Anybody know 'Chris Kane'?

[StoneMtn]

A friend of mine is in a band (several, really) and he plays with many musicians. One guy who stops by now and then is named "Chris Kane", and apparently he was in a Grateful Dead tribute band in the late '80s in Toronto. If the story I hear is true, they were playing like four nights per week at $1500 per gig, so I would think I must have seen this guy play.

Anyone know who this band was? I know the drummer was named "Chris Oluchuck" or something similar. Kane would be about 40 years old, now, and lives half in Toronto, half in L.A.

Anyone?

[zero]

Something about a Dead tribute band pulling in $1500 for any gig in the 80's strikes me as odd. Don't know the guy.

[Cully]

Don't you mean Chris Gaines?

[StoneMtn]

No argument here. That is what intrigued me the most.

In fact, if what I'm told is true, this guy was asked by a relatively famous Toronto musician to give up his GD tribute band and come work for him as a drummer. Chris apparently plays every instrument. The relatively famous guy was not so relatively famous back then, and I am told that Chris turned him down, although he is now somewhat regretting that decision.

[MuleMomma]

Wow, what a blast from the past! Chris Kane was the bass player in the GD tribute band called "The Other One". First time I saw them at "Rock & Roll Heaven" (a club at Yonge & Bloor) in January 1987, the lineup was Mark Thackway on guitar, Walter ? on rhythm guitar, Chris Kane on bass, Kevin Bishop and Mike Lowcock on keys, and Chris Oleschuk on drums. They were incredible! They regularly played R&R Heaven, Larry's Hideaway, Lee's Palace...actually all the happening clubs in Toronto. I ended up dating Chris Oleschuk for a while, and my friend ended up engaged to Mike Lowcock. It was my real first "Dead" immersion.

As I recall they opened when Merl and some of the New Riders came to town. Timothy Leary was an audience member at one of their shows.

I remember once Chris Oleschuk saying that Chris Kane was really "the Paul McCartney of the band" because he was a prolific songwriter and he could play any instrument.

Anyway, several years later, the band separated because apparently half wanted to play originals and half wanted to continue with what they were doing. The half of Mark Thackway and Mike Lowcock became "Days of You", but I can't remember the name of Chris and Chris's band though they didn't really continue with the GD. As for Walter and Kevin, they went on to pursue other non-music related activities, though I think Kevin's doing something now.

Don't know anything about the LA connection, but it's good to hear that Chris is still out there checking out music.

[edger]

I had wondered whether there might have been some sort of Days of You connection...

[StoneMtn]

Awesome. Thanks MuleMomma.

I kept throwing out names to my friend of the bands I thought it could be. I did suggest The Other One. He obviously had no idea.

I can't remember if I ever actually saw them, or if I only started with Days of You. I think missed The Other One entirely.

Thanks for posting. My curiosity is satisfied.

[traveler]

When I saw them at Barrymores they had a guy whom developed a virtual instrument. He would stand in front of a screen. On the screen where various instruments he would play using sensors on his body as he danced. Way ahead of there time. That guy must be a millionare now.

[MuleMomma]

The guy who developed the virtual instrument was Mike Lowcock's brother, Vinvent John Vincent (or Vincent Van Vincent, I can't remember which he went by) and he called it the "Mandela." His company was, and still is, "Vivid Effects." Last I heard, one of his employees still travelled the world installing the system. They've had offers and installed the software for all sorts of companies, including the Hockey Hall Of Fame. It was him who was friends with Timothy Leary (unsurprisingly).