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:

Over the Hills and Far Away: Zeppelin’s Underrated Masterpiece Revisited Jun 03, 2024

Show notes

After Led Zeppelin dropped their fourth album, arguably the greatest rock album of all time, at the tail end of 1971... the world braced for what came next. Expectations for the next record were through the roof. with everyone assuming it would be a hard-hitting and heavy sequel. But everyone was wrong. Zeppelin’s 1973 follow-up Houses of Holy was a diverse and experimental collection of unconventional tracks. And the critics spit on it. So did some fans. But Houses of the Holy boasts some of this legendary group’s most iconic tracks, including today’s featured song Over the Hills and Far Away… which completely subverts your expectations… Lulling you in as a breathtaking acoustic ballad then it does an about-face and tricks you with a trap-door ending! You’ll see what I mean. Get ready for a deep dive into Over the Hills and Far Away, a song that got the shaft from the naysayers and on the US charts… but is now bigger than any of the songs that were ahead of it. … NEXT on the Professor of Rock.

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Pete Townshend’s Scathing Take on Fame in Eminence Front Jun 01, 2024

Show notes

If you're free tonight, I'd love to invite you to an exclusive party. It's going to be packed with 'A-list' celebrities, and we'll be living it up like rock stars... Doesn't that sound like a blast? Maybe… But for Pete Townsend, a musician who could easily be carved into the Mt. Rushmore of guitar heroes, the glitzy lives of the rich and famous aren't all they're cracked up to be. In fact, for this icon, it's all just a ‘put on. This is a story of The Who, who were teetering on implosion, grappling with the loss of the legendary figure Keith Moon, and Eminence Front, a track that was initially panned but has since risen to become a modern rock classic. So come on… join the party…dressed to KILL… NEXT on Professor of Rock.

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How Air Supply Dominated the Charts Before Vanishing from the Spotlight May 31, 2024

Show notes

Coming up, an interview with Graham Russell and Russell Hitchcock of Air Supply, a band that got into music because of the Beatles. And then in the 80s, they quietly equaled them with so many hits that they had a greatest hits album 3 years into their career. When Air Supply started out they were so poor they were couch diving to find change just to eat. Just a few years later their first 7 singles hit the top 5 on the charts including today’s hit Making Love Out of Nothing at All was written and produced by Jim Steinman who had the #1 and #2 songs in the charts at the same time by two different artists! The thing is... both these songs, Making Love Out of Nothing at All and Total Eclipse of the Heart sounded pretty similar. Was it the same song with different lyrics? Find out next on Professor of Rock.

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The Rise and Fall of Sinead O’Connor: A Story of Talent, Controversy, and Protest May 30, 2024

Show notes

Coming up, the story of the immensely talented yet unsettled vocalist Sinead O’Connor, who had a fleeting moment of fame in 1990 with a massive hit single Nothing Compares 2 U—a stunning remake of a song written by Prince, one of the true musical geniuses of our time. However, Sinead’s encounter with Prince turned into something straight out of the Twilight Zone. Despite the incredible success of the remake, which could have solidified her as one of the greatest vocalists, Sinead O’Connor chose to steer clear of commercial prosperity. She preferred to be a protest singer, not a pop star. Instead of concentrating solely on the merit of her music, the remainder of Sinead’s career was largely mired in controversy. It’s a tale of a remarkable Hailey’s Comet that spiraled into an emotional tempest for one of the most enigmatic artists of the Rock Era…NEXT on Professor of Rock.

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The Tragic Story Behind the Gin Blossoms’ Meteoric Rise and Sudden Fall May 29, 2024

Show notes

Coming up… an interview with the most underappreciated band of the first half of the 90s, the Gin Blossoms. They created a newly flawless major label debut New Miserable Experience, but during the recording of it, their primary songwriter and guitarist Doug Hopkins had to be fired due to his out-of-control drinking. Then their debut album imploded when it was first released in the summer of 92. The Gin Blossoms thought they were DOA. But then a year later, their music video for Hey Jealousy caught fire on MTV and radio started playing this debut single which was over a year old and the band blew up. They would have four big hits including Hey Jealousy, Until I Fall Away, Allison Road, and Found About You and the album would sell 4 million copies, but with their rise, their former bandmate watched all of this from the sidelines and ended up taking his own life. The band would go on to have another three hits off their next album.. 7 hits in just over 3 years but then just a quickly as they blew up, they imploded… breaking up a short time later. I tracked down singer Robin Wilson and guitarist Jesse Velenzuala to get into it. The story is next on Professor of Rock.

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Interview: Terri Nunn on Her Star Wars Audition and Becoming an 80s Icon May 28, 2024

Show notes

Next, Berlin’s Terri Nunn was an up-and-coming actress who had some great roles on TV and was a finalist to play the role of Princess Leia in Star Wars. She even auditioned with Harrison Ford. But as she’ll tell you in our interview next he didn’t like her. Terri also managed to piss off William Shatner in another appearance... So she didn’t get the role and turns out her acting career would be short lived… which was fine by her since she was a passionate singer in a band that was ready to rise from the underground… Terri became a new wave icon with several classics in the 80s including the #1 hit Take My Breath Away and today’s underground classic The Metro that shook up the mainstream with a deadpan vocal and a cosmopolitan sophisticated European vogue sound that was actually by way of orange county… From a video that been banned by YouTube twice… the interview’s coming up next on Professor of Rock.

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Interview: Brian Wilson on the Tragic Collapse of SMiLE, the Lost Masterpiece May 27, 2024

Show notes

It was a trans-Atlantic musical arms race… two titanic rock and roll bands — The Beach Boys and The Beatles — trading punches and landmark records. Each chasing perfection and forever changing how we listen to music. In the midst of this musical battle, genius whizkid Brian Wilson envisioned the perfect album, a record to end all records. An innovative masterpiece he called SMiLE. The symphony was already playing in his head, and he knew if he could get it down on vinyl, it would push the boundaries of music beyond what anyone thought was possible. But what Brian didn’t count on was losing his sanity in the process. In a state of drug-addled madness, he came to a crashing halt. And so did SMiLE… leaving us all wondering what could have been. It’s the story of the greatest unreleased album of all time and an interview with its genius is NEXT on the Professor of Rock.

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How ABBA’s “The Winner Takes It All” Turned Divorce Into a Timeless Classic May 25, 2024

Show notes

Up next… I used to Hate ABBA’s music. But you all convinced me to give them another chance. So I took your advice and today’s song The Winner Takes It All has become a favorite… and the story behind it is just as rich! It was written by the group’s main songwriter Bjorn Ulvaeus as he was going through a tough breakup with one of the singers of the band, Agnetha Faltskog… It was a heart-wrenching, vulnerable song about DIVORCE and Bjorn admits the subject was so challenging emotionally that he wrote it while drunk…then he brought it into record and decided he was going to sing it. But Bjorn knew in his heart that his ex had to be its interpreter… even though the other famous female in the band Anni-Frid Lyngstadt could handle it… In fact, Anni-Frid was jealous she didn’t get to do it. So in the middle of their separation, while her ex-husband already had a new girlfriend, this songbird sang the hell out of a song that would become a classic. and that was only the start…she had to sing it every night live with him right next to her until the band eventually broke up! The heart-aching story of The Winner Takes it All is next on Professor of Rock.

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Why 1984 Might Be the Greatest Year in Music History May 24, 2024

Show notes

Coming up, we’re headed back to 1984 for our latest episode of the Hit Song Redux. Except this time there’s a twist. See what I mean next. I gotta say I’m excited to get into this one because I believe 1984 was the greatest year in music history. But get this… only 5 records reached #1 that entire year… that’s how competitive it was. It was insane. Records by MJ, Prince, Springsteen, Huey Lewis, as well as Footloose were the only ones to achieve chart supremacy. So which ones made it onto today’s countdown? And who else got close? As always, we are going to re-rank these Top 10 contenders based on the impact they’ve had on the world since. Which one will be #1 40 years later? Well, there’s some real rock legends in this one… Will it be the Mighty Rush… Van Halen, or a one-hit wonder??? Get ready for an epic Top 10 Countdown… NEXT on the Professor of Rock.

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Survivor’s Journey: From Eye of the Tiger to a New Voice and Another #1 Hit May 23, 2024

Show notes

Sylvester Stallone called the Rookie Band Survivor up and hired them to write the lead song for Rocky 3. Survivor responded with Eye of the Tiger and is was a smash on rock radio in 1982 when it hit #1 for 6 weeks. Then lead singer Dave Bickler went down with throat issues and the band thought they might be finished. After a FAILED album, in stepped Jimi Jamison who nailed the audition and became the new singer for Survivor and is the rare case where the replacement singer was better than thejai original. They had several hits in 1985 with VITAL SIGNS including the hits High On You and the Search Is Over. Sly Stallone came calling again in 1985 when he need a lead song or his film Rocky IV. Survivor responded with Burning Heart that became another massive hit. Former songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Jim Peterik tells the story of creating. Burning Heart with Frankie Sullivan and how Sly Stallone had them change the lyrics and how it might’ve stopped the Cold War. Jim also explains that he was worried that the burning heart would make people think of acid reflux. The interview is next on Professor of Rock.

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