This is one that’s sure to rock them … to sleep, that is.

In a fit of rage and frustration over the lack “actual cool people” on the Hamilton music scene, Gordie Lewis, co-founder and chief axe-grinder of the legendary Steeltown pre-punkers says he’s changing the band’s name and the focus of its shows.

“Seniors Head just resonates more with a larger audience … it’s Teenage Head grown up,” fumed Lewis, whose band played a gig at This Ain’t Hollywood Sunday night. The place was packed but, sitting around later on, Lewis agreed with the rest of the band’s members the night lack a certain something.

“We used to cause riots,” Lewis said, alluding to the police-on-horseback tussle at Ontario Place decades back. “But the energy of that 70s-80s crowd has largely moved on or gone to sleep. These kids today are driving home early in their BMW cars.”

“But I was visiting a seniors’ home the other day and, boy, the place was really rocking,” he said. “A lightbulb went off – ‘This is our crowd.'”

Since most of the seniors’ centres and long-term facilities in the region have some form of auditorium – or at least a cafeteria – Seniors Head will be trimmed to an acoustic outfit. Lewis will trade in his trademark buzzsaw Gibson Les Paul Jr. for a jumbo Hawaiian ukulele for the new project. Similarly, bassist Steve Marshall will switch from that garish Fender to a Boddington 6 standup. Jack Pedler is on cajon. Jazz songstress Jude Johnson is the band’s new vocalist.

Seniors Head will re-work a number of former Teenage Head tunes – Picture My Face becomes Wrinkle My Face, Lucy Potato becomes the nutrition-affirmative Eat All Your Potatoes, and Let’s Shake is now Let’s Shake (But Not Too Hard, Or For Too Long). The song Ain’t Got No Sense stays the same, as does Kissin’ the Carpet.

Meanwhile, a small group of hardcore Teenage Head fans showed up for a demonstration outside This Ain’t Hollywood Tuesday.

“If they want to abandon our generation, so be it,” said Brianne Lypglos of Burlington. “It’s just another example of my grandparents’ generation gettin’ everything.”

There’s no word yet on when Seniors Head will debut. Lewis says a nasty flu bug working its way through area seniors facilities.

“It’s just something we’re going to have to get used to,” lamented Lewis.

Today’s article was written by HammerInTheNew’s newest edition, Bart Sherman, freelance/freestyle journalist.

Bart and I met long ago at our home school group. I knew Bart’s keen wit ever since he wrote an article in Homeschool Quarterly entitled: “Socialization Matters Less Than You Think.”

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