Music

Professor of Rock

The ultimate rock music history podcast for fans of the greatest era of music. If you’ve ever wondered about the true stories behind your favorite songs, or wanted to hear directly from the legends who made them, Professor of Rock is your new go-to podcast. Hosted by music historian and superfan Adam Reader, this show brings the golden era of music back to life with exclusive interviews, behind-the-scenes stories, and deep dives into the songs that shaped our lives. This podcast uncovers how timeless tracks were made, the creative breakthroughs, the near-breakups, and the powerful moments that defined music history. Each episode is a masterclass in rock culture and nostalgia—whether it’s a chart-topping ‘80s anthem, a one-hit wonder with a wild backstory, or a candid conversation with the legends themselves. Hear the Stories. Relive the Music. Only on Professor of Rock.

Latest Episodes:

The Story Behind the "Footloose" Soundtrack: How Dean Pitchford Helped Create 7 Hits Aug 11, 2023

Show notes

Coming up next, a star-studded event with a diverse group of legends telling the story behind one of the Biggest movie soundtracks of the 80s. Footloose. It was one of only 5 albums to hit #1 the year it came out. A record that still stands and as a soundtrack it had 6 top 40 hits Footloose by Kenny Loggins, Let’s Hear it For the Boy by Deniece Williams, Almost Paradise by Mike Reno of Loverboy and Ann Wilson of Heart who we have interviews with to tell the story. The other hits were Dancing in the Sheets by Shalamar, Holding Out for a Hero by Bonnie Tyler and Heaven Helps the Man by Kenny Loggins, 3 of these songs hit the top 10 and 2 went all the way to #1. And the screenwriter, Dean Pitchford had a hand in all of them! There are so many great stories hear. There’s the top 10 duet that almost didn’t happen because one singer broke her hand. She had to sing without pain pills and first met her duet partner when they sang the first take which became the record! And then 2 of the #1 hit were pitted against each other for an Oscar. Find out who, plus an appearance by Kevin Bacon!

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How a Session Guitarist Transformed Steely Dan’s "Reelin’ in the Years" into a 70s Classic Aug 10, 2023

Show notes

Two of most cerebral rockers and known perfectionists Donald Fagen and Walter Becker AKA Steely Dan, just knew they had a song for their debut album with Hit potential. It was called Reeling in the Years and was a bitter retort against Donald’s girlfriend who had ripped his heart out so he wrote a “get even” song that was missing one little thing... it lacked vibrancy and passion. So, the duo followed a deep gut feeling that they needed to bring in a musician that would provide the spark they desperately needed. Up next the story of a hired gun who stepped into a recording studio in Santa Monica to pull a song out of the doldrums and turn it into one of the greatest guitar tracks of all time, one that Jimmy Page of Led Zeppelin called his favorite ever and one that became a 70s classic from their 1973 classic album Can’t Buy a Thrill NEXT on Professor of Rock.

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Interview with Mike Reno: How Loverboy’s "Turn Me Loose" Overcame Rejection to Become an 80s Classic Aug 09, 2023

Show notes

Up next the Mike Reno singer from the 80s rock band Loverboy breaks down one of their signature songs. It rocked the 80s. It’s a song that put ‘em on the map and started their rise to play stadiums. Mike Reno and guitarist Paul Dean met at a warehouse where the guitarist was jamming with his new band. Reno asked if he could belt out a few songs and it was so electrifying the two decided to collaborate right then and their! After they had this first hit some people read a little bit too deeply into the lyrics and claimed the song was about sadomasochism and bondage. This shocked the singer… The band clearly didn’t write it about this but now it’s become lumped in with that. The interview and story is coming up next on Professor of Rock.

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How Paul Simon’s "You Can Call Me Al" Revitalized His Career and Sparked Controversy Aug 08, 2023

Show notes

Paul Simon wrote the title track to the best-selling album of 1970, 71, and 72 as half of one of the biggest groups of the Rock Era, Simon and Garfunkel When the duo broke up, he embarked on a very successful solo career that burned hot through the 70s. But by the early 80s, his star had cooled, and he dug deep within his artistic soul for inspiration that took him to a faraway continent… Africa. He called it Graceland! It re-energized his career and became one of the most acclaimed of the 80s and one of the most controversial. Coming up, the story of the lead single You Can Call Me Al... which came from someone calling this legend the wrong name twice at a dinner party. The song actually failed until he created one of the funniest music videos ever with Mr. Chevy Chase. The story is next on Professor of Rock.

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Why Simple Minds Disowned Their Biggest Hit, "Don’t You (Forget About Me)" Aug 07, 2023

Show notes

No way in hell was Jim Kerr and Simple Minds going to record today’s featured song… (a future #1 hit from an iconic 80s’ film.) Don’t You (Forget About Me) for the movie The Breakfast Club. They wanted nothing to do with it. They didn’t care if it was a lock. It was band policy… they only recorded songs they wrote themselves. End of story. In fact, they turned down this track six times. Finally, the songwriters Keith Forsey and Steve Schiff, desperate for them to sing it, had the movie’s director, John Hughes arrange a private screening… Simple Minds consented to watch The Breakfast Club and after that, they recorded the track. Turns out they rocked it. But stubborn as ever, they disowned it when it went Top 10 around the world. Come on, would these guys ever like this song? You know the rest of us sure did. Stick around for a great story NEXT on the Professor of Rock.

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How Yes Revived Their Career with "Owner of a Lonely Heart"—A Song Written in the Bathroom Aug 05, 2023

Show notes

Coming up, it’s the remarkable story of a #1 rock song from 1984 that was written on the porcelain throne. ya the Yes #1 classic rock standard, Owner of a Lonely Heart was written by Trevor Rabin while sitting on the pot In fact, Trevor said he wasn’t ashamed to sing in the loo. well, it’s hard to argue with the results. But even more importantly, this song was instrumental in bringing one of the greatest prog-rock bands of the 70s back from the dead and into the 80s. After years of being broken up, the founding members including Chris Squire and singer Jon Anderson, plus some new faces including producer Trevor Horn all converged around this song… giving them a new lease on life and a new musical direction. And to help us tell the story, we’ve got exclusive interviews with the iconic frontman Jon Anderson who co-wrote and sang this song… as well as some behind the scenes insight from the legendary record man Phil Carson who helped reunite this band. You’re not going to want to say “no” to this one. The story is… NEXT on Professor of Rock.

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How Supertramp’s "The Logical Song" Defied Doubt and Sold 20 Million Copies Aug 04, 2023

Show notes

Roger Hodgson grew up a happy boy but then his parents sent him away to a punishing boarding school. He put this horrendous experience and his search for sanity into an all-time 70s classic called The Logical Song. When he brought it to his band Supertramp a key member, Rick Davies hated it… but an adventurous recording session gave the song a true uniqueness including a strange instrument he Bought for a few bucks, as well as recording the iconic sax in a men’s room and adding a cool sound effect from one of the first handheld video games... In the end, the drummer made a 10-dollar bet with Roger Hodgson that the record Supertramp Breakfast In America would go top ten… the drummer won the bet in a big way when the album sold 20 million copies this amazing story is coming up next on Professor of Rock.

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Randy Meisner’s Defining Moment with the Eagles: The Story Behind "Take It to the Limit" Aug 03, 2023

Show notes

It should’ve been the zenith of his career… On a fateful night backstage in Knoxville, Tennessee in the summer of ’77… Instead…it was a coup de grace that led to his exit from the supergroup he helped create. Randy Meisner of the Eagles was allegedly too sick to sing his encore spotlight classic rock hit Take it To The Limit with its legendary high note finale. He and Glenn Frey got into a shouting match backstage on the Hotel California tour that night and it got really ugly when Randy punched Glenn in the face. Police tried to break it up but Don Henley called them off. The story behind the song that was the crowning achievement for one of the most beautiful voices of the 70s, and the infamous incident that centered around one of the most recognizable songs in Classic Rock history that sealed this artist’s fate as a member of one of America’s greatest bands… and a tribute to the late country-rock pioneer who’s high harmony helped bring so much depth to Eagles classics like Take It Easy and Witchy Woman is next on Professor of Rock

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Interview with Mike Ness of Social Distortion: From Homelessness to Gold Records Aug 02, 2023

Show notes

Coming up next, a very special interview that I was over the moon to get.. Mike Ness of Social Distortion. This Rock Icon released his debut album in the early 80s... It was self-funded, but then his career would take a long 5 year hiatus as he became homeless, sleeping on friends' couches while Struggling with addiction, and was even in and out of jail… He took these real-life born-to-lose experiences and released a classic album with three huge singles that took him from Homeless to Hit status with 2 straight gold records. Story of My Life and Ball and Chain and then a punk cover of Johnny Cash’s Ring of Fire. He’s since become the heir to the Man in Black by way of punk and rockabilly. Up next this icon tells us his story.

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How Metallica’s Most Personal Song Became Their Biggest Hit Aug 01, 2023

Show notes

James Hetfield was exhausted from a world tour and to make matters worse he missed his girl so in a burst of inspiration he wrote an extremely vulnerable song called Nothing Else Matters that was hell bent on no one EVER hearing… Later his bandmates in Metallica happened upon this personal song and tried to talk him into recording it for their next record…but he wanted no part of it. Get this… He was convinced the song would make the band's fans HURL. Find out what happened next and how the song became Metallica's biggest song ever and how it propelled the Black album to the top of the charts on professor of rock.

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