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:

When David Lee Roth Left Van Halen: The Rise of Sammy Hagar and Four #1 Hits Nov 02, 2024

Show notes

Coming up. We’re going back to the days of the cassettes and compact discs to feature a mammoth-sized band. One that has delivered some of the most ramped-up rockers of the 20th century as well as six multi-platinum albums to start their career. I'm talking about Van Halen. Only after that, the band lost their larger-than-life frontman, David Lee Roth. But resilient as they were brilliant, Eddie Van Halen and crew recruited a new lead singer, Sammy Hagar, who took them higher and higher with hits like “Finish What You Started, Dreams, Love Walks In, the Best Of Both Worlds, When it’s Love and Right Now Van Halen is a textbook case of how to thrive after losing your main man behind the mic. Not many bands have done it. But this version 2.0 outfit did. Today we’re telling the stories behind the most compelling tracks from Van Halen’s second life. Get ready for Lamborghini’s, naked songwriting sessions, interrupted intimate moments, and long walks on the beach. Plus, we’ll hear these stories straight from Sammy Hagar himself… NEXT on the Professor of Rock.

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The Story Behind Cream's 'White Room': A Poem Turned Heavy Metal Blueprint Nov 01, 2024

Show notes

In the middle of the most innovative time in music history, today’s classic hit White Room by Cream composed of Ginger Baker, Eric Clapton, and Jack Bruce was 5 years ahead of its time. And the amazing lyrics came from one of those ‘gut check’ moments in life when a person faces great adversity or despair. This episode is about one of those critical life-changing events... With one foot in the grave, professional lyricist Pete Brown was in the midst of fighting a chemical addiction when He wrote a poem about his apartment. A poem about real estate. Then one of rock’s greatest trios Cream took that poem, cut it down, and added their heavy touch to the song to make a smash in the late 60s... influencing both Led Zeppelin and Black Sabbath, pretty much inventing heavy metal. The problem is the three members of Cream could not stand each other. In fact, the singer was fired one night on his way to the stage and the band secretly broke up before White Room was even a hit. The story is next on Professor of Rock.

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Why DJs Thought ‘Wooly Bully’ Was Dirty and How It Became a Cultural Phenomenon Oct 31, 2024

Show notes

Coming up… the story of Wooly Bully, a song that has conquered every aspect of our culture. From movies to TV to cover songs by some of the biggest artists in history to bringing humor to U.S. soldiers escaping from the drudgery of the Vietnam War. It’s a track from a band that many of us wrongly assume is a one-hit-wonder: Sam the Sham and the Pharaohs. It’s a song loaded with hilarious, off-the-cuff moments from the recording studio and many listeners and DJs thought the song was code for sex or something even dirtier. But the singer claims the strange title was his cat’s name... Wooly Bully was what the business calls a “novelty track,” but even without lyrical substance, it was the first single to sell over a million copies during the British Invasion and the first song in history to barely miss the #1 spot and yet still finish ahead of every band and artist of that year including the Beatles and the Stones as the #1 song of the year. Details of this tantalizing party ditty that shockingly outperformed some of the biggest songs in music history are NEXT on Professor of Rock.

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King of Wishful Thinking': Go West’s Accidental Hit From the Pretty Woman Soundtrack Oct 30, 2024

Show notes

Coming up next, an interview with one of the most underrated singers of his time… Peter Cox of the band Go West. He fronted Go West since the 80s and this duo killed it on the other side of the Atlantic while making some inroads here in the States with their 1985 hit We Close Our Eyes. But then at the turn of the decade, they blew up the charts with a heart-wrenching vocal performance on a song that came from the biggest movie of that year 1990. The song was King of Wishful Thinking for the Pretty Woman soundtrack and to think that the song title came from a random comment they heard at a bar! The second he wrote the song, I mean the moment Cox put his pen down he knew it would be a smash hit. Then they immediately had another huge hit and then they never touched the charts again. This is one you gotta see.

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October 1976’s Top 10 Hits Ranked Today: Heart, Bee Gees, Chicago, and More Oct 29, 2024

Show notes

Today, ee go behind the TOP 10 songs of this VERY same week from the year 1976. 48 years ago. Then we re rank them based on their legacy since that week. including songs by the babd Heart, Chicago, the Bee Gees, Gordon Lighfoot and the Steve Miller band, as well as one of the worst songs ever ? Let's take a walk down memory lane! What do you think.

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Tempted' by Squeeze: The Bold Decision That Turned a Backup Singer Into a Star Oct 29, 2024

Show notes

Coming up next, a special episode of The Professor of Rock. We have 2 legends on today’s show, Elvis Costello and Paul Carrack, telling the story of one of the greatest songs of all time: Tempted by Squeeze. It’s one of the most well-known classics of the 80s but… it wasn’t actually a hit. It stopped just sort of the top 40. Tempted was recorded by Squeeze's longtime lead singer Glen Tilbrook and then out of nowhere a legendary artist, Elvis Costello, who the band brought in to produce the record felt the song wasn’t quite right. So, Costello, had the whole thing re-recorded and used a newcomer to the band who was hired to replace their long-time keyboardist… and maybe add some background vocals from time to time: Paul Carrack. Tilbrook was Pissed. Not only had he co-written the song but he had a great voice. But Elvis took a chance on Paul and he nailed it. And one iconic line from Tempted became so popular that fans threw toothbrushes on stage at the band whenever it was performed. We have the story from the legendary producer icon who made the controversial decision and the backup singer-keyboardist who made the song iconic next on Professor of Rock.

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Daydream Believer': Davy Jones’ Struggles and the Song That Almost Wasn’t Oct 28, 2024

Show notes

Coming up, the unpredictable story behind the Monkees feel-good anthem that almost didn’t happen: Daydream Believer. The songwriter nearly gave up on finishing it, nobody wanted to record it, and when The Monkees finally did, the vocalist Davy Jones was so frustrated with multiple takes, he almost told the producer to shove it. The only reason Daydream Believer became a single in the first place is because the intended A-side wasn’t ready for release! And then Davy had such a hard time reading the lyrics sheet, he sang the wrong words…It’s another crazy journey of twists and turns that was the legacy of one of the biggest hits of the Rock Era, NEXT… on Professor of Rock

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The 5 Most Overplayed Rock Songs (And the Underrated Gems to Replace Them) Oct 26, 2024

Show notes

Coming up… we’re counting down the Top 5 Most Overplayed Rock Songs—the ones we all know by heart, are tired of, but we still love them whether we want to or not. We’re not stopping there. We’re also introducing the 5 underrated gems from Journey, Zeppelin, Queen, Eagles, and Bon Jovi to replace the old guard at least for a little while... These are songs by the same artists that deserve their shot in the spotlight and can give those overplayed tracks a well-deserved break. Including a song that’s the most played song in FM Radio history but was never released as a single being replaced by a song that a legendary band did after a rival legend said all they do is heavy rock songs. This is gonna be a fun, spirited discussion on a topic that we’ve all thought about, but maybe felt it was sacrilege to say out loud. We’re gonna start a rock n’ roll revelation NEXT on Professor of Rock!

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Refugee': How Tom Petty Took Down a Corrupt Record Label and Made a Rock Classic Oct 25, 2024

Show notes

Today, it’s the story of Tom Petty, a songwriter who risked everything to take down a cheating record company... His finances, his reputation, his future in music, even his mental health… a corrupt label had stolen all of it. Tom took a major risk that could’ve cost him his career. But the alternative was something much worse, working under a dishonest contract that was more or less musical servitude. Going bankrupt in the process, Tom Petty took his label to court while at the same time writing and recording what many consider to be his masterpiece album: Damn the Torpedos. And along with it Refugee, the scorching rocker that history would never forget. It took 80 takes to get down right. Find out how it all played out…with a special interview NEXT on the Professor of Rock.

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Time Stand Still': Rush’s Genre-Bending Collaboration with Aimee Mann Oct 24, 2024

Show notes

Coming up we’re talking about some strange bedfellows… There have definitely been some unusual collaborations throughout the Rock Era. And this one between Rush and Aimee Mann definitely qualifies. During the 70s progressive rock and punk were at polar ends of the musical spectrum. But by the 80s, both genres were evolving… with Prog-rock becoming more bite-sized and punk going post-punk and new wave. Still when today’s Prog-rock titans Rush invited rookie new wave singer-songwriter Aimee Mann of Til Tuesday to collaborate with them on their song Time Stand Still… it was a match no one could have predicted. In fact, this was the band's first and only collaboration with another lead vocalist. Ever. Very out of character for Rush. And even better Aimee Mann had never heard the band before… And yet, the collaboration was a smashing success. Aimee's vocal cameo was phenomenal and she took this song to another level, which leads to the real discussion. Rush might be the only band with ZERO FEMALE FANS. Find out why NEXT on the Professor of Rock.

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