Chronicles of Rock

Back in the spring of 1997, Dave Grohl was dealing with not only a divorce, but the potential break-up of the band that he just formed! And yet, out of all that emerged an album that would become one of the best-selling rock albums of the late 90's. Randy Renaud has the story of The Colour and the Shape on this week's edition of the Chronicles of Rock.

Due to Jim Morrison's legal and alcohol problems, the Doors' live gigs had dried up. So, to cut costs, they set up a makeshift recording studio in a dingy former jewelry store on Santa Monica Blvd. But just as they were getting set to record their sixth studio album, their producer suddenly quit. Nevertheless, the band soldiered on, and created one of the all-time great rock albums

April 13, 1970 was a night that would go down as one of the greatest highlights in Montreal concert lore, because it was the night that Led Zeppelin came to town for the first time. They became the first band to ever sell out the Forum, and something happened that night that would, in the years to come, become a worldwide tradition at rock concerts. Randy Renaud has the whole story

Its title was inspired by a movie starring Sally Field, and its music was partly inspired by Peter Gabriel's recording experimentations, as well as some of the contemporary bands Roland Orzabal was listening to at the time. And in the spring and summer of 1985, it ruled the world's record charts. For this week's edition of the Chronicles of Rock, Randy Renaud has the story of Tears

Although leader Ian Anderson denied that it was ever intended to be a concept album, Jethro Tull's breakthrough album, Aqualung, explored the contradictions of institutional religion and contemporary social conditions on an album that would go to be hailed as an all-time classic. Randy Renaud has the story of Aqualung, for its 53rd anniversary, on the Chronicles of Rock.

This week in 1987, the rock world was buzzing about the brilliant new album from U2, on which the Irish band painted a portrait of America in song. It ended up winning the Grammy for Album of the Year, and would then go on to become one of the best-selling albums in history. Randy Renaud has the story of The Joshua Tree on this week's edition of the Chronicles of Rock.