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: Jim Peterik on How Survivor’s “Eye of the Tiger” Became a Rocky Anthem Dec 17, 2022

Show notes

In the early 80s this Survivor co-founder Jim Peterik came home for Lunch and checked his answering machine. He couldn’t believe his ears, Sylvester Stallone asked him to call him right back. He thought it was someone trying to prank him. but when he called back it was really him… Sly Stallone wanted unknown band Survivor to write the Anthem to a sequel to one of the greatest franchises ever, Rocky 3-apparently Queen had turned down the use of their #1 hit Another Bites the Dust… In a very fun interview, Jim tells us how he and Frankie Sullivan wrote the Eye of the Tiger for the opening montage and went to #1 for 6 weeks because Stallone was willing to give his rookie band the chance even though they’d never had a hit. How they created the perfect 80s classic rock anthem that still rules.

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How a Misheard Lyric Made “Blinded by the Light” a #1 Hit for Manfred Mann’s Earth Band Dec 16, 2022

Show notes

It’s one of the most notoriously misheard lyrics in rock history. A line that was supposed to be referring to a Hot Rod, has instead confused generations of listeners because it sounds like a reference to a feminine hygiene product. Revved Up Like Douche…was supposed to be Revved up like a deuce... Yeah, no joke. Manfred Mann’s Earth Band took legend Bruce Springteen’s first single and turned it into a Billboard #1 hit. And it is the garbled delivery of that cover version of the song that is the culprit. because Sprinsteen’s original failed to chart, it’s feminine-health counterpart rocked the charts….Shaking his head in disbelief, the Springsteen joked that the public had spoken. Get the story behind the song and find out what the real lyrics actually say… NEXT on the Professor of Rock.

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Interview: Graeham Goble on How “Reminiscing” Became Little River Band’s Signature Hit Dec 15, 2022

Show notes

Up next an exclusive interview with a cofounding member of the classic 70s and 80s group Little River Band. Graeham Goble who wrote and arranged the most played song in American history by an Australian band or artist…Reminiscing. The song went to #3 in the billboard charts in 1978. Since then it’s been played almost 6 million times on radio. There’ve been a lot of great australian artists over the years…right? AC/DC, INXS, Nick Cave, The Church, Olivia Newton John, Rick Springfield... and on and on and Little River Band or LRB as many know them by have the top song ever by an Aussie and the song almost got thrown out.. They couldn’t get the arrangement to work and were about to move on after trying to record it 2 separate times … Goble talked them into trying it just one more time and someone that wasn’t even in the band is the one who figure out how to make it work… also Beatle John Lennon said it was one of his favorite songs…. The story is next on professor of rock.

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Interview: Mark Farner on Writing “We’re an American Band” and the Costly Credit Decision Dec 14, 2022

Show notes

Legendary 70s singer guitarist Mark Farner formerly of Grand Funk Railroad or just Grand Funk as they came to be known, tells The wild story of the 70s classic rock staple We’re An American Band! A song that every fledgling bar band has covered on their way up. A staple of the Classic Rock Canon. First of all he recorded it with a broken nose… and he co wrote the song with the drummer but he says out of the goodness of his heart, he allowed the drummer to have the sole writing credit which has ended up costing him millions We get the real story behind an urban legend that’s been floated for years. In 1971 Grand Funk sold out Shea stadium faster than the beatles and has been snubbed by the rock and roll hall of fame for decades the interview is next on professor of rock.

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Interview: The Romantics on “Talking in Your Sleep” and Their Decade-Long Legal Battle Dec 13, 2022

Show notes

Coming up the two principals from an 80 rock band that is a true mystery… Wally Palmer and Mike Skill of the Romantics explain their 1983 #1 hit Talking In Your Sleep… First of all they had two huge hits that everyone knows… Talking in Your Sleep and What I Like About You...Only What I Like About You wasn’t actually a hit. It was sung by the drummer and got a lot of Mtv and radio play but stalled at #49 Then Talking in Your Sleep went to #1 in 1984 and in addition it was top 3 on all of the charts. Dance, Rock and Pop... It seemed like they were poised for stardom, THEN they found out that their managers had been misappropriating the profits earned by the band from its records and live performance since day one and the lawsuit that followed kept the band from recording anything for over a decade…. Up next this band tells the story of their #1 hit and how they came back from an 11 year hiatus to reclaim their legacy..

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How The Human League’s “Don’t You Want Me” Became an 80s Classic Despite Phil Oakey’s Doubts Dec 12, 2022

Show notes

It’s a song that reached the Top 5 all over the world and went to #1 in 8 different countries. It was also one of the early warning shots of the Second British Invasion. and the Human League frontman Phillip Oakey had only learned how to play an instrument months before And although Don’t you Want Me has gone down in history as one of the most pivotal tracks of the 80s, singer Phil Oakey actually hated it. Hoping that no one would ever hear it, he made sure it was the last track on the album and begged his label not to release it. But it wasn’t enough. The song was pure pop gold and they weren’t going to pass on a surefire hit. It’s the story of one of the greatest new wave songs ever by one of the most influential synth pop bands of the 80s... NEXT on the Professor of Rock.

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Interview: Journey’s Jonathan Cain & Neal Schon on Writing “Faithfully” and Prince’s Concern Over “Purple Rain” Dec 11, 2022

Show notes

Coming up some call it the greatest power ballad ever recorded.. Faithfully by Journey. It was one of the best songs of one of the best years in music history.. 1983. It was so universal and impactful that when Prince was writing his own power ballad Purple Rain, he was concerned that he may have subconsciously borrowed from it so he called the band to see what they thought… and even though the legendary guitarist Neal Schon and Super human lead singer Steve Perry figure prominently on this one, the song was actually written by the keyboardist Jonathan Cain from something real he was dealing with. Up next the keyboardist and guitarist of the rock hall of fame band give us the real story of a classic next on professor of rock .

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How Led Zeppelin’s First Rehearsal Proved They Were Destined for Greatness Dec 10, 2022

Show notes

Today, it’s the origin story of an unrivaled rock band that was actually “this close” to never happening…Led Zeppelin almost didn’t work. At least not with the legendary lineup we’ve all come to revere. Rising from the ashes of another historic band, the Yardbirds young guitar virtuoso Jimmy Page dreamed of assembling the ultimate rock powerhouse… The only catch was, with a tour already booked, he only had a month to do it. Now he just needed to find three prodigies who could help him alter the rock’s sonic landscape forever... No problem, right? How Jimmy Page recruited John Bonham, Robert Plant and John Paul Jones and recored their 70s classic Good Times, Bad Times to make everyone forget about the Beatles breaking up and it only took 15 hours of rehearsal before they recorded their massive debut record that a critic once called weak… Didn’t matter, they became the heaviest band ever!

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Celebrating Christine McVie: The Heart and Soul of Fleetwood Mac Dec 09, 2022

Show notes

A tribute to the beautiful Christine McVie...She was the endearing “secret weapon” of the brilliant, yet treacherous supergroup Fleetwood …the enchanting songstress that illuminated natural beauty with a quiet, unpretentious confidence. Her bluesy, angelic voice mesmerized us, and the sincerity of her music inspired us with some of the greatest songs of the rock era… Like Everywhere, Don’t Stop, You Make Loving Fun, Little Lies, Songbird, Hold Me and her solo hit Got A Hold on Me… She was so underrated especially on Fleetwood Mac’s monumental album “Rumors”.

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Interview: Kevin Cronin on How REO Speedwagon’s “Can’t Fight This Feeling” Took 10 Years to Finish Dec 08, 2022

Show notes

Up next a #1 hit that took 10 years to write. Kevin Cronin of Reo Speedwagon had the verses finished but he had been searching for the chorus for so long…He felt blocked. With pressure to write a hit for his band’s next album he scheduled a writing session with a famous contemporary but the morning of he canceled because he was physically sick! He was so frustrated that he stared cussing Screaming out to the muse! What is this song about! Just then it him like a ton of brick… up next he story of one of 80s greatest #1 hits Can’t Fight This Feeling by Reo Speedwagon with an exclusive interview and Kevin explains the cheesy, bubblegum lyric that’s he’s caught endless crap for! The story of an 80s power ballad.

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