Kid Gets Wikkid

     1985, June 8th. - Kid Wikkid / Shylock 

     I couldn't count how many times over the years I have heard: "...Oh you're from Peterborough, did you ever hang out with that guy from Skid Row ?..."

     The short answer is No!  However I'm not sure if it's at all possible to write about growing up a metalhead in Peterborough and NOT mention Sebastian Bierk.  So here it goes...

     Sebastian Bierk had left Peterborough sometime around 1983 / 1984.  Although I'm only a bit younger, this was before my time hanging out downtown.  By this time his dad had allowed him to go and move in with his aunt in Toronto while he lived out his dream of singing in a band.

     At a very young age, he auditioned for the older members of the Toronto band Herrenvolk and he got the gig.  Before he knew it, he would soon be playing Larry's Hideaway underage.  'The club owner couldn't tell how old he was because of all the makeup that he wore'.

Herrenvolk, Photo: Mike Zimmerman; Credit: Sabastian Bach, Twitter.

     Sebastian Bach [Herrenvolk / Kid Wikkid]

     "...I was six foot seven with my hair teased to the roof, and had on more makeup than Tammy Faye Baker.  So nobody was the wiser...".  - '18 And Life On Skid Row, Harper Collins'

     After seeing some Toronto graffiti signed by someone named 'Kid Wicked' while riding the subway, Sebastian thought it would be a cool name for a band.  The band decided to change the German sounding Herrenvolk name to Kid Wikkid.

     A paper headline later read '...Peterborough Kid Gets Wikkid...'.   Underneath was a second article, entitled: '...Sebastian's Heavy Metal Career Concerns Dad...'.

     Kid Wikkid recorded a very limited [pink colored?] demo with the tracks: 'Fire in Her Eyes'; 'Reckless and Free'; 'Lady Squeeze'; 'Money in a Hurry' and 'Take a Look at me'.  They would sell the cassette at the Record Peddler on Queen Street.  The song 'Take a Look at Me' was later included on the 'Maple Metal' compilation record released by Attic / Viper Records in 1985.  Other Canadian artists who appeared alongside them on the vinyl included: Apple Viper; Galleon; Harlott; Havoc; Jade; Titan; Tzar; Rue Morgue and Vigilants.

     Note: There was a  1990s band in the United States also called Kid Wikkid who are often confused for the Toronto act.

     For a short time, Kid Wikkid played around Ontario and Quebec in an old station wagon.  Sudbury; Brockville; St. Anselme; Sherbrooke etc.  By June of 1985 Sebastian Bierk would return back to Peterborough to showcase Kid Wikkid to Peterborough friends and family.  

     Kid Wikkid were: Sebastian Bach (Lead Vocals); Bill Sax (Guitars, Backing Vocals); Dave Aplin (Guitar) (1984-1985); Ande Rytch (Guitar) (1983); Kenny Fox (Bass) and Brian Williams (Drums).

     Al Perry

     "...My first [concert] in Peterborough was Shylock and Kid Wikkid at Artspace.  I recall the guitarist from Lee Aaron's 'Metal Queen' video was in Sebastian's band...".  Correspondence, 2021/10/06

Kid Wikkid; Photo: Mark Weiss; Credit: Harper Collins  

     Dave Aplin [Kid Wikkid / Lee Aaron]

     "...I think we played there over two nights and two different venues; Joker's the first night and Artspace the second night.  The gigs themselves are a big blur, but I think we went over pretty well, it was a kind of homecoming for Bas....".  Correspondence, 2022/06/06

     Jim Godby

     "...sitting on the floor against the back wall and being suitably drunk.  I overdid it that night unfortunately...".  Correspondence, 2021/05/04

     Dave Aplin [Kid Wikkid / Lee Aaron]

     "...Here is what I wrote in my datebook: 'Friday June 7th Joker's Great gig, we drank until we stopped.  Saturday June 8th - Artspace - Good gig, a bit trifle useless tho' Whatever that means...".  Correspondence, 2022/06/06

     Norma Haggart

     "...I was friends with Sebastian's sister [Heather].  We lied to her Mother and said we were going to see her brother play, but instead went downtown bought acid and tripped out all night.  We were laughing so hard at the thought of her brother thinking they were rock stars... who knew...".  Correspondence, 2021/03/29

     With connections through Steve Mills [later Death Militia] who played bass in the opening band Shylock, I remember getting inside Artspace [aka: Market Hall] a little early before the doors had opened up.

Shylock - Artspace, Peterborough, 1985/06/08
L-R: Rob Syvret (vocals); Andrew Koshowski (guitar); Stephen Mills (bass);
Christian Koshowski (drums); Nolan Dewdney (guitar); Credit: Stephen Mills

     Stephen Mills [Shylok / Death Militia]

     "...Bas and I had a mutual friend also from Peterborough, photographer Ron Boudreau, and I guess Bas enlisted Ron to find a good opening band for their show.  So Ron came and checked out my band Shylok at our rehearsal and that sealed the deal...

     "...We were a cover band, doing Iron Maiden; Metallica; Trouble etc... and we were pretty tight as we had been jamming for over a year...".  Correspondence, 2022/06/07\

 

Shylok - Nolan Dewdney (guitar), Artspace 1985/06/08; Credit: Stephen Mills

 

Shylok - Stephen Mills (bass), Artspace 1985/06/08; Credit: Stephen Mills

     I think this might have been the first time I was in Artspace [#3] when it was at the under the clock location.

     One of Canada's oldest artist-run art centers, it was founded by poet Dennis Tourbin and Sebastian Bach's father David Bierk.  His father was a local realist painter who helped open Artspace in 1974 in the old Boy Scouts office on the corner of Brock and Water Street.  In 1977 Artspace later moved upstairs at 188-190 Hunter Street West [above where the Necropolis Café and Union Theatre were later located] in the old 'Bellegham Building' before moving to Market Hall under the town clock.

     Note: Sebastian's Bierk's father later was commissioned by Atlantic Records to create and paint the cover art for Skid Row (1991) Slave to the Grind.  Many members of the Union Theatre in Peterborough posed for the photo that would be used as characters in the painting.

Union Theater posing for 'Slave To The Grind' album; Credit Kerri Niemi

     This new Artspace under the clock was very impressive.  The hall had recently gone through million dollar renovations turning the old Market place and 1970s gymnasium into a national performing arts center.

Artspace [#3] (1984 - 1994); Credit: kawarthanow.com

     I hadn't met Sebastian until the night of the Kid Wikkid show, and I had never heard any of his music.  He came over to say hello to mutual friend Ed Bos, and I was introduced.  I can't recall what we all chatted about, however I will never forget that the entire time Bas was talking he was spraying and teasing his hair upwards all while chatting to us.  This continued until the can was empty of all it's contents.  Ed began to make fun of his makeup, hairdo and his glam look...  I think he just ignored us both and said something along the lines of '...shit, I got to get another can of hairspray...'.  Another can!!!, What the fuck!!!, I thought to myself.

Kid Wikkid - Gasworks, Toronto - Circa 1985; Photo: Jim Prue?; Credit: UXB Press

     Kid Wikkid were a glam / hair metal band.  It was a style of music that evolved from bands like T.Rex; The New York Dolls and David Bowie.  The theatrics of bands like Alice Cooper and Kiss melted with that style and you later got groups like: Mötley Crüe; Ratt and Poison.

     When I finally heard Sebastian perform, I must admit that he could really belt out the high notes.  Not only could he sing, more importantly one could tell that he really enjoyed it.  I wasn't really a fan of Kid Wikkid 's music.  I did like his passion and I was happy to be there enjoying that.  Sebastian had this overbearing larger than life charisma.  Both on and off stage.  The band with all the scarfs; bandannas; leather pants; make-up and bracelets just seemed like the real deal.

Kid Wikkid - Circa 1985; Photo: Ron Boudreau; Credit: HarperCollins

     Robert Stanley ['Mellow Contemporary Hour For Seniors' / Trent Radio]

     "...I remember that night very clearly.  Someone handed Baz a joint and he was nervously looking around for his dad's friends to see if they saw him grab it...".  Correspondence, 2021/06/26

     After the Kid Wikkid show, I recall that there was a bit of an after party that I was invited to at 'Ordinary Studios'.  It was really late so we didn't stay long.  I did really like the energy of that place.  It was an artist-run group founded by Trent cultural studies professor Ian MacLachlan.  In was later very involved with The Union Theatre.  I recall meeting local artist Hartley for the first time at this event.  'Ordinary Studios' would do a lot of silkscreen posters for local cultural events as well as other artists and pranksters such as 'The Rhinoceros Party of Canada'.

     Kim Vose Jones

     "...Bands would often rent performance space [at Ordinary Studios] as well, so it had a multi-tiered income which supported the arts scene.  It was an amazing place to do art until it wasn't.  We used to have art performances there in the early days.  When it transitioned to a hang out space then it all kind of fell apart...".  Correspondence, 2021/05/20

     Ken McAuley

     "...The few bands were white reggae bands and a David Bowie cover act.  Couple of theatre groups used it for rehearsal space...".  Correspondence, 2021/06/14

     Kid Wikkid might have returned to Peterborough to play Jokers Nightclub one more time before later disbanding.  Sebastian would go on to join the Michigan band Madam X (1984 - 1986).

     After breaking loose from Madam X, Sebastian returned to Toronto for a short time and performed in a hair metal band called V05.  It wouldn't be long before our local Peterborough boy would make the right connections and shoot to heavy metal stardom in the late 80's as the lead singer for the band Skid Row.

     Nikki Sixx [Mötley Crüe]

     "...after we spoke for a bit he went on stage with his band V05.  You should have seen these guy's hair!  It was to the ceiling!  But the little fucker could sing his balls off.  He told me, You just watch, I'm gonna be a star someday...  I told him, Be careful what you wish for..."  - Heroin Diaries: A Year in the Life of a Shattered Rock Star - Simon & Schuster

     Sebastian Bach would again return to town in 1992, June 10th when his heavy metal band Skid Row performed at The Peterborough Memorial Centre with Pantera and the Killer Dwarfs opening up the show.

Skid Row - Peterborough Memorial Centre; 1992/06/10
Photo: Pat Marchen, The Peterborough Examiner
Credit: Peterborough Archives

     The only notable thing I remember about this show as that there was a minor 'controversy' that had occurred at the event.  Some members of the community were upset that Sebastian had tossed free condoms from the stage with underage members being in attendance.

     A big meeting was held afterwards at the local Library to discus the 'controversy'.  Tammy and myself attended.  It was a very boring day.  Sebastian sent a video from his home in New Jersey.

Photo: Pat Marchen, Peterborough Examiner; Credit: Jenn Caley

     "...Peterborough Public Library was packed last night with teenagers, willing to listen and give their side of the AIDS issue.  A video by ...Sebastian Bach was also shown..." - The Peterborough Examiner.

     Lots of young people came out in support of 'PARN - Peterborough Aids Resource Network' who had asked Sebastian if he would throw the condoms out into the audience.