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:

The Mystery of “Eleanor Rigby” – Paul McCartney, a Gravestone, and a Songwriting Feud Nov 25, 2024

Show notes

In ’66, the Beatles introduced the world to a character so mysterious, that her name alone sparked curiosity and speculation... Eleanor Rigby. Who was she? Where did she come from? And why did she captivate the imagination of millions? This haunting, string-laden track from a seminal album wasn't just a song—it was the beginning of a musical enigma. Did Paul McCartney make up the name or did he steal it from a gravestone? And who wrote the song? The most famous songwriting duo ever - Lennon-McCartney - got into a nasty argument through the press about it. The story is coming up, NEXT on Professor of Rock.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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

How a Legendary Band Turned a Biblical Verse into an Epic 1984 Rock Classic Nov 23, 2024

Show notes

Get up to 47% off the best holiday gift using my link: https://ridge.com/professorofrock Sponsored by Ridge!

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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

How Steve Miller’s “The Joker” Became a #1 Hit Twice – Thanks to a Misheard Lyric Nov 22, 2024

Show notes

Coming up… Steve Miller's career was on the ropes before it even started… he had 7 consecutive albums that flopped… If his next one wasn’t a hit the label was gonna get rid of him and his career would likely be over. Miller was desperate for a hit. A short time later he would write a song that he thought was just ok… The Joker. But it was hilariously unique in its lingo… with words and phrases that we still sing today, and a guitar effect that truly set it apart. Steve Miller thought The Joker would be a decent album track, whereas the suits from his label were predicting it would be a smash… It went to #1 and had a lyric that Miller has sung incorrectly for decades because he took it from another song. But he misheard it and then 16 years after it was #1 it went to the top spot again after being used in a Levi’s commercial… It's the story of The Joker, the song that gave Steve Miller his first gold record which he put above his washing machine! Find out why next on Professor of Rock.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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

The Most Underrated Classics – Songs That Deserve More Love Nov 21, 2024

Show notes

In the commercial world of music, not every great song gets the spotlight it deserves. Some tracks, though overshadowed by their chart-topping counterparts, stand the test of time just as powerfully… Songs that are ‘just as good,’ if not better, than the hits that stole the limelight… From underrated classics to fan favorites, today we are gonna uncover the magic behind these unsung songs from some of the greatest artists of all time like The Beatles, Don McLean, Crowded House, and the Beach Boys. Including a song that was on its way to #1 but the genius behind it had the song completely stop for 5 seconds and DJs hated dead air so they stopped playing it. AS WELL AS A SONG THAT had an iconic gruff male vocalist sing from the perspective of an old woman and it’s awesome, plus a song that makes women’s hearts swoon and grown men cry, including interviews with some of the artists. NEXT on Professor of Rock.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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

Interview with Daryl Hall: How Hall & Oates Quietly Dominated the 80s with 21 Hits Nov 20, 2024

Show notes

Coming up next, one of the greatest singers of the rock era, Daryl Hall tells the stories behind some of his biggest hits. He was in one of the most famous twosomes in rock history, Daryl Hall and John Oates and he drops a bomb in the interview. Daryl Hall never really collaborated with his Duo partner John Oates. . Find out more in the interview also he tells the story of using a Boy Scout canteen to come up with the iconic percussion sound on the 80s classic, Method of Modern Love the same song that taught some of us how to spell! He also tells the story of being involved in the largest gathering of legends ever to sing a #1 hit WE are the World, that he described as like going back to the 8th-grade choir and the song that he gave away to an old school band but their producer gave it back saying to him: are you crazy you can’t give away this song in Out of Touch as It’s a smash…He was right it became this legend’s final #1 hit! The stories are coming up on Professor of Rock.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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

How a Babysitter Turned “The Loco-Motion” Into a #1 Hit – Again and Again Nov 18, 2024

Show notes

Coming up… Eva Boyd wasn’t a singer, and had never earned a penny performing…She was a babysitter! And she hadn’t even been filling those duties for long. But when an emerging songwriting couple, Gerry Goffin and Carol King, handed her a song called Loco-motion that they’d written for somebody else and was rejected, she agreed to give it a try. What happened next was nothing short of remarkable. With one joyful, unpolished take, Loc-motion became an unstoppable hit, sparking a dance craze and launching an unlikely sensation. This song would not only hit #1 but It would be a hit over and over again for many different artists over the next few decades. Get this… Loco-motion was a #1 hit 4 times! A rock band and two foreign acts would all take it to the top of the charts. This is the story of how a household helper became star—and, ohhhh how quickly a star can fade. The chronicle of this bittersweet journey and the anthem that outlived it all is NEXT on Professor of Rock.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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

The Top 5 Most Interesting Duets of the 80s – Surprising Collaborations & Unforgettable Hits Nov 16, 2024

Show notes

Get ready for a journey back to the '80s, when artists weren't afraid to join forces in unexpected and unforgettable ways. On this edition of Professor of Rock, we’re counting down the Top 5 Most Interesting Duets of the neon decade—From surprising combinations to boundary-pushing sounds, in one strange duet a legend thought the demo of the eventual #1 song was dreadful and had no desire to record the song within the same room as his counterpart… in another song the legendary duet partners only had a few hours to record their song working against a non-negotiable deadline…and then to make matters worse, a famous diva wanted the male singer’s part so he had to come up with a whole new take. and in yet another one a legend had to call his wife to get permission to hug his female partner. I’ll also give you make pick for the worst duet ever…Great stories coming up next!

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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

How a Mysterious Gardener Inspired The Rolling Stones’ “Jumpin’ Jack Flash” Nov 15, 2024

Show notes

Imagine a smoky studio… late in the evening. One of the most celebrated bands of the Rock Era the Rolling Stones are restless, searching for a sound, an edge that will take them into the next phase of their career. And then, all of a sudden they heard a ruckus out the window. It was the mysterious figure of a guy jumping in and out of view. Was it a criminal? Was it a peeping tom… Nope, it was the gardener. A strange dude who not only inspired the Stones' new sound but one of the great rock songs ever from that kooky gardener the song came to life—a track so raw and charged with mystery, it felt like it was conjured from another realm. Who was this shadowy figure, and how did he ignite a rock 'n' roll ritual that would leave an indelible mark? In this episode, we reveal the untold origins of the masterpiece... Jumpin' Jack Flash. But who really wrote the music? Mick Jagger and Keith Richards are credited, but a few others from the band have a different story. Also what happened to the gardener after? Find out next on Professor of Rock.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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

How “Bette Davis Eyes” Made the Hollywood Icon Cool Again – The Story Behind the 1981 Hit Nov 14, 2024

Show notes

Today’s song Bette Davis Eyes was recorded several times and didn’t go anywhere… in 1974 it was released and was a total flop. It was written about an old-time movie star that the newer generation didn’t really know. 5 years later it was re-recorded with a completely different arrangement… adding an undeniable 80s synth line with a voice so raspy everyone mistook the singer for Rod Stewart… only it was a woman: Kim Carnes. With her distinct voice, the song spread like wildfire. It hit the #1 spot for 9 weeks and became the biggest song of the year and one of the biggest of the decade. It was so big. Its success was impossible to duplicate. A true bottled lightning classic. When it was on top of the world, the legendary actress Bette Davis had no idea about it, since she didn’t listen to the radio. The only way she found out was when her grandchildren told her. Even though she’d been in over 100 films it was this song that made her grandkids think she was cool! A great story is next on Professor of Rock.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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

The Mystery of the Most Mysterious Song on the Internet – Solved After 41 Years! Nov 13, 2024

Show notes

It finally happened! Seventeen years in the making, and 41 years after the song was released the search for the internet’s most notorious lost song has come to an end. Dubbed the Most Mysterious Song on the Internet, the song's real name is Subways of Your Mind. Song detectives have been chasing clues for this one for a long time. And I’m not going to lie, the reveal to this one completely lives up to the hype. If you’re in need of a feel good story with happy ending today, then this is your episode. You’ll be smiling from ear to ear when you hear about the origins of this famous undiscovered track. And you’ll fall in love with the band who wrote it, they are called FEX. These guys are the real deal. It’s a comeback story the likes of which has never been told before. The details of a lost band, their lost drummer, and the identity of an unknown mixtape track recorded in the 80s have all finally been revealed. You’re going to love this one… NEXT on the Professor of Rock.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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