Kenyon Records will release “Dangerous Toys: The Definitive Edition,” a reissue of the self-titled 1989 debut from Austin, Texas, sleaze metal band Dangerous Toys, on Nov. 13, 2026. Pre-order it here.
This fully authorized, band-approved release reunites the group with the man who produced its sound in the first place: Max Norman, who returned in 2026 to remaster the album from the ground up, completing dedicated remasters specifically for vinyl and for CD to preserve maximum fidelity in each format.
The 2xCD, 2xLP and 2xcassette editions are anchored by nine live recordings from the band’s 1989 tour that have never been heard by anyone outside the band until now (the CD includes extra live bonus track of “That Dog”). The recordings come straight from frontman Jason McMaster’s personal stash of soundboard cassettes—tapes the band’s front-of-house engineer handed off after shows so the band members could study their own performances, never duplicated or heard publicly until this release.
“I was excited to hear these somewhat raw but cool recordings from long ago for the first time in at least 30 years, maybe more,” McMaster said. “No copies were ever made of these master cassettes. We hope you enjoy these historical moments from the archives.”
Formed in Austin, Texas, in October 1987, Dangerous Toys fused Southern-fried hard rock swagger with metal muscle and punk attitude—equal parts Aerosmith and ZZ Top, filtered through razor-edged sleaze. McMaster (formerly of progressive metal outfit Watchtower) joined guitarist Scott Dalhover, bassist Mike Watson and drummer Mark Geary, and within a year the band had landed a major-label deal without ever recording an actual demo. Industry buzz instead was sparked by a cassette of a live local radio broadcast, and after several shows in Texas, a bidding war broke out among major labels.
Produced by Norman at Sound City studio—the same room later immortalized in Dave Grohl’s 2013 documentary—and released May 9, 1989, the self-titled debut was instantly recognizable thanks to artist Tommy Pons’ now iconic cover: Bill Z. Bub, the leering, red-haired horror-clown jack-in-the-box that remains the band’s visual signature to this day.
The record delivered two MTV “Headbangers Ball” staples and radio hits, “Teas’n, Pleas’n” and “Scared,” plus fan-favorite third single “Sport’n a Woody.” “Teas’n, Pleas’n” climbed to number 1 on MTV’s “Dial MTV,” knocking Bon Jovi from the top spot. The album itself hit No. 65 on the Billboard 200 and earned a Gold certification from the RIAA—a breakout run that sent the band out on the road with Judas Priest, The Cult, Motörhead, L.A. Guns and Alice Cooper.
2xCD Definitive Edition (limited to 1,000 hand-numbered copies)
- Disc One: the original album, newly remastered
- Disc Two: a 10-song “Live in ’89” performance, including the CD-exclusive live recording of “That Dog”
- Deluxe 8-panel Digipak with dual trays
- Extensive 24-page booklet featuring unseen, officially licensed photography
- Liner notes on the album’s making by Katherine Turman (former RIP Magazine editor), drawn from 2026 interviews with the band
- Liner notes on the bonus live recordings by Jason McMaster
- Full-color hype sticker
2xLP Definitive Edition (each variant limited to 250 copies, hand numbered)
Available in four collectible color variants: “Bill Z. Bub the Clown” Neon Orange Splatter, “Queen of the Nile” Emerald Green, “Scared” Ghost Purple, and “Teas’n, Pleas’n” Red & Black
- Each variant limited to 250 copies, hand numbered
- Pressed on 180g heavyweight vinyl
- Remastered specifically for vinyl by Max Norman
- Second LP featuring nine “Live in ’89” performances
- Deluxe gatefold jacket, 350gsm, with hot-foil red-stamped logo
- Black poly-lined inner sleeves
- Large-format 16-page, 12-inch booklet
- Included 24″ x 36″ poster
- Unseen, officially licensed photos from 1989
- Liner notes on the album’s making by Katherine Turman
- Liner notes on the bonus live recordings by Jason McMaster
- Full-color hype sticker
2xCassette Definitive Edition (limited to 100 hand-numbered copies — Kenyon Records webstore exclusive)
- Cassette One: the complete original 11-track album, newly remastered
- Cassette Two: nine previously unreleased “Live in ’89” recordings
- All-new packaging: custom slipcover housing a butterfly box that holds both cassettes
- Two unique 6-panel J-cards, one per cassette
Picture Disc LP (limited to 125 hand-numbered copies — Kenyon Records webstore exclusive)
- The complete original 11-song album, remastered by Max Norman, pressed to a striking picture disc
- Housed in a heavy protective sleeve with insert
- A collector-focused, straight-to-the-source presentation of the remastered studio album
All formats are officially licensed, with full authorization and participation from Dangerous Toys.
Track listing:
Studio: Teas’n, Pleas’n, Scared, Bones in the Gutter, Take Me Drunk, Feels Like a Hammer, Sport’n a Woody, Queen of the Nile, Outlaw, Here Comes Trouble, Ten Boots, That Dog
Live in ’89: Outlaw, Here Comes Trouble, Ten Boots, Queen of the Nile, Bones in the Gutter, Take Me Drunk, Sport’n a Woody, Teas’n, Pleas’n, Gimme No Lip, That Dog (CD exclusive)
In conjunction with the reissue, Dangerous Toys and Kenyon Records have entered into a new merchandise licensing agreement to create an all-new collectible line built around the Bill Z. Bub clown imagery and logo and time specific to the 1989 album. The collection includes:
- Full-color, front-and-back screen-printed T-shirts, Zip-up Hoodies & Raglans
- High-quality 2.5” full color enamel pins featuring the band’s iconic clown & logo
- Full-size back patch
- High-quality vinyl stickers
- Wall flags/tapestries
- Battle Jackets
- Slipmat
The new merchandise line will be available alongside the reissue, giving fans and collectors even more ways to celebrate Dangerous Toys exclusively at Kenyon Records webstore.
