Coney Hatch formed in 1981, and began performing and developing original material. The band was named after the
Colney Hatch Lunatic Asylum (1851–1993) in
London. The band's first album was produced by
Kim Mitchell of
Max Webster and released in 1982. Ketchum left the band in 1983, and was replaced by Barry Connors, who formerly drummed with the band
Toronto. In 1983, Coney Hatch opened for
Iron Maiden at forty concerts on their World Piece Tour. The band performed at the
Hollywood Palladium in 1985 with
Rough Cutt and
Accept. In April 2008, Carl Dixon was very seriously injured in a car accident in Australia, leaving him with traumatic brain injury and extensive titanium implants and a glass eye. On August 5, 2010, the original Coney Hatch line up including the injured Carl Dixon played a reunion show at the
Phoenix Concert Theatre in Toronto. It was the first performance from the original line up since 1993. Two days later they played in Hamilton, Ontario, at The Festival of Friends. They were the second to last act on the main stage. The final act of the night was
Gord Downie. A further live date was scheduled for the Firefest rock festival in
Nottingham, England, on October 23, 2011. Coney Hatch performed at the Rock n' Roar weekend event in August 2013, in
Spanish, Ontario. Coney Hatch again featured at Firefest, Nottingham in October 2014. In 2018, Coney Hatch announced an eight dates tour from October to December, with Sean Kelly on lead guitar in place of Steve Shelski. Coney Hatch toured to packed venues with Steve Harris's British Lion in Ontario and Quebec. and went on to favourable reviews playing H.E.A.T. Festival Ludwigsburg, Germany. Sweden Rock Festival and Hamburg Summer Festival in 2023. In November 2023, Coney Hatch performed at Firefest Festival (10 Years After) in the UK at
Manchester Academy on October 11–13, 2024. The band preceded headline act Heavy Pettin on the Friday night. ==Members' other activities==