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:

Bob Seger’s “Old Time Rock and Roll”: The Accidental Guitar Hero and the Hit Nobody Expected Jun 26, 2026

Show notes

Behind the platinum records and the sold-out arenas, the music world hides a shadowy world of surveillance, syndicate deals, and criminal acts that most fans don’t know about. Today we're pulling back the curtain on some dark true crime stories on our latest edition of Rock and Roll True Crime. Including Mariah Carey, one of the biggest pop stars on the planet, who was imprisoned inside a $22 million fortress rigged with hidden cameras, armed guards, and recording devices held by 1 of the most powerful men in the business. He would punish her more by sabotaging her career. Then there’s the group of obsessive Lynyrd Skynyrd fans who broke into a cemetery under cover of darkness, smashed open a marble mausoleum, and tried to pry open a rock star’s casket to settle an urban legend about a t-shirt. Plus the Allman Brothers Band, the Southern rock icons who got so tangled up with a ruthless criminal syndicate their lead singer had to take the witness stand to testify against their road manager. It tore the band apart. And finally, Dave Navarro, the rock star who came face to face with his mother's killer after a decade of trying to capture him. It’s all coming up next.

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How The Byrds Changed Music Forever with “Mr. Tambourine Man” Jun 25, 2026

Show notes

Coming up next on of the most important interviews I’ve ever done with one of the greatest legends in rock history. He was the leader of a band that was competing with the Beatles and the Stones and the Beach Boys and Bob Dylan back in the 60s in the quest to take music to higher ground. We’ve shown pieces of this interview before but today show the full uncut, never-before-seen sit-down with Roger Mcguinn of the Byrds including the story of their #1 hit Mr. Tambourine Man that Bob Dylan gave them, Dylan never had a number one hit himself, he gave his away and the Byrds did justice with it. Also the story of Turn! Turn! Turn! the nearly 3000 year old song that he and the Byrds took to #1. Plus the story of the song he wrote for the classic film Easy Rider and the song He wrote as a scathing diss track against manufactured bands… Many think it was a direct shot at the Monkees, who were outselling many of the biggest bands of the time, including the Beatles. See what he says about it. Let’s get into the stories of some of the greatest songs ever from a SUPERGROUP that not only included Roger McGuinn but David Crosby, Gene Clark, Chris Hillman, and Gram Parsons. A band that helped birth Entire new musical genres, including folk rock, psychedelia, and Country rock.

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Rock & Roll True Crime: The Dark Stories Behind Mariah Carey, The Allman Brothers, Lynyrd Skynyrd & Dave Navarro Jun 24, 2026

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1981’s Greatest Songs Countdown: Stevie Nicks, Quarterflash, Alan Parsons Project and a Beatles Reunion Jun 22, 2026

Show notes

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Coming up next, it’s time to go back and time to a special year in music that will put a smile on your face in this crazy world. Take a break from the world to hear the stories of the songs. Including a husband & wife who were teachers in a rural city in Oregon, but decided to follow their rock n’ roll dreams and hit it big with a song called Harden My Heart, plus how Stevie Nicks was inspired by something she read on a dining menu on a plane…that she turned into an all-time classic. Also, Alan Parsons bet against one of his songs that became his biggest hit, but his guitarist who won the bet never cashed the check… Find out why… Also today’s countdown includes a Beatles Reunion in the early 80s, well, sorta…and finally the story of a beautiful, alluring woman who mysteriously entered the recording studio to inspire one of the best vocals of the rock era, but then disappeared without a trace. It’s time to time travel next on Professor of Rock.

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Punchline Countdown: 5 Music Stars Mocked by Pop Culture Despite Gold & Platinum Success Jun 20, 2026

Show notes

Fame is a fickle beast. One minute you're on top of the world, and the next you're the butt of the joke. It’s a fine line between icon and punchline. That said, it’s time for another Punchline countdown, and this time we’ve got some scorchers. Including four men from Color Me Badd in oversized suits who many felt looked like generic brand knock-offs of pre-existing pop icons… They’d top the charts with some seriously smooth pop hits… but within a couple of years no one could take them seriously. Then there’s David Hasselhoff, the leather-clad heartthrob who could do it all… He rocked out on the hood of the 80s most famous talking car. Then suspended in a bucket crane, he performed high above the Berlin Wall. He even rode a flying motorcycle. Plus there's Richard Marx, the singer who wasn’t afraid to punch back if you talked smack about him. He routinely took it to Twitter trolls. And even hunted down a small-time blogger who made a negative comment about him in a blog post. You won’t believe what happened!

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The Story Behind Frankie Valli’s “Can’t Take My Eyes Off You” and His Risky Solo Breakthrough Jun 19, 2026

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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Rock’s Most Dysfunctional Families: The Kinks, Heart & 4 More Legendary Sibling Rivalries Jun 18, 2026

Show notes

Man, we’ve really got the good, the bad, and the ugly on today’s episode. Today we're queuing up another rock sibling rivalry countdown…last time we had Donnie Vs Marie and Eddie Van Halen vs Alex, but this time we’re going even harder with The Kinks and Heart, plus 4 other bands that had explosive family dynamics. Including the all-time war of words over the 60s sound that changed rock forever… Decades later, these legendary brothers are still bickering over who should get credit for inventing it. But even with their intense fighting, they’ve also had each other’s backs, like when they were banned from touring in America for 10 years and when a contemporary artist called one of the biggest rock hits Gross and Offensive . You gotta hear their reaction; it’s hilarious… There's also the Scottish siblings whose creative sessions got so intense growing up, their own mother had to hide the kitchen knives to keep them from stabbing each other. Plus we’ve got stories of sour siblings quitting mid-concert, a band takeover by a devious cousin, and two rock goddess sisters who always got along… except for this one time. Let’s get started.

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Weird Al Yankovic Reveals the Stories Behind His Greatest Parodies, From Michael Jackson to Nirvana Jun 17, 2026

Show notes

Today we have a special interview with the President of Parody, music’s greatest jester... legend Weird Al Yankovic in an uncut interview that covers his greatest spoofs. From Michael Jackson to Nirvana and everything in between, this is Al on the creation and stories of his most hilarious parodies with never-before-seen footage. It's our latest edition of revelations where artists take us on a deep dive into their creative process. From the parody that he tried to get permission from Dire Straits to do (Money For Nothing) Beverly Hillbillies to Micheal Jackson Eat it. They're all here.

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FROM THE VAULT: Peter Frampton Turned Procrastination into a Historic Success Jun 16, 2026

Show notes

We're bringing back this absolute CLASSIC!

Up next an exclusive interview with 70s Legend Peter Frampton the singer write guitarist who had failed as a solo artists for years. He procrastinated and only had a few days to write an album that's songs would eventually become part of Frampton Comes Alive which for many years was the biggest selling album ever until the 80s. At the time He felt his songs were good but for some reason they just weren’t going anywhere.

He partied and frittered away his time to record and was left with only a few days to create an entire album. He did and it would pay off big time. Up next, the story of Show Me The Way and he talks about his time working with George Harrison’s. Peter also tells us the story of how he learned to use a very cool effect on his guitar to take one of these songs to classic rock legend and how he went from zero to hero virtually overnight next on Professor of Rock.

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The Songs That Ruled 1989: Roxette’s Surprise #1, Sheriff’s Comeback & Aerosmith’s Revival Jun 15, 2026

Show notes

Coming up, we’re popping the lid off another Time Bottle to let the music do the talking, with songs that transport us back to the end of a decade of great music. There's the song that defined the moment they came on our radio…coming up, we’ll tell the tale of an unknown band named Roxette that defied the odds to hit #1 because an American foreign exchange student came back from Europe with their song and talked his local DJ into playing their song and hit #1 virtually overnight. There’s also the story of a pop song written by a child actor, Martika, expressing the pain of losing a friend to a deadly drug addiction that even made the metalheads raise their fist…. Plus a crazy night where two rock icons, Ozzy and Lita, got so obliterated, they didn’t remember recording a song that would become a Top 10 smash….and an inspiring account of a resurrected hit by the band Sherrif that reunited a band that had broken up after the song was a big fat stiff 5 years earlier… And an Aerosmith song about a real-life X-rated incident that happened in a hotel elevator that fueled the return of one of rock’s most famous bands. Let’s do it.

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