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 charged and instantly catchy songs...

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 the story behind a true classic of...

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 radically new recording techniques to non...

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 Festival, on the Chronicles of Rock. 

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, Corey Hart and Sum 41. In the year ...

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. Randy Renaud has the story on today's episod...

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 writer got a special payday. Randy Re...

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 album called Hunky Dory. It laid the ...