Zon (band)
| Company type | Band |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 1977 in Toronto, Canada |
| Headquarters | Toronto , Canada |
| Products | Studio albums, live albums, singles |
Zon was a progressive rock group established in Toronto, Canada, in 1977. The ensemble featured Denton Young on vocals, Brian Miller playing guitar, Jim Samson on bass, Kim Hunt handling drums, and Howard Helm on keyboards. Over their career, the band produced three studio albums.
History
During the mid-1970s in Toronto, a band named Act III was formed by several musicians. After guitarist Rik Emmett departed to join Triumph, Act III dissolved. Subsequently, some of its members went on to create Zon. Emmett later reflected on performing "The Blinding Light Show" with Act III, a piece that Triumph eventually recorded.
Zon's first album, Astral Projector, came out in 1978 under the production of Don V. Lorusso and was initially issued in a limited blue vinyl edition. This release led to Zon receiving a nomination for the Juno Award for Breakthrough Group of the Year. The band served as the opening act for The Tubes at Maple Leaf Gardens in Toronto and also supported Styx and Foreigner during concerts at CNE Stadium.
Their follow-up album in 1979, Back Down to Earth, was produced by Lorusso alongside Vancouver keyboardist Dale Jacobs. This record supported headline performances in Toronto that attracted audiences as large as 17,800 attendees.
Although Zon had secured a contract for a third album, they were dropped by Epic Records following an internal restructuring within the label’s A&R department.
After resolving legal matters, Zon released one final album titled I'm Worried About the Boys! on Falcon Records. This project was produced by Bob Gallo, a former CBS/Epic A&R executive, and featured a cover version of The Velvet Underground’s "Sweet Jane."
In 1980, during their tour, Zon opened for Alice Cooper at CNE Stadium. When Cooper failed to appear shortly before the show began, Denton Young announced this to the crowd, which incited a riot necessitating police involvement. Despite this turmoil and their subsequent disbandment, their 1981 single "For You" reached number two on CKOC radio charts, surpassing the performance of previous singles released through Epic.
Post-Zon
Following the breakup of Zon, Denton Young collaborated on solo projects with Rik Emmett. Kim Hunt joined bands including Hanover, Urgent, and Moxy. Jim Samson also became involved with Moxy, while Brian Miller took up work at Toronto’s 12th Fret guitar shop.
Howard Helm became part of Michael Fury, which later transformed into Refugee. In 1988, he toured extensively as a keyboardist with Mick Ronson and Ian Hunter for four years. Helm co-authored several World Championship Wrestling themes alongside Jimmy Hart. Presently, he composes music for TBS in Atlanta and Universal Studios in Orlando and continues session work with groups such as Seven Mary Three.
In 2003, Helm and former members of Zon contemplated producing a new studio album to coincide with CD reissues of their earlier works; however, this plan never came to fruition.
Guitarist Brian Miller passed away from cancer in Toronto on September 28, 2015, at age 60.
Studio albums
- Astral Projector (1978) (peaked at #44 in Canada)
- Back Down to Earth (1979)
- I'm Worried About the Boys! (1980)
Live albums
- Live (2017)
Singles
- "Melody" (1978)
- "On the Road" (1978)
- "Talkin About" (1978)
- "Back Down to Earth" (1979)
- "Sweet Jane" / "Takin' the Easy Way Out" (1980)
- "For You" / "Just the Other Side" (1981) [Canadian chart position No. 49]
- "Better Get Up" (1981)