Kon Kan

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Kon Kan
Barry Harris of Kon Kan, 2023
Background information
OriginToronto, Ontario, Canada
Genres
Years active1988–1994, 2013–present
Labels
Members
WebsiteKon Kan on Facebook

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]

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]

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][conflicted source]

International success[edit]

Barry Harris, Kon Kan tour, Singapore 1989

Marc Nathan, a New York-based Atlantic Records employee (and radio promoter) who was on vacation in Toronto, heard "I Beg Your Pardon" in a dance club, where Barry Harris was DJing. Nathan bought several copies of the single from a record store around the corner from the club and took them back to New York. The single was sent to four radio stations and was received particularly enthusiastically in Houston.

By fall of 1988, Kon Kan was signed by Atlantic Records, and marketed as a duo. "I Beg Your Pardon", eventually re-released in the spring of 1989, was a worldwide hit, and reached the top 5 in several countries (including the UK) and the Billboard top 20 in the US. The song earned Kon Kan a Juno Award for Best Dance Recording in 1990.

Move to Move (1989)[edit]

Kon Kan's debut album, Move to Move, was recorded in Los Angeles in January and February 1989. Later that year, it appeared on the RPM Top 100 Albums chart.[7] As well as "I Beg Your Pardon", it also spawned the singles "Harry Houdini", "Move to Move" and "Puss N' Boots". The latter track included samples and interpolations of Led Zeppelin's "Immigrant Song" and "Good Times Bad Times", Nancy Sinatra's "These Boots Are Made for Walkin'" and the Champs' "Tequila".

Syntonic (1990)[edit]

Kon Kan released their second album, Syntonic late 1990. Harris again teamed up with several writers (including Bob Mitchell), fusing dance and pop tracks with original songs such as Jimmy Soul's "If You Wanna Be Happy" (on "(Could've Said) I Told You So") and Canadian band Trooper's "We're Here for a Good Time" (on "Time"). The album was produced by a number of established producers.

Vida!... (1993)[edit]

Following the commercial failure of Syntonic, Kon Kan was dropped from Atlantic Records' roster.

For the next album, Vida!... (Hypnotic Records), Harris resumed songwriting duties with Bob Mitchell and Kon Kan expanded to a 4-piece band. Along with original songs such as the album's lead single "Sinful Wishes", there was a remake of "Move to Move" and a cover of David Bowie's "Moonage Daydream". The second single released from the album was "S.O.L." (short for "shit outta luck").

In April 2020, Harris released Vida! worldwide digitally with additional previously unreleased remixes.[8]

2023/24 live tour[edit]

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).[9]

Kon Kan discography[edit]

Albums[edit]

Singles[edit]

Year Title Peak chart positions Album
CAN US UK
[10] 		GER NLD AUS
[11][12] 		NZ
[13]
1988 "I Beg Your Pardon" 19 15 5 8 3 100 7 Move to Move
"Harry Houdini" 39 — 88 — — 156 14
1989 "Puss N' Boots/These Boots Are Made for Walkin'" 61 58 — — — 173 11
"Move to Move" 84 — — — — — —
1990 "Liberty!" 91 — — — — 152 — Syntonic
"(Could've Said) I Told You So" 72 — — — — — —
1993 "Better Day" — — — — — — —
"Sinful Wishes" 75 — — — — — — Vida!...
"S.O.L." — — — — — — —
1994 "I Beg Your Pardon (I Never Promised You a Rose Garden)" (re-recorded for Hi-Bias Records) — — — — — — — I Beg Your Pardon (I Never
Promised You a Rose Garden) (EP)
2007 "I Beg Your Pardon (I Never Promised You a Rose Garden)" — — — — — — — 2007 Remixes (iTunes release)
2014 "I Beg Your Pardon 2014" (Barry Harris presents Kon Kan) — — — — — — — "I Beg Your Pardon 2014"
(Edson Pride Remixes / Part 2)
2021 "Arias & Symphonies" — — — — — — — Spoons "Echoes"
(various artists)
2023 "Stars" — — — — — — — Non-album singles
2023 "Sinful Wishes (2023 Moonlight Mix)" (feat. Kimberley Wetmore) — — — — — — —

References[edit]

  1. ^ "Juno Awards Database". Canadian Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences. Archived from the original on 6 July 2011. Retrieved 14 March 2011.
  2. ^ "Interview with Barry Harris of Kon Kan". Kickin' it Old School. 27 June 2013. Retrieved 10 December 2021.
  3. ^ Lost Albums : KON KAN Move To Move | The Electricity Club Archived 21 November 2013 at the Wayback Machine
  4. ^ Kon Kan's I Beg Your Pardon sample of Lynn Anderson's Rose Garden | WhoSampled
  5. ^ "The Marlboro Man". National Public Radio. 21 October 2002. Archived from the original on 1 December 2002. Retrieved 14 March 2011.
  6. ^ Richliano, James (12 August 1989). "Kon Kan Is on The 'Move' With New Album" (PDF). Billboard Magazine. p.29. Retrieved 22 August 2019.
  7. ^ "RPM Top 100 Albums". RPM Magazine Volume 50, No. 24 14 October 1989.
  8. ^ https://www.facebook.com/konkanofficial/posts/pfbid0237MrxXwMkVwQZdbakcF66BLwtGMe9462GCND6fe5898YfqmNnFdQWubEjro9owutl
  9. ^ https://www.facebook.com/konkanofficial/posts/pfbid0W7DTeNb2JijGjU3QpM7rQcBoRPx9CaR2GLsUgAhQWnp6CXvgw4MtVZWvfUtDASwTl
  10. ^ Roberts, David (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums (19th ed.). London: Guinness World Records Limited. p. 306. ISBN 1-904994-10-5.
  11. ^ "Response from ARIA re: chart inquiry, received 15 July 2015". Imgur. Archived from the original on 16 July 2015. Retrieved 13 October 2015.
  12. ^ "Bubbling Down Under Week Commencing 25 February 1991". Retrieved 28 February 2022.
  13. ^ "Kon Kan Discography". charts.nz. Retrieved 24 March 2013.

External links[edit]

Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Kon_Kan&oldid=1222251414"