. Diodes – burn down your daddy’s house
17. The Vapids - capguns and comic books
18. Teenage Head – top down (new alternate version)
19. Teenage Head – infected
20. Teenage Head – fist to face
21. Marble Index – anytime
22. Ride Theory – Genghis con artist
23. Ride Theory – dead radio love
24. Young Rival – dead end scene
25. Neil Young – song x
26. The Pack AD - goldrush
27. Sloan - On the Road Again/Transona Five (Canned Heat/Stereo Lab Cover)

Teenage Vids:

Some Kinda Fun
Luv for Sale
Infected & Teenage Beer Drinkin' Party
Interview from the 80's