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:

How Bob Seger’s “Night Moves” Turned Heartbreak Into a Breakthrough Hit Apr 14, 2023

Show notes

Bob Seger had been a regional sensation for over a decade but when it was all said and done he had only had one hit in 15 years and by 1976 it had been 8 years since that hit. He couldn’t seem to break through. Well, one night after seeing a popular film of the time he started to have a vision for a song. the 70s rock classic NIGHT MOVES was a very emotional and private experience from his adolescence and sometime later he wrote it at an A&W Drive-in after ordering a burger.. rumor is he wrote it on his tab… He wrote it about a teenage tryst. She ended up marrying somebody else and broke his heart but he turned it into a breakthrough smash single, transforming him into one of American Rock’s greatest rock storytellers. and to think due to a mix-up at his label it almost ended up being a b side… The story is next on Professor of rock

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How The Zombies’ “Time of the Season” Became a Hit After They Broke Up Apr 13, 2023

Show notes

Coming up, an all-time rock hit is put under the microscope by the entire band and this one has so many layers to it. Time of the Season by the Zombies was released in 1969 going into the 1970s and it was the perfect song as the psychedelic 60 bled into the excessive 70s and it has so many backstories. First of all, It didn’t become a hit until a year after the band had actually broken up. Its unique handclaps and audible breathing made it one of the most unique million-selling hits ever and it contained a phrase that would become part of our everyday vernacular.… Who’s Your Daddy... then the label was ready to give up on the legendary album the song came from Odessey and Oracle… it was saved at the last minute but even then the record’s title was misspelled and it still hasn’t been corrected. Then to add insult to injury when the song hit the top of the charts, with the band broken up a promoter put out a fake version of the band and began to tell people the lead singer had died… The lead singer Colin Bluntstone found out about his own death when reading the paper. the story is next on Professor of Rock…

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How Boston’s Debut Album Overcame Rejection to Sell 17 Million Copies Apr 12, 2023

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It was the blockbuster record that put rock back on the front burner in the middle of disco…and it came out of nowhere… Tom Scholz and his upstart band Boston saved rock and roll with it’s power chords thought 70s classics like More Than a Feeling, Peace of Mind, Foreplay/Long Time and Rock & Roll Band to name a few of the powerful song that ignited radio. It sent shockwaves through the industry when it sold out virtually everywhere. Yet it’d been rejected by every major label in the industry. one even wrote a rude letter saying it offered nothing new. Tom Scholz the genius behind it had been tinkering in his basement for nearly 6 years perfecting it’s sound… He was rejected, laughed at and on the verge of financial ruin… It helped that had had one of the greatest singers ever in Brad Delp...Up next an original band member who was there during that stint tells rock and roll’s Cinderella story of the record that saved rock and roll.

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Interview with Dave Pirner: How “Runaway Train” Became a Hit and Helped Find Missing Kids Apr 11, 2023

Show notes

Coming up next, a rare interview with rock singer-songwriter Dave Pirner of 80s and 90s Minneapolis scene group Soul Asylum on the 1993 classic hit Runaway Train. The song started out as one thing and ended up making a seismic change worldwide. Dave Pirner actually wrote the song about depression but it took years to finish. The lyrics were too similar to another #1 song from long before but after going through some dark times, one day a metaphor hit him right between the eyes and he wrote the song we know in a few minutes then the song’s video would have even more impact helping solve crimes and saving lives. Get the story next on Professor of Rock.

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How Foreigner’s “Juke Box Hero” Combined Two Stories Into an 80s Rock Anthem Apr 10, 2023

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Up next.. the story of an all time classic rock song from both the singer Lou Gramm and guitarist Mick Jones who wrote it.. All-time 80s anthem JukeBox Hero by Foreigner! They each had a great song and pretty much combined it into one with dual experiences… legendary guitarist and producer Mick Jones said it came from letting a fan come backstage after he’d waited 5 hours in the rain to get tickets to their sold out show. The Iconic vocalist Lou Gramm said his inspiration came from standing outside a sold out concert hall not able to see Hendrix perform. It maybe the most challenging song for a rock singer to perform in history… Most can’t hit the notes but boy did this guy do it even if he had to fight a legendary producer tooth and nail to get it just right. The song became a #1 rock song an sold a million copes twice! From 1981 hit album Foreigner 4. The story is next!

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How A-ha’s “Take On Me” Overcame Failure to Become an 80s Classic Apr 08, 2023

Show notes

Coming up, it’s one of the most instantly recognizable and impossible to resist songs of the rock era. Take on Me by A-ha. It's music video ain’t chopped liver either… maybe the definitive video of 80s MTV . Take On Me is a song that rises high above its genre and era. But it would be a long and rocky road for this band to get there. Morten Harkett and his band A-ha would rise to global fame but it started clear back in the late 70s when their keyboardist came up with one of the catchiest hooks of all time. Only the band thought it was too catchy nicknaming it the Juicy Fruit song because it was so over the top catchy. For a while wanted nothing to do with it… then in the 80s they put it out and it Failed. How could the catchiest song ever not be a hit. It’s inching up to 2 billion plays on Youtube alone. Find out how they turned it around next on Professor of Rock.

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How Fleetwood Mac’s “Everywhere” Emerged from the Chaos of Tango in the Night Apr 07, 2023

Show notes

Coming up, it’s one of the darkest days of one of the rock era’s most storied bands. 1987's Tango in the Night was Fleetwood Mac’s 2nd biggest record. Most people forget that. It also had more hits than any of their albums tied with Rumours with Little Lies, Everywhere, Seven Wonders, and Big Love. Already known for having more than their fair share of secrets, intrigue, and infighting, one tragic day after recording Tango in the Night took the band’s brand of musical mayhem to an entirely new level… leaving one band member, Stevie Nicks fearing for her life. And another Lindsey Buckingham outright quit the band for good. Mick Fleetwood and Stevie Nicks were both stuggling with substance abuse and Christine McVie felt pushed out of the creative cycle. John McVie hadn’t played in so long that he was rusty, but through all this turmoil they managed to record a hit song so magical, so joyful… even happy-go-lucky, that it puts you in a good mood even time you hear it. So could that joy and the record's success overcome the drama? Stick around to find out. The story is coming up… NEXT on the Professor of Rock.

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Steven Tyler Wrote “Dream On” at 14 – The Song That Almost Didn’t Happen Apr 06, 2023

Show notes

Coming up legendary singer Steven Tyler of Aerosmith wrote one of rock’s greatest masterpieces at the age of 14. A 14-year-old kid! Not only that… This 70s classic is a pretty heavy song for a 14-year-old to understand let alone write. The 70s hard rock classic Dream On is the one that put the screaming demon and the Boston boys on the top of rock royalty. But when Tyler brought the bonafide rock classic to his band, guitarist Joe Perry didn’t want to cut it because he felt it was too soft for their sound even though the song builds and then explodes! Many obstacles stood in the way of this song becoming a hit from a run-in with a gangster who pulled a gun on the band to it failing on its first release to Steven Tyler blowing out his vocal cords on one big performance. The song is sung by Steven Tyler in an entirely different way than any song he’d sing thereafter. the story is coming up... NEXT on Professor of Rock.

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Revisiting the Top 10 Songs of 1982 – Which Hit Stands the Test of Time? Apr 05, 2023

Show notes

Coming up, we’re going to go behind the Top 10 songs of this very same week from the year 1982. But that’s not all. After we count them down, we’re re-ranking each song according to all-time streams and views, to find out which song has made the biggest mark on history. So who do you think will take the top spot today? Will it be a veteran band like Journey, a previous chart-topping act like Rick Springfield, or the J. Geils Band? Or maybe a surprise one-hit wonder? Or could it be an 80s hit machine like Huey Lewis and the News? Stick around and find out if any of these contenders can make a run for the top spot… NEXT on the Professor of Rock.

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Interview with Steve Stevens: How Billy Idol’s “White Wedding” Became an MTV Classic Apr 04, 2023

Show notes

Up next one of the greatest guitarists of the rock era, Steve Stevens tells the story of meeting legendary singer the new wave Elvis… Billy Idol and working on their first hit together…White Wedding, the head banging rocker that many have played at their weddings. Which is funny because it’s actually an ANTI-marriage song. Also many were confused with the lyrics thinking that the singer wrote it about his sister... misunderstanding the slang. And what’s more, the iconic music video cost very little to make but became one of the most visually iconic of all time. Also, how they crafted a classic that’s become synonymous with MTV’s glory days. The interview is coming up on Professor of rock

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