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 10,000 Maniacs Moved On After Natalie Merchant – The Story of More Than This Feb 19, 2025

Show notes

Coming up an interview with a band that was a major force in the 80s and 90s and you may have wondered whatever happened to them? I’m talking about 10,000 Maniacs... Well, they’re here today to tell us their story. they were an underground band for years but just when they started breaking through their lead singer Natalie Merchant told them she was quitting to pursue a solo career but she would do one more album with them. That album Our Time in Eden became their biggest one yet and led to one of the most iconic Unplugged albums ever…When Merchant left, instead of packing it in, the 10,000 Maniacs decided to make their backup singer Ann Ramsay the lead and their next album flourished giving them their 2nd biggest hit as a band in the cover of the Roxy Music classic More Than This and they still tour to this day… The story is next on Professor of Rock.

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Stephen Pearcy on RATT’s Round and Round – The 80s Rock Hit That Deserved #1 Feb 18, 2025

Show notes

In the 80s Def Leppard, AC DC, Bon Jovi, Poison, Motley Crue, Guns N Roses, and Whitesnake ruled rock radio. But we have lead singer Stephen Pearcy in our midst today whose band RATT was right there with them, selling 5 million albums out of nowhere! Fueled by a true classic Round and Round due to a renaissance in pop culture might be more popular now than it was in its heyday. Next Stephen tells us where the song came from and how he and his guitarist threw live rodents at an 80s model for an album cover shoot during that time. And he talked his teen guitarist into quitting college to play with his band. Payola kept them out of the #1 spot there is no question about that. Find out how next on Professor of Rock.

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The Rise and Disappearance of Paul Davis – The Man Behind “I Go Crazy” Feb 17, 2025

Show notes

Today we’re sharing the cold hard facts on the velvet-voiced soft rocker Paul Davis, a guy who looked like your next-door neighbor and ordinary average guy... but who was extraordinary for a time when his classic 1978 hit I Go Crazy spent a record 40 weeks in the charts… In fact, he had 8 hits. But after his biggest-selling record in the early 80s, he wanted nothing to do with recording. It was so bad he ended his contract with his label and never recorded another album. He went MIA from the charts, preferring to write songs for other artists. But just as he was getting going he was shot in the stomach by a robber outside a Nashville hotel. He survived the ordeal, but would his music career survive? At this point, he seriously thought about packing it all in. These stories and more are coming up as we cover this hidden gem artist from the 70s and 80s on the Professor of Rock.

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Tracy Chapman’s Last-Minute Performance That Made “Fast Car” an Instant Classic Feb 15, 2025

Show notes

1988 was an absolute goldmine for music—an era of massive hits, legendary albums, and songs that still give us chills. Looking back, it’s wild how many classics came out of that year! From soaring rock anthems to unforgettable pop gems, these tracks captured everything—passion, joy, romance, seduction, escapism, and pure musical magic including a song by Def Leppard with so many guitar parts it was impossible to duplicate live, also a Guns N Roses song that was guitar exercise that sounded like something the circus would play but the lead singer made the guitar player turn it into a song against his will and it became MASSIVE... There’s also the rookie Tracy Chapman who SUBBED in for a Legend at the last second when He had to cancel an appearance at a benefit Show that had an audience of 600 Million people. Her song Fast Car was so powerful it made her a star in 4 mins and she sold 2 million records the week after. We countdown the 10 best songs of 1988 next.

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Interview with Midge Ure: How Ultravox’s “Vienna” Became the Greatest #2 Hit Ever Feb 14, 2025

Show notes

Today’s song Vienna by Ultravox has been voted the greatest bridesmaid song in history. The Greatest #2 ever. Sadly it was kept out of the #1 spot by one of the worst songs ever. It was a novelty song that annoyed everyone all the way to the top of the charts. But today we have Midge Ure the singer and writer of the classic #2 song with us to tell the story. Vienna also has a badass viola solo in it that was nearly impossible to get recorded and it still haunts anyone who dares to listen to it. One of the 80s most underappreciated artists has the story next on Professor of Rock.

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5 Massive Hits That Became Too Taboo to Play – Featuring Cher, The Who & More Feb 13, 2025

Show notes

Coming up… we’re counting down 5 massive hits from the Rock Era that were once everywhere but have since become socially unacceptable. These songs topped the charts, ruled the airwaves, and seemed untouchable—until shifting times and cultural scrutiny pushed them into taboo territory. Some artists refuse to play them, others have tried to rewrite history, and a few have vanished from pop culture. Which songs made the list? Well, there are two #1 hits on this countdown that two legendary artists have refused to play… In fact, one was one of Cher's biggest hits and she left it off her greatest hits album! Another is a classic of the rock canon from The Who that the band refuses to talk about, essentially erasing it from existence. And another by Sheena Easton that pissed off feminists when it hit #1 in the 80s even though it was sung by a female. Very interesting stories here, including an artist interview… NEXT on Part 3 of our Taboo Songs of the Rock Era countdown on Professor of Rock!

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Interview with Foreigner: How “I Want to Know What Love Is” Became an Unstoppable #1 Hit Feb 12, 2025

Show notes

Today’s band Foreigner was a revelation in the '70s and '80s. A British band with an American singer, they set the FM radio dial on fire with half a dozen smash hits over their first few albums getting as close as you could get to #1 but they were always the bridesmaid. Actually, they created the biggest #2 hit in history, sitting at the runner-up spot for a record 10 weeks. Then in 1984 into 1985 that all changed. Releasing the no doubt about it #1 hit I Want to Know What Love Is, with one of the most inspired vocals ever. So inspiring everybody in the control room was bawling. Pretty good for a song that was written at 3 in the morning minutes after this legend was awakened by inspiration. The 80s power ballad not only gave them a #1 hit across the globe, but it has recharted 4 more times for various artists after the 80s. But no one can touch the original vocal. In fact, it might just be the greatest vocal performance on a #1 hit with the song being further opened up by an amazing and unexpected musical weapon… and it knocked 2 record-breaking hits out of #1. Interviews with the Singer and guitarist are next.

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Interview with Brian Greenway: The Legacy of April Wine and Their Biggest Hits Feb 11, 2025

Show notes

Coming up next, the most requested band of the last year… April Wine. I’ve received over a thousand requests in our comment section for the last year to interview or cover this band. Well, I actually interviewed their guitarist Brian Greenway over a year ago, but the Zoom interview didn’t work. The file wouldn’t open. Well, the other night I tracked it down again and was finally able to make it work! So up next an interview with the longest-serving member of April Wine, a famous hard rock band that had 20 hits in their native Canada but only 3 in America but what a band! They were the first Canadian band played on MTV and still ignite classic rock radio. Plus they had a song that most 80s kids remember because it spelled out a hardcore profanity in its chorus but got past censors. Stay tuned for a treat next on Professor of Rock.

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The 80s Bands That Should Have Been Bigger – Featuring The Sundays, The Replacements & More Feb 10, 2025

Show notes

We’ve all been there—watching a movie we thought was amazing, only to find out that someone else absolutely hated it. Or going to a restaurant a friend swore by, only to think it was terrible. You’ve probably said to yourself, “I’m never listening to that guy again!” Well, music works the same way. You might totally vibe with a song that someone else can’t stand. It’s all so subjective, and that’s part of the fun—finding something you truly love, even if others don’t get it. Coming up, we’re going to dive into that spirit and shake things up with a countdown of the Top 5 Songs from the 80s from bands that Shoulda Been Bigger including The Sundays' singer Harriet Wheeler who has gone MISSING, as well as Can't Hardly Wait by the Replacements, a band was so worried about not selling out that it stopped them from being the greatest band of the 80s, and How Soon is Now by the Smiths that has been called the Stairway to Heaven of the 80s with a haunting guitar drone that came from a butter knife. The stories and song are …. NEXT on Professor of Rock.

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How Cheap Trick’s “The Flame” Became Their Biggest Hit—Despite Their Guitarist Hating It Feb 08, 2025

Show notes

Today we’re telling the story of Cheap Trick, a band who may have invented the phrase “Big in Japan.” These guys really struggled to get off the ground and were flirting with disaster when they discovered they were revered as rock royalty halfway around the world. Capitalizing on this good fortune, things really blew up when they recorded their live album Cheap Trick at Budokan which wasn’t meant for distribution in the US. But it got so popular, they released it here as an import even though they are an American band! But it ended up saving their career. But then after scoring a handful of hits Cheap Trick once again found themselves on the brink of extinction. Looking to make a big-time comeback, they agreed to record someone else’s song… a surefire hit called The Flame. Only their guitarist hated it. In fact, he hated it so much that he crushed the demo tape underneath his boot. Find out what happened next as we get into the story of rock’s most resilient and entertaining bands… NEXT on the Professor of Rock.

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