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 Aerosmith Transformed “What It Takes” from a Country Tune into a Rock Anthem Jan 09, 2023

Show notes

Is it a hidden gem or a no brainer hit hiding in plain sight? Even though today’s song broke the Top 10 on the Billboard Hot 100 and claimed #1 on the Mainstream Rock chart, What it Takes By Aerosmith has faded into obscurity since its moment of glory. Which is a huge oversight, because its one of the best songs in its genre from one of the biggest bands in the world. It came from one of the best rock albums of 1989 in Pump the also included the hits Love in an Elevator and Janie Got a Gun and get this, The song started out as a country western song but Steve Tyler and Joe Perry knew they could never get away with that so Tyler gave it a no holds barred hard rock twang, which molded into a fierce power ballad that set an all time record for the most repeated lyrics in a top 10 hit. Story is next on Professor Of Rock.

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Interview: Randy Bachman on How a Pizza Guy Helped Make “Takin’ Care of Business” a Classic Jan 07, 2023

Show notes

Coming up… an interview with legend Randy Bachman, a co-founding member of both Bachman Turner Overdrive (BTO) and The Guess Who on his classic rock standard Takin’ Care of Business TCB that sat unfinished for years, because The Guess Who thought it sounded too similar to the Beatles Paperback Writer... Then one day he got an idea from a random saying he heard on a radio show and the chorus was finished, but it was still missing something musically until a pizza delivery guy walked in and offered to play piano on the track which was the missing piece… When he played the demo for a record exec, he flipped out… He wanted him to release it asap… Now Randy just needed to track down the pizza guy to sign a release… Which proved too tough. He had to call every pizza place to try and track him down… Elvis also picked up on the song and made it his mantra. Which brought it full circle since Elvis was the reason Randy got into music as a kid...

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How Elton John Helped Neil Sedaka Make a Stunning Comeback with “Laughter in the Rain” Jan 06, 2023

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It’s one of the greatest comeback stories in music history. Neil Sedaka had 6 top ten hits as a rookie including one of the biggest #1s of the time with Breaking Up is Hard to Do. Then literally overnight he became a has been. When the Beatles came out and wiped his style from the musical hemisphere. His label wouldn’t release his music. He even moved to the other side of the world and played gigs at dives just to keep his dream alive. He was shut out of the charts for 13 years. One day he ran into the biggest star in the world, Elton John at a party and Elton gave him a chance for a comeback. He wrote a great song, Laughter in the Rain that he knew was a smash… It returned him to the top of the charts almost a decade and half later…This Hall of Fame artist give us the story next on professor of rock.

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How Brian Johnson Saved AC/DC with “Hells Bells” and the Record-Breaking Back in Black Jan 05, 2023

Show notes

Today’s track is like rollin’ thunder. And it comes at you just like a hurricane. It’s a powerful, heavy hitting anthem, and designed to blow you away. Hells Bells by AC/DC But in spite of that, it was actually written as a tribute to a fallen frontman, Bon Scott. Brian Johnson came into the band with some big shoes to feel as Angus Young and his brother Malcom young along with uber producer Mutt Lange created the biggest selling rock record ever… Back In Black . Charged with writing the lyrics to this rock epitaph on the tight deadline of just one day, Brian Johnson found himself paralyzed with writer’s block. But after some unexpected inspiration and spooky, supernatural experience, his fortunes began to improve. He felt like he received some help from the grave, then later the band had a 1 ton bell commissioned to get the right sound for the song...the story is coming up next on Professor Of Rock.

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Interview: Vanilla Ice on the Meteoric Rise and Fall of “Ice Ice Baby” Jan 04, 2023

Show notes

Coming up, a song that has received a lot of hate… Many don’t want to admit that they know every lyric… In fact, I would say if you’re a Gen-Xer and you claim not to know every word to this massive #1 hit you’re a big fat liar… I'm talking about Ice Ice Baby by Vanilla Ice. I present to you an exclusive interview, with maybe the greatest Bottled Lightning story of them all. For about a year Robert Van Winkle, AKA Vanilla Ice was the biggest star on the planet. He was at #1 for 15 weeks, Madonna wanted to date him, he had the first rap #1, and then overnight he was cast off. He ripped off Queen and David Bowie’s Under Pressure- the beat and bass line. Then he got caught in some tales from his past and he was done. Many were livid that he ripped off the song and didn’t pay out royalties at first, but he actually introduced the song to many all over the world…as it wasn’t a hit in America. So, so, so many twists and turns to this story. It's the breakdown of a song that still moves the needle, in an exclusive Professor of Rock interview.

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How Depeche Mode’s “Blasphemous Rumors” Sparked Controversy While “Somebody” Bared It All Jan 03, 2023

Show notes

COMING up a classic hit double A Side from one of the Depeche Mode In the 80s the band was starting to make it’s way up the charts and they haven’t stopped since. Today we break down the beautiful, sensitive Martin Gore Ballad Somebody along with it’s other side Blasphemous Rumors. Believe it or not the latter song caused an uproar in my small community of Blackfoot Idaho for it’s out right blasphemy…in fact when the main writer showed it to the rest of the band one key members was afraid it would offend everyone… . When Martin Gore brought Somebody to David Gahan, the late Andrew Fletcher and Alan Wilder he decided to sing it.. and sing it he did… buck naked. He wasted to sing it in the nude to capture the vulnerability perfectly. Boy did he ever. Coming up next the story of an 80s DM classic and how it lead to other great song of the same nature like, Enjoy the Silence, Stripped, A Question of Lust and more..

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How Stevie Wonder’s “Higher Ground” Helped Wake Him from a Coma and Change His Life Jan 02, 2023

Show notes

Coming up, the harrowing details behind a near fatal car crash that put one of the great musical Genius Stevie Wonder in a coma for 4 days. He had just come off Talking Book the #1 album that gave him grammys and hits including You are the Sunshine of My Life and his cousin smacked into a flatbed truck in front of them and Stevie was stuck in the head and bleeding. He was rushed to a hospital and was near death for days. When his cousin came to see him he began to sing his latest song Higher Ground softly to him and Stevie woke up. He was afraid he’d lost his musical abilities since he could no longer taste or smell but days later he mustered enough to try his clarinet and he could still jam. Stevie felt that the accident was his destiny and felt he was given a second chance at life and Higher Ground was the perfect omen for that. He would then release several historic albums including Songs in the Key of Life and fulfillingness first finale and embrace the future. We also include an interview with rock hall of famer who witnessed it first hand when Little Stevie Wonder came to Motown. He had just written his first song at the age of 10!

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How Peter Gabriel’s “Sledgehammer” Took Over the Charts and Shocked Fans with Its Hidden Meaning Dec 31, 2022

Show notes

Coming up, it’s a #1 smash with the distinction of having one of the most innovative and unforgettable music videos ever made. Peter Gabriel’s super catchy #1 hit Sledgehammer. Made up of over 100 hours of filming…the song was written by the master artist who lived on the fringes of pop culture stardom for decades. But after releasing this song, it’s awesome video, and his extraordinary album So, Peter Gabriel was on everyone’s radar. And in the process, he even one-upped his former bandmates, Phil Collins and Genesis stealing the #1 spot from one of their biggest hits, Invisible Touch, replacing them at the top of the charts. Most people don’t realize, this innocent fun loving hit is all about SEX! Coming up, get the story of how this slice of ear candy came out of nowhere to become an all-time 80s favorite and actually When He REPLACED his Former Band Genesis at #1, Phil Collins Wanted to Send a Note that said: Congratulations Bastard! The story is NEXT on the Professor of Rock.

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Interview: Billy Davis Jr. & Marilyn McCoo on How a Lost Wallet Led to “Aquarius/Let the Sunshine In” Dec 30, 2022

Show notes

Coming up the story of the monumental #1 hit the Age of Aquarius/Let the Sunshine one of the biggest #1 hit of 1969 by the 5th Dimension… It’s definitely a song that defined it’s time. today we have an exclusive interview from two important former members of the group, Billy Davis Jr and Marilyn McCoo. … It all happened because Billy accidentally left his wallet in a new york taxi cab…. He realized this when he got to hit hotel room and his wife said well you’ll never see that again… they they got a call some time later from an honest stranger who found the wallet and wanted to return it… The stranger happened to be a big broadway producer and would invite the two of them to see the hit musical HAIR. As soon as the two of them heard the Age go Aquarius they knew they had to record it. So an act of honestly led to a magical song that has changed the world. It swept the Grammies and we still sing this ditty everyday... Find out how it came together next on professor of rock.

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How Autograph Went from Weekend Jams to Van Halen’s Tour and the Hit “Turn Up the Radio” Dec 29, 2022

Show notes

One of the coolest and lesser known stories in rock history. Drummer Keni Richards used to be David Lee Roth’s jogging buddy One day Diamond Dave asked him what he was up to and Keni showed him a demo of the band he was in. DLR wasn’t impressed. Keni then showed him a demo tape of a bunch of his drinking buddies who jammed together on the weekends.. They weren’t even a band.. Diamond Dave love the sound that offered the non existent band a slot to open for Van Halen on their 1984 tour. Keni was ecstatic. So they put together the band officially and decided to name it Autograph comprised of lead singer Steve Plunkett and tapping genius guitarist Steve Lynch. But Lynch was told that he could use his tapping style while on tour with Van Halen because that was Eddie Van Halen’s thing. As the make shift band came together and played they got better and better and ended up getting a record deal which lead to writing one of the 80s best hard rock songs.. Turn up the Radio. Only Autograph had to fight to get it released as the label didn’t believe in it. Then they had to sell out a little without he music video which was sponsored by paper mate and one of the most obvious product placement videos ever. The song was a smash as Autograph had a built in pedigree for radio with it’s call to action and recorded version for stations… This was a band on fire and then they never had another hit. They are now remembered as a one hit wonder but they deserved better. We find out where the band is now. Hint: the band is still going but does’ have any original members.

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