In November 1972, a new California band suddenly burst onto the scene with a brilliant debut album. But that band was really just a recording vehicle for two songwriters from New York, Donald Fagan and Walter Becker, who would go on to create some of the finest albums of the Seventies and get inducted into the Rock Hall of Fame in 2001. But this first one has gone down in history as one of rock's finest. Randy Renaud revisits the birth of Steely Dan on this week's edition of the Chronicles of Rock.

In November of 1988, there was optimism in the air as the Cold War was thawing, and words like "glasnost" and "perestroika" were part of the parlance of the age. And R.E.M., for their 6th album, reflected that optimism on the album Green. It was one of their most overtly political albums with songs like "Orange Crush," "Stand" and "World Leader Pretend." Randy tells the story behind it, and how Montreal's own Leonard Cohen inspired one of its songs, on the Chronicles of Rock.

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 CHOM Ghost -- the original "spirit" of rock.

In 1995, the Smashing Pumpkins were on top of the rock world with the release of a double album that leader Billy Corgan likened to the Beatles' White Album, or Pink Floyd's The Wall. And despite it being a double album, it debuted at number 1 on the Billboard 200 album chart, and earned the band 7 Grammy nominations. To mark the album's 30th anniversary, Randy Renaud revisits the story behind the making of Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness on the Chronicles of Rock.

It began with the theft of a bunch of their instruments, continued with writing sessions in a rat-infested (and possibly haunted) old house, and finished in a race to meet a deadline. But the result was one of Prog-Rock's greatest concept albums. It would also prove to be the last with lead singer Peter Gabriel. To mark the release of the new box set and Dolby Atmos mix of the album, Randy traces the story behind The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway by Genesis on the Chronicles of Rock.

35 years ago, after a triumphant performance at a music festival in Wisconsin alongside many other rock & blues greats, the 35 year old Stevie Ray Vaughan died in a helicopter crash, thus cutting short one of the most remarkable careers and talents in the history of rock. Randy Renaud pays tribute to the guy who even blues giants like Buddy Guy and B.B. King revered on the latest edition of the Chronicles of Rock.

In the early 1980’s, rock’s New Wave washed away many of the bands from the previous decade. But one Canadian band adapted and rode the tide to even greater success. For their 8th album, Rush pared down their sound and integrated ska and afro-beat rhythms to create the most successful album of their career. Randy Renaud has the story of Moving Pictures on the Chronicles of Rock.

One November night in 1973, a group of musicians without even a band name yet, performed 3 songs live on CHOM. Soon after a recording contract followed, and then a debut album that would make the name Harmonium a cultural milestone in Quebec and Canadian music history. Randy Renaud has the story of the birth of Harmonium on the latest edition of the Chronicles of Rock.