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:

The Haunting Legacy of Jim Morrison and The Doors' 'Riders on the Storm' Oct 27, 2023

Show notes

Up next, the last musical will and testament of an all-time legend. Jim Morrison of the Doors! Taken from the planet at the age of 27… Today’s song, Riders on the Storm was nearly as haunting as his death… It’s a sinister and mystical epic about a spree killer that has some incredible insight into the artist who created it as well as the human psyche. After lighting up the world with Break on Through and Light My Fire the Doors took their mystical rock to a new level of brilliance, but at what cost? We break down the epic rock track and the band next on Professor of Rock.

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How Warrant’s 'Cherry Pie' Became a Glam Metal Anthem and a Genre’s Swan Song Oct 26, 2023

Show notes

The story of Glam Metal band Warrant and their MASSIVE 1990 Hit Cherry Pie! Written by lead singer Jani Lane. The song may've been a curse. Jani said as much himself.. It was also one of the last big hits of the Glam Metal genre that towered over the 80s. It may have been the song that ended the genre, coming at a time that GRUNGE took over and obliterated the excess of the music and the neon decade. Current Warrant band members Erik Turner and Joey Allen tell the story of writing and recording Cherry Pie and its impact on the time!

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The Story Behind The Charlie Daniels Band's 'The Devil Went Down to Georgia' Oct 26, 2023

Show notes

Coming up…. an electrifying tale about a fateful encounter between a musical prodigy and the devil himself. Set against the backdrop of the American South, the encounter boldly turns into a fiery, foot-stomping duel known as The Devil Went Down to Georgia by The Charlie Daniels Band. A musician’s life is on the line. In the 80s classic hit, if he loses the bout, the devil gets his soul forever! It’s an epic battle of good vs. evil, a southern rock country fiddle classic, and an irresistible blend of story-telling and musical prowess in a classic song that crossed over to every genre and generation and had a swear word you didn’t normally hear on radio… NEXT on Professor of Rock.

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Interview with Paul Rodgers: The Story Behind Bad Company’s Iconic Song 'Bad Company' Oct 25, 2023

Show notes

Coming up, an interview with an artist who is on the shortlist of greatest singers ever. Part 2 of our sit down with Paul Rodgers who made his bones with many huge rock bands from Free to Bad Company to The Firm. Paul Rodgers killed it with every band he was in. In fact, he is one of a few artists in rock history to sing and write a top 5 hit with 4 different bands. Today he tells the story of a song that was so atmospheric and cool that the band drug all their recording equipment out to the middle of a field at night in the moonlight. It took hours to get everything hooked up, this was the 70s so it was difficult and Paul nailed it in 1 take. The name of the song would become the name of the band: Bad Company. He tells the story next on Professor of Rock.

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How Queen and David Bowie Created the Iconic Duet 'Under Pressure' Oct 24, 2023

Show notes

It’s arguably the greatest duet ever recorded and well it almost didn’t happen. Under Pressure by Queen and David Bowie. So First of all the iconic bass riff that galvanized the song was forgotten after the musicians took a dinner break… Then David Bowie almost blocked it from release because he was unhappy with it. the unorthodox structure of the duet came from every member of Queen including Freddie Mercury and David Bowie getting in separate vocal booths and singing improv without hearing what each other was singing… In the end, it fit like a glove… Then it wasn’t even a hit in America until the famous bass riff was Stolen by rapper Vanilla Ice in his song Ice, Ice Baby a decade after it was released reminding everyone of its sonic brilliance. The story behind this one is too good to be true. Yet it is. Next on Professor of Rock.

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JD Souther on Writing 'New Kid in Town' and the Eagles’ Rise to Legendary Status Oct 23, 2023

Show notes

Coming up, Eagles were the most popular band in the world when they released the landmark 70s album Hotel California... It became a #1 hit and made them even bigger with 2 huge hits, the title track and New Kid In Town… Don Henley and Glenn Frey and company were on fire... the irony here is that this #1 song was the band singing about getting replaced by an up and coming artist and becoming forgotten. Next one of the legendary songwriters behind New Kid In Town, JD Souther who co-wrote 3 of the Eagles' #1 hits, tells us the anxiety and pressure the band had trying to maintain their top-of-the-charts status and we’ll find out if they remained on top or faded away… on Professor of Rock.

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How Pink Floyd’s "Another Brick in the Wall" Became a Controversial #1 Hit  Oct 21, 2023

Show notes

The backstory of today’s classic rock epic reads like the front page of The National Enquirer. Another Brick In The Wall by Pink Floyd from their landmark record The Wall but at first it was only a minute long and musically it was a little boring… it would take producer Bob Ezrin's secret mission and a fair amount of subterfuge to turn this Another Brick In the Wall to into the monster anthem it is today. With Roger Waters's prophetic lyrics and David Gilmour’s Disco guitar riff... It’s the tale of one of the most controversial songs ever to reach #1 on the Billboard Hot 100. And you’re not going to believe just how controversial it was. The story is coming up… NEXT on the Professor of Rock.

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The Perfectionism Behind Steely Dan’s "Peg" and Its Legendary Backstory Oct 20, 2023

Show notes

Many have speculated on the real story behind this historic 70s classic. Peg by Steely Dan is an all-time. But the duo of Donald Fagen and Walter Becker have been famously tight-lipped about it. Well, today we try to solve this mystery from the two foremost perfectionists of modern music. The song is historic for myriad reasons. It contained 40 of the greatest musicians in the world. It introduced the world to one of music’s most legendary singers in Micheal McDonald who actually sang backup on it and to top it all off they had 7 of the top session guitarists record the iconic solo before they chose the one that made the cut and then he had to play if for 6 hours before the band was satisfied… a band that was once called sociopaths masquerading as benign dictators.

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The Story Behind "Good Lovin’" by The Young Rascals Oct 19, 2023

Show notes

The story of Good Lovin’ by the Young Rascals or later known as just the Rascals. Every now and again you hear a song that has so much magic, you know it’s gonna be a smash. Here's the story of this rock classic from an interview with Felix Cavaliere the lead singer and keyboardist of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame band. The song explodes in the first 3 seconds and hooks you. The #1 hit story next.

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Eric Clapton’s Emotional Journey Behind “Tears in Heaven” Oct 19, 2023

Show notes

Written in just 10 minutes, today’s songwriting virtuoso, Elton John had this landmark track ready to go before his bandmates woke up for breakfast… Staying in a haunted 18th-century mansion at the time, Elton John and his band were out to write the album of their lives and they did…when this album and this song launched they darted to #1 Honkey Chateau and his 70s classic Rocket Man. But as it was rising on the charts the accusations started to fly… Was this song a rip-off of another iconic track? Namely David Bowie’s Space Oddity. It’s an allegation the duo of Elton John and Bernie Taupin strongly denied. However, they did admit that it was heavily influenced by a completely different song. But despite its origins, this anthem was destined to become a standard… It’s gonna be a long, long time before we ever hear anything like this again. The story is coming up… NEXT on the Professor of Rock.

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