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:

Interview: Mike Lindup on Level 42’s “Lessons in Love” and Their 80s Success Dec 28, 2022

Show notes

In 1986 Level 42 was coming off one of the best songs of the 80s in Something About You. which went to the top ten on both sides of the Atlantic and the double platinum album World Machine. The trick now was figuring out how to do it again. the struggle for every musician. Repeating success in the 80s wonderland of blissful and magnetic rock and pop spectacles was not an easy feat. Fortunately singer bassist Mark King and falsetto singer and keyboardist Mike Lindup were up to the task coming up with a song that nearly matched its success in America and actually bettered it every where else including going to #1 in 5 other countries. the story of the 80s classic Lessons in Love from the album Running in the Family . Up next co-founding member Mike Lindup shares the in depth story of this undeniable 1987 hit that you may’ve forgotten about but will be delighted to rediscover.

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Interview: Ed Roland on Collective Soul’s “Shine” and Its Unlikely Rock and Roll Prayer Dec 27, 2022

Show notes

Coming up renowned rock front Ed Roland of Collective Soul gives us the skinny on his band’s first number one hit Shine that came years before... He was visiting his parents and his kid brother Dean who was only 15 was messing around with a riff.. Ed loved it and finished the song on the spot…5 years later it would be the biggest rock song of the year in 1994… the brothers would later elaborate calling the chorus a prayer… a rock and roll prayer and a few years later one of the greatest legends of last 50 years, Dolly Parton would record a very strange but cool version.. How Collective Soul became the best of the post grunge era… Critics said they were copy cats of the grunge genre but they wrote this #1 hit years before the genre blew up...The interview is next on professor for rock.

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Interview: Bob Webber on Sugarloaf’s Rise, Fall, and Their Two Surprise Hits Dec 26, 2022

Show notes

Coming up this 70s rock band ruled radio on their first release… Green Eyed Lady by the band Sugarloaf flew out of the gates as an irresistible ditty fronted by a sensational bass line and mysterious lyrics about a beautiful lady that took the band to the top of the charts quickly. But then the band fell apart. Then they lost their record deal.. Not once but TWICE! Desperate to overcome being labeled a one hit wonder the band reformed and recorded at a friend’s studio. They did a song about the real struggle of trying to get the record label to notice them and the cut throat experience they battled through to get That first and only hit. It worked! The song Don’t Call us We’ll Call you gave them another hit but would they be able to turn that momentum into long term success or fade away again. an original surviving band member, Guitarist Bob Webber tells us both the story of these 2 hits. Singer Jerry Corbetta passed away several years back leaving Bob to tell us the history.

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Interview: Johnny Mathis on “Chances Are” and His Timeless Christmas Classics Dec 25, 2022

Show notes

Merry Christmas from Professor for Rock! Today we have a special gift for you from our friend the 3rd biggest selling male artist of the 20th century behind only Elvis Presley and Frank Sinatra… He tells the story behind his classic Christmas record as well as the magical story behind his #1 hit Chances Are! The first time he heard it on the radio he almost wrecked his car he was son excited.

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How Syd Barrett’s Downfall Shaped Pink Floyd’s “Brain Damage” and “Eclipse” Dec 24, 2022

Show notes

Coming up, it is one of the most tragic tales of the rock era. Band leader Syd Barrett fronted Pink Floyd for a time and then cracked under the pressure. Whether it was due to excessive drug abuse, a preexisting mental illness, or psychological strain its not entirely clear. However the band was forced to go without him. But his memory would haunt the band members Rogers Waters and David Gilmour ever after, and cast a shadow over some of their greatest work including The 70s opus the Dark Side of the Moon. with would spend almost 20 years on the charts and become one of the biggest albums ever. Today, we are taking a deep dive into the classic rock standard Brain Damage and Eclipse the phenomenal album’s ending that was inspired by these events.

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Interview: Midge Ure on How “Do They Know It’s Christmas?” Became a Multi-Decade #1 Hit Dec 23, 2022

Show notes

The in-depth story of one of the biggest selling singles of all time. The only 80s song to hit #1 four different times … Do They Know It’s Christmas by Band Aid was put tother by Bob Geldof and Midge Ure to fight starvation in africa. Geldof saw the famine on television and knew he had to do something do ha assembled an A list team to record a song that he hoped could generate millions for relief. Everyone from Sting to George Michal to Duran Duran, Boy George, Spandau Ballet, Bono of U2, Phil Collins and many more. Up next an exclusive mini Documentary on the story of the song with co-writer and creator Midge Ure of UltraVox as well as interviews with 80s icons Paul Young, Tony Hadley formerly of Spandau Ballet. Four different versions of the song have went to #1 in the UK. The heart felt story is told in this new mini-documentary…

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How Rush’s “Fly By Night” Marked the Arrival of Neil Peart and a New Era in Rock Dec 22, 2022

Show notes

Today it’s the origin story of one of rock’s best drummers and how a failed pilgrimage to England brought him face to face with destiny. Neil Peart struggled to make it for years. He even felt his audition for Rush was a disaster. Geddy Lee like him but Alex Lifeson originally didn’t think the mighty Neil was cool enough for the band. Neil went from being a high school dropout to one of rock’s finest and most cerebral lyricist. Today we break down the first song that the power trio wrote together as the classic lineup of Rush in the 70s, Fly By Night from the legendary album. How the three of them came together with this classic prog rock record to forge a new path and give the world new insight into what it means to be truly elite.

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Interview: Andrew Farriss on INXS’s Breakthrough with “What You Need” and the Making of Kick Dec 21, 2022

Show notes

It was their first massive hit in America. it kicked open the door and let people know that they were here to stay leading to them being one of the biggest bands of the last half of the 80s… INXS and their top 5 hit What You Need ruled MTV with it’s innovative music video that won many awards and get this they made it for just 200 bucks.. After Michael Hutchence and Andrew Farris wrote the song and it became such a huge hit, Andrew says that he and Michael felt a lot of pressure to follow up it up with a massive Hit. He says they both worried that What You Need Was their peak so they dug down deep and approached their next album with the idea that every song would be a hit. That’s where the #1 1987 album Kick came from...up next the co-founder and cowriter of this legendary band Andrew Farris tells us the rest of the story.

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Interview: 3 Doors Down on How “Kryptonite” Went from Math Class to Global #1 Hit Dec 20, 2022

Show notes

COMING UP… one of the coolest stories you’ll ever hear about a #1 song… First of all the singer Brad Arnold wrote it when he was 15 in math class in about 10 minutes. Then he begged his local radio station to play it and then it was the most requested song on the station for months… then a few months later they were playing next to the giants of rocks… The story of Kryptonite by 3 Doors Down is so unbelievable you’ll think they made it up! The song went #1 on 3 different charts. Next this band tells the amazing story and I’ll tell you if you aren’t a fan You will be after this interview. Two of the nicest guys in all of music. Here’s the story of song that has sold 5 million copies and been streamed over a billion times!

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Interview: Randy Bachman on How “You Ain’t Seen Nothing Yet” Became an Accidental #1 Hit Dec 19, 2022

Show notes

Coming up… an interview with an absolute legend … Randy Bachman who made up a big part of two bands in the 60s and 70s… The Guess Who and Bachman Turner Overdrive or BTO... He’s written or co written some of the greatest classic rock standards ever as one of the only artists with a #1 hit with 2 different bands… The only other person to do that… Paul McCartney…Next He tells the story of recording a song as a total joke….. He wrote and recorded a #1 70s rocker to play a practical joke on his brother… But when a label executive didn’t hear any hits on his band’s new record, out of desperation A BAND MEMBER talked him into playing the joke song and the EXEC knew it was a smash. the only problem was that this singer songwriter didn’t want to release it Up next is legend tells the hilarious story of a classic rock standard on professor of rock.

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