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:

Interview with Stephen Bishop: The Stories Behind "Separate Lives" and "It Might Be You" Dec 06, 2023

Show notes

Coming up, an interview with a legendary singer-songwriter who’s had various hits but the biggest Hit he wrote…was sung by another artist, and then the biggest hit he sang...he didn’t write! both were nominated for Oscars…Stephen Bishop had a #1 hit in 1985 with the Phil Collins and Marilyn Martin duet Separate Lives from the film White Nights… He didn’t sing it. but he did sing the 1983 #1 Hit It Might Be You from the Movie Tootsie. But he didn’t write that one. Separate Lives came from a horrible breakup with a Hollywood leading lady. Karen Allen who played Marion Ravenwood in Raiders of the Lost Ark. It’s one of the most gut-wrenching #1 hits of the 80s and he just so happened to luck out when the biggest star of the moment sang it. Phil Collins. A great interview with Stephen Bishop you won’t want to miss and the story of Marilyn Martin’s promising career. She would later leave music to become a real estate agent. The story is is next on Professor of Rock.

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The Iconic Bagpipes and Bon Scott: The Story Behind AC/DC’s "It’s a Long Way to the Top" Dec 05, 2023

Show notes

He was a small-time criminal… he was also a mailman… Then he was a chauffeur…He drove bands to and from shows. His name was Bon Scott… He went from being one of AC/DC’s driver to their lead singer literally overnight! He jumped on stage one night when AC/DC was playing instrumentals and started singing. Angus Young and his brother Malcolm Young were floored. This guy had chops… They turned their story… their rise to the top of the charts into a song… It’s a Long Way to the Top if You Want To Rock and Roll. the song became so synonymous with Bon Scott that the band stopped performing it when he passed away…Brian Johnson refused to sing it out of respect…the song’s signature sound came from a strange instrument… Bagpipes... The story is next.

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How Wham! Created the Holiday Classic "Last Christmas" Amid a Charity Challenge Dec 04, 2023

Show notes

Coming up, This group was on a tear to start the decade. Wham! starring legend George Michael and his pal Andrew Ridgely were on top of the world. but George in particular was obsessed with dominating the charts. His goal in 1984 was to score four #1 singles. And you know what, by November he and his partner had three… With time running out, he pulled out a surefire hit he wrote in the middle of watching a football game on TV. He was certain it would hit #1… and it was a holiday song called Last Christmas... However, in December he was invited to sing on a massive charity single. Band-Aid Do They Know It’s Christmas ...when he heard it, he knew it was sure to go #1. Wrestling with guilt, he secretly hoped his song would outperform this charity track. It’s the story of one of the most popular songs of the 80s with almost 3 billion streams yet the song was only a promotional single in the US. Find our if it ever got to #1 NEXT on the Professor of Rock.

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How a Mistake Made Loverboy’s "Working for the Weekend" a Rock Anthem Dec 03, 2023

Show notes

This 1982 rock classic is played every Friday when the weekend starts since it became a hit. Mike Reno, Lead Singer of canadian stadium rockers Loverboy tells the story of their signature song "Working for the Weekend! in an exclusive interview.. When he was recording he sang the wrong lyrics and the mistake made it a classic hit.

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Led Zeppelin’s "Fool in the Rain": The Band’s Final Gamble Dec 02, 2023

Show notes

It was the final single in the storied career of one of the most hard-hitting, epic rock bands ever assembled. Fool in the Rain by Led Zeppelin. For a decade Robert Plant, Jimmy Page, John Bonham, and John Paul Jones turned the world upside-down and inside out with their cutting-edge, all-out rock compositions… But they also did it with tracks that undercut audience expectations. And that is exactly what this song did. It came from their final proper studio album… In Through the Out Door… Fool in the Rain sounded like nothing else in the band’s catalog, and was so far out in left field, that honestly it was a gamble to release it. But the band felt like it would be their biggest hit. So would this unconventional song completely backfire and kill their momentum? Or would it be a huge hit…Find out NEXT on the Professor of Rock.

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"Tainted Love" and the British Invasion of the 80s: Soft Cell’s Iconic Hit Dec 01, 2023

Show notes

It may just be the greatest cover song of all time..If not, it deserves that distinction for the 80s. Tainted Love by Soft Cell. Marc Almond's hypnotic and sinister vocal and Dave Ball's synth pop magic made Gloria Jones original into an 80s smash hit... and combined it with the Supreme's #Staying1 hit Where Did Our Love go! on the billboard hot 100 for 43 weeks in a row. A record that stood for decades. Soft Cell and Tainted Love was part of the 2nd British invasion that blew up radio in the early 80s with New Wave and post punk bands clamoring for the charts. Tainted Love has become one of the quint essential song of the neon decade. Up next the story of Professor of Rock and how I got my butt kicked for playing it as a teenager. With Exclusive interviews.

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The Story Behind Simon & Garfunkel's Iconic Hit "Mrs. Robinson" Dec 01, 2023

Show notes

Coming up, a song that contains arguably the most iconic line in the history of the rock era… Where have you gone Joe DiMaggio A Nation Turns its Lonely Eyes to You… So poetic, so perfect. A tribute from the greatest: Paul Simon and Art Garfunkel… or Simon and Garfunkel from the Graduate film. Only problem is. This sports legend felt slighted by the lyrics. He was pissed! He totally misunderstood the context. Mrs. Robinson actually started out as Mrs Roosevelt… as a tribute to the first lady. it was going to be a lead song for The Graduate but then Paul Simon actually rejected the offer…would the movie execs be able to talk them into it? It was originally about Mickey Mantle but Simon had to change it because Mantle did’t have enough syllables to work for the song. Oh ya… Also When the song became famous the Yankee Clipper threatened to sue Simon and Garfunkel thinking they were making fun of him but years later Paul Simon was able to explain it to him… Worried that the soundtrack album would come out at the same time as the duo's next album it was a battle of marketing that would make them the first group since the Beatles to replace themselves at #1. The story is next on Professor of Rock.

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Interview: Dennis DeYoung on His Solo Hit "Desert Moon" and the End of Styx Nov 30, 2023

Show notes

Dennis DeYoung formerly of STYX tells the story of his only solo hit. Deseret Moon. Styx pretty much broke up after Kilroy Was Here and their massive but polarizing hit Mr. Roboto. And actually Desert Moon was as good as anything he did with STYX! It's captivating lyrics and beautiful melody make it one of the 80s greatest hidden gems. Tommy Shaw was the first one to put out a solo hit with Girls with Guns... It did moderately well but Desert Moon was a top 10 hit and even though it was supposed to be used for the soundtrack of the movie DUNE. it was much better as a solo song and showed Deyoung's gift for a perfect 80s ballad. Dennis tells the story of this wonderful song up next on Professor of Rock...

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Revisiting 1982’s Top 10 Rock Songs and Their Legacy Nov 30, 2023

Show notes

Today, we’re going behind the Top 10 rock songs from this very same week in the year 1982… Can you imagine, a top 10 billboard chart filled with all rock songs? In the past we’ve done redux episodes, covering the most popular songs on the Billboard Hot 100, but today we’re putting a new twist on an old favorite. Going 100% rock. Then after counting them down, we rerank each song according to how many times they’ve been streamed and find out which one deserves to be #1. But which classic rock titan will be the winner? Will it be Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, The Mighty Rush with Geddy Lee, Alex Lifeson, and Neil Peart, or maybe one of the Eagles flying solo Don Henley or Glenn Frey? Start making your guesses in the comments and tell us who you think will take home the crown. I guarantee this is going to be a good one. And it’s all coming up… NEXT on the Professor of Rock.

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The Story Behind Pet Shop Boys' West End Girls and Its Journey to Becoming a Global Smash  Nov 29, 2023

Show notes

The Compelling story of the Pet Shop Boys masterful 1986 #1 hit, West End Girls. A synth-pop miracle that put this duo on the map and started a career that so far has produced 44 top 40 hits in the UK. West End Girl was released in 1984 but it failed visually everywhere except in Belgium, where it hit #1. Neil Tennant and Chris Lowe knew they had a hit but couldn’t get the sound right. This was after Neil had quit his job as an editor and music critic for Smash Hits. His co-workers ridiculed him for leaving, but he had the last laugh when they got New Order producer Stephen Hague to redo the song and it became a global smash. The story of West End Girls is next.

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