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:

Exclusive Interview With Sting: The Only Artist With Two Songs in the 10 Most Played Ever Sep 10, 2024

Show notes

Coming up… A Holy Grail interview. When I started doing this years ago I made a list of 15 artists I have to interview before I die and my top 3 were no brainers… Well I just got one of them… Sting! They Say to Never meet your heroes well I did and he blows that theory out of the water. Up next a very personal interview with a musical genius about one of my favorite records ever… he’s the only artist to have 2 songs in the top 10 most played songs in history… Not even the Beatles have done that! Stay tuned for a very moving conversation, next on Professor of Rock.

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The Untold Stories Behind the Eagles’ Greatest Hits and Their Dramatic Breakup Sep 09, 2024

Show notes

From the early 70s to the close of the decade, the Eagles were flying high, having written a litany of beloved rock-era hits. As well as some classic rock standards that were never released as singles. But life in the fast lane left this 100 million-plus record hit-machine running on empty. Quick tempers, in-fighting, and backstage brawls would plague this band of guitar-slingers for the long run… and their eventual break up was only a matter of time. Today, we’re re-examining the Eagles' explosive story through the lens of some of their most iconic tracks. Hits that were written in unexpected places, like a broke-down road trip, a locked-up nightclub, and one that was about California’s most sinister and haunting locale. The drama unfolds… NEXT on the Professor of Rock.

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Celebrating the Top 10 One-Hit Wonders of the 70s With Stories From the Artists Who Lived Them Sep 07, 2024

Show notes

Coming up… Get ready to take a nostalgic journey as we countdown the Top 10 One-Hit Wonders of the 70s with the actual artists telling their stories… We have so many classics here: like Mountain's Mississippi Queen that came when they were playing a live show and a blackout happened so they started to play an impromptu jam to keep the crowd going and it turned into an all-time classic. Or when David Bowie wrote All the Young Dudes, a song that he knew would be a smash but he gave it to Mott the Hoople because they were about to break up and needed a hit. Or Warren Zevon who wrote Werewolves of London as a joke after he heard a band member howl like a dog! and so he added the howl into the chorus! You’ll love this… Celebrating the great bottled lightning hits with unforgettable moments and memories that made these songs special to each of us. The countdown kicks off NEXT on Professor of Rock!

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How a Shy Donald Fagen Hit on His Professor’s Pregnant Wife and Turned It Into Steely Dan's 70s Hit Sep 06, 2024

Show notes

Once upon a time at a Halloween party in the 70s, a notoriously shy, unsociable future hall-of-fame rockstar named Donald Fagen got the courage to hit on a beautiful woman… He slipped her his phone number, but the problem was this awkward genius had just hit on his college professor’s pregnant wife… Would it lead to a torrid affair? We’ll find out the details next. But the embarrassing moment was turned into Steely Dan's Rikki Don't Lose That Number, one of the best songs and biggest hits of the 70s, and a guitar solo by today’s guest… Also, the man who helped this band become a household name and later stole their backup singer to front his next band. The story is next on Professor of Rock.

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How Corey Hart’s 'Sunglasses at Night' Made Him a Star—And Why He’s No One-Hit Wonder Sep 05, 2024

Show notes

Coming up… we're putting the spotlight on Sunglasses at Night, an iconic '80s anthem-ditty created by Corey Hart who caught the attention of two of the most famous singers in recorded music history before he was a teenager. From its mysterious lyrics that most of us have been mumbling through cuz we have no idea what Corey is saying, to that unforgettable synth riff, this track didn't just define a decade—it became a cultural staple and ignited sales for the accessory that the song is about. And it was a total accident since Sunglasses at Night was first about a wet cigarette… and a last-minute studio session turned into a smash hit. And one that made Corey Hart famous, but many still think he’s a one-hit wonder even though he had 7 more after that including one that was even bigger! Find out the story next on Professor of Rock.

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Exclusive Interviews With Crosby, Stills & Nash: The Story Behind 'Suite: Judy Blue Eyes' Sep 04, 2024

Show notes

Crosby Stills & Nash Tell the story of their first hit SUITE: JUDY BLUE EYES the song that put them on the map as one of the world's first supergroups. In this interview the Late David Crosby, Graham Nash, and Captain Everyhands: Stephen Stills tell the story of this 60s classic and how they played Woodstock at 4 in the morning. The Groups would later add Neil Young and become one of America's greatest rock and folk bands setting the stage for the singer songwriter movement that would come with the Eagles and James Taylor and Jackson Browne into the 70s.

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Exclusive Neal Schon Interview: The Untold Story Behind Journey’s 'Any Way You Want It' Sep 04, 2024

Show notes

Coming up next. When guitar legend Neal Schon of Journey was an unknown 14-year-old kid, he told his parents he was going to a sleepover at his friend’s hour… Instead, he went to a famous bar and had a guitar battle with his hero… BB King. A decade later, Schon would rule the beginning of the 80s with one of the greatest classic rock songs ever… Any Way You Want It. This song still shakes stadiums all these years later but there’s a secret to this track… Up next all-time legend Neal Schon tells us the story of jamming with his hero at 14 and reveals the mystery behind an 80s classic on Professor of Rock.

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The Shocking Truth Behind 'Itsy Bitsy Teenie Weenie Yellow Polka Dot Bikini': Fraud Exposed After 50 Years Sep 03, 2024

Show notes

Coming up, an interview with with throwback icon Brian Hyland about a song that every generation living on this earth knows by heart... Itsy Bitsy Teenie Weenie Yellow Polka Dot Bikini. It’s become one of the most played songs of its time and when Bryan recorded it he was only a sophomore in high school. It became a #1 hit even though it was considered very risqué for its time… One of the most interesting things about today's song is that a fraud claimed to have written it for 50 years. He told his wife, his friends, his community, and everyone that he was the guy who wrote it. It even appeared in his obituary across newspapers and news stations around the world including the New York Times.… but then the truth would finally come out. Find out the story next on Professor of Rock.

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The Story Behind The Cure’s 'Just Like Heaven': A Near-Tragedy That Created Musical Perfection Sep 02, 2024

Show notes

I have a question for you all? How many perfect songs are there in the world. Where every second of it is exhilarating… That no many times you listen to it, it doesn’t lose it’s luster. In my opinion one such song was released in 1987, The Cure's Just Like Heaven. This song’s origins is really interesting as well. It’s just like a dream. If you can believe it, this happy song was inspired by one of the world’s most notorious suicide hot-spots. Only the Cure could get away with something like this. Their frontman Robert Smith was spending the night there, not to take his own life… but in a near-tragic twist of fate, he came dangerously close to dying. The whole incident was darkly surreal… but somehow it led to this perfect song that’s so ambiguous, that after listening to it we’re not sure what happened to the mysterious girl by the time it ends… Did she die? Let’s solve this mystery and bask in Just Like Heaven. The answer is NEXT on the Professor of Rock.

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The Story Behind Stevie Nicks’ 'Stand Back': Inspired by Prince and a Wedding Night Detour Aug 31, 2024

Show notes

Stevie Nicks, one of rock’s most revered singers, was on her way to a secretive honeymoon after getting married. During the drive to the couple’s destination, Prince's Little Red Corvette came on the radio and she pulled over at the closest record store to buy the tape. The song was so compelling it inspired Stevie to forgo her wedding night and instead, she wrote her biggest hit, Stand Back. Nicks rushed down to the studio and in the process, she called Prince to get permission to write what was essentially her lyrics over his music. It just so happened he wasn’t home, instead she found out he was only 20 minutes away. Prince came to the studio, and in a flash of magic, he played a perfect synth melody for it. Stand Back became Stevie's biggest solo hit and Prince turned down a writing credit. Later when the music video was shot, Stevie Nicks almost died when a horse almost toppled her. The story of an 80s classic is next!

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