Frankie Venom Kerr Lead singer Teenage Head

On My Walk: Remembering Frankie Venom Kerr
White Chapel Memorial Gardens, Hamilton, Ontario

On my walk through White Chapel Memorial Gardens in Hamilton, I discovered the grave of Francis Hannah “Frankie Venom” Kerr, the electrifying frontman and founding member of one of Canada’s most legendary punk bands: Teenage Head.

Formed in 1975 by a group of friends from Westdale Collegiate, Teenage Head exploded out of Hamilton’s underground scene and brought punk to the Canadian mainstream with raw energy and unforgettable hooks. With Frankie’s magnetic presence at the mic, they gave us hits like:

• “Picture My Face”

• “Top Down”

• “Somethin’ On My Mind”

• “Let’s Shake”

• “Some Kinda Fun”

Frankie Venom was more than a punk singer — he was a force of nature, an artist who brought attitude, heart, and swagger to every stage he stepped on.

Sadly, Frankie passed away on October 15, 2008, after a battle with throat cancer. He was only 52.

1956-2008

Teenage Head was formed in 1975 when the band members were students at Westdale High School in Hamilton. I drove to the high school after visiting Frankie’s grave

Hamilton’s own  Teenage Head

Steve Mahon, Nick Stipanitz, the late Frankie Vernon and late Gord Lewis (both buried in the same cemetery, White Chapel Memorial Gardens, Hamilton).