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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:

9 More Wild Rock Stories: Def Leppard’s “Pour Some Sugar on Me,” Iron Maiden’s 666 Curse & Rod Stewart May 04, 2026

Show notes

Not long ago, after the channel reached 1.5 million subs, I shared a video on the Professor of Rock Greatest Hits: my top 9 picks for the greatest song stories in the history of this channel. In the comments section, I was flooded with requests for a Greatest Hits Volume 2. So here it is…. 9 more hits with new stories and insights... including the #1 rock band Def Leppard, who followed up their 1983 blockbuster album Pyromania, with what looked like the costliest flop in music history.: Hysteria. They were so in debt when the album came out. Their first 3 songs didn’t live up to expectations, and their 4th single Pour Some Sugar on Me was their Hail Mary, but it was sucking… that is, until it started getting heavy rotation in strip clubs across Florida. It became an overnight smash and saved the album from obscurity, helping it sell 25 million copies. Then there’s Iron Maiden, whose recording sessions for a satanic panic album were plagued by a poltergeist. And afterwards, the producer was so freaked out that he crashed into a bus full of nuns…When he got the final bill for repair, it was 666 bucks. Find out if the curse ended. Plus the story of Rod Stewart, whose most celebrated song was born from the single most embarrassing, and premature, encounter of his life.

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1970 Deep Dive: John Lennon’s “Across the Universe,” Gregg Allman, and Songs That Flopped but Became Classics May 02, 2026

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Today, we put one of rock’s greatest years, 1970, under the microscope and explore songs that we all know and love but failed as hits. There’s a story about Gregg Allman, who was so excited to lay down a song that came into his head, he got high and broke into a closed recording studio in the middle of the night. But he was struggling to find that one lyric to finish it, and it was his roadie who gave him the perfect lyric. But did he do right by him and give him any royalties for it? We’ll find out. Plus John Lennon, who was annoyed by his wife and made that annoyance into the classic song Across the Universe, except for the fact that when he recorded it, he couldn’t hit the high notes, so in a bizarre idea, he went outside the recording studio and selected 2 fans to record those high notes. He regretted it for the rest of his life, calling the song crap, but it has become an all-time classic, and finally, the classic rock song that came from an angry wife’s pissed-off rant. It’s a special episode of NEXT on Professor of Rock.

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Top Rock Sibling Rivalries: Oasis’ Liam & Noel, The Everly Brothers Breakup, The Carpenters Conflict May 01, 2026

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Rock and roll has always been a family business. And family… well, family is complicated. Growing up together, fighting together, making history together — and sometimes, destroying each other's dreams in the process. Today, we're counting down the most explosive sibling rivalries in rock history. And trust me, these stories are gonna entertain! Like the legendary Everly Brothers, whose decades of resentment finally detonated onstage — in front of a live amusement park crowd. The show prematurely ended with a smashed guitar and a stunning confession. Or how about the two brothers, Liam and Noel Gallagher, whose lifelong war with cricket bats and potato insults started back in their tiny shared bedroom… fighting over who had the best shoes. And then there’s the Carpenters brother-sister duo, where the brother called all the shots, literally telling his sister what notes to sing on every record. And when she finally broke free to make an album of her own… he destroyed it. Yeah, we all might need some therapy after this one. It’s brotherly and sisterly love gone so very wrong… next on The Professor of Rock.

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Rock and Roll Sabotage: The Performances, Feuds, and Mistakes That Destroyed Careers Apr 30, 2026

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We started this series a month ago, and I was overwhelmed with feedback for another episode. So, for this one, I’ve got 7 more stories of rock and roll sabotage and treachery. You know, sometimes the music industry is a band’s worst enemy, but then again, sometimes a band can be their own worst enemy, too. And today’s episode is the proof. We’ll tell you about a Saturday Night Live performance where Red Hot Chili Pepper guitarist John Frusciante was pissed at the band’s frontman, Anthony Keidis, so he made up his own version of their hit song Under the Bridge on the spot. And Anthony had no clue how to sing along… It was a train wreck, and he was embarrassed on live TV. Then there was the band Information Society, who was excited to release their new CD with high-tech tracks that were supposed to be interactive in the coming computer age. But instead, the CD caused many systems to crash, which led to massive album returns and radio stations blacklisting the band for having a virus on their album. And then there’s Pixies frontman, Black Francis, who systematically tried to erase his female bandmate Kim Deal on their albums and onstage because she was more popular with their fans. Talk about an ego. Let’s do it.

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Paul Shaffer’s Letterman Stories: Legendary Performances, Live TV Chaos, and Rock History Apr 29, 2026

Show notes

So last year I was on David Letterman’s Show… Or Barbara Gaines Show. But I found out that David Letterman watches our show, and I was blown away. Well, I had the chance to interview his famous sidekick, Paul Shaffer, and was able to geek out with him on music... including some of my favorite moments on the Letterman show. So here is that interview session with Paul, including commentary about the great performances on the show, like an unknown band that came on the show and absolutely killed it. In fact,

I’ve watched that performance hundreds of times, according to my own stats. It’s a band that came out of nowhere, and their performance was so awe-inspiring that even Letterman was freaking out... plus, the accidental F bomb that was said on LIVE TV that caused a major ruckus. Let’s get into it!

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How Ace Frehley Outsold Kiss With His Solo Record and Proved Everyone Wrong Apr 27, 2026

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Coming up, we’re celebrating the birthday of legendary KISS guitarist Ace Frehley with this classic episode from 2024.

In this one, we dig deep into the catalog of one of rock’s greatest party bands—KISS—highlighting 5 essential tracks that help tell their wild story. From outrageous moments like concert car crashes to the band’s unexpected clash with disco, these songs capture the chaos, creativity, and larger-than-life spirit that defined KISS.

But this time, the stories aren’t just coming from me… we’re handing the mic to the Spaceman himself. Ace Frehley shares rare insights into these iconic songs—revealing which ones he loves, which ones he doesn’t, and what was really happening behind the scenes.

It’s a fun, revealing look at the band that taught the world how to rock.

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FROM THE VAULT: How Stevie Nicks’ Landslide Saved Her Career and Led to Fleetwood Mac Apr 25, 2026

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Let's throw it back!

Stevie Nicks and Lindsey Buckingham were lovers who had been trying to make it in music for years. After some fiery arguments, years of failures and poverty, Stevie decided to quit music for good. One night she put all that pain into a song she called Landslide. Almost over night after writing that classic she and Lindsey met Fleetwood Mac and they were asked to join up. They recorded the white album with song of their own to add and the rest is history. How Landslide changed all of that.

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8 Truly Demented Rock Songs That Somehow Became Classics Apr 23, 2026

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Sometimes the most memorable songs aren't the ones that scale the charts, but the ones that defy all logic. I’m talking about tracks that stop you cold …Dead in your tracks and make you ask, "What the hell did I just listen to?" Like Angine de Poitrine. Today, we're celebrating 8 of Rock's Strangest Songs that broke every rule in the book. Including the Peter Gabriel who ruled 1986 with an iconic record, only to wait 6 years to put out a follow-up because his new song Digging in the Dirt sent him into utter madness as he delved into the minds of the truly demented to write a song that seems harmless, but lyrically isthe strangest, creepiest song of its time. We've also got the story of Frank Zappa who woke up his 14-year-old daughter Moon Unit at 3 AM to record a monologue of 80s Southern California slang over a heavy guitar riff. Then there's the tale of a 60s artist Napoleon XIV who wrote a song about going insane that was so controversial it was banned nationwide,. And we’ll dive into a family band, The Shaggs, foretold by prophecy, attempting to play rock and roll without ever having actually heard what rock and roll was supposed to sound like!

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Top 11 Dated Songs of 1979 Countdown: Styx, Anita Ward, Dr. Hook, Rod Stewart, and More Apr 21, 2026

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Coming up, we turn the spotlight on 10 songs that embody the period of the Rock Era when disco was on its last leg, and rock was making a comeback!. It’s our latest Dated countdown.

Songs that are distinctly of their time….including one song, Pop Musik, that got its pre-chorus from a perfume bottle, another one, When You’re In Love With a Beautiful Woman, that may never have been recorded if the writer hadn’t stalked a famous band’s manager into the restroom, pitching it at the urinal.

Plus a #1 hit that rocketed to the top of the chart after being synced in one of the most controversial scenes in tv history, plus Ring My Bell, a song that has been banned from casinos because every time it’s played it’s musical vibrations make slot machines and black jack tables pay out by 10X plus the naughty Rod Stewart song that got me kicked out of church as a toddler when I sang it during a prayer and the song Babe that Dennis DeYoung wrote as a private song for his wife’s b day present that was never supposed to be heard by the public but hit #1…

These stories and more as we get into details about 11 DATED songs from 1979, next on Professor of Rock.

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FROM THE VAULT: The Iconic Miami Vice Soundtrack – How It Defined 80s TV and Music Apr 19, 2026

Show notes

The story of the biggest tv soundtrack of the 1980s: Miami Vice from the Theme by Jan Hammer to the two Glenn Frey tracks You Belong to the City and Smuggler’s Blues… cowritten by frequent Eagles collaborator Jack Tempchin who tells the story of writing them. Get ready for a showstopper we’re going back to 1985.

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