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:

Tommy James and Tiffany Discuss the Journey of I Think We’re Alone Now Jan 09, 2024

Show notes

Coming up, a couple of great interviews about a song that barely missed #1 with its original artist, and then decades later it hit the top of the charts … In fact, this song has hit the charts in four different decades. I Think We’re Alone Now by Tommy James and the Shondells. The song went to the top 5 in 1967 as part of the rise of bubble gum pop in the charts but Tommy and his band were shocked when two of his biggest hits were remade at the same time in 1987… This one “I Think Were’ Alone” and “Mony Mony and both remakes went to #1. One by pop star Tiffany and one by Billy Idol. Incredibly Tommy James replaced himself at #1 decades after the songs peaked in the 60s. Up next we have an exclusive: the singer behind the original, Tommy James, and the singer behind the cover, Tiffany... tell us the story on Professor of Rock.

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Stop Draggin’ My Heart Around: Stevie Nicks’ Solo Breakthrough with Tom Petty Jan 08, 2024

Show notes

Breaking free from an established band is never easy. Especially when it's one of the most iconic, commercially successful bands of all time. But today’s artist Stevie Nicks had had enough of her bandmates and the continuous flow of drama within their Fleetwood Mac. So she took the plunge into a solo career. However, writing a hit record as a solo artist was harder than she thought. And when her producer Jimmy Iovine told her she didn’t have a hit single after writing a whole album, her career was almost over before it started. So in a last-minute Plan-B maneuver, they brought in a ringer… an iconic musician Tom Petty along with his backing band the Heartbreakers to save the day… Using one of their rejected tracks called Stop Dragging My Heart Around, they slapped her voice over the top of it and turned it into a duet. But would this last-ditch effort work? Or would this solo songstress crash and burn with this throwaway track? also, Stevie wanted to be in the band, the Heartbreakers… See what Tom Petty told her. The story is coming up… NEXT on the Professor of Rock.

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Stewart Copeland Talks Early Police Hits and Controversy Around Roxanne and Can’t Stand Losing You Jan 06, 2024

Show notes

Coming up an interview with one of rock’s greatest drummers Stewart Copeland of the Police. Stewart tells the story of two radio-unfriendly tracks. Roxanne and Can’t Stand Losing You. They were early singles from the Police when Sting, Andy Summers, and Stewart Copeland were trying to make it. The edgy songs were supposed to be a pair of breakthrough hits that would put this band on the map. Only radio stations wouldn’t play them. And there’s some difference of opinion as to why. Even within the band. One story says that they were banned due to their subject matter, with Roxanne centering around prostitution and Can’t Stand Losing You about… And another story says that the band stretched the truth about being blacklisted just to stir up some publicity. But either way, these songs became massive and set this group on a course to become the world’s biggest band just a few years later. It’s a story you’re not going to want to miss, told by a legend NEXT on the Professor of Rock.

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A Flock of Seagulls’ Mike Score on Creating MTV’s Most Viral Video in a Day Jan 05, 2024

Show notes

Sometimes it’s all about timing. Well today’s iconic guest Mike Score the singer and writer behind A Flock Of Seagulls and their new wave classic hits I Ran (So Far Away) and Space Age Love Song and (Wish I Had) A Photograph of You tells us how he and his band created the most viral music video in MTV history in about 2 hours. They threw together the iconic video for I Ran in one day and by the next day it was on MTV back when turnaround time was much longer. Also, A Flock Of Seagulls is always tagged as a 1 hit wonder but they weren’t. They had four hits including 3 that are wholly recognizable and played all the time. From 1982 to 1984 they were arguably the face of 80s music due to the lead singer’s iconic look but by the mid 80s they disappeared. Today we talk to their iconic singer Mike Score and find out what happened next on Professor of Rock.

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Queen’s Double Trouble: The Stories Behind Fat Bottomed Girls and Bicycle Race Jan 04, 2024

Show notes

Today, we’re getting into a little bit of trouble. Or at least our featured band is. As some of the most iconic rockers in history, Queen including Freddie Mercury, Brian May, John Deacon, and Roger Taylor were no strangers to controversy. Frontman Freddie Mercury in particular lived to push the envelope. But did today’s two featured tracks take things too far? Fat Bottomed Girls and Bicycle Race definitely pushed the envelope. The first Fat Bottomed Girls zeroed in on one particular part of the female anatomy and was hit with accusations of sexism. And the other, Bicycle Race, while lyrically less provocative, stirred up plenty of backlash when it was promoted via a buck-naked racing event… The guys defended themselves saying it was all just in good fun. But what do you think? Was it good fun or done in bad taste? The story of a classic double-sided hit is coming up… NEXT on the Professor of Rock.

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How Toni Basil’s Mickey Became an MTV Classic and Weird Al Parody Jan 03, 2024

Show notes

Coming up… Toni Basil was headed for stardom in her early 20s with her first single for A&M Records, but it FLOPPED. so she started working in the industry as a choreographer. Then 16 years later at nearly 40, she released a song in 1982 that became one of the biggest one-hit wonders ever. Mickey. She took an old song from the band Racey and wrote a cheerleading chant over the top of it then she changed the gender and name of the song from KITTY to Mickey and a smash hit was born: When she wrote the chant to add to the song... The label pleaded with her to take it out… Her manager told her to drop it. But when it comes to forging her own path and pushing the envelope, Toni Basil has always danced to her own beat. She put on an old high school uniform and made a music video that galvanized early MTV and became one of the Funniest song parodies of all time when Weird Al turned it into Hey Rickey. Get ready to cheer for a great story NEXT on Professor or Rock.

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The Mysteries Behind Steely Dan’s Do It Again: A 70s Rock Classic Jan 02, 2024

Show notes

It was a classic song with multiple storylines of danger, deceit, and despair- so cryptic, and even now decades later fans are still trying to figure out exactly what it means. I’m talking about Steely Dan and their 70s rocker Do It Again. It didn’t help that the band played a prank on fans in the way they Listed the song on the back of the album Can’t Buy A Thrill… It also confused everyone when the Dan appeared on national television with a different vocalist singing the hit instead of Donald Fagan! Oh ya, and the backup vocalist David Palmer didn’t sound anything like the record. Apparently, Donald Fagan had stage fright so badly he couldn’t perform it. On this hit, duo Donald Fagan and Walter Becker showed their genius in the studio with the use of an electric sitar, combined with a really trashed-out cheap plastic organ. Up next We break down a classic of the 70s with a band named after something naughty and mindless Yet their music is so intelligent, your IQ goes up 20 points every time you listen to them. NEXT on Professor of Rock.

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Pink Floyd’s Wish You Were Here: Guilt, Loss, and Rock Immortality Jan 01, 2024

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Rock immortality. It’s a rarified state reserved for only a select few. And today’s featured band no doubt earned it with the release of their 8th studio album… The Dark Side of the Moon. Pink Floyd's 10-track collection eclipsed the competition. But what do you do after you have realized your wildest dreams? Well, that question almost tore this band apart. Roger Waters, David Gilmour, Richard Wright, and Nick Mason felt Stagnant and uninspired, these guys were just going through the motions… That is until Roger Waters dredged up the guilt he felt over exiling their former frontman Syd Barrett. Building that into a concept album called Wish You Were Here that the critics tore apart by the way but that fans bought in droves to the tune of 20 million albums. Wish You Were Here would feature a guest vocalist who came out of nowhere to record Have a Cigar when Roger lost his voice as well as the centerpiece of the album: Shine on You Crazy Diamond that was 26 minutes long and brought back this troubled former frontman in a truly mystical way. . The story’s coming up… NEXT on the Professor of Rock.

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How The Mamas and the Papas Transformed California Dreamin’ Into a 60s Anthem Dec 30, 2023

Show notes

Coming up….we tell the story of the 1960s Classic hit California Dreaming’ by the Mamas and the Papas. First, the song was bestowed upon a famous folk singer riding the wave of a #1 smash. Barry McGuire who had just hit the top of the charts with Eve of Destruction….He was set to follow up his Big hit with California Dreaming... However, when his interpretation of the song was deemed unfit for popular consumption, Papa John Phillips took an unexpected turn and ERASED his vocals completely. Barry was Livid. However, The move transformed California Dreaming into one of the Rock Era’s most iconic anthems and took the rookie band the Mamas and the Papas to superstardom. Comprised of John Phillips and Michelle Phillips and Mama Cass Elliot and Denny Doherty. These guys would go on to have 10 hits including the #1 smash Monday Monday but would crash hard after due to substance abuse. How the controversial artist who called himself “the Wolf King” betrayed the friendship of a fellow folk singer Barry McGuire… oh ya and the band has been signing the wrong lyrics the entire time, for 60 years. The story is next.

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Decoding A Horse With No Name: An Exclusive Interview with America Dec 29, 2023

Show notes

Coming up a great interview with a band that ruled the 70s… Dewey Bunnel and Gerry Beckley from the group America and the story of their biggest hit A Horse With Name is a whopper. First of all as rookies This debut single and the album it came from both hit #1… And to top it off, a Horse with No Name might be one the most unlikely #1s of its time…It wasn’t an obvious hit. It was very strange and haunting with vague lyrics that everyone got wrong! Was it about drugs, or acid, or about a painting? As fans tried to decode the lyrics, critics ripped this band apart over them and claimed singer Dewey Bunnell was imitating another legendary artist… it didn’t help that this band replaced that same artist at #1… Coming up we get some answers directly from the band on Professor of Rock.

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