Chronicles of Rock

After the break-ups of his two previous bands, Cream and Blind Faith, Eric Clapton wanted to retreat from the spotlight and just be a musician for awhile. So he joined the American touring band, Delaney and Bonnie and Friends, and then continued jamming with some of the other band members at his house in England. Out of those jams emerged songs that the band then went to Miami to record. And it wa...

In November 1993, one of rock's hottest new bands, Nirvana, travelled to New York City to record a performance for MTV's Unplugged series. But the resulting live album wouldn't get released for another year due to the suicide of Kurt Cobain 5 months after the taping. It would, however, become one of the most successful live albums in rock history, and a poignant farewell to one of the most importa...

CHOM's original studios were at 1355 Greene Avenue in an old manour home that CHOM staff was convinced was haunted. Eerie sounds were heard at night, a large mirror at the top of the stairs kept cracking, and a spectral presence was spotted by many employees. Staff refused to work overnight, and it got so bad that an emergency seance was held. For Halloween, Randy revisits the chilling tale of the...

Out in the English countryside sits an old manor house that was once an orphanage; and bands like Genesis, Led Zeppelin, and Fleetwood Mac would go there to write, rehearse, and even to record. But they all found it ultimately unsettling due to strange noises in the night, and even ghostly apparitions. Jimmy Page and Steve Hackett help Randy Renaud tell the chilling tale of Headley Grange for the...

In late October, 1993, Pearl Jam were featured on the covers of both Time Magazine and Rolling Stone, proclaiming them as the vanguard of a new youth movement and new generation of rock bands. They had just released their second album, Vs., which became one of the fastest albums in history, and helped to establish Pearl Jam as one of the biggest bands in the world. Randy Renaud takes you back to t...

In mid-October, 1985, a great new rock band from the north of England blazed onto the scene featuring a lead singer who'd been raised in Hamilton, Ontario. Marrying elements of 60's psychedelic rock, 70's hard rock, and 80's post-punk rock, The Cult crafted an album that served notice that heavy guitar rock was still alive and well in the era of synthesizers. Randy Renaud revisits the story behind...

In early October, 1992, that little ol' band from Kingston, the Tragically Hip, released their third album, Fully Completed. It featured a heavier sound and lyrics inspired by Canadian culture and history. It went straight to number one in Canada, and became one of THE defining albums of Canadian rock. Randy Renaud revisits the story behind it on the Chronicles of Rock. 

The early 80's was a new era for both technology (the internet and personal computers) and music (synthesizers and drum machines). It gave rise to a new form of popular music called "synth-pop," and one of the best examples of that came in the spring of 1983 with the release of the debut album by Tears For Fears. Co-leaders Roland Orzabal and Curt Smith channeled childhood traumas into emotionally...

It was 35 years ago on September 24th that the rock world was energized by a new revolution in sound, style and attitude. The Nirvana album Nevermind kicked open the door for alternative rock and became one of the best-selling albums of all time. Celebrate 35 years of Nevermind with Randy Renaud on the Chronicles of Rock.  

As the winter of 1973-74 began to thaw, and spring began to dawn, so too did the Quebec music scene, with the sudden emergence of bands like Beau Dommage, Octobre, and Harmonium. Harmonium's debut album, released in February 1974, made them not only one of Montreal's leading bands, but one of the most celebrated bands in all of prog-rock -- even going on tour with Supertramp. Randy Renaud revisits...

It was a blow that would have finished most bands. But AC/DC rebounded from the death of their frontman, Bon Scott, by recruiting a new lead singer, and recording the biggest album of their career, and one of the best-selling records in music history. Randy Renaud has the story behind Back In Black on the Chronicles of Rock. 

60 years ago, in August 1966, London was being called "Swinging London" -- the home of Twiggy, James Bond, Pop Art, mini-skirts, and the site of England's only World Cup championship (in July). It was also the home of John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr who went into Abbey Road Studios in April to record an album that would redefine what popular music could be. From radica...

Randy Renaud caught up with Frank Marino, legendary musician and frontman of Mahogany Rush. He discusses his early career, shares his favourite guitar solos and chats about Angine de Poitrine's success. Frank Marino will be playing a free outdoor concert at the 2026 edition of Italfest MTL on August 7 at 9:15 p.m. at the corner of St. Laurent boulevard and Jean-Talon Street.

One hot and stormy weekend in the summer of 1969, a half a million people gathered at a pig farm in upstate New York to experience an incredible event -- one of the greatest collections of rock performers in history, and a remarkable example of collective harmony and cooperation. Randy Renaud revisits the story of the most famous music festival in history: the 1969 Woodstock Music and Arts Festiva...

15 summers ago, in July 2011, U2 came to Montreal on their 360 Degrees tour. But unlike their previous show in 1997, this time, they wouldn't be playing at Olympic Stadium. It was deemed unsafe, and there was nowhere else large enough to accommodate the band's massive stage structure, nicknamed "The Claw."  So the band spent their own money to adapt the old Blue Bonnets racetrack into a world...

At the start of 1982, the Glasgow band, Simple Minds, were deeply in debt and contemplating breaking up. But a surprise hit single in the spring of that year changed their minds and their fortunes. They then went into the studio that summer to record the album that would become their masterpiece. To herald the arrival of summer, Randy Renaud has the story behind an album that radiates summer warmt...

Sting, Stewart Copeland, and Andy Summers came to Morin Heights, in the Laurentians, to do some skiing and to record their fifth album. It would become the most successful of their career, reaching number one on record charts around the world. But it would also prove to be their last. Randy Renaud revisits the story behind its creation and the tensions that pulled the band apart on this week's edi...

In early 1970, a quartet from Winnipeg released an album that would become an all-time rock classic. It raced up the charts in both Canada and the U.S., and was so successful that it earned the band an invitation to perform at the White House. Ironically, the inspiration for the title track came from an unpleasant encounter with American border authorities. To welcome the Guess Who back to Montrea...

Donald Tarlton was one of the most important figures in not only the history of popular music here in Montreal, but in Canada. He founded the concert promotion and booking company Donald K. Donald (or DKD) in 1966, and was instrumental in bringing to Montreal bands like Led Zeppelin, The Rolling Stones and the Who. He also helped create the Aquarius record label featuring artists like April Wine,...

On April 2, 1968, Jimi Hendrix came to Montreal to perform for the one and only time. He and the Experience did a concert at the Paul Sauvé arena (that's Jimi backstage at the arena in the photo), but unruly fans kept invading the stage and even  stole some of the band's equipment. Jimi, Mitch Mitchell, and Noel Redding arrived in town the night before, and ended up in an Irish pub. Ra...

In 1982, Eddie Vedder was working at a San Diego radio station, and he fell in love with a new song they were playing from a British band. Many years later, he and Pearl Jam recorded their song "Better Man," and once it became a hit, Vedder suddenly realized that he had unintentionally borrowed the chord structure from that 80's song he'd loved. But he made up for it by making sure the original wr...

As 1971 was coming to a close, David Bowie was going through some "Changes" -- from a Dylan-inspired singer-songwriter to the space-age rock star named Ziggy Stardust. He was broke, a new father, and in desperate need of some commercial success. So he recruited a band of musicians from Northern England, including a brilliant guitarist and arranger named Mick Ronson. And together they created an al...

55 years ago this week, John Lennon and Yoko Ono focused the world's press attention on Montreal as they hosted their pillowy summit for peace at the Queen Elizabeth Hotel. Randy Renaud takes you back to that monumental moment in Montreal's history on this week's episode of the Chronicles of Rock.