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 Jimi Jamison Led Survivor’s Comeback with “I Can’t Hold Back” Sep 15, 2022

Show notes

80s rock band Survivor was flying high in 1982. They’d just scored their first #1 hit with Eye of the Tiger spending 6 weeks at the top of the summit and were ready for more but when their next album flopped and their lead singer Dave Bickler lost his voice, Many wondered if this band would survive… after auditioning many singers they found the perfect frontman in Jimi Jamison as well as the perfect song to take them back to the top. I Can’t Hold Back from there 1984 blockbuster album Vital Signs put them on the right track for multiple hits including High On You and the Search Is Over Up next founding member and co writer Jim Peterik tells the story behind their comeback and the song that took them back to #1 next...

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Interview: Rob Halford on How “You’ve Got Another Thing Coming” Took Heavy Metal Mainstream Sep 13, 2022

Show notes

Up next a rock legend and metal god Rob Halford of Judas Priest gives the straight story behind the 80s heavy metal classic You’ve Got Another Thing Coming which started out as a b side until radio and their label turned it into the spark that pushed mainstream radio to play the music that was meant for the outcasts and misfits. Rob also talks about being part of Tipper Gore’s Filthy 15 list of banned songs and how the phrase may have come of a thesaurus becoming a mantra for the outcasts.. and his words became part of our culture! . coming up the story of an underdog rock song that has become one of music’s greatest rock expressions…

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Debunking the Urban Legend: The True Story Behind Phil Collins’ “In the Air Tonight” Sep 12, 2022

Show notes

the 80s classic hit In the Air Tonight by Phil Collins has arguably the most famous urban legend behind it in rock history. Told and retold thousands of times. Did Phil Collins of Genesis really witness a potential murder and then write about it to haunt the killer? Or is it a total farce? The story of a song that has become one of the biggest of its time only to stall outside of the top 10 back in the early 80s. we give it it’s due as a #1 in our hearts and find out the real story next.

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Interview: Sammy Hagar on Van Halen’s “Why Can’t This Be Love” and the Contrast with David Lee Roth Sep 10, 2022

Show notes

Coming up…A tale of two lead singers Sammy Hagar and David Lee Roth. Both fronted Van Halen… Both had different philosophies. WE look at them through two classic song from both eras… Aint Talkin’ Bout Love from the 70s debut and Why Can’t This Be Love from the 80s album 5150. They are both great because the music for each was written by the genius Eddie Van Halen along with the usual offerings by Michael Anthony and Alex Van Halen. The story of both songs along with an interview from Sammy Hagar about the #3 hit is up next.

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Interview: Mike Campbell on How Tom Petty Fought His Label and Won with “Refugee” Sep 09, 2022

Show notes

Tom Petty risked everything to earn his freedom form a cheating record label. The Result was captured in one of his greatest 80s hits, Refugee. Tom Petty risked His finances, his reputation, his future in music, even his mental health... it was all on the line. But the alternative was something much worse, working under a dishonest contract that was more or less musical servitude. Going bankrupt in the process, this fearless artist took his label to court while at the same time writing and recording what many consider to be his masterpiece album Damn the Torpedoes. The story of Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers fight for liberty including an exclusive interview with the song’s co-writer Mike Campbell.

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How The Police’s “Every Breath You Take” Became the Most Played (and Creepiest) Song in History Sep 08, 2022

Show notes

The Police created the 1983 #1 Hit Every Breath You Take at a tumultuous time.. Sting was going through a painful divorce, Stewart Copeland and Andy Summers were fighting tooth and nail with Sting to get their ideas heard and producer Hugh Padgham was in the middle of the strife. Manager Miles Copeland had to go lay down the law. They were the biggest band in the world and they wanted Synchronicity to be the biggest record on the charts so they were able to stop the fist fights for a time to create a blockbuster. Sting sat down to write a love song one night but it turned into a sinister stalker song. Every Breath You Take would take a lot to finish but when it dropped it went to #1 for 8 weeks… The biggest song of `1983 and the most played song ever. Get ready for a riveting story of the trio who had an outright songwriting brawl, all the way to #1.

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Interview: Martin Fry on How ABC’s “When Smokey Sings” Paid Tribute and Surpassed His Hero on the Charts Sep 07, 2022

Show notes

When Martin Fry of 80s New Wave band ABC was sick, music saved him. This Charismatic velvet voiced new wave frontman was going through his darkest times, when he had Hodgkins disease. As he battled cancer with chemotherapy he realized that listening to his favorite music lifted him up out of despair and so he wanted to create a song that paid tribute to this joyful music of motown that helped him survive. the result was one of the greatest top 5 hits of 1987, When Smokey Sings about his hero, Smokey Robinson.. the song just soars. Up next this Martin Fry of ABC tells us the story of capturing that and how his tribute to his hero Smokey actually passed him up on the charts as both were in the top 10 at the same time.

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Interview: Dave "The Snake" Sabo on How Skid Row’s “18 and Life” Became an 80s Metal Classic Sep 06, 2022

Show notes

The real story of how Dave the Snake Sabo and Skid Row created the 80s metal classic 18 and Life. There are a lot of urban legends about this song and Dave sets the record straight. The top 5 hit came from Skid Row’s multi-platinum 1989 self titled album that included the hits Youth Gone Wild, I Remember You and this classic. . As an opener for Bon Jovi during their New Jersey tour, many said that Skid Row was better with the duo of Dave Sabo and Rachel Bolan and Sebastian Back on vocals, they helped rock rule radio as the 80s came to a close.

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Interview: Burton Cummings on How “American Woman” Was Improvised Into a #1 Hit Sep 05, 2022

Show notes

Burton Cummings of the Guess Who made up the all time 70s rock classic American Woman on the spot in the middle of a live show… while hearing Randy Bachman’s guitar vamp Burton sang the famous lines stream of conscience and a #1 hit was born. Luckily a bootlegger was recording the show and the Band got a hold of the cassette and recorded it after. Contrary to popular belief the song was not written as an anti war song or against American… Burton sets the record straight in this exclusive interview on the biggest rock song of 1970.

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How Fine Young Cannibals Ruled 1989 with The Raw & The Cooked Before Vanishing Sep 03, 2022

Show notes

Fine Young Cannibals blew up 1989. They seemed to come out of nowhere and were gone just as quickly. For one year they ruled the charts. #1 on the album charts with the Raw and the Cooked and then two #1 hits including She Drives Me Crazy and Good Thing. When the English Beat broke up, Andy Cox and Dave Steele decided to form a band using MTV to find a singer. After auditioning 500 singers they finally found a singer the old fashioned way. Through people they knew. Roland Gift had distinct falsetto and Fine Young Cannibals were born. They worked with Prince producer Bobby Z and created a beautiful pop album that set the charts and the 80s on fire. So why did they walk away from music? Whey didn’t they record a follow up album? Relegated to the one album wonder status or as we call it Bottled Lightning. Find out why next on professor of rock.

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