Professor of Rock

Coming up next, the story of a song that was written 4 times! Al Stewart and his 70s chart classic Year of the Cat - that ranked from late 1976 into 1977… and was produced by legend Alan Parsons who engineered Pink Floyd’s Dark Side of the Moon was a bit of a question mark for a while. With this 70s classic Al showed a very different side of his music. He wrote 4 different sets of lyrics for the song, that’s how badly he wanted to get it right! He put this 70s classic together like a 5000-piece puzzle. Up next We try to piece it together to figure out what Year of the Cat actually means, with interviews with singer/songwriter Al Stewart and iconic producer Alan Parsons. 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 duo from Lincoln, Nebraska - Zager & Evans - who spellbound listeners everywhere with a prophecy that there will come a time when machines will completely take over…. humans won’t need teeth…legs…or eyes….that’s if man can even survive… 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 hard rock singer Mark Slaughter on his band, Slaughter's biggest hit: Fly to the Angels. It’s one of the most gut-wrenching songs of its time that came from very tragic circumstances. Mark had come off tour and called up his friend to get his old girlfriend’s number. He was looking forward to seeing here after being out on the road. His friend called the next day, but instead of giving him her this girl's number, he conveyed the sad news that she had just passed away. Fly to the Angels came to Mark when he attended her funeral. Up next, it's a powerful story from Mark Slaughter on a song that became a 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, legendary band Depeche Mode created one of the greatest records from one of music’s greatest years… 1987. The name of the record was of course Music for the Masses, and it was meant as a big joke. A joke that the band laughed about until it actually came true. This shy and introverted foursome went from playing in front of 3 people to selling out stadiums and they never compromised their art to do it. The story of the song Never Let Me Down Again and the record that took ‘em to the masses 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.

Let me be clear, I have never met anyone who doesn’t love his voice...Get ready to discover the humble origins of Dan Fogelberg, a beloved artist who penned some of the most heartfelt songs ever recorded. Surprisingly, Dan’s journey began in the most unexpected of places: a frat house filled with drunken college kids. Like a scene out of Animal House! The story of how this intensely talented musician caught the attention of a future industry titan Irving Azoff, paving the way for a remarkable career that included ‘Longer’, one of the most popular love songs of the Rock Era. The song went to #1 on the AC charts and #2 on the pop charts just behind Queen and Pink Floyd. Up next we celebrate the 70s and 80s icon through interviews with the song’s producer Norbert Putnam and horn player Jerry Hay 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.

They’re Canada’s gift to the world! Even better than maple syrup, ice hockey, and Tim Horton’s… It’s Rush! This thinking man’s band has created some of the most intelligent rock this world has ever heard. And we’re all smarter for it. On today’s episode, we're taking a closer look at their album Permanent Waves and its key track Freewill. Both would defy all trends and expectations. Even though Rush’s rock contemporaries were embracing radio-friendly sounds and even kowtowing to the disco movement, Geddy Lee, Alex Lifeson, and Neal Peart remained true to their sound and the record proved to be a critical turning point… one that ushered in a new decade of innovation and even commercial accessibility, with one of the most ambitious songs the band ever tackled. The lyrics confused some listeners when they heard Geddy Lee singing the wrong ones. Turns out the factory misprinted them. 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.

The insanely great story of the 70s #1 classic hit Hooked on a Feeling. It was done twice by Jonathan King and B.J. Thomas before Blue Swede took it to #1 in 1974 by combining elements of the first two versions in an original way. The tribal chant executed by Blue Swede perfectly turned this song into a one-listen classic. The song was then revitalized years later in Ally McBeal due to a dancing baby and then went global again after it was used to great effect in the superhero movie Guardian of the Galaxy, helping the soundtrack sell 1 million copies 40 years after it hit #1. The story of a classic song that has impacted every generation including an interview with BJ Thomas. 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, today’s band Foreigner took a frigid walk through New York City in minus 20-degree weather to nail down their classic 70s song Cold as Ice… a top 10 single about a gold-digging ice queen. A lot of people have wondered through the years if it was based on a real girl, and we’ll get to the bottom of that. Apparently, after finishing Cold as Ice, one of the song’s co-writers Mick Jones thought it was just a little too pop and wasn’t sure if it belonged on the album. But when his bandmates said they loved it, he came around. It was a good choice because Cold as Ice is an undeniable classic rock standard… Tag-teaming with me for today’s tale, we’ve got not one, but two founding musicians from this legendary band Lou Gramm and Mick Jones. And they’re both ready to give you a behind-the-scenes look at this frosty track… 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... Pearl Jam came out of nowhere to sell almost 16 million albums in 1992, of their classic TEN but at the peak of their fame, they completely sabotaged their greatest song: Black. After their album Ten blew up, they hadn’t even released the best song from the record… With most everyone agrees is Black, Because of this the label was psyched knowing Black would push Eddie Vedder and Pearl Jam further up the charts. But the band wanted nothing to do with this song being a hit. In fact, they did everything in their power to prevent it. Problem is it didn’t work. Find out the crazy 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 legendary singer Martha Reeves of Martha and the Vandellas tells us the definitive story of one of the most famous and beloved songs of all time: Dancing in the Street. First of all, Martha worked as a secretary for the label and one of her duties was singing the words to new songs on tapes that would be dispersed to recording artists so they could learn the words… This led to her getting a shot at singing backup and one day one of the most famous singers ever gave her the chance to record his new song that everyone knew would be a hit. When Martha recorded it, her first take was perfect, everyone was cheering and excited knowing that was the record. Only problem is the engineer forgot to turn on the tape… Martha was pretty pissed which led to the next take having some relish on it that made it even better. Up next the legendary Martha tells us the rest of the story and how the song became a true standard 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 Crash Test Dummies hit song Mmm Mmm Mmm Mmm. It’s a #1 song that was written about three different kids intertwined by an unfortunate common thread of isolation and suffering. “Mmmm” for short, was inspired by true life events, which made the song more personal and intriguing. The lead vocals were also weirdly authentic- delivered in an unconventional style by Baritone extraordinaire Brad Roberts and his unique timbre made listeners bristle with astonishment. Mmm Mmm Mmm Mmm definitely has one of the strangest choruses in history. Today was take an in depth exploration into one of the most mysterious songs of the Rock Era, 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 the #1 1985 smash Sussudio by Phil Collins. Based on a made-up word…. One that just fell out of Phil’s mouth while he was singing. Even Phil had no idea what it meant. Unable to think of anything better, Collins decided to just make up a meaning. But as weird as it is, this song completely captivated listeners. However, as Sussudio started gaining traction as part of Phil Collin’s 1985 blockbuster album No Jacket Required, it also stirred up controversy. Critics noticed that its central riff was nearly a carbon copy of another huge hit from a few years earlier. 1999 by Prince. And not long after, Phil Collins confessed it was a rip-off job. But the question was “to what degree?” The parallels were unmistakable. But were they enough to nail Phil Collins for plagiarism? 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.

Coming up... the story of AC/DC’s TNT, the track that established the identity of one of the GREATEST BANDS EVER. THIS SONG WAS DESIGNED TO KICK YOUR BUTT… It took AC/DC to the stadiums and made ‘em the kings of hard rock. But not before lead singer Bon Scott had to change some of the risqué lyrics to get it played… but at the time it didn’t matter TNT didn’t chart then.. but decades later it has over a billions streams. TNT is driven by a SOUND Effect that came from Bon Scott that was a happy accident… It was his reaction to the power going out, where he screamed oy! and the band turned it into a chant...With a devastating dual guitar attack between brothers Angus and Malcolm young and Bon’s voice that sounds like the engine of a Ferrari Get ready to “Run for your life... cause the man is back in town… 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 saga of 4 guys from the heartland of America…Robin Zander, Rick Nielsen, Bun. E. Carlos and Rick Peterson who slugged it out on the road together, playing gigs all over the country. Cheap Trick was one of the hardest-working bands in the music industry, but after years of touring, they had hardly anything to show for it. They were hitless, a million dollars in debt, and on the verge of disintegration. But then a weird and wonderful thing happened…. they traveled to another continent to play some shows and found out that in one huge country, they were as big as The Beatles!! It changed everything vitally overnight… The story of their unconventional international breakout I Want You to Want Me and their album Cheap Trick Live at Budokan 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 ZZ Top’s 1973 classic La Grange from their third studio Tres Hombres. This song is about a legendary shack that operated illegally for over 60 years. It was a rite of passage for many in the town and frequented by famous dignitaries, who had a secret pact with the law to live and let live. Everything was rolling along smoothly, until ZZ Top wrote La Grange as a tribute to the house of Ill repute, and a geeky TV reporter, with a really bad toupee, decided he wanted to attack organized crime and had his sights on taking down the infamous Chicken Ranch. The powers that be were forced to close the ranch, once and for all, but ZZ Top’s Boogie Rock hit lives on. The legend continues…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 greatest #1 hit singalongs of the late 80s, Every Rose Has It’s Thorn… From Poison’s hard rock frontman Bret Michaels who was absolutely devastated.… It wasn’t the Greek tragedy that the singer made it out to be, but the revelation of a cheating girlfriend left this struggling rock icon reeling with hurt & betrayal. Michaels drowned his sorrow at the laundromat at 3 AM with his acoustic guitar and out fell this perfect 80s power ballad… Even though the label warned the band not to release it because it would kill their budding career, they proved the label wrong once again… Next, the story behind a proverb that became the heartbreak anthem of its time 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.

Here’s a question. If you found out one of your favorite bands intentionally tried to sell out, would you like them less? Or would it even matter? Well, today’s band Journey was accused of selling out by an ex-band member, who said they cared more about the money than the music. After just one commercial album he quit. And I’m sure he’d have hated the next album Evolution even more since it featured the undeniable mainstream breakout single: Lovin’ Touchin’ Squeezin’. One of the most gut-wrenching songs of its day… this track is all about how this lead singer Steve Perry’s girl cheated on him right in front of his face. And it became so popular that it served as the catalyst for a decades-long career of worldwide superstardom… Sell-outs or savvy rockers. Either way, I don’t think you could love Journey’s music any less. Steve Perry and Neal Schon! The story is 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 all I have to say is FINALLY. Today we hear from Foreigner’s legendary vocal and guitar tandem of Lou Gramm and Mick Jones that set the 70s and 80s ablaze with over a dozen rock standards and some of the biggest albums of their time. And they’ve finally been nominated for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. One of the biggest snubs ever. Today they tell us the story of one of their greatest rock songs: Hot Blooded. Foreigner first played it in front of a massive crowd at Cal Jam. They blew up the massive festival and were cheered on to do something unprecedented at a festival. Play an encore, but they had already played all their songs. So they went out and played a new one they had been writing it wasn’t even finished so the singer had to repeat the 1st verse over and over. When it was over the tens of thousands were singing every word… They knew it would be a smash and the rocker was so scorching hot that the guitar solo actually started the legendary guitarist’s amp on fire. The story of the classic Hot Blooded from the 2 principles of this band is next on Professor of Rock. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

What a story. Coming up next we have principles John Hall and Lance Hoppen from the 70s band Orleans. These guys lit up radio for a couple of years with 3 big hits including 2 that are still played all the time. But then the group up and vanished… John Hall retired from being a rockstar and went into politics. Today’s classic 70s hit “Still the One” was actually written by a band member’s wife while she was doing the laundry. One story claims she wrote it on an envelope and one says it was a napkin but the band recorded it in about 15 minutes. It became a top 5 smash and conquered pop culture and was released on a record that had one of the strangest album covers of the time. 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.

It’s a B-side track turned Top 10 hit, Walk of Life by Dire Straits. And it ended the run of the world’s biggest band in 1985 and 1986. But don’t blame the song. It’s a truly infectious piece of ear candy that deserves all the success it got. No, as it turns out, Dire Straits' frontman, Mark Knopfler, was just a reluctant hit-making machine. He loved the music, but not the fame. And after creating the #1 album Brothers in Arms, with sales of over 30 million copies, he realized it was more than he had bargained for. So at the peak of his career, Mark pulled the plug and walked away. Who does that? Well, you’re about to find out. Today, it’s Dire Straits' Walk of Life and the story of how its success helped bring the world’s most popular band to a grinding halt. You’re not going to want to miss this one. It’s all 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.

It’s the tremendous story of the 1979 song London Calling by the Clash. In the late 70s, the world’s most influential punk band was convinced the world was falling apart, and they needed to do something about it. Fueled by concerns over widespread famine, the environment, drug addiction, police brutality, tidal waves, and nuclear war, the band’s charismatic leader composed the prophetic manifesto London Calling that seems more relevant today than it was when he wrote it in 1979. London is calling to the zombies of death. 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 one of the most important interviews I’ve ever done. Right Here Right Now by Jesus Jones has the distinction of conveying a revolutionary message in mere minutes. It says the most in the least amount of words! Frontman and writer Mike Edwards takes us through the inspiration of this all-time 90s classic… a song that has become a hallmark of the ages since it went to the top of the charts decades ago after the Berlin Wall came down and the Cold War ended for a time. It's a story you're not going to 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.

Coming up… Get ready for a tale of resilience and redemption as we delve into the story of Jet Airliner… a song that was trapped on an unreleased album by Paul Pena, who was thwarted by legal battles and a ruthless manager, who was hell-bent on destroying his career. But hope emerged from an unexpected source when legendary rock star, and "gangster of love" Steve Miller stepped in to breathe new life into the imprisoned track. With expert rearrangement and by changing the lyrics from an angry song to a happy-go-lucky one, Jet Airliner was transformed into a chart-topping sensation across multiple formats. The aerodynamics for one of classic rock’s greatest hits and a classic of the 70s is revealed 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 going back to one of our newest shows on Professor of Rock. One that has us digging deep into the catalog of the world’s greatest party band, Kiss! For this episode we’re featuring 5 essential Kiss tracks that together tell their story… including songs about concert car crashes and ROCK VERSUS DISCO. But I’m not telling these stories alone. Today, I’m turning center stage over to this FAMOUS foursome’s iconic guitarist Ace Frehley. And not only is he giving us the inside scoop on these classic songs, but is also telling us which ones he loves and which ones he hates. It’s going to be a lot of fun. So get ready, it’s time to learn from the band who taught us all how to rock… 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 behind one of the most amazing, impromptu vocal performances of the Rock Era. Guest vocalist Merry Clayton on the Rolling Stones's Gimme Shelter was so spellbinding it stunned normally nonplussed singer Mick Jagger. Some sources claim that the performance was exerted with so much conviction and power, it actually caused the singer serious harm. It’s an emotional and inspiring episode… Gimme Shelter is such a landmark song that even people who can’t stand the famous yet polarizing band behind it, still love this song. Keith Richards knew the song would be great when he wrote it on his guitar while watching people moving in and out of a rainstorm. And even though it’s one of the Stones's most-played songs ever it was never released as a single. 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.

RIP Eric Carmen… the iconic artist who sang the lead vocal on several, iconic classics, but he never liked his voice. His dream wasn’t to be a singer… In fact, he was a child prodigy who began his classic training as a violinist and pianist, but that all changed when he saw the Beatles on Ed Sullivan. Eric Carmen became the frontman for a short-lived, yet highly influential band named Raspberries, composed the smash Go All the Way that was banned by the BBC, and when he embarked on a solo career… his first hit, All By Myself, became his first hit, a timeless, emotional masterpiece. Then… he left the limelight to concentrate on just being a songwriter, but he was convinced to sing someone else’s song for a movie nobody believed in. That song was Hungry Eyes. It would forge his comeback and set up another hit after that… Make Me Lose Control. We pay tribute and tell the story behind three of the greatest hits of this late great, truly gifted artist …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, how a guitar-playing welder & his fishing buddy, gave a lyrical makeover to a cheesy instrumental and transformed it into one of the coolest songs of the '60s - then in a totally different band with the same members ... the singer gave it a rock renovation turning the saxophone solo into guitar classic that lit up classic rock radio with a southern fried twist. I’m talking about Spooky by Classics IV the #3 hit from 1968 and then it was restyled by Atlanta Rhythm Section (ARS) in 1979 and then it became a Halloween standard. 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 an interview with a hilarious singer-songwriter Stephen Bishop who is revered for his lyricism and style… on a song that became his biggest solo hit: “It Might Be You.” But he didn’t write it, even though he was one of the most prolific writers of his time. But the blockbuster movie Tootsie that made the song its theme wanted Stephen for his amazing voice… He actually got a mention in the opening credits as SUNG BY… “It Might Be You” went to #1 and was nominated for an Oscar, which ironically lost to a song from a film directed by a guy who would hire him to write the theme for his next movie. But this time he had someone else sing it and it got him nominated for an Oscar again…this time as the writer. Then years later it became the go-to karaoke track for people in the Philippines… it actually became one of the most popular songs ever in that country! The story from Stephen Bishop 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.

Coming up… It’s one of the most instantly recognizable songs and iconic music videos of the rock era: No Rain by Blind Melon. It instantly blew up radio and MTV. And though this bright and quirky tune will have you singing along from the start... it was hiding a secret sadness. No Rain is much more bitter than sweet. In its time it became so over-hyped that lead singer Shannon Hoon hated singing it. And its success became one in a series of events that led him down a path of personal destruction. So, is this song just a caricature of Blind Melon, a band who had more to say? Or is it one of the most beloved hits of its time? I’ll let you decide... 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 Chicago’s 70s classic “25 or 6 to 4” a song with a killer guitar riff by Terry Kath, a high-octane vocal by Peter Cetera, and a meaning from the songwriter Robert Lamm that was so rife with controversy it was banned in one of the world’s biggest cities, Singapore. But what is “25 or 6 to 4” really about? There are many theories. But one thing is for sure, it’s a song that continues to get passed on from generation to generation and its back story is one of the most interesting tales of the 70s… Peter Cetera had to record the vocal through clenched teeth because his jaw was wired shut and the songwriter Robert Lamm has changed his story about writing it so many times. So what really happened in a bungalow in the Hollywood Hills that inspired one of rock’s greatest tracks? We’ll take you there… 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 today we’re at it again. You asked for it and now we’re delivering the goods. We’re telling the stories of even more artists who rejected Weird Al Yankovic…the king of musical comedy’s parody requests. Including one musician who was a fan but just couldn’t say yes. Another who decades later still regrets saying “no.” And the story of how one artist single-handedly sabotaged the sales of one of Al’s albums. Call it karma or sweet revenge, but somehow Al always seems to get a little payback in the end… in the nicest way possible. After all, Weird Al is a pretty nice guy. So stick around for 5 Weird Al rejections that will have you questioning the sanity of these artists… 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 breakout smash The Sound of Silence by one of the most prolific duos of the Rock Era, Simon and Garfunkel. When The Sound of Silence was first made, it was placed on an album that was floundering. The duo was so distraught by the poor sales of their debut record, that they split up, and resigned to go down a completely new career path. The historic greatness of Paul Simon and Art Garfunkel may have never been realized if it hadn’t been for a crafty A&R man who devised a plan to revitalize The Sound of Silence… by remixing and re-releasing it. But he did not reveal his plan to the two artists that he signed to a record deal. Simon and Garfunkel were livid when they heard the song, but they got over it when it went to #1. Later it would be remade by the band DISTURBED! The story of the twist and turns of a true classic, a song 60s years ahead of its time 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 legendary Bob Seger and his Silver Bullet Band would play a brutal run of 265 live shows in a horrendous year on the road. And it would all blow up in a would-be brawl between rednecks and hippies at a truck stop spawned by an act of bigotry… Bob Seger was smack dab in the middle of it but turned the experience into one of the most distinctive and heart-stopping vocals in history in the definitive song on the subject of life on the road: Turn the Page. It’s a 70s classic that didn’t take off until Seger released a live version. Then Metallica would cover it in the 90s and blow it up all over again. Get ready for an amazing 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… an interview with an icon of early rock and roll, Peter Noone. Peter was only 15 years old when he became the singer behind Herman’s Hermits who would go on to garner 18 hits, including 11 that hit the top 10 and several that went to #1. In fact, before Peter had his 18th birthday he and Herman’s Hermits finished ahead of the Beatles on the Billboard year-end survey of top groups. It was on the strength of two big hits that kept his band in the top ten for 6 months! Including today’s song “I’m Henry the Eighth, I Am” which was actually from the year 1910… It caught on because it was so easy to sing and so easy to remember…It’s because the band repeated the same verse three times because they only knew the one verse even though the song had numerous verses…it made “I’m Henry the Eighth, I Am” one of the most famous novelty songs ever… The story is coming up straight from the icon 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. Rockstar couple Debbie Harry and Chris Stein from Blondie were sitting on the couch watching Pro Wrestling and in the midst of the action they wrote today’s featured song Rapture in about 10 minutes… It was a silly song about a man from Mars eating cars and people. It actually had very rapid-fire lyrics... even so, Debbie recorded it in just one take. They planned to call the song Coca-Cola, but Coke had some issues with that and there’s the lyric that everyone swore was the singer dropping a crude F-bomb, but the lyrics sheet listed it as finger-popping… Even so, Rapture became the first song of its genre to hit #1. Up next, the amazing story of Blondie and their 80s classic Rapture, the first rap song to hit #1…and it was by a new wave group! 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 started with an audition… a strange girl named Dolores O’Riordan in a pink tracksuit walked in to try out to be a singer for an indie band that was going nowhere… The Cranberries. She was surrounded by a bunch of guys who laughed at her mockingly. However, this Dolores had a secret weapon… one of the most powerful and recognizable voices of a generation A few minutes later these jokers were picking their jaws up off the floor. She could really sing…. but could she write? This band sent Dolores home with the music to a song they’d written. They wanted to see what this rookie could do. Only thing is… Dolores had never actually written a song before. She came back with a song called Linger. It was filled with infatuation, deception, betrayal, blind devotion… and a tranquility in the delivery that would put them at the top of the charts. Only thing is Linger bombed when it was released. And The Cranberries were afraid their label was gonna drop ‘em, but what happened next would change the fortunes of this band forever…. the story 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.

Coming up, it’s the story of fallen frontman Ian Curtis and Joy Division, a band widely considered one of the most important of their era. Ian was tortured soul, but also a musical mastermind who knew his way around dark and poignant lyricism. And his manic stage presence was no less intriguing… as it featured a berserk dance style that left audiences wondering if he was possessed. Ian Curtis’s story, though profoundly fascinating, came to a tragic end too soon. However, his all-too-short career was capped off with an eternal standard of a song: Love Will Tear Us Apart. It’s maybe the most counterintuitive love song ever written. More a Hate Song than a Love Song… Depends on who you ask…Bernard Sumner or Peter Hooky...The subtext of this track is filled with the harrowing happenings of his life: persistent depression, life-threatening seizures, a fragmented marriage, and when viewed posthumously… death. With the help of one of his surviving bandmates Peter Hook, we’re going to unravel the mystery behind one the most tortured songs of all time… 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 wondrous story of an all-time classic song from the 70s that everyone knows by heart. But the crazy thing is…it was never actually a hit… It’s Heroes by David Bowie. Our story starts in West Berlin in 1977. Two anonymous lovers met in secrecy in front of the Berlin Wall. Above them, armed soldiers in a guard tower scour the scene. What was their secret? Well, legendary artist David Bowie witnessed this and wrote Heroes about this secret… a secret he would keep for decades... in the process of recording his legendary vocal Bowie used a microphone trick that we’ll talk about that conveyed the emotion and magic. Bowie would also say that Heroes was a bitch to sing. He always had to plan out his setlist just right to get the vocal right. The result is a song for the ages 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.

Here’s one for ya… Today’s song Venus by Shocking Blue was written in a different language… When it was translated to English, guitarist Robbie van Leeuwen wrote down the opening line incorrectly… However, the singer who recorded it, Mariska Veres spoke only Dutch so she sang the lyric wrong. The typo changed how the word was sung… which became very confusing since the word that was sung hadn’t been used since the 1500s. But nobody caught it until after it was released…It wouldn’t matter… Venus hit #1… In fact, it hit #1 twice… in two different decades…the 70s and the 80s by 2 different bands, Shocking Blue and Bananarama, and would become the only song title in history to hit #1 3 different times… Up next, the incredible back story of this irresistible smash Venus and the skinny behind both #1 hit versions that have dazzled multiple generations of music fans including the hilarious mispronounced lyric! 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 only a matter of time, but today’s featured band was going down in flames. One of their album covers even predicted it. And so did one of their songs… Lynyrd Skynyrd wrote That Smell in 1977… It was an eerily prophetic rocker that warned them there would be hell to pay. They posed on their album cover with flames around them! Honestly, no one worked harder than Ronnie Van Zant and the boys of Lynyrd Skynyrd, but the problem was no one partied harder either… and it was nearly to the point of self-destruction. Their trail of carnage included knock-down-drag-out brawls, punched-out teeth, furniture flying out of fifth-story windows, cutting and maiming their guitarist's hands the night before a big show, and one time when the lead singer tried to throw someone out of a plane… mid-flight. I mean come on… that’s pretty insane. Blacklisted from hotels and airlines alike, it all came to a tragic conclusion on October 20, 1977. After that day, this band would never be the same again. The story of two classic hits from their 70s classic album Street Survivors: What’s Your Name and That Smell….Brace yourself, this one’s as crazy as rock and roll gets… The story 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.

It’s a blast from the past from the golden age of rock. Today, we’re going behind the Top 10 songs from this very same week in the year 1979 to find out which one is the biggest Hit all these years later. And as we count them down, we’re bringing you some crazy stories you won’t want to miss… Stories of stalkers, ill-advised f-bombs, ladies of the night, and yes, even spandex… But the question is, which of today’s countdown contenders will ultimately claim the crown? It’s Rock vs. Disco and We’ve got the Doobies, we’ve got Ann and Nancy Wilson of Heart … we’ve got Neil Young’s backup singer, and we’ve got the legendary band who matched the Beatles with 6 straight #1 hits… And what are we doing talking about the Karate Kid in a '70s episode? Hey, there’s only one way to find out. I promise you, there’s no other show like this on YouTube. And it’s coming your way… NEXT on the Professor of Rock. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Coming up, the story of a song that writers Gary Brooker and Keith Reid said was like putting together a jigsaw puzzle. A Whiter Shade of Pale by Procol Harum the song that would sell 10 million copies and the band name most people had no idea how to say! A Whiter Shade of Pale was Very complex and in the end, the song was over 10 minutes long…it had so many layers and lyrical twists and turns it was like a foreign film…. Problem is this was in a time when radio wouldn’t play songs over 4 minutes long so the band had to figure out how to trim it. This meant leaving two whole verses on the cutting room floor… The song became an instant classic and the de facto hit of one of 1967 the Summer of Love... In fact when Paul McCartney heard it he freaked out. It didn’t sound like anything on radio but would anyone ever hear the full song? Also, could anyone solve or decode this cryptic song… after it went to the top of the charts the world over...on its way to selling 10 million copies the band behind it fractured immediately. would they ever have another hit? It’s the story of a classic that many legends wished they had written... 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 a song about the trauma the artist endured during his childhood. Mad World by Tears for Fears came from a very dark place. Singer Roland Orzabal felt alienated by the world around him but found no shelter at home because of his abusive parents. Every ounce of emotion he felt went into this 80s classic, but the problem is when he went to record it, he discovered his voice didn’t effectively deliver what he was trying to express. It made him question whether he should even record or finish the song. So he turned to a friend, a fellow musician named Curt Smith who also had a painful childhood and he became the song’s interpreter, the result was something magical. The recording became an international smash from Tear of Fears' debut album The Hurting... It had such an impact, that it was reimagined for the Donnie Darko motion picture soundtrack that attracted a new generation of fans 20 years later When Gary Jules covered it. the story of this unforgettable hit 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 both members of one of the greatest groups or duos of the 70s… Loggins and Messina on a song that was charmed from the get-go…. Jim Messina’s dad HATED rock and Roll. He used to yell at his song for playing the loud music. So Messina wrote a song about it. He called it Your Mama Don’t Dance and then put the lyrics: your Daddy Don’t Don’t Rock and Roll. After he Showed it to Kenny Loggins who helped him finish it, the song became an all-time classic… and get this, the song was inspired by the king of rock and roll Elvis, and then the King Elvis Presley covered it. This group was elated when they heard his version that is until he forgot the lyrics! Then in the 80s it was covered again and hit the charts all over again when the hard rock glam metal band Poison did it. Up next an interview with both of these legends 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 biggest-selling bands of the 70s, America led by Dewey Bunnell, Gerry Beckley and Dan Peek. Here the 2 principals Dewey and Gerry give us the story of a song that became their third consecutive top 10 hit and a radio staple of the early decade, Ventura Highway. The song conjured up imagery of a wondrous and mystical destination, although the group has taken flack for decades for some of the lyrics… including one about flying alligators? or maybe listeners just heard them wrong? One strange lyric was used by Prince a decade later in a song and a record that would blow up… Purple Rain but then America was the first to use it in a pop song… Maybe Prince was listening.! Featuring one of the most creative guitar lines of the time, Ventura Highway is a sonic time machine and will take you back to the carefree 70s in an instant. 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.

Up next a story that will shock you. One of rock’s most legendary bands ever... the Doors had a helluva time before they broke out. First of all they almost didn’t get signed. They were highly touted to a label exec who went to see them live and he didn’t get them at all. He didn’t want to sign them. He thought Jim Morrison was just OK. Then they got fired from a standing gig at a prestigious venue for playing a controversial song… then their debut single which everyone knows by heart… Break on Through which has since become one of the most recognizable rock songs ever only went to #126 on the charts…. the band devised a plan… between the band members and their friends they called and flooded radio request lines to get their song to the top of the charts.. See how they finally hit #1 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… A song that has been hailed as one of the sexiest ever recorded, yet it's also landed on lists for being one of the worst songs of all time. Afternoon Delight by Starland Vocal Band… Love it or hate it, its impact on pop culture is undeniable. Created by a classmate of a former President, Bill Danoff and his future wife Taffy Nivert... it was inspired by the lunch menu at a diner in Washington, D.C. Bill and Taffy are the same couple who wrote John Denver’s hit Take Me Home Country Roads. Afternoon Delight skyrocketed this new band to fame, even scoring them their own TV show featuring a then-unknown comedian named David Letterman. Although we all know Afternoon Delight as a fun and easy singalong, the revered producer Milt Okun and engineer Phil Ramone behind it considered it to be one of the most complex songs they ever worked on Join us as we uncover the fascinating tale behind this unforgettable one-hit wonder 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, we’re putting some of the most iconic musicians on trial. and giving you some of the craziest lawsuits in history along with their verdicts… From stolen songs like John Fogerty of Creedence Clearwater Revival being sued for sounding too much like himself. …to a tragedy where Ozzie Osbourne was sued due to his song allegedly killing someone. Then Beatle George Harrison was sued for ripping of a song from a decade earlier by an all-girl band named The Chiffons and then during the trial that same girl group would cover his alleged ripped-off song, My Sweet Lord… The one they say he ripped off ??? Then another one where Vanilla Ice, who ripped off the legendary rock group Queen and decided to buy the full copyright to their song because it would be cheaper than the legal fees. You won’t believe some of these… 5 great stories 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.

Even though they were branded as the 2nd coming of the Beatles…today’s band wasn’t actually a band at all. The Monkees were the ultimate pretenders… actors assembled to play struggling musicians on TV. But you know what? The struggle was real. Unhappy with faking it, this manufactured band wanted to prove they could play. But their musical supervisor Don Kirshner wouldn’t let ‘em. Davey Jones, Mickey Dolenz, Peter Tork and Michael Nesmith could sing and they could dance… but they were forbidden to play their own instruments. The tension then got so bad, that Michael Nesmith called their Future #1 hit song crap. I’m A Believer, written by Neil Diamond was the song….Pissing off their producer, Nesmith was actually banned from the studio while it was being recorded. And the conflict wouldn’t end there. He then called their second album “the worst in the history of the world.” It’s the crazy story of how four pretenders went head to head with one of the industry’s biggest hitmakers… But was there any way they could win? 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.

Coming up… it started out as a disturbing French song about death... Then it was translated into English and recorded by one of the biggest bands in rock history. The Beach Boys...but then Brian Wilson and his group abandoned the sessions and the song’s producer who was really an unknown at the time decided to record the song… Terry Jacks and his hit Seasons in the Sun…It became one of the biggest hits of the 70s and the best-selling song in Canada’s history.. on its way to sales of 15 million. It was a feel-good song unless one listened to the lyrics very closely or heard the original French version… Up next, the story of a one-hit wonder that is one part happy-go-lucky and one part sad and devastating… 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.