Chevy Chase Drummed in a Psychedelic Rock Band Before He Was A Star (& His Bandmates Are More Famous Than Him)
By Tony Alpsen
Published on March 30, 2026.
Chevy Chase was a musician before he became the first breakout star in Saturday Night Live history, playing in two different bands in 1967. The Leather Canary, known as The Bad Rock Band or The Very Bad Jazz Band, featured Chase on drums, Walter Becker on guitar, and Donald Fagen on the electric piano. Chase quit the band and joined Becker and Fagen to form Steely Dan a few years later. Chase also played the piano and provided vocals for the psychedelic rock band Chamaeleon Church. The band was instrumental in securing a publishing deal with record producer Alan Lorber, who was behind the creation of "Do You Believe in Magic" by The Lovin' Spoonful.
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