Product Review: Joe Keithley Throbblehead by Aggronautix

Canada's D.O.A. are considered by many to be the founders of hardcore, and are currently celebrating their 30th anniversary. The three-piece group has been through countless line-up changes over the years, but the one constant has been Joey "Shithead" Keithley. Joey, Chuck Biscuits, and Randy Rampage comprised the original version of D.O.A., and recorded two classics of the genre: Something Better Change (1980) and Hardcore '81 (1981).

From then on, it was the Joey Shithead show. He carried on with various members, to release a number of great punk albums, plus the monumental live document, Talk Minus Action Equals Zero (1991). Now that he has been inducted into the Canadian Independent Music Hall Of Fame, and been named by The Vancouver Sun newspaper as one of "British Columbia's Most Influential People Of All Time," it is time for the ultimate honor. Joey Shithead has been immortalized as a Throbblehead.

The Aggronautix company has been releasing limited edition bobblehead dolls that they call Throbbleheads for about a year now. So far, they have issued dolls of GG Allin (twice), Tesco Vee, The Dwarves, Milo (of The Descendents), and Wendy O. Williams. All of these artists are notorious punk rockers, and all have a pretty rabid cult following.

Joey Shithead definitely fits into the program. Apart from his music, Joey has run his own record label, Sudden Death Records for many years, and can always be counted on to perform at peace rallies and environmental events. His autobiography I, Shithead: A Life In Punk is an excellent treatise on his time in and out of the spotlight.

As always, Aggronautix have done an outstanding job. The doll stands at seven inches tall, and is made of a lightweight polyresin. It is presented in a great tri-windowed package, and limited to 1,000 pieces. They also do a nice job on the details, including the trademark cut-off jean jacket, and his unruly shock of dirty blonde hair.

I thought I had given up collecting “toys” many years ago, but these Throbbleheads are just too cool. Check it out at the Aggronautix site.