Professor of Rock

Coming up next, one a scary story for ya. Our story revolves around singer-composer Danny Elfman who stayed in a haunted room where 7 people were murdered. He was told he might see their ghosts, and by the morning he had the idea for a song that would become one of the most recognizable songs of the 80s. But the thing is even though this composer has written dozens of the most recognizable songs in both radio and film, he never had a top 40 hit. In fact you could make the argument that his group Oingo Boingo the greatest band in history never to have an actual hit. Up next, the true story of the haunted room that spawned his biggest claim to fame and its aftermath. 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 drama-filled double feature from Def Leppard, a band that ruled the airwaves with one album, Hysteria, from 1987 to 1989. At the time these guys were everywhere. Not only did they dominate radio, but every kid from the age of 8-18 had Hysteria. When all was said and done it boasted six Top 20 singles and a seventh that went Top 10 on the Rock Charts. Was there anything that could slow these guys down? Well, how about themselves? Get this, Def Leppard had been on tour for a year and they had no idea how to play their biggest hit Love Bites. How is that even possible? This track completely caught them with their pants down. Plus, we’re also telling the story of another hit song Animal, that was written in reverse… you’ll see what I mean. And this one may have saved the album from flopping. The tale of two rock classics is coming 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, we’re counting down the Top 5 songs that stirred up so much controversy, for the most part, the artists themselves won’t perform them anymore. From the Beastie Boys who actually came out and apologized years later after getting married, to the Rolling Stones who own one of rock’s greatest riffs that due to some lyrics now won’t ever be heard live again, to one Heart song Ann Wilson calls hideous and creepy, to one by the Kinks that I had to bleep out certain words while talking about it because this platform would ban it. These songs were so controversial most of their creators will not play them live. Find out which songs made the list and the stories behind their taboo status, 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 Red Rider was a well-kept secret in their time and they had multiple hits in their homeland of Canada. In the early 80s inspired by several transformational moments, they wrote a masterpiece: Lunatic Fringe. It’s been called one of the coolest one-hit wonders ever. The only problem is… It was never a hit. At least not in America where it’s always in the top one-hit wonders of the time. Well, today we give Lunatic Fringe its due and the Cinderella band that created it, Red Rider. They crafted many hits in Canada but always came up short here in the States. But when lead singer Tom Cochrane went solo, he had a top 5 hit his first time out of the gate. The story is next on Professor of Rock The song had to be re-recorded because the master tape fell apart. This was devastating for the band, but they ended up with a better version, complete with the Peter Wolf keyboard intro - he wasn't part of the first recording. 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…the story of metal rock icon, Lemmy Kilmister who toiled behind the scenes as a roadie for the great Jimi Hendrix, and was fired from a band after being arrested. But soon after the tables were turned and the band he was fired from was opening for him! He was a scruff from Newcastle with the most famous chopstache of the Rock Era, who LOVED to gamble- while playing his music with Motorhead ‘fast and vicious.’ We push up the ante, and play with the 'dead man’s hand’. with the 80s metal classic Ace of Spades a song that helped invent heavy metal and the a song that will split your head open!..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… the strange tale of how a lead pipe falling at a construction site allegedly gave Cass Elliot of the Mamas and the Papas one of the most iconic voices of the '60s the ability to sing three octaves higher. As the story goes, Cass auditioned for the up-and-coming band but was initially denied because her range was not good enough. Then Cass was at a construction site and got hit in the head with a pipe and when she came to, her range drastically expanded. And Cass got into the group because of it and had an incredible career. But did this really happen? And if not, why was the story told in the first place? Was there another reason why she was initially rejected? We’re delving into another fascinating case of fact vs. fiction, thought the songs of the Mamas and the Papas including California Dreaming, and CREEQUE ALLEY 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, one of my favorite singers ever and one of the most celebrated singer-songwriters of the past 50 years, Daryl Hall tells us the stories of many of his biggest hits. First of all, Daryl Hall and John Oates dominated the 80s with the most hits of the decade. But the #1 hit that set it all up, Rich Girl, happened in the 70s and it was a doozy. It had a swear word in it and it riled up radio pretty good. In fact Rich Girl became the first #1 hit to have bleeps in it. We also talk about several of Daryl's hits that were inspirations for Van Halen and Micheal Jackson’s two biggest hits, as well as his new record D. And the hits I Can't Go For That and you Make My Dreams, Get ready for a conversation with one of the greats 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.

For just short of a decade today’s classic song Carry On Wayward Son by Kansas was the most-played song on rock radio... and it was almost never released. The band almost left it off the album. Kansas was shocked when it was a hit because it was so out of the ordinary… Carry On Wayward Son was a revelation, it felt like 4 different songs combined, it changed tempo and the funny thing is the band pretty much nailed it in one take. I know you’ve heard that before, but to do that on this classic song is hard to believe. It is the song that every rock song is measured by and it never gets old. And today we have 2 members of the band to tell the story... one who was the guitarist who was there helping formulate it and their current lead singer who bought the song in high school, loved it, and probably had no clue he’d be singing it with his favorite band decades later. You gotta hear this to believe it, 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… we get into the story behind a Top 10 hit from one of the biggest duos EVER, The Carpenters. Known more for their angelic harmonies and light and easy hits than for a shredding guitar solo, but in the 70s they took a bold leap with today’s song Goodbye to Love… Going hard rock for one hot minute… Goodbye to Love was a major departure from their usual sound, and their fans weren’t happy—hundreds wrote in, accusing them of “selling out.” But the song was a smash and would set the tone for the Motley Crue’s and Def Leppard’s of the world as quite possibly the first Power Ballad ever. So, what led to this dramatic shift? Find out 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.

Okay, it doesn’t get any bigger than this. I’ve got an impossible task ahead of me and I don’t know how I’m going to do this. For this episode, I’m tackling the story of one of my Top 3 bands of all time, Pink Floyd. They have over a quarter of a billion albums sold and a catalog of studio albums spanning nearly five decades. But their acclaim isn’t counted in albums made or sold. It’s all about the music… songs that have captivated generation after generation. And to do it in the way that they have, it truly is the greatest rock and roll story ever told… Light and dark, genius and insanity, high stakes drama, hostile takeovers, decades-long feuds, bitter firings, near breakups… and then a real break up. But mixed within the madness… some of the greatest albums ever put to vinyl. How can so much dysfunction breed so much brilliance? Find out… 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.

You can’t make this up… a foreign language song that was originally released as a B-side all of a sudden became a massive worldwide #1 smash nearly 30 years after it was released. How does that happen? Well, it helps when one of the great rock and roll stories comes back into the zeitgeist. Ritchie Valens was a mere 16 years old when he recorded La Bamba. He came in a time of teen idols who had their own songwriters, but he was one guys who wrote his own stuff and had a world of possibilities ahead of him... until he was killed in a tragic accident. Since then, we have all wondered what might have been. 'What ifs’ are always hard, but this one is even worse because his fate was determined by a coin flip. Join us for a great tribute to Ritchie Valens, an original guitar hero 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, the story of an epic collaboration between one of rock’s most iconic rebels Joan Jett and one of the most prolific songwriters of the era Desmond Child. This rock legend had a bold, risqué song title that no one would dare play, but she had the riff to back it up. All she needed was some expert help to craft a radio-friendly title and some unforgettable lyrics. The song, eventually titled I Hate Myself for Loving You became a big ol’ hit, making waves in pop culture, with NFL fans, and even catching the attention of a fellow Hall of Fame singer who tried to use the chorus as a pickup line at her hotel door. You’re gonna love this saucy narrative…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 with Tommy James, a legend who technically recorded his first hit at just 15 years of age. He snuck into a club and heard today’s song Hanky Panky being played and noticed that the audience LOVED it. So he decided to cut the record himself. But he forgot the lyrics and made up some of his own. The recording wasn’t very good and he didn’t think it would go anywhere. The song was released and got some airplay. But it was forgotten until a few years later when it re-emerged after getting played at dance parties and then it was bootlegged and almost 100K copies of it were sold. 6 major labels picked up on this and a bidding war to sign the artist was brewing until a small label owned by a mobster threatened everyone and swooped in to sign this young artist. A short time later Hanky Panky hit #1 across America and to this day many people think the song was recorded by this now older artist. But come to find out it was the old crappy demo that many point to as the first punk rock song. The crazy story is 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.

Coming up. It’s a subject we’ve talked about quite a few times on here. How does an artist or band blast onto the scene and hold the world hostage for several years and then disappear as quickly as they came? Well, in 1988 the underground band Information Society took over radio with zero gimmicks and zero support from their label. It was all about their music. Their first song What's On Your Mind (Pure Energy) blew up the charts and had everyone singing along, as did their second Walking Away… Then they had another big hit and POOF, they went up in smoke and disappeared… From overnight success to commercial extinction, what led to the demise of Information Society? Find out 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, we celebrate Dan Fogelberg's The Innocent Age, an underrated masterpiece that deserves recognition for both its impact on the music industry and its timeless lyrics and musicianship. One of the most accomplished albums of the 80s by Dan Fogelberg, an artist whose achievements never get the credit that he deserves. In the early 80s, there were only 2 musical acts that had 4 hits from one album Same Old Lang Syne, Leader of the Band, Hard to Say, and Run for the Roses! … One was Michael Jackson and the second one may surprise you. A reluctant star who could’ve had dozens of hits had he chosen to. Get the story of the most under-appreciated artist of his time and his 1981 masterpiece 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 world of rock n’ roll has many of those wild, fascinating stories. As time goes on, the stories get wilder and wilder…the myths get further & further from the truth. In this episode, we’re going to explore the Top 5 Urban Legends of Rock n’ Roll and separate fact from fiction from Mama Cass Elliot dying from choking on a ham sandwich to the Beach Boys writing a song with a mass murderer to Ozzy getting a rabies shot after some wild antics… Today we get the real stories of the stories that have been passed down forever 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 song Dancing in the Moonlight by King Harvest is one of the most beloved of the 70s. It is a happy-go-lucky singalong that no one can deny, yet it came from one from an absolutely chilling experience. The song’s writer Sherman Kelly and his girlfriend almost lost their lives in a terrifying ordeal right out of a horror movie. But the writer turned the evil event into one of the most positive songs of its time! When the band was recording it the song just wasn’t gelling. But in a strange twist, a toilet brush made the song perfect. Stay tuned for one of the craziest song stories I’ve ever heard 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.

Okay, we’re getting a little controversial here today. I mean, it’s unavoidable when you’re talking about the legendary and reckless Guns N Roses. As a way of introduction, let me give you their calling card: It simply reads “Sex, Drugs, and Rock N Roll.” Yeah, everybody knows this catchphrase. But GNR epitomized it. Especially on their 1987 debut album Appetite for Destruction. Which by the way is the biggest-selling debut LP ever. With their fingers hovering over the self-destruction button, these guys wrote bad-ass song after bad-ass song. Two of which we’re diving deep into today: Paradise City and Rocket Queen. And one of these, I tell ya, it may be the most controversial track of the 80s. Let’s just say it contained some explicit extra-curricular vocals. It’s pretty shocking. You’ll see why 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….the story of a hall-of-fame rocker Steve Miller of the Steve Miller Band who found inspiration for the lyrics of his last BIG hit Abracadabra when he saw another superstar Diana Ross take a MAD tumble on the ski slopes in Idaho. At first, he was solely concerned about whether one of the diva was OK from the fall, but, later, the incident triggered the words for a song that he had shelved for years! It’s a song that brought us pop-rock sorcery with a hook that’s impossible to shake, with one of the longest words in a chorus of the time… AbracadabraThat most would find difficult to rhyme to, but it caught fire around the world Even thought the record label offered no support and had given up on him since they thought he was turning into a dinosaur. but in a strange turn of events, the #1 hit didn’t really move the needle and he left music for 6 long years. find out what happened 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, I have an interview with a real blast from the past band, Yacht Rock sensation Pablo Cruise… They had 6 hits in the late 70s into the early 80s, a few of which we hear all the time, including Whatcha Gonna Do, Love Will Find A Way, and Cool Love. But then they disappeared! Would they be forgotten… Not exactly. There were two major events that brought this band back to the masses…two major things that brought about their resurrection into pop culture. .. When the term Yacht Rock was invented they blew up again, as one of the foremost purveyors of the genre. And then at about the same time in 2008 one of the world’s #1 comedian/actors Will Ferrell wore their band t-shirt in his movie Stepbrothers and put them back in our collective conscience. Up next the two principals from the band Cory Lerios and David Jenkins tell us the story of their biggest hit including singing their song to someone at an airport to see if it would be a hit single. Plus the story of their rise to the top of the AM radio dial in the 70s 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.

Is it the most elaborate cover-up in rock history? Some would say yes. For today’s episode, we’re covering The Beatles, a band that was at the forefront of the cultural revolution, and that would go on to change music forever. However... there are some out there who would have you believe that The Beatles' entire history is a lie. And they say they have the evidence to prove it. It’s a story filled with intrigue, deceit, car crashes, doppelgängers, plastic surgery, strange mammals and a band that hid allegedly hid clues in their art. We’ll consider the evidence and follow the clues to see if we can get to the bottom of all this. Is there any scrap of truth to these incredible claims? Or are we just talking about a fun and entertaining urban legend? The Paul Is Dead urban it broken down from the clues in the albums Sgt Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band, The White Album, Magic Mystery Tour, and Abby Road. Find out… 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 tickets for Weird Al's upcoming "Bigger & Weirder" tour. Dates will be announced on Monday, September 23rd. Check out Weird Al's website for more details. 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.

One of the so-called Filthy Fifteen, today’s rebellious rock anthem We're Not Gonna Take It by Twisted Sister never got a fair shake... not from parents, not from the media, and not even from the Government. This classic rock anthem had a target on its back for years from the powers that be...Their gameplan? To censor so-called offensive music across the nation. But that was the whole reason the song was written in the first place… To defy authority. And lead singer Dee Snider actually took his fight against authority all the way to Washington DC and ripped the censors on live TV. Coming up next, the story of the 80s most rebellious anthem. It took Dee Snider 4 years to write it due to writer's block and his producer didn’t want them to put it on the album! He felt it sounded like a nursery rhyme... too sing-songy. And to his point, the band did push their hardcore lyrics against the melody of one of the most famous Christmas songs ever… It was unbelievably catchy… but the singer had to beg the label to get the song released. It became a smash but it would become their only hit. Get the story of this rebel anthem, Christmas song rip-off 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.

Have you ever found yourself stuck in a room with people you couldn’t stand, but had no choice but to grin and bear it? Well, the two leaders of Stealers Wheel, Gerry Rafferty and Joe Egan, knew that feeling all too well. They captured that awkward vibe and turned it into the song Stuck in the Middle with You, which unexpectedly became a massive international hit! The funny thing is, they never thought the single would take off. They wrote it as a joke… a complete parody. In fact, Gerry Rafferty mimicked Bob Dylan’s vocal for a laugh… It was a throwaway gag… The frontman had even left the band to go solo and then suddenly…the song blew up! Rafferty’s impersonation of Dylan was so Good, people thought the song was actually Bob Dylan…. The record label came begging for Gerry to return, and he did…. but it was too late. At the core, this is a story of two musicians who built something special from their shared love of music. Along the way, there were setbacks, lawsuits, breakups, and unexpected triumphs for two guys who loathed the spotlight. We’ll take you into the middle of the action 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.

When legendary frontman Jim Morrison of The Doors told his band members they should go home and write some songs to fill out their live show and have more to record. Teenage guitarist Robby Kreiger took him seriously and wrote a song that night... Light My Fire. When he brought it into the band they were blown away… thing is today’s Robby not only wrote the music, he also wrote most of the lyrics and that fact has been lost on pretty music everyone who assumes Jim Morrison wrote it. It would take the rookie band to #1 after their first single flopped and it would become one of the greatest songs in rock history… 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.

What can you say about today’s band The Cars? They mixed two genres perfectly to become one of the greatest rock bands of the late 70s and 80s helping save rock and roll and giving it a new sheen. The Cars had two lead singers, Ric Ocasek and Benjamin Orr, who on their own could’ve led any band. But their power was drawn from the other members of the band who all brought a magic that couldn’t be planned. After blowing up the late 70s with one of the best debut records ever, the band was worried about the sophomore jinx. Well, today’s song Let's Go was so electrifying it PULVERIZED the sophomore jinx. One of the coolest rock songs ever that balances guitar and synth perfectly and contains what may be the most magical vocal part of the 70s, with an addictive hand clap part that you had to participate in even if you were driving or carrying groceries. You’ll see what I mean next from the band everyone agrees on. 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’ve heard them all a million times or more. The most overplayed songs of the 80s. Not only did they flood the radio airwaves back in the day, but since the neon decade they have conquered pop culture media, getting played again and again in movies and television shows. I’m talking about tracks like Journey’s Don’t Stop Believin’, Bon Jovi’s Livin’ on a Prayer’s and TOTO’s Africa But for today’s episode I want to give 6 songs that are just as good and truly under-appreciated. They made their mark on the 80s. But they’ve been missing in action since but that doesn’t mean they aren’t outstanding. We’ve got some real killers here. One hit song where Van Halen forgot to credit a legendary writer… one that was produced by an iconic member of Pink Floyd, and 1 that might be the most chilling top 10 hit ever. Coming up I’m going to count ‘em down for you. See if you remember these classics and agree with my picks… 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... the story of the mini-rock symphony Love is Like Oxygen from Sweet, a band once dismissed by critics as a "bubblegum group" focused only on making money. But with their final big hit, the band reached the pinnacle of their artistry, delivering a track that was a complete departure from their usual sound. SADLY Their redemptive success was short-lived, as their lead singer left the band amidst deteriorating health—at one point, landing in the ER for emergency heart surgery. On the operating table, he suffered 12 consecutive heart attacks, yet somehow, he survived. The story of how this musical triumph was created. Why Sweet should be more revered and what happened to one of the pioneers of Glam Rock 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.

Where do I even start with this one? Over 50 musicians came in and out of this one-hit wonder band in its time... Dexys Midnight Runners. And its principal, the singer Kevin Rowland absolutely detested his #1 hit Come On Eileen. He hated it because he didn’t think it was mixed right… He was so angry about it, he didn’t listen to the song for 40 years, which is hard to believe because we all LOVED IT. Come On Eileen was such a big song it bested the biggest-selling artist on the planet during its unprecedented peak. This was the song that stopped him. It was a dirty song in more ways than one and it still moves the needle. A bottle-lightning classic and besides its controversy a former band member would come out of the woodwork and claim the singer stole it from him. The story of an 80s classic 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, the story behind one of the biggest hits of 1966 Mellow Yellow by Donovan. Packed with hidden meanings and controversial themes, this song, somehow, managed to sneak past the old-fashioned ideology of the media gatekeepers' values and came close to topping the American Pop charts. It’s a song about recreational drugs, young desire, having a laid-back disposition, and, believe it or not, a sexual device with a very catchy name. The song also had a strange whispering backup vocal that many claimed was one of the Beatles…But was that just a myth? We’re exploring the origin and evolution of this '60s counterculture classic—one that would NEVER FLY in the 21st century… 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.

Sometimes you hear a rock and roll story and it’s so good you feel like it was scripted or made up. Well, today’s story seems too good to be true, but it’s 100% true. It’s the story of John Cafferty & the Beaver Brown Band who paid their dues for years, playing 3 gigs a night sometimes. Well, they caught a lucky break when a producer wanted to use their song On the Darkside for a big Hollywood movie: Eddie and the Cruisers. But when the movie opened, it completely flopped. The band moved on after the disappointment wondering if they’d ever get another shot… well a year later John Cafferty got a call from his manager who told him their year-old failed record had just sold 25k copies virtually overnight. Eddie and the Cruisers had found new life on cable TV and it sent the record to the top of the charts. Up next, an interview with the singer on the miraculous 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.

Coming up… A Holy Grail interview. When I started doing this years ago I made a list of 15 artists I have to interview before I die and my top 3 were no brainers… Well I just got one of them… Sting! They Say to Never meet your heroes well I did and he blows that theory out of the water. Up next a very personal interview with a musical genius about one of my favorite records ever… he’s the only artist to have 2 songs in the top 10 most played songs in history… Not even the Beatles have done that! Stay tuned for a very moving conversation, 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.

From the early 70s to the close of the decade, the Eagles were flying high, having written a litany of beloved rock-era hits. As well as some classic rock standards that were never released as singles. But life in the fast lane left this 100 million-plus record hit-machine running on empty. Quick tempers, in-fighting, and backstage brawls would plague this band of guitar-slingers for the long run… and their eventual break up was only a matter of time. Today, we’re re-examining the Eagles' explosive story through the lens of some of their most iconic tracks. Hits that were written in unexpected places, like a broke-down road trip, a locked-up nightclub, and one that was about California’s most sinister and haunting locale. The drama unfolds… 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… Get ready to take a nostalgic journey as we countdown the Top 10 One-Hit Wonders of the 70s with the actual artists telling their stories… We have so many classics here: like Mountain's Mississippi Queen that came when they were playing a live show and a blackout happened so they started to play an impromptu jam to keep the crowd going and it turned into an all-time classic. Or when David Bowie wrote All the Young Dudes, a song that he knew would be a smash but he gave it to Mott the Hoople because they were about to break up and needed a hit. Or Warren Zevon who wrote Werewolves of London as a joke after he heard a band member howl like a dog! and so he added the howl into the chorus! You’ll love this… Celebrating the great bottled lightning hits with unforgettable moments and memories that made these songs special to each of us. The countdown kicks off 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.

Once upon a time at a Halloween party in the 70s, a notoriously shy, unsociable future hall-of-fame rockstar named Donald Fagen got the courage to hit on a beautiful woman… He slipped her his phone number, but the problem was this awkward genius had just hit on his college professor’s pregnant wife… Would it lead to a torrid affair? We’ll find out the details next. But the embarrassing moment was turned into Steely Dan's Rikki Don't Lose That Number, one of the best songs and biggest hits of the 70s, and a guitar solo by today’s guest… Also, the man who helped this band become a household name and later stole their backup singer to front his next band. 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… we're putting the spotlight on Sunglasses at Night, an iconic '80s anthem-ditty created by Corey Hart who caught the attention of two of the most famous singers in recorded music history before he was a teenager. From its mysterious lyrics that most of us have been mumbling through cuz we have no idea what Corey is saying, to that unforgettable synth riff, this track didn't just define a decade—it became a cultural staple and ignited sales for the accessory that the song is about. And it was a total accident since Sunglasses at Night was first about a wet cigarette… and a last-minute studio session turned into a smash hit. And one that made Corey Hart famous, but many still think he’s a one-hit wonder even though he had 7 more after that including one that was even bigger! Find out 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.

Crosby Stills & Nash Tell the story of their first hit SUITE: JUDY BLUE EYES the song that put them on the map as one of the world's first supergroups. In this interview the Late David Crosby, Graham Nash, and Captain Everyhands: Stephen Stills tell the story of this 60s classic and how they played Woodstock at 4 in the morning. The Groups would later add Neil Young and become one of America's greatest rock and folk bands setting the stage for the singer songwriter movement that would come with the Eagles and James Taylor and Jackson Browne into the 70s. 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. When guitar legend Neal Schon of Journey was an unknown 14-year-old kid, he told his parents he was going to a sleepover at his friend’s hour… Instead, he went to a famous bar and had a guitar battle with his hero… BB King. A decade later, Schon would rule the beginning of the 80s with one of the greatest classic rock songs ever… Any Way You Want It. This song still shakes stadiums all these years later but there’s a secret to this track… Up next all-time legend Neal Schon tells us the story of jamming with his hero at 14 and reveals the mystery behind an 80s classic 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, an interview with with throwback icon Brian Hyland about a song that every generation living on this earth knows by heart... Itsy Bitsy Teenie Weenie Yellow Polka Dot Bikini. It’s become one of the most played songs of its time and when Bryan recorded it he was only a sophomore in high school. It became a #1 hit even though it was considered very risqué for its time… One of the most interesting things about today's song is that a fraud claimed to have written it for 50 years. He told his wife, his friends, his community, and everyone that he was the guy who wrote it. It even appeared in his obituary across newspapers and news stations around the world including the New York Times.… but then the truth would finally come out. Find out 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.

I have a question for you all? How many perfect songs are there in the world. Where every second of it is exhilarating… That no many times you listen to it, it doesn’t lose it’s luster. In my opinion one such song was released in 1987, The Cure's Just Like Heaven. This song’s origins is really interesting as well. It’s just like a dream. If you can believe it, this happy song was inspired by one of the world’s most notorious suicide hot-spots. Only the Cure could get away with something like this. Their frontman Robert Smith was spending the night there, not to take his own life… but in a near-tragic twist of fate, he came dangerously close to dying. The whole incident was darkly surreal… but somehow it led to this perfect song that’s so ambiguous, that after listening to it we’re not sure what happened to the mysterious girl by the time it ends… Did she die? Let’s solve this mystery and bask in Just Like Heaven. The answer is 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.

Stevie Nicks, one of rock’s most revered singers, was on her way to a secretive honeymoon after getting married. During the drive to the couple’s destination, Prince's Little Red Corvette came on the radio and she pulled over at the closest record store to buy the tape. The song was so compelling it inspired Stevie to forgo her wedding night and instead, she wrote her biggest hit, Stand Back. Nicks rushed down to the studio and in the process, she called Prince to get permission to write what was essentially her lyrics over his music. It just so happened he wasn’t home, instead she found out he was only 20 minutes away. Prince came to the studio, and in a flash of magic, he played a perfect synth melody for it. Stand Back became Stevie's biggest solo hit and Prince turned down a writing credit. Later when the music video was shot, Stevie Nicks almost died when a horse almost toppled her. The story of an 80s classic is 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.

Up next we’re going to count down the top 10 songs of this very same timeframe from the year 1988. We have interviews and stories from the artists… as well as your stories and dedications. And then we’ll recalibrate them based on their all-time performance since then. It’s a great show with so many great songs a couple of artists who reached the coveted BILLION VIEWS CLUB and today’s Top 10 countdown may be the only one in music history to have the worst song of the 80s go up against arguably the best song of the 80s… See if you agree and who wins the battle. 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… the wild story behind Rock Me Amadeus by Falco, one of the most unexpected global hits of the ‘80s. It was written in German which happened to be Falco’s native tongue but when he tried to sing it in English, it didn’t work. So Falco sang it in German which was a massive risk for them in America. In fact, Rock Me Amadeus was released twice, and both times it was a total flop… each time they retooled it and finally they brought in another singer to bring some soulfulness to this new wave track. Rock Me Amadeus became an innovative blend of classical music and pop culture and it made Falco the biggest-selling artist ever in his homeland. But behind the catchy chorus and infectious beat lies a tale of artistic risk, personal demons, mysterious deaths, and a song that may have spelled the end of Falco… The drama 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.

Coming up, an interview that really surprised me. Sometimes I do an interview and think I know what to expect and then the unexpected happens and it turns into something else entirely. Today’s multiplatinum artist Rita Coolidge hit the jackpot in 1977 and 1978 with 4 big hits including We’re All Alone and Your Love Is Lifting Me Higher. Then soon after had another big hit being chosen to sing the James Bond Theme “All Time High. All 5 of these big hits were written by other people, but according to Rita, she wrote a song that was stolen from her because she was heard playing it through the wall in a studio…the stolen song became one of the biggest songs ever. Layla By Derek and the Dominoes The story and interview 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.

It’s hard to understand why a song that was hit all over the world wasn’t released in the US. Today’s song Zombie by the Cranberries was never released in America, yet it’s the most streamed song of the year it came from. And even crazier it may have stopped a centuries-old conflict. It was sung by a beautiful angel whose gorgeous voice went scorched earth on this hardcore rock song. She wrote a song with so much righteous anger that it’s one of the most pissed-off performances of the rock era. Responding to a tragic bombing that took the lives of two innocent children, this ethereal frontwoman powered up her dreamy folk sound, and unleashed a series of siren screams that no one knew she had in her…Historically, she was one of the greatest artists of her time and truly deserved better. Let’s honor this angel 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.

Michael McDonald has over 1,200 songwriting credits and has played on more than 700 recordings dating back to 1972, yet for years, no one knew his name outside of a recording studio. That all changed in ‘75 when he joined the Doobie Brothers, one of the biggest rock bands of the decade. After releasing four platinum albums, the Doobies disbanded, and one of the most recognizable voices of the Rock Era went solo. In this episode, we jump into the story of I Keep Forgetting (Every Time You’re Near), the song that kicked off Michael McDonald's solo career and later became a BIG crossover hit, thanks to a rapper named Warren G, who stumbled upon a stack of vinyl from a street peddler outside Roscoe’s House of Chicken & Waffles in Hollywood. When he sampled this song not only did it go to #1 but even people who hated RAP Loved this song… All this and more, 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.

Rob Halford the metal God himself and the raging front man of Judas Priest tells the story of the band's metal masterpiece: British Steel and the song Living After Midnight from the early 80s that brought metal to the children in this exclusive interview 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.

Did today’s featured artist Phil Collins make too much music? Between Genesis and his solo career, we’re talking 20 studio albums in about three decades. That’s a new album every year and a half. During the 80s alone Phil churned out eight #1s and 21 big hits overall… The numbers are staggering. But was it overkill? When is enough “enough” when it comes to your favorite musicians? Overexposed and getting a reputation for going a little too “vanilla pop,” Phil decided to shake things up. So he took a chance on a more serious subject.. writing Another Day in Paradise, a song that was self-indictment, and that made him question his own humanity. When Collins released it, it caught everyone’s attention. And he took some heat for it. You’ll see why 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.

So apparently one of the greatest classic rock songs of the 80s, Rock You Like a Hurricane by the Scorpions, almost didn’t happen because when the song was first written nobody in the band could figure out how to play it. So they put it on the back burner… then when they finally nailed it, they wanted it to be a song that had more than a little edge. In fact, the lyrics were rewritten about 10 times and they were so focused on it being forbidden, that the song had the F word in the title. And the way they used it was so over the line there was no way they’d get it played on radio. The Executives made them tone it down …a lot. But even with the clean version of Rock You like a Hurricane it caused panic... when it came out and became a huge hit, a Karen in the Government tried to get the song BANNED. A story you won’t want to miss 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.

What is it about Mondays that seems to bring everyone down? It’s as if that day casts a shadow over us all, shifting the mood of the universe for a full 24 hours. With that in mind, one of the most talented, yet volatile bands of the Rock Era, the Mamas and the Papas, created Monday Monday, a song that unintentionally summed up their brief but brilliant run and gifted us with a break-taking classic. Monday Monday was written in 20 minutes and nobody in the band liked it. Especial singer Denny Doherty... Some even hated it with a passion so imagine their surprise with it hit #1. Then everyone wanted to know what the song was really about. Well as it was not even the writer, John Phillips had a freaking clue what it was about…decades later it turns out the song was an eerie prediction for what would happen to the band. When Michelle Phillips and Mama Cass Elliot and Denny and John fractured.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.