Coney Hatch

Coney Hatch, a Toronto outfit whose moniker was taken from a famous London insane asylum, garnered considerable notice along with modest praise from critics within Canada yet failed to distinguish themselves from other acts in the melodic hard rock genre beyond national borders. The group originated in 1980 when vocalist and bassist Andy Curran teamed up with drummer Dave Ketchum, achieving a stable roster the next year through the inclusion of Carl Dixon, previously the singer and guitarist for Firefly, alongside lead guitarist Steve Shelski. Anthem Records, owned at the time by Kim Mitchell and subsequently acquired by Rush, inked a deal with the band, resulting in their 1982 self-titled debut album followed by the comparatively underwhelming Outa Hand in 1983. Prior to the 1985 release of Friction, Dave Ketchum departed and was succeeded by Barry Connors on drums, but this effort proved equally unsuccessful, leading to the group's dissolution once the label ended their contract in 1986. To mark the appearance of the 1992 compilation Best of Three, a short-lived reunion tour took place, after which the musicians parted company once more.