Professor of Rock

Today it’s the origin story of rock’s greatest drummer Neil Peart and how a failed pilgrimage to England brought him face-to-face with his destiny. Namely, a force of nature that defined classic rock excellence forever... Rush. After returning to his Canadian hometown, Neil auditioned for Rush, but he felt his tryout was a complete disaster. It’s proof that 1st impressions aren’t always accurate, especially in rock and roll. Not only did he step into Rush as the final piece to their musical puzzle he also became the most compelling drummer lyricist on the planet. Coming up, the story of the rise of the great ones and the song that is now a 70s standard Fly Ny Night, that paid tribute to his struggle to find his place. The high school dropout who became the smartest lyrics in rock and the backbeat of rock’s most complex band… one who the Rock Hall of Fame passed over for 14 years even though they are the epitome of musical perfecto. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Is this the most hated genre on the Professor of Rock channel? I don’t know. You tell me. Whenever I release videos from this genre I never know what’s going to happen. Some episodes have blown up, getting phenomenal feedback. And others have been torn to shreds. I might be taking a risk with this one, but I’ve gotta confess that I love this genre. So today I’m giving you my top 5 songs that I hope will win you over to this genre. Including one that was created in a cramped closet for an imaginary album. Another that is the definition of schizophrenic. And one that the band refused to release as a single, but it got picked up by radio and became their most iconic track. five songs from the last great rock revolution of the rock era… and they’re coming your way NEXT on the Professor of Rock. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Get ready to rewind more unforgettable sounds of the '80s as we count down the Top Cover Songs of a decade full of them. From unexpected twists on classics to fresh takes that outshone the originals, these songs left an indelible mark on the music world... including one where The Bangles transformed a Simon and Garfunkel folk song into a driving rocker and another where the wailing banshee from Led Zeppelin had a smash hit by crooning a 50s tune that to this day most people have no clue it’s him, and another one by Paul Young became one of the funniest misheard lyrics of the decade and a Los Lobos cover that was first all Spanish song to hit #1 in the rock era. We break down the stories behind these iconic covers, the magic they brought to the table, and how they became monster hits in their own right. The countdown is NEXT on Professor of Rock. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In the 60s The Beatles threw away the rule book. They were used to writing catchy #1 hits but with today’s brilliant concept album Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band, they shattered the boundaries of song arrangement and forever changed the art of recorded music. And during the time they were creating this masterpiece they were in a race with another progressive band the Beach Boys, with a goal to create the greatest record ever. And it was only recorded on a 4-track machine. The last cut on their ground-breaking record A Day in the Life was a mind-altering composition inspired by the death of a notorious socialite, and may have invented a whole new genre… it had an accidental bridge that started out as its own song and only meant to be filler but in this song it became a revelation. A Day in the Life would’ve been a surefire #1 hit, but the Beatles never put it out. But it was so exceptional it put them in a class all their own and became the greatest album closer ever. We raise the curtain on this fantastic voyage across the perils of stone-cold realism.. and the fantasy of lysergic imagination….NEXT on Professor of Rock." Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The year 1980 was a fascinating time for music…. The decade was ushered in by some bold songs by artists who pushed their own boundaries to stay relevant and challenge their fans. It’s also a year that gave us some of the most influential & timeless tracks of the Rock Era. Including two of rock's greatest bands, Pink Floyd and Queen releasing disco-influenced tracks… by rock’s most progressive band in Another Brick in the Wall part 2 and Another One Bites the Dust by Queen who stole the iconic bass line from Disco group CHIC but everyone claimed Chic ripped Queen off. then there Kenny Loggins' I'm Alright that has a mystery vocalist that shocked people when they figured out who it was and as well as Call Me by Blondie that we’ve all sung for years even though it’s about a male... well ya know... And AC/DC's classic song You Shook Me All Night! it’s all. Coming up NEXT as we countdown the Top 10 Songs of 1980… on Professor of Rock Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Today’s track Lovesong by The Cure is extremely complicated. First of all, it only exists because its creator Robert Smith saved its lyrics from a house fire. Then he gave the song to his wife as a wedding present. It’s also the song that drove his band kicking and screaming out of the underground of obscurity into the Mainstream. He called the record total shite, his label called it commercial suicide. Thematically, it was completely out of character for him… He said it took him 10 years to even feel comfortable singing a song like this. And it was an unexpected bright spot on a very dreary album, Disintegration... a classic 80s album that makes you feel like you might never see daylight again. A moody, melancholy masterpiece that has not only been hailed as the peak of this band’s career but also one of the greatest albums of the 80s. So what was this so-called ‘happy’ track even doing there? And could The Cure's reluctant rockstar make peace with the song that turned this indie band into stadium headliners? Well, I’ll give you a clue… Smith hated the popularity it was bringing him, but then got pissed when it missed out on #1. You gotta hear this one! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Coming up next we break down the evolution of the Doobie Brothers named after a drug and half the band didn’t know what it was! Today we have four famous members here to tell the tale. Tom Johnston, Michael McDonald, Patrick Simmons and Skunk Baxter! It’s the story of a group that was a straight-up rock and roll band with a score of classic rock standards and a huge number-one hit. and then became something entirely different when their lead singer Tom Johnston was sidelined and they had to bring in a replacement in Steely Dan alumni Michael McDonald to keep the music playing.. and they moved their sound to a more smooth and soulful place returning to #1. Up next we have Sheriffs with Samurai Swords in the song China Grove, a record that a DJ accidentally turned around and played the B-side of in Black Water going straight to #1, and another song in What a Fool Believes that defeated disco in 1979. We have all the legends here to tell the story next on Professor of Rock. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

It’s the voice that saved an underperforming jam band and kicked off an arena rock revolution. After three hitless albums in the 70s, this Journey was on the chopping block. But the addition of an unknown singer named Steve Perry changed everything—transforming them into one of the biggest rock acts of all time. From stadium-shaking anthems to soul-stirring ballads, their music dominated airwaves and defined an era, becoming the soundtrack of a generation. In this Evolution episode, we've got Don't Stop Believing, a song that broke every rule in the book and is now the #1 song ever, as well as Separate Ways (Worlds Apart) the most epic rock song to be made into the most cringe-worthy music video and Open Arms, a song that almost made the guitarist puke and it became their biggest hit. The band is here to tell the stories next on Professor of Rock. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

'Go to http://www.hometitlelock.com/professorofrock and use promo code ROCK30 to get a 30-day FREE trial of Triple Lock Protection and a FREE title history report! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Today we are going back to the classic year of 1983 and counting down the top 10 songs of this same week and then we’re going to put the actual top 10 plus some other great songs from that week and recalibrate them to tell you what the real top 10 songs are based on all-time streams, views and radio play. 4 decades later you’ll see what lasted and which ones died. And we have interviews, stories, and your comments… including The Clash who wrote Rock the Casbah protesting Iran banning Disco songs, as well as a song that failed on the charts until a soap opera used it, and then it went to #1 after it’s broadcast. Then a duet between the two biggest stars in music that was a huge letdown to the backing band because it was so cheesy and another song that a legend wrote a big old middle finger to the media. I’ll tell you what there’s no autotune here, just absolute talent. Coming up next on Professor of Rock. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

1971 was a game-changing year in music history—a period when creativity exploded across genres, legendary albums dropped left and right, and artists redefined the sound of a new generation. Many refer to ’71 as the most pivotal and exciting of the Rock Era, and I wholeheartedly agree It’s top 3 easy. So I’m doing the impossible…I’m counting down the Top 10 Songs from this emblematic year. All 10 of these songs are legendary including Marvin Gaye's revolutionary song What's Going On which was written on a golf course by some drinking buddies. Another Joy to the World was written for a kid’s cartoon that never got off the ground so a band made it one of the biggest rock songs ever... and Take Me Home, Country Roads that came from the songwriter misreading a road sign and yet another by Led Zeppelin that was written as a joke but the fans took it very seriously and made them rock gods because of it… It all coming up on … on Professor of Rock! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Coming up, Wang Chung, a band that finishes many of the top one-hit wonder countdowns but the problem is..the band had 5 hits including 3 everyone knows and radio still plays. Today’s song Everybody Have Fun Tonight is the one that many point to as their one hit… it also finishes in the top countdown of worst songs and that’s why I wanted to cover it. It is definitely not one of the worst songs ever. Everybody Have Fun Tonight is a classic from the 80s that did a couple of really cool things. It became an accidental catchphrase of the decade that defined the 80s and it introduced a new word into many dictionaries which also happened to be the band’s name. When this singer brought the song to his bandmate, he wanted nothing to do with it. He thought the band was too smart for it and that it was too commercial. But it became a smash and its iconic music video was banned for being too visually dangerous for some with the potential to cause a severe medical condition. the band is here to tell the story… It’s next on Professor of Rock. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Coming up next, Lost interview footage I didn’t know I had with one of the greatest band’s in recorded history. and there are Some real revelations here. An all time #1 Hit that happened because the band re recorded a song they’d already released on their album. When they put it on the album it was thought of as filler…An album track but then The genius behind their music woke up one day and knew if he had the band rerecord the song and drop 1 instrument and change the spelling of a word in the chorus it would be a hit. He was exactly right… the song soared to #1 with a totally different singer then the band had used on their singles before and it immediately had an effect on what parents would name their newborns. also exactly 25 years to the day after this song hit #1 the writer’s 2 daughters would have a #1 hit for themselves. Plus we try to solve a long term mystery about one of the most famous song ever on Professor of Rock. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

We’ve all felt that pressure to act a certain way just because someone else expects it. That’s when a solid "don’t give a damn" anthem can really hit the spot, maybe even stopping you from doing something you might regret. When an artist makes it big, the tradeoff is constant scrutiny from the public, with everyone having an opinion on how they should live their life. But when you find a song that captures that feeling of frustration and defiance, it gives you a jolt of energy and strength. You feel as if that artist wrote that song, especially for you. We’re plunging into that sweet, purging spirit, with a countdown of the Top 5 "Don't Give a Damn" songs including Tom Petty’s You Don’t How It Feels that had naughty words so bad MTV played it backward making the song even bigger, and another Watching the Wheels that brought Beatle John Lennon out of retirement and one, My Life by Billy Joel that got me grounded—coming up NEXT on Professor of Rock. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Today we’ve got a super-sized episode coming your way… featuring Pink Floyd's Echoes, a song so epic that it began as 24 separate songs. Songs that the band didn’t know what to do with. In fact, they called them “Nothing, Parts 1-24.” Well, when Pink Floyd did figure it out, what they had on their hand was a song so monumental that it changed the course of their entire career and rock music… jumpstarting The Dark Side of the Moon, one of the best-selling and most iconic albums of all time. But the intrigue doesn’t end there. Echoes may also have an unexpected connection to oceanographer Jacques Cousteau, a two-thousand-year-old volcanic blast, and an anti-Woodstock concert played to an empty stadium. We’ve got an incredible story from one of my all-time favorite bands, coming up… NEXT on the Professor of Rock. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Coming up next one of rock’s great frontmen Rob Halford of Judas Priest tells the story of the 80s classic You Got Another Thing Coming that became the mantra of hard rock and the iconic phrase actually came from a thesaurus! The song was also just a throwaway B side until it was played and became the song that brought metal to mainstream radio and to MTV and became the crown jewel of the 15 most dangerous songs that were banned by Big Brother with the PMRC... It’s the 80s underdog song that became the hard rock expression of the decade with one of the 80s biggest rock stars next on Professor of Rock. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

You know, I agree with a lot of music historians who have called 1984 the greatest year in music. There were a ton of great songs and albums released that year… But, after going back and reviewing the music that came out in 1985… I am not so sure that ’84 is better than ’85. You will see what I mean when we countdown the Top 10 Song of 1985 NEXT on Professor of Rock... INCLUDING a Movie song -- Don't You Forget About Me -- that was turned down by everyone except for a female-fronted rock band. But she was pregnant and couldn’t do it so she talked her husband Jim Kerr of Simple Minds into it... and Born in the USA, which is the most misinterpreted song ever, and even to this day it played for all the wrong reasons... and another #1 hit by Tears for Fears that the band admittedly ripped off the title from a rival band’s song and paid him 5 bucks for it. It’s the best of 1985 next on Professor of Rock. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Coming up next an interview you won’t be able to take your eyes off of. I tracked down a lost paragon of the 80s. Dale Bozzio from Missing Persons This interview is a train wreck in the best possible way with Bozzio a singer whose band had 3 songs that everybody knows. And Even though any 80s kid can sing along to these songs and they defined early MTV.. NONE of them were actually hits. They got really close two of them hit #42 on the charts including Destination Unknown and Words and two others hit the Hot 100 including Walking In La and were all over the radio. The funny thing is Missing Person always gets included in the greatest one-hit wonders so really you could say they came close to being a one-hit wonder four different times but they definitely left their mark with a frontwoman whose strange costumes and futuristic style made here one of the most influential personalities of the time and it almost never happened… She almost died early in her career when she fell out of a high window at a holiday inn escaping an attacker. You gotta see this! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

After 4 straight #1 Albums in their Native UK and a #1 album in America that contained the #1 song of the year The Police were the biggest band in the world. And while they were at their peak they BROKE UP! Their fans were perplexed! Today we try to figure out why and tell the story of how their legendary lead singer Sting gave up a goldmine to go it alone... while taking a major gamble with his solo album and writing a hit song -- If You Love Somebody Set Them Free -- that was a therapeutic antidote and sequel to his disturbing and misunderstood smash hit Every Breath You Take. We have exclusive interviews with band members… the story is next on Professor of Rock. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Music has the power to change the course of human behavior. It’s truly the best medicine for the soul. When you're stuck in a funk, frustrated with everything, and feeling like your world is falling apart, sometimes all it takes is one of your favorite feel-good songs to turn it ALLLL around. It’s magic we can’t always explain, but who needs explanations. This is actually the hardest countdown I’ve ever had to put together because there are so many worthy choices, but we’re gonna count down the Top 5 Feel Good Songs of all time, including some exclusive insight by the artists that created them… including Walking on Sunshine that was so positive it irritated Katrina and the Waves and Come Sail Away that ‘supposed to be science fiction but it actually happened and Good Vibrations that might be the most insane production ever —NEXT on Professor of Rock! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Today we’re giving you a front-row seat for a behind-the-scenes look at Aerosmith, one of the most chaotic, bad-boy rock bands ever. This five-piece knew how to grab headlines for all the wrong reasons. I mean the evolution of this band’s career was a wild ride fueled by drug abuse, in-fighting, and even a toxic disdain for the lead guitarist Joe Perry’s girlfriend… In fact, one of today’s songs Sweet Emotion put that girlfriend in the crosshairs…calling her a pig with a man’s face. Another song, Janie's Got a Gun, is a haunting narrative of vigilante justice that owes its origins to a treadmill epiphany. And then there’s Back in the Saddle which features a pretend bullwhip, coconuts, and yodeling. And it was written while the guitarist was stoned out of his mind. We’ve got decades of drama, controversy and unexpected song stories that you’re not gonna want to miss… NEXT on the Professor of Rock. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Coming up, an interview with Carlos Santana, a musical genius, a guru of the highest order, and a saint. You have to see this interview. So try to follow this if you can. Santana's biggest song of the 70s, Balck Magic Woman, was a rock classic that many people have no clue is a cover from a band that started as a blues band... but would end as one of the biggest rock bands ever when it became a completely different set of members but that’s not all. It was a cover but the guy who wrote it basically admitted that he ripped off the music from a song from the 50s. So when the cover song became a huge hit for today’s guitarist he decided to send royalties out of his now pocket to the guy who got ripped off! Today’s legend got inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame after several decades of legendary songs and albums and everybody thought his career was winding down and then the year after his induction he had one of the biggest albums ever including a song that was the #1 song of the year in two different years falling at the end of a decade and beginning a new one. The stories are next on Professor of Rock. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

You know, the best songs often come from a whirlwind of emotions—whether it's fiction, non-fiction, or somewhere in between. The heart and soul behind the lyrics are what makes them so compelling. In this episode, we're turning the spotlight on songs that were lit by frustration, anger, and even heartbreak. From Paul McCartney answering a critic who claimed a legend wrote silly songs to Carly Simon calling out a cocky lover that became the biggest mystery in the history of recorded music, to Roger Waters voicing political frustration and one that ripped a Stevie Nicks so deeply she asked her ex-lover to change the lyric but he wouldn’t and then she had to sing it next to him for decades… it’s all here! It’s a countdown of songs in the key of diss… the top 5 disses of the 70s, coming up NEXT on Professor of Rock! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Coming up next, it's a story that you have to hear to believe. Today’s band The 5th Dimension was coming off a huge song that took ‘em to the top of the charts and won them multiple Grammies. But they needed a follow-up song to keep the momentum going. And they found it in the most peculiar place. The band’s singer left his wallet in the backseat of a taxi one night and he knew he’d never see it again. Then out of nowhere, a stranger returned the wallet to him and they got to talking and turns out the man who found his wallet was a songwriter and asked him to bring his band to see his Broadway musical. They attended the play and were blown away by several songs in it that they knew they had to put on their next album. Turns out the song wouldn’t only be a #1 hit but a transformative song in the history of music. The band tells the whole story next on Professor of Rock. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Today’s bass line broke 70s radio! It was from the song was Green Eyed Lady by the rookie band Sugarloaf, and it flew out of the gates with mysterious lyrics about a mysterious woman that took them to the top of the charts. But then just as quickly the band fell apart…Then Sugarloaf lost their record deal, not once but two times… desperate to overcome the one-hit wonder label the band re-formed and recorded a demo at a friend's studio, no record deal, just a demo. They actually recorded a song about what they were going through at the moment. it was a song about getting rejected by labels and the quest for a hit song and the song became their second hit and destroyed the one-hit wonder curse... or did they? Turns out they were in trouble with the feds when the random phone number they cited in their song ended up being the phone number to the white house! Find out next as I track down this band to find out what happened. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Coming up…. Tom Jones, one of the greatest singers of all time, and the story of two of his classic songs that we all know by heart: It's Not Unusual and What's New Pussycat? The first one was recorded by him before anyone knew who he was… He sang it as a demo to show an icon of the time how the song should sound. When this icon heard the demo, she knew it would be a hit but his vocal was so perfect she told him he should record the song because it would be a smash and she was exactly right. Then another song became a top 5 hit and a touchstone of the swingin’ 60s but it was so bizarre when the singer heard a demo of the tune, he asked the prolific lyricist who wrote it “What in the bloody hell do you want ME to sing this for?” thinking the song was a big joke. And it kind of was but the famous musician behind it asked him to be serious and sing it with some authority… he did and it became a standard, the stories are next on Professor of Rock. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Billboard Magazine called 1984 as the ‘greatest year ever in pop music.’ I don’t often agree with the music press, but I have to say that I concur with that evaluation. Some of the best singles and albums were released in ’84, including many of my all-time favorites. To celebrate that glorious, impactful year in music, we’re counting down the Ten Best Songs of 1984. Including Night Ranger's Sister Christian one where the singer let the drummer have a go at recording the vocals and it became the band’s biggest song… Another, Prince's Let's Go Crazy, is a party anthem that most people don’t realize is about God and one where Billy Joel hit a high note in the chorus that was so grand he knew he would never be able to hit the notes again and sure enough on his next tour he had to bring in a backup singer to nail it. We have many of the artists participating in this celebration of the best song of music’s best year. See if you agree with my picks, next on Professor of Rock. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Today’s band AC/DC was blowing up radio and arena when their frontman Bon Scott passed away in a most horrible fashion. The band was devastated and had no idea what was next. Little did they know that in the form of a large bell, a supernatural visit from their dead singer, and a new singer who said he could write lyrics but then battled writer's block for months this band would create the biggest-selling rock record in history: Back in Black. It has sold 50 million copies but it never went to #1 and didn’t contain any hit singles. And it had a perfectionist producer Mutt Lange who spent months recording to get just a drum sound on 1 song. But here’s the thing…even with all of those hours recording, and 15 mics capturing the sound of a large bell the band had commissioned to be the backbone of one of the album’s most famous tracks, Hell Bells... to this day AC/DC has never been able to capture the exact sound of the bell on the recording when they play it live. Coming up the story of the biggest-selling rock record ever and the uphill battle to get it right and out to the masses and trying to solve the mystery of who really wrote these classic songs the dead singer or the replacement. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Coming up, back by popular demand: we’ve already done five. And now we’re doing five more. It’s another countdown of the most controversial songs from the Rock Era. Last time we covered taboo tracks by Heart, the Stones, and even the Beastie Boys. This time, we’ve got five more fiery offerings that rustled up cancel culture, provoked radio censors, and got blacklisted from the airwaves. For Frankie Goes to Hollywood's Relax, a DJ literally lifted the needle off the record mid-song because he thought the lyrics were too obscene. David Bowie's China Girl was accused of being xenophobic but was actually the opposite. And then there’s Bloodrock's DOA, a song that has to be the most disbarring single of the 70s… It was so bad that drivers were freaking out and pulling off to the side of the road while listening to it And that’s just the beginning. We’ve got five more controversial songs coming up next on Professor of Rock. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Johnny Mathis, the 3rd Biggest Selling Solo Artist in History tells the story of both his Christmas album and his #1 hit Chances Are. Johnny Mathis tells how he recorded this all-time standard of the great american songbook in an exclusive interview with the Professor of Rock. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Coming up, Wally Palmer and Mike Skill of the famous 80s rock band The Romantics set the record straight on a true mystery… First of all, they had two huge hits that everyone knows. Including one of the most recognizable riffs ever on What I Like About You. But surprisingly the song was never actually a hit! And it was a song where the drummer stepped in to sing instead of the lead singer. It got a lot of MTV and radio play but stalled at #49. Then they had a massive #1 in 1984, Talking in Your Sleep. It hit the top 3 on all of the charts: Dance, Rock, and Pop… The Romantics were poised for stardom, THEN they found out that their managers had been stealing the profits earned by the band from its records and live performance since day one. And they were entangled in a lawsuit that kept them from recording anything for 11 years. The Romantics vanished into thin air and it cost them dearly. …. Up next Wally Palmer and Mike Skill tell the story of their #1 hit and how they came back from an 11-year hiatus to reclaim their legacy. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Coming up next, one of the greatest living guitarists Journey's Neal Schon tells the story of two of the 80s most famous solos: One he played the hell out of, but it was cut from the song, Who's Crying Now, when it was climbing the charts to the top 5. But angry fans called radio stations and complained so they put it back in. And another song Faithfully was so inspiring that one of the greatest guitar players and geniuses of the 80s, Prince, actually called Journey because he had written one of his greatest songs, Purple Rain. But he was afraid he might’ve subconsciously ripped off the guitar part of Faithfully, from the year prior and he asked them if they would listen to it and see. Journey graciously said it was similar but a whole new song. We have Neal Schon with us to tell the story of these two amazing songs next on Professor of Rock. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The complicated story of the best-selling 12-inch single of the 1980s. New Order’s Blue Monday from 1983 would become the stuff of legend. Up next former bassist and co-founder Peter Hook on Professor of Rock. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

It was a song unlike anything he’d done before—a complete departure from the rough edges and restless spirit that made him the voice of a generation. With his track Lay Lady Lay, Bob Dylan didn’t just change his sound; he flipped the script on what fans thought they knew about him. But here’s the kicker: If it were solely up to him, Lay Lady Lay wouldn’t have been released at all! Dylan begged the label not to put it out. So… what changed his mind? And what’s the real story behind the song that became one of Bob Dylan's most unforgettable? Was it about a mystery woman, or was it really meant for a public figure that shocked everyone later? It probably missed #1 because of a misunderstanding that the song was dirty. and the vocal was sped up making the icon unrecognizable plus a famous janitor helped play the drums… It’s a great story coming up next. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Today we’re talking lost songs, underrated classics, and B-sides that should have been A-sides… all coming from the rock’s mightiest band Led Zeppelin… It’s a mystery how some of these tracks weren’t bigger than they were. In the mix, we’re uncovering one of rock’s holy grail songs. An epic song that could have rivaled Zeppelin's most iconic tracks… But it didn’t made the cut for its album. So it was broken up and scattered across at least four other songs… so you can hear parts of it, but what does the actual song sound like and why wasn’t it released? Especially since it had the potential to be Led Zeppelin's biggest anthem… It’s an episode packed with some of the best odds and ends and hidden gems from classic rock’s most legendary band… NEXT on the Professor of Rock. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Today’s classic band Kansas was coming off a massive rock hit Carry On Wayward Son and album Leftoveture and needed to keep the momentum going. And the answer came in one of the most unlikely hits of the 70s, Dust in the Wind. First of all the song was a simple fingerpicking exercise that the guitarist Kerry Livgren was working on to get more limber. As he was playing it, his wife commented on how great the song was and that’s when Kerry laughed and explained it was just a simple exercise. But his wife told him he should put lyrics to it. Kerry was worried about showing the band this crazy idea, it didn’t fit their sound at all and it wasn’t even really a song! But against his better judgment, he listened to his wife and put some lyrics to it. But not just any lyrics, words from a 6000-year-old book. So he played it for the band and they all knew it had to be their next single. It was not an easy song to record though it made Kerry's fingers bleed and lead singer Steve Walsh had to pull the emotional vocal from deep in his soul. … it was a revelation… It became Kansas’s only Top 10 hit and is one of the most famous songs of all time. Up next, an interview with the band on the unbelievable story. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Go to incogni.com/professorofrock, and use my code PROFESSOROFROCK (ALL CAPS) on the link below to get 60% off an annual plan. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In the early 80s, this Survivor co-founder Jim Peterik came home for Lunch and checked his answering machine. He couldn’t believe his ears, Sylvester Stallone asked him to call him right back. He thought it was someone trying to prank him. but when he called back it was really him… Sly Stallone wanted unknown band Survivor to write the Anthem to a sequel to one of the greatest franchises ever, Rocky 3-apparently Queen had turned down the use of their #1 hit Another Bites the Dust… In a very cool interview, Jim tells us how he and guitarist Frankie Sullivan wrote Eye of the Tiger for the opening montage of Rocky 3 when he went up against Clubber Lange (Mr. T) and went to #1 for 6 weeks because Stallone was willing to give his rookie band the chance even though they’d never had a hit. They couldn’t get the lyrics down so they ended up stealing a line from the movie and it became a classic! How they created the perfect 80s classic rock anthem that still rules. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Today I’m fortunate to have a true legend with us. Neil Sedaka, part of the brill building legends! He had 12 hits by the age of 21 including one of the most memorable #1 hits of all time in Breaking Up is Hard to Do but then the Beatles came on the scene and his music went out of style in a flash. He was considered square and for over a decade he was Shut out of the charts, not only that he had to move to England to get gigs and times were so tough he had to play dives to as little as 20 people and several times had to follow strippers then one night the #1 star in the world, Elton John caught his act and hatched a plan to wage one of the greatest comebacks ever He had his first #1 hit in 12 years with Laughter in the Rain and followed that up with a duet with Elton John that was a pretty edgy for Sedaka’s Goody two shoes persona called Bad Blood and somehow it got past censors with profanity to hit #1 and Neil also became the 1st artist to remake his first #1 hit turning it into a ballad and hitting #1 again. Get ready for a great show next. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Get ready for a lively blast from the past as we countdown the Top 10 One-Hit Wonders! These tracks skyrocketed to fame, only to see the artists who recorded them fade into the background of music history. From the band Kajagoogoo whose lead singer took them to #1 and then they canned him to Autograph who were a bunch of drinking buddies who jammed on weekends got a chance to open for the #1 band on the planet because their drummer was jogging buddies with their lead singer to a song by Nena that the label refused to release because it was in a different language until a DJ accidentally played it and it lit up phones lines… So they hurried and did an English translation but the foreign language one did better. We have great stories and interviews… NEXT..on Professor of Rock. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Up next we’re going to go go behind the top 10 songs of this VERY same week from the year 1986. 38 years ago. Once again we will re rank them based on their performance since and we have some Insightful artist interviews… In this chart we Have what may be the most unlikely #1 hit of the decade as well as the biggest hit of 1987 battling it out as well as a couple of great songs that didn’t even make the top 10 that year that years later have been massive find out what the real #1 song is next. Is it Bon Jovi, Bruce Hornsby and the Range, the Bangles, Toto, Journey, Huey Lewis, Billy Idol or a one hit wonder? Find out next on our hit song redux! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

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It’s the age-old tale… Toto didn’t think much of their song Africa and it became a huge hit. But this one is totally nuts because it was written on a $16,000 instrument that only 3 people in the world could actually play. And it was written about a place the singer had never been. And it has become the ultimate pop culture punchline. Africa came from flipping through National Geographic and it almost didn’t make the album. And to make matters worse, the lead singer had a tough time pronouncing the words of the chorus, and on the recording half of the singers sang the wrong lyrics. So you actually have 2 different lyrics being sung. Get the real story straight from Toto, next on Professor of Rock. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

I try to keep it positive here guys, but every now and then I have to look at songs and artists from a different perspective. And the truth is even the greatest artists can write a stinker. So today we venture into the age-old conundrum... When Bad Songs happen to great artists. And you’re going to have a heyday here. Including a Paul McCartney song that is so annoying that it causes angry convulsions. Another by Heart that they erased from their history. One that was written for Celine Dion and then given to Aerosmith and it became their biggest hit ever. And another that tries so hard to be deep it’s boring. We’re gonna push the envelope a bit on this episode, with a thought-provoking list of '5 Bad Songs by Great Artists’ NEXT…on Professor of Rock. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

How would you like it if you wrote a masterpiece with some pretty deep lyrics and it failed? But then another band cut the song and made it a #1 smash, but then botched your lyrics so badly that it turned the words into a big joke that people are still laughing at today! The lyric in question was from Bruce Springsteen's Blinded by the Light, and it was about a bada$$ hot rod. But the words were so BOTCHED by Manfred Mann's singer Chris Thompson, that it turned the hot rod into a lyric about a hygiene product for private parts!. It became arguably the funniest punchline in rock and one of the most notorious misheard lyrics ever… but the story is even better. And in the end, Bruce Springsteen is still laughing about it... decades after laughing all the way to the bank. The story is next on Professor of Rock. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Coming up, another great song mystery. It’s a famous song everyone knows: House of the Rising Sun. But Nobody really knows who wrote it or what it’s specifically about. Today we have a special guest to help us solve it, The Animals Eric Burdon. It was either about a hooker or a prisoner. It’s centuries old but became a #1 hit when the lead singer of today’s Hall of Fame band covered it and may have invented a whole new genre with it. They were also the first British invasion band to wrestle #1 away from the Beatles who had dominated the top spot week after week and in the end, this singer didn’t really get paid for this song since he wasn’t listed as an arranger on the song. Also, other hilarious stories from this legend on several other classic hits from this band is next on Professor of Rock. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

You are never gonna believe this story! Today’s legend Joan Jett was rejected 23 times by labels. When she finally made it, Joan had a song she wanted to do that she knew would be a smash hit: I Love Rock n Roll. She saw it performed on TV in her hotel room when she was touring with her band... Joan was so blown away she made a vow that she would cover it… The thing is I Love Rock n Roll took 6 years because it was rejected by her band time and again. And then when it was finally recorded it was released as a B side not once but twice. When Joan went solo, She re-recorded it and this time put it out as an A SIDE. It was a #1 smash… It's one of the biggest rock songs ever. Get the story next on Professor of Rock. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Coming up, it's the untamed story of the Southern rock anthem Midnight Rider which was born in a farmhouse outside of Macon, Georgia. The artist The Allman Brothers' Gregg Allman penned most of it in under an hour, but when he hit a wall with the crucial third verse, inspiration ceased. Refusing to let the moment slip away, Gregg did the unthinkable. In the dead of night, with nowhere open and his creative fire blazing, he called on the band's trusty roadie. Together, they ACTUALLY broke into a recording studio to capture the magic before it faded. Breaking and entering might be a crime. But in this case, it was a necessary step in the fulfillment of his destiny. One that was part of a journey packed with triumph and heartbreak to create one of the greatest rock songs ever…It all unfolds NEXT on Professor of Rock. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

There is something about an opening lyric that can make or break a song. And as a lyricist, when you get it right, it launches your song into the stratosphere. For today’s show, we’re paying homage to some of the most gripping opening lines of the rock era… written by master wordsmiths. We’ll tell the stories of their songs and where their inspiration came from… including Jackson Browne who found his muse when his car broke down in the desert and had to hitchhike home and inspired him to write Take It Easy for the Eagles. Then there's Roger Waters and David Gilmour of Pink Floyd with the greatest lyric and guitar combo in history. Roger, who was haunted by a bandmate Syd Barrett's ghost. There’s also the Ramones who copy-catted one of the first boy bands and their bubblegum hit with one of the best rockers of the time. And U2's Bono who couldn’t stand to sing his own iconic opening lyric... thinking it was cheesy but it became the masterpiece of The Joshua Tree. We’ve got some killer stories coming up… NEXT on the Professor of Rock. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Today’s band Boston REVITALIZED Rock in the Disco era when some thought Rock was dead and buried. Their first two albums lit up the charts and knocked disco down. But then it took 8 years for their 3rd album to come out because of a lawsuit with their label. Boston beat the big bad label in the lawsuits, but as we all know 8 years in the music industry is a lifetime. And by the time they put out their record, the musical landscape had completely changed. And to make matters worse, someone leaked a rough demo of their new song Amanda to radio months before it was supposed to come out. But then Boston did the unthinkable. Their leaked single Amanda went straight to number one as did their album. And they ruled the mid-80s just like they did the 70s. It is a great story filled with a few surprises next on Processor of Rock. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.