Kon Kan

Kon Kan

Company type	Music group
Industry	Music
Founded	1988 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Founder	Barry Harris
Headquarters	Toronto , Canada
Products	Music albums and singles

Kon Kan is a synth-pop ensemble from Canada, established in 1988 by Barry Harris in Toronto, Ontario. The group earned a 1990 Juno Award for their track "I Beg Your Pardon" and received a nomination at the 1991 Juno Awards for "Puss N' Boots/These Boots Are Made for Walkin'".

Origin of the name

The name "Kon Kan" was coined by Barry Harris as a pun on "Can Con", the Canadian broadcasting mandate that requires 30% of music played to be by Canadian artists. This was intended to highlight their Canadian roots to radio programmers, though widespread recognition only followed after signing with Atlantic Records.

"I Beg Your Pardon"

The successful single "I Beg Your Pardon" was influenced by the Pet Shop Boys' rendition of "Always on My Mind" and reflected the rising trend of sampling popularized by groups such as Public Enemy. The song features samples from Lynn Anderson's "(I Never Promised You a) Rose Garden", Silver Convention's "Get Up and Boogie", GQ’s "Disco Nights (Rock-Freak)", Tones on Tail’s "Go!", Spagna’s "Call Me", among others. Harris attributes the inspiration for this track to a visit to Portugal, marking his debut studio production.

Move to Move (1989)

Kon Kan’s first album, Move to Move, was produced in Los Angeles and appeared on the RPM Top 100 Albums chart. Alongside "I Beg Your Pardon," it included singles like "Harry Houdini," "Move to Move," and "Puss N' Boots," which incorporated samples from Led Zeppelin, Nancy Sinatra, and The Champs.

Vida!... (1993)

Following the commercial disappointment of Syntonic, Atlantic Records dropped Kon Kan. For their album Vida!... released under Hypnotic Records, Harris teamed up with Bob Mitchell and expanded Kon Kan into a quartet. This album featured original songs such as "Sinful Wishes," a reimagined version of "Move to Move," and a cover of David Bowie's "Moonage Daydream." The follow-up single was "S.O.L." In 2020, Vida!... was digitally reissued with previously unreleased remixes.

2013 reunion and recent performances

In June 2013, Barry Harris reunited briefly with Kevin Wynne under the Kon Kan name but they separated again in 2014. In May 2022, Harris declared he would not participate in the Lost 80's Live 2022 U.S. tour, granting Wynne permission to perform using the Kon Kan name during that event. The touring group included Sandy Horne from Spoons.

On 21 October 2023, Harris revealed a newly formed Kon Kan live touring band for the 2023–2024 period featuring himself alongside Kimberley Wetmore, Christian McFadden, Adam Weatherup, and Tim Fleming.

Albums

• Move to Move (1989)
• Syntonic (1990)
• Vida!... (1993)

Singles

Year	Title	Peak chart positions							Album
		CAN	US	UK	GER	NLD	AUS	NZ
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	—	—	—	—	—	—
"Better Day"	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
75	—	—	—	—	—	—
—	—	—	—	—	—	—
"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)
"I Beg Your Pardon (I Never Promised You a Rose Garden)"							2007 Remixes (iTunes release)
"I Beg Your Pardon 2014" (Barry Harris presents Kon Kan)							"I Beg Your Pardon 2014" (Edson Pride Remixes / Part 2)
"Arias & Symphonies"							Spoons "Echoes" (various artists)
"Stars"							rowspan=2 | Non-album singles
"Sinful Wishes (2023 Moonlight Mix)" (feat. Kimberley Wetmore)