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 Secret Weapon That Saved U2’s 'With or Without You' From Being Abandoned Jul 17, 2024

Show notes

So I gotta ask… Is this the most tortured track of the 80s? I mean we’re talking about With or Without You by U2, a song that is physically painful to listen to. And really, that’s a good thing… This song is so agonizing, you can’t “not” listen to it. It pulls you in every time… Written at a crucial time in Bono's career, he was being pulled in two opposite directions at once… between his music and the woman he loved. And it was tearing him apart. Was there any hope? With or Without You had the potential to change everything for Bono and U2. The only thing is, they couldn’t finish it. And after repeated attempts to arrange it, they just kept coming up empty. So they were about to abandon it. That is until an unexpected secret weapon saved the day. It was kind of a miracle. Find out what that secret weapon was and if this tormented artist ever made his peace… NEXT on Professor of Rock.

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How The Hollies Wrote 'Long Cool Woman' While Day-Drinking—and Got Sued for It Jul 16, 2024

Show notes

Coming up next... Tipsy from some serious ‘day-drinking,’ two members of one of England’s premier bands, The Hollies, composed a song about the Prohibition Era when alcohol was illegal. Long Cool Woman in a Black Dress was a rock epic that evolved into a mystery about a beautiful woman in a sexy dress. The Hollies purposely mimicked Elvis’s sound on the song using a vocal effect to give it some pop. It became the band’s biggest hit in the States, as well as one of the most played songs in classic rock radio history. But then The Hollies got sued for plagiarizing the song. But they didn’t get sued by ELVIS who they were deliberately trying to sound like… They got sued by a rival band Creedence Clearwater Revival. Then they found out that the song was used by the FBI on their two-way wrist radio to solve crimes. Find out what happened to the band next on Professor of Rock.

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The Singer Who Had 4 Hit Songs on the Charts at the Same Time—With Different Bands! Jul 15, 2024

Show notes

Imagine a time when one man's voice was heard on about every other song on the radio. Dubbed "the man of a thousand voices," Tony Burrows holds the unique distinction of being the lead vocalist on FIVE hit songs from the 70s including Let's Go to San Francisco, My Baby Loves Lovin', and Beach Baby… In fact all five songs were one-hit wonders and four of them were on the singles chart at the same time! You’d think that a musician who sang on so many big hit singles during the same year would’ve been all over the television, yet Tony Burrows's pervading success on the airwaves got him banned from appearing on Top of the Pops for 4 years! Let’s jump into the fascinating story of this 'go-to' singer who made a significant mark in the annals of popular music history, all while remaining a mystery to the world outside of the recording studio. You’ll have to pay close attention, but you’re gonna have fun just singing along to the songs featured in our story that is coming up next on Professor of Rock!

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"I Drove All Night": The Hit That Brought Roy Orbison Back Before His Tragic Passing Jul 13, 2024

Show notes

Up next, a Hall of Fame Songwriter Billy Steinberg who wrote five #1 hits for Madonna, Whitney Houston, the band Heart and the Bangles tells the story of working with one of the Founding Fathers of Rock and Roll.., the great Roy Orbison. Roy has electrified everyone from Elvis to Bob Dylan. He passed away in 1988 but Roy had always been Billy's hero and so he wrote a song for him called I Drove All Night. SO had and his songwriting partner Tom Kelly tracked Roy down. They found him playing old supper clubs. It seems he'd been forgotten. So Billy and Tom talked Roy Orbison into recording their.song. It was the first domino to fall in Roy's full blow comeback right before he.passed away. He went on to have several more solo hits and hits with the supergroup Traveling Wilbur's. Cyndi Lauper made their song a hit in 1989 but then after Roy Passed, , Jeff Lynne of Electric Light Orchestra used special technology to reconstruct Roy's vocal and music to release the recording after his passing. A great tribute to the great Roy Orbison.

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The One Song Even This Artist’s Critics Can’t Help But Love Jul 13, 2024

Show notes

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From the Friend Zone to the Top of the Charts: The Story of "Vehicle" Jul 12, 2024

Show notes

I’m telling you won’t believe this story. Today’s rocker Jim Peterik used to give this beautiful girl a ride home from school… He was head over heels in love with her. But she had no idea. He wanted this girl to notice him but he was already stuck in the friend zone so he wrote a song about her called Vehicle and brought it to his band Ides of March. They put some relish on it, and it blew up… it became the fastest-selling song in Warner Brothers history. Unfortunately, Vehicle would be a one-hit wonder.. but Jim was a fighter… He not only won over the girl’s heart with this song, he married her and he rose from the ashes to form Survivor, a band that would become one of the biggest rock acts of the 80s and he even got to the top of the charts again. Up next, the interview and story on Professor of Rock.

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Paul Simon Turned a Rhyming Game with His Toddler into His Biggest Solo Hit Jul 11, 2024

Show notes

Next up, 50 Ways to Leave Your Lover, a timeless anthem of liberation from a suffocating romantic entanglement. Fashioned by Paul Simon, one of music's master lyricists following the breakup of his Simon and Garfunkel along with the end of his first marriage. Paul Simon dismissed it as nonsense, a song that was just a joke… a game he was playing with his toddler to teach him how to rhyme simple words. It made his son giggle and somehow it turned into a song he recorded as an afterthought. It was even the last song released from his album…and it became a #1 SMASH… THE BIGGEST OF HIS SOLO CAREER. THE AMAZING STORY IS coming right up on Professor of Rock.

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The Hidden Truth About Suzanne Vega’s "Luka" Finally Comes to Light Jul 10, 2024

Show notes

Coming up… an interview with iconic singer-songwriter Suzanne Vega who climbed up from the underground and had one of the biggest hits of 1987 with Luka. This hit song was one of the most unlikely hits of the decade because of its subject matter. When Suzanne played it for live audiences they never really liked it because it was sad and made them uncomfortable. So when her manager told her it should be her lead-off single she was shocked. She argued that it would never be hit, but he talked her into it. He was right… ASCAP awarded Luka the most performed song of the year and it went to the top of the charts…The thing is, Luka was written about another person, but many would find out decades later that the secret in the song was about Suzanne Vega herself. The story next on Professor of Rock

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Animotion: The Only Band to Be a One-Hit Wonder Twice – An Exclusive Interview Jul 09, 2024

Show notes

Coming up, an interview with the band Animotion, which was somehow a one-hit wonder TWICE. In 1985 they released Obsession, a song that had a killer hook that will be in your head for days and that’s a GOOD thing. Obsession Blew up the top 10 and then a few years later principals Astrid Plane and Bill Wadhams were FIRED and replaced with another duo. And they had a top 10 hit in 1989 only to break up soon after. Find out what happened and how in the end the original group had the last laugh in a compelling interview with Astrid Plane and Bill Wadhams next on Professor of Rock.

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How Frankie Valli’s Risky Solo Move with "Can't Take My Eyes Off You" Became a Global Smash Jul 08, 2024

Show notes

Coming up, the story of Can't Take My Eyes Off You, a song that has had a huge impact on pop culture since its release over 50 years ago. Before it dominated the global pop charts, it had to overcome fierce resistance from a record label that feared a solo transition by frontman Frankie Valli would destroy their golden goose Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons—a four-piece pop group that had been America's biggest act for years. Frankie wanted to perform the song in a style that was completely different from what had made him a household name… Namely, he wanted to sing in a whole new way What to do, what to do? Let’s dive into the drama NEXT on Professor of Rock.

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