Teenage Head's Frankie Venom has died at the age of 51, following a battle with throat cancer. His death was announced by band mate Gord Lewis via a press release and on the band's official website www.teenagehead.ca.
A legend on the Canadian punk scene, the singer, real name Frank Kerr, was in fact born in Glasgow, Scotland, before moving to Hamilton, Ontario, where the band was formed at Westdale High School back in 1975. They released their first independent single in 1978 and their eponymous debut the following year, but their breakthrough came with the release of their 'Frantic City' LP in 1980, and the single 'Let's Shake'.
Kerr left the group in the late eighties, forming two short-lived bands, Frankie Venom And The Blue Angels and Frankie Venom And The Vipers, but returned to Teenage Head in 1996. The band this year released a special album of their biggest hits performed with Marky Ramone, and were apparently working on new material. What will happen with that new material now remains to be seen.