Professor of Rock

Coming up Rod Stewart was a gravedigger who wanted to be a rockstar. So in his spare time, he wrote music and played in a band hoping to make it. Rod wrote a song called Maggie May about the most embarrassing moment of his life. He thought the song rambled on, had no hook, and was crap. It was put onto the B-side of Reason to Believe, a song he didn’t even write. Well, it so happens that Reason to Believe sputtered on the radio and a DJ saved his career by playing the crappy B-side Maggie May… It made Rod Stewart a global sensation hitting #1 across the world. The story of how Rod's most embarrassing moment became his lifeline. 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 with the singer Phil Wright of the 70s band Paper Lace, with one of the most fascinating song stories of the 70s. Paper Lace had two #1 hits in the 70s but was a one-hit-wonder hit in America with The Night Chicago Died. There were two hits that were written by the same songwriting team. First, Paper Lace recorded Billy Don't Be a Hero and it hit #1 in the UK but out of nowhere, before they could release it in America another band beat them to the punch and put out their version that went straight to #1. So Paper Lace band hurried and recorded The Night Chicago Died and it became their 2nd massive hit in the UK and only #1 hit in America. People have tried to figure out if the song was a true story or fiction. 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, the story of Genesis, a band that was so great at creating hits that they had multiple projects in between albums… In fact, between lead singer Phil Collins and bassist Mike Rutherford, they had over a dozen top 10 hits over just a couple of years. But today’s song Land of Confusion might be their best. It was so prophetic many now wonder if they were time travelers because this 1986 smash hit describes our day to a tee. And most don’t realize that it’s a protest song... It helped that the music video supporting the song was just as compelling as the song… led by some really deranged muppets…that cost 10K each. 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.

So coming up, today’s featured song Ticket to Ride is pretty loaded. And by their own admission, so were the Beatles when they wrote it. There are some conflicting accounts of what inspired this one… Paul McCartney cited just an average-ordinary train ride as its source. While John Lennon credited German prostitutes. That’s right. Bet you weren’t expecting that one. Lennon would also call Ticket to Ride one of the founding tracks of the heavy metal genre. But are any of these claims true? Whether they are or not, one thing is for certain… Ticket to Ride marks a critical turning point for The Beatles in an artistic direction that would change rock and roll forever. Breaking the mold of the two-minute pop song, Ticket to Ride opened up a new world of possibilities. It’s a story you’re not going to 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.

Man, I may be going against my better judgment on this one. In the crosshairs today, I’ve got a selection of cringe-worthy 80s novelty tracks that are “so bad, they’re good.” We’re talking songs like Pac-Man Fever, Party All the Time, and the Super Bowl Shuffle. But on the other hand, some of these songs killed it on Billboard Hot 100. So someone must have thought they were good back in the day. Will you admit to liking them? I have to admit I’m a sucker for Bad B-Movies and Bad B-Songs… Is that a thing? Get ready for a trip into the quirky, the bizarre, and the truly awful. But be warned… after you go down this rabbit hole, you will never be the same again… 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.

The gripping story of one of the most CHILLING songs of the rock era … Hey You by Rock’s most mysterious band Pink Floyd. The author of this song Roger Waters found out over the phone that his wife was leaving him for another man… And so did Hey You's protangonist Pink. This emotional revelation was just one part of a devastating list of psychological daggers that nearly killed him… Choosing to isolate his soul from the world, the madness swallowed him whole… Hey You was from his perspective in these last lucid moments. It’s the story of a disillusioned musician’s last contact with reality and his last hope for survival. Today’s song is the definition of madness. 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 story of Queen and their #1 rockabilly smash, Crazy Little Thing Called Love, one of the best-selling singles of 1980. Although the song was a tribute to the King of Rock n’ Roll Elvis Presley, its genesis had nothing to do with hound dog, or a pilgrimage to Graceland… It was actually conceived while Freddie Mercury was taking… a bubble bath. He ran it into the studio immediately and recorded it before he forgot it. Brian May added his parts and John Deacon and Roger Taylor were on fire during the session… It was so good that many people thought it was a new song by Elvis. The crazy details of this international smash that was rushed from a hotel bathtub to a recording studio 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.

Coming up, an interview with Lou Gramm, one of the greatest rock voices in history about his biggest hit. He was in the Hall of Fame band Foreigner, and they ruled the 70s and 80s. But as they hit their peak the Lou wanted to Rock, but their guitarist and band leader Mick Jones was writing softer ballads. So Lou brought in a rock song he’d written called Midnight Blue to possibly put on their next album. But his writing partner didn’t want to do it. So in the end Lou Gramm recorded it for his solo album. And lo and behold it became the most-played song of 1987, and out-performed every single from Foreigner's new album in direct competition. Get ready for a very funny interview with the great Lou Gramm, next on Professor for 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 the most incredible bottled lightning stories ever. Today’s artist Billy Vera released what he felt was a huge hit, At The Moment. But it failed in 1981… Years went by and Billy’s prospects dwindled… he thought his career was over. But then in the mid-80s, he caught a lucky break. A popular TV show, Family Ties, played At This Moment on an episode and millions of viewers were blown away, what was this song? People were calling the TV station, they were writing letters… they wanted to buy the album, but the record was out of print… Billy Vera worked with an indie label to get it re-released and At This Moment became a #1 hit in 1987 in what might be the greatest song comeback of all time. Billy tells us the story of scoring a smash hit at 43! 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.

After Led Zeppelin dropped their fourth album, arguably the greatest rock album of all time, at the tail end of 1971... the world braced for what came next. Expectations for the next record were through the roof. with everyone assuming it would be a hard-hitting and heavy sequel. But everyone was wrong. Zeppelin’s 1973 follow-up Houses of Holy was a diverse and experimental collection of unconventional tracks. And the critics spit on it. So did some fans. But Houses of the Holy boasts some of this legendary group’s most iconic tracks, including today’s featured song Over the Hills and Far Away… which completely subverts your expectations… Lulling you in as a breathtaking acoustic ballad then it does an about-face and tricks you with a trap-door ending! You’ll see what I mean. Get ready for a deep dive into Over the Hills and Far Away, a song that got the shaft from the naysayers and on the US charts… but is now bigger than any of the songs that were ahead of it. … 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.

If you're free tonight, I'd love to invite you to an exclusive party. It's going to be packed with 'A-list' celebrities, and we'll be living it up like rock stars... Doesn't that sound like a blast? Maybe… But for Pete Townsend, a musician who could easily be carved into the Mt. Rushmore of guitar heroes, the glitzy lives of the rich and famous aren't all they're cracked up to be. In fact, for this icon, it's all just a ‘put on. This is a story of The Who, who were teetering on implosion, grappling with the loss of the legendary figure Keith Moon, and Eminence Front, a track that was initially panned but has since risen to become a modern rock classic. So come on… join the party…dressed to KILL… 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 with Graham Russell and Russell Hitchcock of Air Supply, a band that got into music because of the Beatles. And then in the 80s, they quietly equaled them with so many hits that they had a greatest hits album 3 years into their career. When Air Supply started out they were so poor they were couch diving to find change just to eat. Just a few years later their first 7 singles hit the top 5 on the charts including today’s hit Making Love Out of Nothing at All was written and produced by Jim Steinman who had the #1 and #2 songs in the charts at the same time by two different artists! The thing is... both these songs, Making Love Out of Nothing at All and Total Eclipse of the Heart sounded pretty similar. Was it the same song with different lyrics? 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, the story of the immensely talented yet unsettled vocalist Sinead O’Connor, who had a fleeting moment of fame in 1990 with a massive hit single Nothing Compares 2 U—a stunning remake of a song written by Prince, one of the true musical geniuses of our time. However, Sinead’s encounter with Prince turned into something straight out of the Twilight Zone. Despite the incredible success of the remake, which could have solidified her as one of the greatest vocalists, Sinead O’Connor chose to steer clear of commercial prosperity. She preferred to be a protest singer, not a pop star. Instead of concentrating solely on the merit of her music, the remainder of Sinead’s career was largely mired in controversy. It’s a tale of a remarkable Hailey’s Comet that spiraled into an emotional tempest for one of the most enigmatic artists of the Rock Era…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 with the most underappreciated band of the first half of the 90s, the Gin Blossoms. They created a newly flawless major label debut New Miserable Experience, but during the recording of it, their primary songwriter and guitarist Doug Hopkins had to be fired due to his out-of-control drinking. Then their debut album imploded when it was first released in the summer of 92. The Gin Blossoms thought they were DOA. But then a year later, their music video for Hey Jealousy caught fire on MTV and radio started playing this debut single which was over a year old and the band blew up. They would have four big hits including Hey Jealousy, Until I Fall Away, Allison Road, and Found About You and the album would sell 4 million copies, but with their rise, their former bandmate watched all of this from the sidelines and ended up taking his own life. The band would go on to have another three hits off their next album.. 7 hits in just over 3 years but then just a quickly as they blew up, they imploded… breaking up a short time later. I tracked down singer Robin Wilson and guitarist Jesse Velenzuala to get into it. 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.

Next, Berlin’s Terri Nunn was an up-and-coming actress who had some great roles on TV and was a finalist to play the role of Princess Leia in Star Wars. She even auditioned with Harrison Ford. But as she’ll tell you in our interview next he didn’t like her. Terri also managed to piss off William Shatner in another appearance... So she didn’t get the role and turns out her acting career would be short lived… which was fine by her since she was a passionate singer in a band that was ready to rise from the underground… Terri became a new wave icon with several classics in the 80s including the #1 hit Take My Breath Away and today’s underground classic The Metro that shook up the mainstream with a deadpan vocal and a cosmopolitan sophisticated European vogue sound that was actually by way of orange county… From a video that been banned by YouTube twice… the interview’s 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.

It was a trans-Atlantic musical arms race… two titanic rock and roll bands — The Beach Boys and The Beatles — trading punches and landmark records. Each chasing perfection and forever changing how we listen to music. In the midst of this musical battle, genius whizkid Brian Wilson envisioned the perfect album, a record to end all records. An innovative masterpiece he called SMiLE. The symphony was already playing in his head, and he knew if he could get it down on vinyl, it would push the boundaries of music beyond what anyone thought was possible. But what Brian didn’t count on was losing his sanity in the process. In a state of drug-addled madness, he came to a crashing halt. And so did SMiLE… leaving us all wondering what could have been. It’s the story of the greatest unreleased album of all time and an interview with its genius 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.

Up next… I used to Hate ABBA’s music. But you all convinced me to give them another chance. So I took your advice and today’s song The Winner Takes It All has become a favorite… and the story behind it is just as rich! It was written by the group’s main songwriter Bjorn Ulvaeus as he was going through a tough breakup with one of the singers of the band, Agnetha Faltskog… It was a heart-wrenching, vulnerable song about DIVORCE and Bjorn admits the subject was so challenging emotionally that he wrote it while drunk…then he brought it into record and decided he was going to sing it. But Bjorn knew in his heart that his ex had to be its interpreter… even though the other famous female in the band Anni-Frid Lyngstadt could handle it… In fact, Anni-Frid was jealous she didn’t get to do it. So in the middle of their separation, while her ex-husband already had a new girlfriend, this songbird sang the hell out of a song that would become a classic. and that was only the start…she had to sing it every night live with him right next to her until the band eventually broke up! The heart-aching story of The Winner Takes it All 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 headed back to 1984 for our latest episode of the Hit Song Redux. Except this time there’s a twist. See what I mean next. I gotta say I’m excited to get into this one because I believe 1984 was the greatest year in music history. But get this… only 5 records reached #1 that entire year… that’s how competitive it was. It was insane. Records by MJ, Prince, Springsteen, Huey Lewis, as well as Footloose were the only ones to achieve chart supremacy. So which ones made it onto today’s countdown? And who else got close? As always, we are going to re-rank these Top 10 contenders based on the impact they’ve had on the world since. Which one will be #1 40 years later? Well, there’s some real rock legends in this one… Will it be the Mighty Rush… Van Halen, or a one-hit wonder??? Get ready for an epic Top 10 Countdown… 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.

Sylvester Stallone called the Rookie Band Survivor up and hired them to write the lead song for Rocky 3. Survivor responded with Eye of the Tiger and is was a smash on rock radio in 1982 when it hit #1 for 6 weeks. Then lead singer Dave Bickler went down with throat issues and the band thought they might be finished. After a FAILED album, in stepped Jimi Jamison who nailed the audition and became the new singer for Survivor and is the rare case where the replacement singer was better than thejai original. They had several hits in 1985 with VITAL SIGNS including the hits High On You and the Search Is Over. Sly Stallone came calling again in 1985 when he need a lead song or his film Rocky IV. Survivor responded with Burning Heart that became another massive hit. Former songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Jim Peterik tells the story of creating. Burning Heart with Frankie Sullivan and how Sly Stallone had them change the lyrics and how it might’ve stopped the Cold War. Jim also explains that he was worried that the burning heart would make people think of acid reflux. The interview 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, the story of Mony Mony, a song that was a major hit twice for two different iconic artists: Tommy James and Billy Idol. It was a smash in the late 60s and the late 80s and the iconic title came when the band had the song finished but couldn’t figure out a singable chorus with a filler word. Then they looked out the window and saw the iconic words flashing on a building. Years later Mony Mony was banned from being played at High School dances across America because of an alleged obscene recitation of the lyrics by teenagers. Up next, an interview with Tommy James and Steve Stevens, the iconic guitarist who played the #1 remake 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.

David Bowie was the foremost musical chameleon, changing his style and persona numerous times and was always ahead of the times. But in the 80s, did he finally succumb to the fad of the times? Many called his catchy 1983 #1 smash Let's Dance a sellout… but no matter, there’s no doubt this single marked a major turning point in Bowie’s career putting his face all over the new medium of music videos on MTV. But the biggest aspect of Let's Dance might be that he discovered a guitar legend in the process… even if this icon spent years distancing himself from his biggest hit. 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.

This would NEVER happen today. How about this for a cool rock story? So The Rascals coming off a big #1, wrote Groovin', what they thought was another hit. But one of the most famous record men in history, Jerry Wexler, didn’t like it. So he discouraged Atlantic Records from releasing it. Well, the famous DJ Murray the K was STUNNED because he knew Groovin' was a #1. So he cornered the iconic label head and said 'Are you crazy? This is a friggin' #1 record.' And he was right… Get the story from the singer Felix Cavaliere and co-writer Eddie Brigati 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 the signature song Locomotive Breath by Ian Anderson of Jethro Tull, a figure who was disenchanted by the rock n’ roll stars of the 50s. Even Elvis repelled him… In an effort to forge his own path, and be like no other performer, Ian learned to play an instrument not normally associated with rock music as his hallmark for distinction and played it on stage in a style that no one could emulate. But it later cost Ian dearly, when he had major health problems because of the stance he took playing this instrument… Truly One of the most interesting icons of the rock era… Anderson started out scrubbing urinals and toilets and later was drenched in urine when he played a live show and a commercial aircraft dumped waste from up in the sky. We also break down his prog rock classic Locomotive Breath spawned from a fear of the future world. It was the lead single from an album with a cover image that… scared the living hell out of me. It’s all 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’re on a two-song collision course with two irresistible, big-time #1 hits by Chic that ruled radio for years. The first song Le Freak was inspired by a New Year’s Eve outing gone horribly wrong. Standing in the freezing cold outside an iconic nightclub, Nile Rodgers and Bernard Edwards were humiliated as they were barred from entering… while their music was blasting inside. So they got revenge by writing Le Freak, a fiery track that had the F-BOMB in the title and the chorus… This was in the 70s so of course it would never make it to radio… so they had to come up with a different word to replace the F-bomb. The second song, Good Times took its inspiration from a very unlikely source and is the most ripped-off bass line ever. In fact, after one band swiped a piece of their song, these guys were accused of being copy-cats even though it originated with them! Get ready, because we’ve got two crazy stories for you. 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.

Use my code PROFESSOROFROCK to get $5 off your delicious, high protein Magic Spoon cereal by clicking this link: https://sponsr.is/magicspoon_professorofrock_0524 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're covering Duran Duran, the band that epitomized the 80s. In fact, you couldn’t really call the 80s the 80s without these guys, the identity of the 80s is wrapped up in this band. Duran Duran made a revolutionary music video for Hungry Like the Wolf that was initially rejected by American audiences. But the timing was perfect because MTV was a fledgling channel and when the two came together it was a match made in heaven… Even now the question has to be asked, did Duran Duran make MTV or did MTV make Duran Duran? Hungry Like the Wolf was a modern-day take on Little Red Riding Hood, mixed with one of the band members’ girlfriend’s iconic laugh. This song really didn’t gel until it was remixed with a rock edge. Find out the story of a 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 next … Over the last few years I’ve shared hundreds of interviews… And in celebration of hitting 1 million subs, today, I’m sharing my favorite interview of all time. One that I personally watch every month, you’ll find out why next… It’s my most personal episode of Professor of Rock and it's 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.

Before REO Speedwagon became a household name, they had two big songs that changed everything for them: Roll With the Changes and Time for Me to Fly. As you‘ll see in the upcoming interview with lead singer Kevin Cronin, their breakthrough hit came while he was driving his Ford Pinto from his home in the Midwest to LA to make it in the music industry… As he was driving he had a paper bag full of snacks and this song came to him on the freeway so he hurried and wrote it down on this paper bag… It became a signature song for REO Speedwagon but then when he met one of his heroes years later, he made a comment that he may have ripped his previous hit off… Let’s see what Kevin says about 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.

From studio gopher to global superstar, Jon Bon Jovi spent years chasing his big break. Working the club circuit as an underage teenager, Jon was shocked one night when his musical idol Bruce Springsteen jumped on stage and started duetting with him! Actually, he was singing The Boss's song at the time. Pretty cool. Later when Bon Jovi finally got a demo for his song Runaway recorded, he was rejected by every record label in the biz. And he thought that maybe it was time to call it quits. But in a last-ditch effort, he decided to sneak into a New York radio station and pitch Runaway straight to the DJ… The DJ ended up playing it and virtually overnight the song was a hit and set this singer up for a record label and a major tour… the only problem was Jon didn’t even have a band! Up next, the story of Jon Bon Jovi’s tenacity, and how he formed a band after Runaway hit it big and transformed a would-be pop idol into a hard rock icon 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 Fox on the Run by 70s British supergroup Sweet. This band had relied heavily on a famous production team to write all of their big hits, but Sweet was sick of singing only the songs they wrote. So the band decided to show what they could do. They had written a good song but no one thought the song had potential to be a single, except for this one executive at the band’s record label. Only thing is this executive wasn’t getting ANY cooperation from management to retool the track, so when the management and production team was out of town, the guys secretly went into the studio and produced the new version themselves. Sweet proved everyone wrong as Fox on the Run became one of their biggest hits. We retrace the steps of this covert operation that led to a huge international hit, and the beginning of a new era for an immensely influential Glam Rock quartet…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 take the time machine back to the golden days of glam rock n’ roll... and the psychic artist who created the genre…. Marc Bolan of T Rex was one of a kind. When he was 8 years old, he foretold that he was going to be a rock star, He broke through in the US with the classic song Bang A Gong (Get it On). Between 1970 & 74, he became the biggest rock star in the UK. He also predicted he would die before he was 30, and died in a car accident 2 weeks before his 30th birthday. The story of his biggest international hit, and a lot more 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 1981 at the forefront of the MTV Revolution, a straight-ahead rocking bar band called Tommy Tutone released a song that would become an all-time touchstone of pop culture... 867-5309/Jenny. And it came to the songwriter from a message scrawled on a bathroom stall. After being sung just one time, 867-5309/Jenny it became the most famous digits ever sung in a pop song. Up next 2 members from the one-hit wonder group the singer and the guitarist tell the 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, an interview with Norman Greenbaum. He is a rockstar that I’ve been trying to track down for almost 8 years to get the story of what I believe is the greatest one-hit wonder in the history of music... Spirit in the Sky. But I couldn’t find him. I had heard rumors that he had just disappeared and couldn’t be found. Then fate stepped in and I met him at a concert. To celebrate a million subscribers this is one of a few special episodes we’re doing. Norman started as a goat Farmer and then he developed a guitar effect on today’s classic hit that no one in the world has ever been able to repeat, not even him. A special interview is 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.

Up next, Tony Hadley, the former lead singer of Spandau Ballet, one the 80s leading new romantic bands, tells the story of one of the best songs of 1983: "True". It's a song that has become a bonafide standard… Tony admits that he has sung True at weddings, but when does he has to get really drunk… haha. He admits it’s a very difficult song to sing and he was scared about hitting the notes night after night. Well, it’s been decades and Tony can still nail it. And though he’s sung it over a thousand times, he never gets tired of it. But Tony does get embarrassed when fans tell him the things they do to this song. It’s a fabulous interview coming up and one where Tony is taken aback when I tell him that a famous boy ripped off the melody… Tony had no idea until this interview. 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 next, an interview with legend Otis Williams, who is the only one surviving the Temptations, one of the most successful groups ever. He tells us the story of their biggest hit, My Girl, a song that could be the most recognizable song of the 20th century. Let’s see if you agree. So the legend who wrote this classic, Smokey Robinson, knew it would be massive, but in the end, instead of keeping it for his own group, he gave it to his rivals the Temptations, and even produced it for them. With the signature opening bass line of its time, up next it’s the story of a song that was so classic, one time the Temptations were tired of it and decided not to play it in concert, and the audience came unglued…. 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, Lou Gramm was riding high in the 70s as his band Black Sheep had just opened for one of the biggest bands in the world. And after years of hard work and ultra tenacity they were finally going to break out. But then his world came crashing down when a car wreck destroyed all of their instruments and equipment, and their label wouldn’t front them the money to get new stuff. So they had to cancel their remaining dates. Lou Gramm was horrified, he thought his career was over but then he got a phone call from Mick Jones that changed his life. Asking him to be the lead singer of his new band Foreigner… Up next, how their composition, Feels Like the First Time became the opening shot for Foreigner, on its way to becoming a classic rock standard…giving them the chance to become one of the biggest bands ever. And many think it’s a sex song but it actually means something totally different… 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.

After losing his bandmate in a tragic car crash, rookie Steve Perry was ready to throw it all away. His music career, as far as he was concerned… it was over. He had come so close to that big break too many times. And it always fell apart. It was a mic drop in the worst way possible. But then, if you can believe it, him mom talked him out of quitting. She promised him something good would happen. And she was right. Not long after, he was recruited by Journey’s manager Herbie Herbert to be their frontman. Only, there was a catch. They already had a lead singer. So going undercover as part of this band’s road crew, Steve Perry laid low until Herbert could fire the other singer. And when Steve finally his chance, he didn’t disappoint. Six, multi-platinum albums later, Steve Perry is recognized as one of the greatest rock voices of all time… And today we’re telling the story of his first song with Journey... Lights, including an interview with the great guitarist Neal Schon, who he wrote it with. 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.

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Coming up, an interview with Paul Roberts of Sniff 'n' the Tears about one of my favorite songs of 1979, Driver’s Seat. Technically the band is a one-hit wonder and what a story behind this one… First of all, Driver’s Seat sat on the shelf for years… because the label was changing distributors.. and then a worker’s strike at the record plant might’ve kept it from being a #1 hit because the factory couldn’t print the record so fans couldn’t buy it. And then when it did become a hit the band immediately broke up… but then a decade later the song finally hit #1 when it was used in an insurance commercial. The long and winding story of the classic Driver’s Seat 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….the story of an enchanted land, where joy fills the air, and troubles fade away in the rain… A place where everyone is happy and kind, and the light of the human spirit shines brightly for all to share. The song title, Shambala, is over 5000 years old and it was recorded at the same time by two different artists who released them at the same time, Three Dog Night and BW Stevenson… see who won the battle on the charts. With an exceptional vocal by Cory Wells with incredible backups by Chuck Negron and Danny Hutton...Let’s travel together on the road to this mythical paradise that inspired a timeless ‘feel good’ classic that is illegal not to sing along to! …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.

A hopeless romantic named Bruce Blackman asked a beautiful young woman on a date several times and was rejected. Finally, on the third request, she said yes… The date went pretty well and Bruce turned the experience into one of the most famous one-hit wonders of the 70s, a song called Moonlight Feels Right by his band Starbuck. But the story behind it is just as good. Up next Bruce Blackman tells us how actor Gene Hackman, an epic Marimba solo, and an accidental laugh in the chorus came to epitomize this classic…. And how Bruce had to rush to get the song recorded as Lynyrd Skynyrd was kicking him out of the studio... And how the song led to a marriage proposal, and if she said yes… 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 1989 to 1990 Rock on Mainstream radio was dying… Boy Bands and sugary pop was taking over… History says that Nirvana came in and saved it… But the truth is that Chris Robinson, who I am interviewing next, and his band The Black Crowes revitalized rock a full 2 years before Nirvana or Pearl Jam. They did it with a B-Side Cover song from the 60s… Hard to Handle was originally sung by Otis Redding. The Crowes hardened it up and the song and their album Shake Your Money Maker reignited rock and roll…AND BLEW AWAY THE WANNABEES setting the stage for grunge ... 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.

Today, we’re returning to a new show on this channel… One that has us diving deep into the catalogs of the greatest bands of all time, and telling their stories via five essential tracks. But this time around we’ve got a twist for you. Instead of just following the band, we’re following the careers of two iconic musicians, Burton Cummings and Randy Bachman, who epitomized the band The Guess Who… including how they came up with the smash hit American Woman on the spot while playing a show. And how Randy’s BTO throwaway track You Ain’t Seen Nothing Yet was written just to tease his brother, but then became one of the greatest “singalongs” of all time. Most importantly we’ll get into how the Guess Who’s name was taken from the Cummings and Bachman… and tell you how Burton is taking the so-called nuclear option to snuff out them 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.

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One of rock’s definitive frontmen, Jeff Lynne of Electric Light Orchestra, was the victim of a serial cheater. Jeff was smitten by this seductress but she made his life a living hell in her path of destruction. So naturally he got even by writing a song about it... He called it Evil Woman. Only he felt it was just filler… after all, he’d written in just a few minutes. In fact Jeff would say Evil Woman was the fastest song he ever wrote and part of the music was from a song he’d written earlier called Nightider that he played backwards. In the end Evil Woman became ELO’s first major hit and one of his favorites. 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….the story of one of the first power ballads: Love Hurts. This one originated during a stormy time for The Everly Brothers, one the most prolific sibling acts in recorded music history. GET THIS... Love Hurts was covered DOZENS OF times by some huge artists but It was NEVER a hit until the Scottish rookie band Nazareth recorded the definitive version. And even then, it struggled to find an audience before blowing up around the globe. We’re going to talk about how this Love Hurts finally got its due, and…and how Nazareth with the spectacular lead vocals of Dan McCafferty was erroneously pronounced DEAD after one of the most notorious plane crashes of the Rock Era. But in the end… it was fake news….the story of this 70s hard rock classic 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, Cutting Crew ruled 1987 with 3 big hits from their album Broadcast… (I Just) Died in You Arms, I’ve Been in Love Before, and One For the Mockingbird. And then by the next year, they were gone… Never to be heard from again. It’s quite perplexing because they had everything going for them to last a decade or more, the looks, the songs, the style... Up next lead singer Nick Van Eede tells the story of a wondrous period when Cutting Crew topped the charts with a platinum album, a #1 single, and 2 other big hits that put them in the running… Find out what happened to them 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 with Howard and David Bellamy, aka the Bellamy Brothers… They’re a band that had 10 #1 hits and a top 10 hit in three straight decades on one chart and had one of the biggest #1 hits of the 70s on the pop charts with a song that Neil Diamond’s roadie wrote… “Let Your Love Flow.” Neil didn’t do the song and then it was passed over by others until the Bellamys stepped in and made it a standard. And then they followed it up with another huge hit: “If I Said You Have a Beautiful Body Would You Hold It Against Me.” That one’s essentially a dad joke, but because of its title, everyone still remembers it. Coming up 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 one of the greatest guitarists of the rock era, Mike Campbell, from Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, a band that ruled the landscape for over 4 decades. Mike tells the story of Full Moon Fever, an album that he helped write and produce with 2 other legends that they were sure would be a smash… Unfortunately, their label had no such belief. In fact, the album was flat-out rejected. But that didn’t stop another major record label from signing a secret contract with Tom Petty. And it turns out the label was dead wrong as Full Moon Fever became Petty’s biggest seller ever and churned out 3 #1 hits, including today’s feature Running Down a Dream. But this was during the time when Compact Discs were replacing records and tapes so the singer. Ever a traditionalist, Tom left a little message for the CD buyers. Also, the amazing solo fell out in one take... A great interview is 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, it’s a group that I swore I’d never feature on this channel. ABBA is one of the biggest bands of all time, with nearly 40 Top 10 hits across the world. After taking the 70s by storm, they broke up in the 80s. But by the 90s there was this pop culture campaign that put them right back in the spotlight. And today ABBA is stronger than ever. Honestly, I don’t know why but I’ve never liked their music. Call me crazy. But for today’s episode, I’m conducting an experiment… I’m doing a deep dive into ABBA’s career (along with one of their biggest hits Take A Chance On Me) to see if maybe I’ve been wrong all these years. But that’s a big “if.” ... Still, if any song has a chance to flip the script, Take A Chance On Me could be it. I gotta admit, this track is so catchy it just might be a gateway into the rest of their catalog. So, will I or won’t I change my mind? There’s only one way to find out. The experiment kicks off… 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.