Kon Kan
Kon Kan is a Canadian synth-pop project conceived and formed in 1988 by Barry Harris in Toronto, Ontario. Kon Kan were awarded a 1990 Juno for the song "I Beg Your Pardon" and nominated for a 1991 Juno Award for the single "Puss N' Boots/These Boots Are Made for Walkin'".[1]
Kon Kan
1988–1994, 2013–present
- Barry Harris
Kevin Wynne
History[edit]
Band name[edit]
Musician Barry Harris said the name "Kon Kan" is a play on the term "Can Con", the Canadian radio regulation that states radio stations must play Canadian artists at least 30% of the time. Harris named the group "Kon Kan" as a subtle advertisement to Canadian stations that he was Canadian. However, he said the move didn't work, and he wasn't noticed by the stations until Atlantic Records signed them.[2]
"I Beg Your Pardon"[edit]
"I Beg Your Pardon" was inspired in part by both the Pet Shop Boys hit single "Always on My Mind" and an increasingly prevalent use of sampling by artists such as Public Enemy, M/A/R/R/S and Coldcut.[3] The track sampled Lynn Anderson's 1971 hit "(I Never Promised You a) Rose Garden", Silver Convention's 1976 hit "Get Up and Boogie (That's Right)", GQ's "Disco Nights (Rock-Freak)", Tones on Tail's "Go!", Spagna's "Call Me", National Lampoon's "Disco Hotline" sketch from their That's Not Funny, That's Sick album, and the opening bars from the theme music from The Magnificent Seven (which was also well known as the theme to a commercial for Marlboro cigarettes in the 1960s).[4][5]
It was recorded part-time during weekends in a home basement midi studio in Hamilton, Ontario, in March, April and May 1988, which was where Harris met Kevin Wynne, who was hired to sing the song's verses.
The resulting single was released in June 1988 on (now defunct) indie label Revolving Records, in Toronto.
In a 1989 Billboard magazine interview, Harris reported it was a trip to Portugal that inspired him to write "I Beg Your Pardon", stating that he "got frustrated not getting anywhere as a DJ, so I went to Portugal to clear my mind. That's where the idea for 'Beg' came." The record was Harris' first studio project.[6]
2013 reformation, Lost 80's Live 2022 tour and 2023/24 live tour[edit]
In June 2013, Barry Harris and Kevin Wynne briefly reunited as Kon Kan, but went their separate ways again in the spring of 2014.
On 25 March 2014, Harris announced on Kon Kan's Facebook Page that they were to begin writing and producing a new Kon Kan song with Rachid Wehbi. The result was a rough sketch of what would later become "Stars" (written by Bob Mitchell & Barry Harris) which went on the back burner for years as Harris wasn't happy with the song. Later in 2023, Harris recruited Ian Nieman to help finish the song lyrically and be given a writing credit. Harris finally recorded, sang on and released "Stars" in July 2023.
On 16 May 2022, Harris posted a letter to Kon Kan's Facebook Page to announce that he will not be performing as part of the band for the Lost 80's Live 2022 U.S. tour, and that he allowed Wynne to use the Kon Kan name for the said 2022 tour. He also said that there will not be any new Kon Kan music. Also performing as part of the band was Sandy Horne of Spoons.[9]
On October 21, 2023, Harris announced on Kon Kan's Facebook Page the new Kon Kan 2023/2024 live touring band featuring himself (vocals, keyboards, guitar) with new band members Kimberley Wetmore (vocals), Christian McFadden (vocals, bass, keyboards), Adam Weatherup (guitar) and Tim Fleming (drums, percussion).[10]