The Summer-y Album That Saved the Career of Simple Minds

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. T…

The Album That Made The Police the Biggest Band in the World in 1983

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 …

The First Canadian Rock Album to Conquer American Record Charts

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 fr…

Donald K. Donald on CHOM in 1974 Running Down the Year's Big Concerts

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 St…

For the Record: Jimi Hendrix in Montreal

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 Mitc…

The 80's song that Inspired Eddie Vedder to Write Better Man

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…

David Bowie's First Great Album

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 Eng…