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:

Forced to Write “One More Song,” Springsteen Delivered a Global Smash Jun 14, 2024

Show notes

Over the course of several years, Bruce Springsteen wrote around 100 songs… And somehow he whittled them down to just one epic record called Born in the U.S.A. It was a record that was more commercial than he had ever wanted to create. Exhausted and ready to move on, Springsteen was finally done with it. Only, his manager said it wasn’t enough. He told The Boss he needed a blockbuster hit. Pissed off, the boss said HELL NO… If you want another song you write it. But eventually, Bruce went back to his hotel wrote the most commercially accessible song of his career, Dancing in the Dark. Then he buried it near the end of his record. But when Dancing in the Dark was released as a lead-off single, it was the spark that started a fire… leading to the most hits from one album in history …and Born in the U.S.A. would sell 30 million copies…Get the story of this reluctant hit-master Bruce Springsteen… NEXT on the Professor of Rock.

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How Rod Stewart’s Maggie May Saved His Career and Made Him a Star Jun 13, 2024

Show notes

Coming up Rod Stewart was a gravedigger who wanted to be a rockstar. So in his spare time, he wrote music and played in a band hoping to make it. Rod wrote a song called Maggie May about the most embarrassing moment of his life. He thought the song rambled on, had no hook, and was crap. It was put onto the B-side of Reason to Believe, a song he didn’t even write. Well, it so happens that Reason to Believe sputtered on the radio and a DJ saved his career by playing the crappy B-side Maggie May… It made Rod Stewart a global sensation hitting #1 across the world. The story of how Rod's most embarrassing moment became his lifeline. Next on Professor of Rock.

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Paper Lace’s Rollercoaster Ride: Two #1 Hits, One Big Miss in the U.S. Jun 12, 2024

Show notes

Coming up, an interview with the singer Phil Wright of the 70s band Paper Lace, with one of the most fascinating song stories of the 70s. Paper Lace had two #1 hits in the 70s but was a one-hit-wonder hit in America with The Night Chicago Died. There were two hits that were written by the same songwriting team. First, Paper Lace recorded Billy Don't Be a Hero and it hit #1 in the UK but out of nowhere, before they could release it in America another band beat them to the punch and put out their version that went straight to #1. So Paper Lace band hurried and recorded The Night Chicago Died and it became their 2nd massive hit in the UK and only #1 hit in America. People have tried to figure out if the song was a true story or fiction. Find out next on Professor of Rock.

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How Genesis Predicted the Future with Their 1986 Hit Land of Confusion Jun 11, 2024

Show notes

Coming up, the story of Genesis, a band that was so great at creating hits that they had multiple projects in between albums… In fact, between lead singer Phil Collins and bassist Mike Rutherford, they had over a dozen top 10 hits over just a couple of years. But today’s song Land of Confusion might be their best. It was so prophetic many now wonder if they were time travelers because this 1986 smash hit describes our day to a tee. And most don’t realize that it’s a protest song... It helped that the music video supporting the song was just as compelling as the song… led by some really deranged muppets…that cost 10K each. The story is next on Professor of Rock.

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The Hidden Meaning Behind The Beatles' Ticket to Ride: German Prostitutes and Heavy Metal? Jun 10, 2024

Show notes

So coming up, today’s featured song Ticket to Ride is pretty loaded. And by their own admission, so were the Beatles when they wrote it. There are some conflicting accounts of what inspired this one… Paul McCartney cited just an average-ordinary train ride as its source. While John Lennon credited German prostitutes. That’s right. Bet you weren’t expecting that one. Lennon would also call Ticket to Ride one of the founding tracks of the heavy metal genre. But are any of these claims true? Whether they are or not, one thing is for certain… Ticket to Ride marks a critical turning point for The Beatles in an artistic direction that would change rock and roll forever. Breaking the mold of the two-minute pop song, Ticket to Ride opened up a new world of possibilities. It’s a story you’re not going to want to miss… NEXT on the Professor of Rock.

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So Bad, They’re Good: The Most Cringe-Worthy 80s Novelty Hits Ever Made Jun 08, 2024

Show notes

Man, I may be going against my better judgment on this one. In the crosshairs today, I’ve got a selection of cringe-worthy 80s novelty tracks that are “so bad, they’re good.” We’re talking songs like Pac-Man Fever, Party All the Time, and the Super Bowl Shuffle. But on the other hand, some of these songs killed it on Billboard Hot 100. So someone must have thought they were good back in the day. Will you admit to liking them? I have to admit I’m a sucker for Bad B-Movies and Bad B-Songs… Is that a thing? Get ready for a trip into the quirky, the bizarre, and the truly awful. But be warned… after you go down this rabbit hole, you will never be the same again… NEXT on the Professor of Rock.

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A Devastating Call Inspired This Haunting 1979 Pink Floyd Masterpiece Jun 07, 2024

Show notes

The gripping story of one of the most CHILLING songs of the rock era … Hey You by Rock’s most mysterious band Pink Floyd. The author of this song Roger Waters found out over the phone that his wife was leaving him for another man… And so did Hey You's protangonist Pink. This emotional revelation was just one part of a devastating list of psychological daggers that nearly killed him… Choosing to isolate his soul from the world, the madness swallowed him whole… Hey You was from his perspective in these last lucid moments. It’s the story of a disillusioned musician’s last contact with reality and his last hope for survival. Today’s song is the definition of madness. Get the story next on Professor of Rock.

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Queen’s Homage to Elvis Started in Freddie Mercury’s Hotel Bathroom Jun 06, 2024

Show notes

Coming up, it's the story of Queen and their #1 rockabilly smash, Crazy Little Thing Called Love, one of the best-selling singles of 1980. Although the song was a tribute to the King of Rock n’ Roll Elvis Presley, its genesis had nothing to do with hound dog, or a pilgrimage to Graceland… It was actually conceived while Freddie Mercury was taking… a bubble bath. He ran it into the studio immediately and recorded it before he forgot it. Brian May added his parts and John Deacon and Roger Taylor were on fire during the session… It was so good that many people thought it was a new song by Elvis. The crazy details of this international smash that was rushed from a hotel bathtub to a recording studio are NEXT on Professor of Rock.

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Foreigner Said No, So Lou Gramm Went Solo with Midnight Blue Jun 05, 2024

Show notes

Coming up, an interview with Lou Gramm, one of the greatest rock voices in history about his biggest hit. He was in the Hall of Fame band Foreigner, and they ruled the 70s and 80s. But as they hit their peak the Lou wanted to Rock, but their guitarist and band leader Mick Jones was writing softer ballads. So Lou brought in a rock song he’d written called Midnight Blue to possibly put on their next album. But his writing partner didn’t want to do it. So in the end Lou Gramm recorded it for his solo album. And lo and behold it became the most-played song of 1987, and out-performed every single from Foreigner's new album in direct competition. Get ready for a very funny interview with the great Lou Gramm, next on Professor for Rock.

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TV Show Saved This Out-of-Print Song and Made It a Chart-Topping Hit Jun 04, 2024

Show notes

Coming up next, one of the most incredible bottled lightning stories ever. Today’s artist Billy Vera released what he felt was a huge hit, At The Moment. But it failed in 1981… Years went by and Billy’s prospects dwindled… he thought his career was over. But then in the mid-80s, he caught a lucky break. A popular TV show, Family Ties, played At This Moment on an episode and millions of viewers were blown away, what was this song? People were calling the TV station, they were writing letters… they wanted to buy the album, but the record was out of print… Billy Vera worked with an indie label to get it re-released and At This Moment became a #1 hit in 1987 in what might be the greatest song comeback of all time. Billy tells us the story of scoring a smash hit at 43! Next on Professor of Rock.

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