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 .38 Special Quietly Became One of the Biggest Hitmakers of the ’80s Dec 01, 2025

Show notes

Coming up next… sometimes you have to ask, is there any justice in the world? Today I’ve got an interview with Don Barnes, one of the coolest singers of the 80s. He’s a guy who doesn’t get the credit he deserves. He fronted the band 38 Special, which started out as a southern rock band, but by the early 80s, they’d transformed into a leading arena rock group. And they released some of the most memorable hits of the decade, including today’s classic Caught Up in You. It was actually a co-write between this band’s guitarist and lead singer, along with a talented writer from a rival band…when the rival band’s guitarist heard about this contribution, he was livid. To avoid a lawsuit, they gave him a co-writing credit even though he didn’t write anything. By the end of the 80s, after 16 hits, this band had a temp singer who came in for 1 album, and he delivered their biggest chart hit. Let’s do it.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The Untold Saga of “St. Elmo’s Fire” and John Parr’s Incredible Comeback Nov 30, 2025

Show notes

Coming up next a story you won’t believe. Talk about an ordeal. Today’s guest, John Parr, has a massive #1 hit in 1985 that is still huge today. It was the theme to the movie St. Elmo's Fire, but the song was actually written about the power to overcome anything and was inspired by a disabled man. It not only hit #1 but was the frontrunner to win the Best Original Song Oscar that year. But then it was pulled from contention on a stupid technicality. But in the end, it raised incredible awareness and millions of dollars for people with spinal injuries. John Parr was at the pinnacle of his career, and then someone in his inner circle betrayed him, and an ongoing litigation kept him from recording music for 18 years! He had to get a regular job to make ends meet for his family and to raise his kids. But there is a happy ending. Let’s do it

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Unlikely Rock Origins: Darlene Love, Dave Grohl, Nikki Sixx & the Songs That Made Them Nov 29, 2025

Show notes

Coming up, we’re going all in on the most unlikely origin stories for some seriously legendary bands and artists. I think you're going to really dig this one... including the grieving drummer Dave Grohl, whose famous band, Nirvana had just splintered in tragedy. He left music for a time, but then, out of the blue, he secretly recorded a solo album in one week, playing every instrument himself. Then made up a fake band name FOO FIGHTERS because he didn't want anyone to know who he was… He became one of the biggest acts in rock. Then there’s the story of Nikki Sixx, who found his guitarist, Mick Mars, in an unforgettable classified ad… but it turns out he had already met him before and even had his number. He had just forgotten about him. Their band, Motley Crue, would become one of the biggest acts of the 80s and beyond. Plus, the singer Darlene Love, who was hired by one of the biggest jerks in history Phil Spector to sing lead on the legendary song He's a Rebel. The song went to #1, but it was credited to another band, the Crystals even though she was the voice behind it! Even today, people still don’t know she sang it. Plus the story of the Everly Brothers who were recorded a Country record called Bye Bye Love but they accidentally sent it to rock stations and it became a #1 rock hit and made the Everly's rock stars!

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Black SABBATH Friday: How Black Sabbath’s "Paranoid" Accidentally Became a Heavy Metal Anthem Nov 28, 2025

Show notes

When today’s legendary band came out, they were unlike anything anyone had ever heard back in… Black Sabbath! Their music was hardcore and at first, they almost called themselves a three-word title that started with Polka, thankfully they saw a horror movie around that time and took its much cooler title as their name.. Their first record was destroyed by the critics but out of nowhere fans bought a million copies of it and they readied their sophomore record. Needing only 3 more minutes of music to finish it, the band created a track that inadvertently affected the future of rock & roll. Paranoid would change everything. It was the unfolding of a heavy metal anthem was it inspired by dark mysticism or the highs and lows of drug indulgence….find out next on Professor of Rock.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

PODCAST ONLY EXCLUSIVE: Paul Shaffer on SNL, Letterman & Life in Rock N Roll Nov 27, 2025

Show notes

In this exclusive podcast-only episode, the Professor of Rock sits down for an unfiltered, full-length conversation with the one and only Paul Shaffer—legendary bandleader, keyboardist, and comedic straight man for David Letterman. From his early days growing up in Canada and discovering his love for music, to becoming a mainstay on late night TV for over three decades, Paul shares hilarious, heartfelt, and behind-the-scenes stories you've never heard before. From SNL to CBS’s Late Show, from jamming with musical legends to accidentally upstaging them, this is Paul Shaffer like you’ve never heard him. It’s a rare glimpse into the mind of a pop culture icon who helped shape the sound of an era.

As always, we’re incredibly thankful for you—the listeners—for making it possible to bring these stories to light. Your support keeps the music (and the memories) alive.

Happy Thanksgiving from the Professor of Rock.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Professor of Rock’s Holy Grail: The Complete Sting Interview Nov 27, 2025

Show notes

STRAIGHT UP. If there was just one Video or interview That I’ve done in the history of my channel that I would want my viewers to see. Just one. that I could leave to this world…Leave to my kin, to my ancestors. Well you get the point. It would be this one. I made a list of 15 artists I wanted to interview before I leave this earth and this was in my top 3. they Say NEVER to meet your heroes but in this interview, I found that belief to be untrue. What you are going to see next is the full uncut interview with one of the greatest singers and lyricists in rock history, He wrote and performed the most played song in radio history with Every Breath You Take with the Police and we talk through his career with the police including the stories of Every Breath You Take, King of Pain, Wrapped Around your Finger and Roxanne and his solo career including his hits If You Love Somebody Set Them Free, All This Time, Fields of Gold and If I Ever Lose My Faith In You and tears are shed as we talk about our fathers and their deaths. It’s very personal and thoroughly uplifting. In the past, I’ve only shared a piece of this, but today I’m giving you all of it. Here is my full interview with Sting.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Top 10 Underrated Songs of 1984 That Deserved to Be Hits Nov 26, 2025

Show notes

Today, we're counting down the Top 10 Songs from 1984 That Deserved BETTER! We play them all the time, but somehow they missed the Top 40, and Most are better than the biggest hits of the year. I’ve got the story of Prince's gut-wrenching ballad that has been rumored to be about three different women. It was written in a late-night session as a last-minute track for one of the most unforgettable films of 1984. But who is it really about? There’s also a classic song by rock icon Ian McCulloch that was so divinely inspired the songwriter literally gave half the songwriting credit to God. Plus, there’s the folk rock legend Leonard Cohen, who spent years and 80 verses trying to write his masterpiece. He went so mad over this song, and one night, while in a hotel room in his underwear, he started bashing his head on the floor trying to figure it out. Finally, Decades later the world would recognize him for his genius. Plus the most haunting song of the 80s and it missed the top 40! These stories and more are coming up next. Let’s go.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

FROM THE VAULT: Why Pat Benatar Refuses to Sing “Hit Me With Your Best Shot” Anymore Nov 25, 2025

Show notes

Pat Benatar has something of an adversarial relationship with one of her biggest songs… the Top Ten 10 hit “Hit Me With Your Best Shot.” It broke her career wide open. There’s a few reasons for this, but ultimately, even though she made it famous, it wasn’t her song to begin with. That distinction goes to a struggling songwriter who wrote it after punching pillows in a new age therapy session. Yeah, you can’t make this stuff up. Even though Pat doesn’t care for it, there’s no doubt that generations of fans haven’t been able to get enough of it. It’s an 80s classic rock radio staple for sure, oozing confidence and bravado, putting Pat Benatar forward as the 80s premier female rocker that would be followed by plenty of great hits like Love Is a Battlefield and We Belong.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Smashing Pumpkins, Oasis & No Doubt: Top 10 Songs of 1996 Nov 24, 2025

Show notes

I can’t believe I initially stopped doing these yearly countdowns at 1994 because today’s yearly top 10 is truly great. These 10 songs were certainly surrounded by some of the worst songs ever, but they shined like the song that Smashing Pumpkins frontman Billy Corgan wrote about an important landmark date in his life, 1979 but he had to use a different year than the actual one because it had better rhymes. But his hardcore producer deleted the song from the final album track list because it wasn’t good enough. This frontman was livid. He argued for it so passionately that the Producer gave him 24 hours to go back and rework it, or it was going in the trash bin. So he stayed up all night and perfected it. The next morning, it was undeniable.. It would make the album, but not only that it became the Smashing Pumpkins’ biggest hit and one of the best songs of its time. Plus, No Doubt's Don't Speak the song that was the most played song of the year, but due to a crazy technicality, the Billboard charts wouldn’t let it be included in the charts. So it was never a hit, but 30 years on, it has over 3 billion streams, plus the most Haunting Instrumental of the rock era, Children by Robert Miles. Plus Champagne Supernova by Oasis and Missing by Everything but The Girl as well as Journey Singer Steve Perry and his final song with the band When You Love a Woman. It’s all coming up on a star-studded year-end countdown.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The Best of David Lee Roth Solo: Mountain Climbs, Covers & Comebacks Nov 23, 2025

Show notes

Today, we're diving into the solo career of one of rock's most over-the-top frontmen, David Lee Roth. After leaving Van Halen, one of the mightiest rock bands on the planet in 1985, this larger-than-life showman set out to prove he didn't need his former band to make killer rock music. Armed with a supergroup of virtuosos and a stadium-sized ego, he unleashed a string of hits that split fans right down the middle. But no one could deny Dave's charisma and ability to command the stage. On our latest edition of short and sweet, we’re counting down Roth's three biggest solo tracks, including a death-defying music video shot on the face of a mountain, a cover song that secretly featured a secret rock and roll legend, and a track that may have been a declaration of war against his former band. Find out which songs made the cut and the inside joke that he and his former band were perpetrating… NEXT on the Professor of Rock.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Our TOPPODCAST Picks

Follow Us

Stay Connected

Professor of Rock

Related Podcasts

Links

Stay Connected