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: How Glass Tiger Ruled 1986 with The Thin Red Line Before Disappearing Aug 02, 2022

Show notes

The story of the one album wonder: Glass Tiger The Thin Red Line that had 3 top 40 hits. In the past we’ve talked about those rare hit songs that have been Lightening in a bottle. Where an artist or band releases a song that rips up the charts and shakes the earth for a time and then never rises to those levels again… Sometimes we cover An album that has multiple hit singles and rockets up the charts and then the artist never reaches those heights again? Up next lead singer Alan Frew and keyboardist Sam Reid from the canadian synth pop warriors, Glass Tiger tell the story of a moment where they were all the rage in mainstream music with #2 hit Don’t Forget Me When I’m Gone and #6 hit Someday as well as the top 40 anthem I will Be there!

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How Rupert Holmes Outsmarted the Music Industry After “Escape” and “Answering Machine” Jul 27, 2022

Show notes

Up next another edition of our series Bottled Lightening One Album Wonders… Where an LP had multiple hit songs and then the artist Never had another hit. Rupert Holmes had three hits on his album Partners in Crime. the #1 smash Escape the Pina Colada Song and top 10 hit HIM and then the #32 hit Answering Machine about outdated tech that is pretty funny. but this story ups the ante. . Instead of fading to obscurity after his next two albums and song didn’t chart, he outsmarted the industry when they wouldn’t play his records anymore. He turned the tables on the old cliche one hit wonder and ended up being extremely successful in every aspect of the business including broadway, TV, and books.. It’s a great story coming up next on Professor of Rock.

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Interview: Mike Lindup on Crafting Level 42’s Timeless 80s Hit “Something About You” Jul 26, 2022

Show notes

What is your favorite song of all time. It’s a question that gets asked a lot… Well in one of my all time pinch me moments I got to interview the cowriter and co singer of my favorite song ever Mike Lindup of the 80s classic band Level 42 on the story of the 1986 hit Something About You, a glorious synth pop new wave jazz classic and even plays parts of the songs to show how he came up with the song and how he wrote with Mark King, Wally Badarou, Rowland Gould and Phil Gold from the album World Machine.

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How Metallica’s “Master of Puppets” Became a #1 Hit Decades Later Thanks to Stranger Things Jul 25, 2022

Show notes

It’s manipulative, it’s menacing, and it’s a masterpiece. the Metallica 80s song Master of Puppets is a grim parable about the abuse of power and the cost of addiction. And it just so happens to be set against one of the heaviest hitting riffs of all time by a band praised for their speed and skill, James Hetfield, Lars Ulrich, Kirk Hammett and Cliff Burton dug deep with this one. . No surprise then that this, their signature song, has made a pop culture comeback recently in the 4th season of Stranger Things. Featured in one of the most epic scenes in modern media history with Eddie Munson saving the world, it just hit #1 all over agian and my kids are listening to it!

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Interview: Otis Williams on The Temptations’ Elegant #1 Hit “Just My Imagination” Jul 22, 2022

Show notes

Coming up the story of one of the most elegant and breathtaking #1 hit of the 70s: Just My Imagination (running Away From Me) from the last remaining member of the legendary rock and roll hall of fame group The Temptations. Mr Otis Williams takes us through the song. Though this song was the first of several number one hits for the group in the 70s after dominating the 60s with My Girl and Can’t Get Next To You it would be the last song to be recorded by two key members of the band including one of there lead singers Eddie Kendricks and Paul Williams who’s health was failing. …this coming just two years after losing another of their lead singers in David Ruffin. It did’t matter because as this song proves.. it was always about the core not the individuals. The story of one of the most beloveds songs ever is coming up on professor of rock.

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How Redbone’s “Come and Get Your Love” Became the Most Likable Song Ever Jul 21, 2022

Show notes

The amazing story of the first all indigenous band Redbone and their ultra catchy 70s smash Come and Get Your Love. The band was compelled by a burning desire to put the spirituality and history of their ancestry in the forefront of their music... the band featured in this episode risked commercial acceptance...disregarded music industry conventionalism, and scored the first major pop hit by a group entirely made up of Indigenous Americans. The inspiring story is coming up NEXT on Professor of Rock.

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Interview: Peter Frampton on How Frampton Comes Alive! Turned Procrastination into a Historic Success Jul 20, 2022

Show notes

Up next an exclusive interview with 70s Legend Peter Frampton the singer write guitarist who had failed as a solo artists for years. He procrastinated and only had a few days to write an album that's songs would eventually become part of Frampton Comes Alive which for many years was the biggest selling album ever until the 80s. At the time He felt his songs were good but for some reason they just weren’t going anywhere. He partied and frittered away his time to record and was left with only a few days to create an entire album. He did and it would pay off big time. Up next, the story of Show Me The Way and he talks about his time working with George Harrison’s. Peter also tells us the story of how he learned to use a very cool effect on his guitar to take one of these songs to classic rock legend and how he went from zero to hero virtually overnight next on professor of rock.

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How Robert Palmer Dreamed Up “Addicted to Love” and Turned It into an 80s #1 Hit Jul 19, 2022

Show notes

Coming up, it’s the story behind one of the most recognizable music videos of the 80s… THE 1986 #1 hit Addicted to Love by Robert Palmer the suave, dressed for success rocker who is the epitome of James Bond of Pop music , along with a stunning backup band who couldn’t play a power chord to save their lives. It took a decade to get mainstream radio to notice but did they ever ever after this one. He was supposed to sing it as a duet with a famous female artist. We’re going to take a deep dive into this #1 obsessive anthem that had everyone hooked from the moment they heard it. ,coming NEXT on the Professor of Rock.

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How Weezer’s “Buddy Holly” Became an Accidental 90s Anthem—Despite Rivers Cuomo Hating It Jul 18, 2022

Show notes

Buddy Holly by Weezer..This nerd rock 90s blast from the past came out of the blue and took the world by storm. No one was expecting it, but everyone started singing along as soon as they heard it. River Cuomo and Weezer became the unintentional heroes to the underdog… the album and song were produced by Ric Ocasek of the Cars- This geek rock classic pays homage to every decade of rock era. and for it’s iconic Happy days videos, the singer actually hated the song.. Find out why NEXT on the Professor of Rock.

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Neil Finn on Writing “Don’t Dream It’s Over” and How It Became an 80s Classic Jul 15, 2022

Show notes

In 1984 a fledgling band called Split ENZ that included two brothers Tim and Neil Finn broke up, coming up short of the path to success they set. just a year later Neil Finn formed a new band. Their self titled debut album, though promising was a slow starter as their first three singles failed to chart, it was the forth song “Don’t Dream It’s Over"that raised a ruckus and saved the album form obscurity, a song that many legendary musicians have said they wish they’d written. One of the most enduring songs of the 80s that went to #1 In Canada and New Zealand and barely missed #1 here in the states with a #2 showing but it’s legacy has lived long past many songs that did go to #1. Up next the singer and songwriter tells the compelling story of this all time hit.

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