Professor of Rock

Coming up, the story of one of the most emotionally charged hits of the rock era- Raindy Days and Mondays by the Carpenters was written by a budding songwriter Paul Williams with music by Roger Nichols, and performed by the Sister and Brother duo of Karen and Richard Carpenter. This duo was constantly ridiculed by journalists for their squeaky-clean image. I admit that I absolutely Despised their music for a quarter century. But then in a transcendent moment, today’s song converted me for good. It was Karen’s soothing voice that changed me. Today’s song, Rainy Days and Mondays is a "no doubt about it" masterpiece with one of the best lyrics of its day. But A decade after the song’s peak on the pop charts, the lives of the lyricist Paul Williams and lead singer Karen Carpenter were thrown into turmoil. It’s yet another interesting tale of what goes on behind the fame…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 crazy rock story…Code words and mystery lyrics, a decades-long feud with a rival band, sweet stolen dance moves, the parting of the Red Sea, and oh yeah, the most controversial fish in all of music video history. And somehow all of this is connected to this one Amazing song. EPIC by Faith No More. This song is so legendary in fact, that it’s even in the name., we’ll get into this song’s riddle-like lyrics. They refer to the word “IT” throughout the song. SO WHAT, or WHO IS IT? Let’s find out. The song came right after they fired their singer… Chuck Mosely a new singer came right in and wrote the lyrics to this band’s killer riff. Mike Patton Killed it with EPIC’s lyrics. They knew it was a hit but the record label didn’t care… they chose the band’s first single and when it flopped they told this group they could pick the next single…it not only ignited this band’s fortunes, some argue it invented a new genre Rap Metal but so many styles we’re represented here they had everything in this song… even the kitchen sink…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 next the two key members of the rock and roll chapter of one the world’s greatest classic bands: the Doobie Brothers tell us a truly funny story. Tom Johnston and Pat Simmons were the principals of the Doobies' phenomenal 70s radio hits… Tom Johnston believed that if they could get all the politicians together, all the world’s leaders together on a grassy hill with the sun shining and let the music play, they would figure out they all had a lot more in common than they thought... And we could work toward a utopian world. Well as Tom will admit, it was foolish thinking and would never happen but it made for a great song. It became the fruit of “Listen to the Music” the Doobies' first massive hit. He wrote it as an afterthought and in his own words it wrote itself… All of a sudden he had this great song… coming up a masterclass in classic riffs. 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 bringing you an entirely new show on Professor of Rock. I’m really excited about this one. And I think you’re going to Dig it too. It’s a new way for this channel to go in-depth into some of the most influential bands and exceptional tracks that have ever graced the pages of rock history. And in the process, we’re featuring five defining tracks that capture the essence of the most iconic rock band in the history of iconic rock bands. Led Zeppelin. That’s right, we’re starting big. These 5 songs will rearrange anyone’s mind. The Evolution of the Lords of Rock through 5 songs that define them including one so powerful it made the singer weep after he sang the vocal From Stairway to Heaven to Kashmir the best of Led Zeppelin from the late 60s to the early 80s… 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… a 70s classic that had 624 voices that originated from only 3 singers…. I’m Not In Love by 10CC. First of all the song came from an awkward conversation the songwriter had with his wife… she was upset that he didn’t say I love you often enough. He ended up turning that awkward conversation into arguably the greatest anti-love song ever. Then in the middle of the recording sessions, the band had an idea. it involved having a receptionist reciting some of the strangest lyrics ever. and it made this song a bonafide classic. the story of the yacht rock/soft rock classic I’m Not in Love by 10CC. Written by Graham Gouldman and Eric Stewart. Later the team of Godley and Creme became award-winning music video directors. 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. Let’s dive into the bizarre and sensational era of the Satanic Panic, a time when songs were accused of harboring "evil" hidden messages, and bands faced relentless scrutiny as alleged corruptors of society. While heavy metal bands were the primary targets, even the likes of today’s squeaky clean band ELO, the Electric Light Orchestra, found themselves entangled in the fanatical crusade. Today we break down the hidden messages in ELO’s music including the doubled-sided hit Sweet Talkin’ Woman and Fire On Hight. We unravel the stories behind these cryptic songs, their secret messages, and the mysterious woman who cast her spell on an unsuspecting rock star named Jeff Lynne and how Fire On Hight might be the most bizarre and creepy B side of the entire 70s… 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 literally giving you three chords and the truth with a song that has left an indelible mark on rock history… Wild Thing by the TROGGS... Written and recorded under the gun, The songwriter Chip Taylor had to write the song and record a demo in just a few hours to hit a deadline. Otherwise, he might miss his date with destiny. After he finished recording it. it was so corny he fell on the floor laughing! He had written the song as a joke as a code word for Sex. Turns out, the song completely flopped the first time around. And then feeling embarrassed by the track’s sexual undertones, this writer tried to hide it from his publisher. But someone found it and it was picked up by today’s famous group, The Troggs. Piggybacking on someone else’s recording session, the band laid it down in something like 20 minutes. But as fast as it took to record, this song was no flash in the pan. The song was all a big joke and it made its writer so rich he was gambling 10 grand a day in Vegas… The story is 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, an interview with one of the greatest drummers in rock and roll history, Stewart Copeland of the Police on their first two #1 hits, Message in a Bottle and Walking on the Moon. These two songs put Sting, Andy Summers, and Stewart Copeland on the map. Walking on the Moons is definitely a candidate for the most atmospheric hit of its time and it came to Sting when he was sloppy drunk. He said he came up with the worst song title ever -- Walking Round the Room -- for it, so he changed it up when he was sober... and it somehow ended up with an even worse title he says! And Message in a Bottle is one of the most played in rock history and Stewart says he has one big regret about it decades later. Get the story of 2 classics in our exclusive interview, 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, the story of the most famous grammatically incorrect rock solvo in history. and The Legendary riff came to the guitarist in a dream… I Can’t Get No Satisfaction by the Rolling Stones. Keith Richards dreamt the famous riff and then rolled out of bed and recorded it. Funny thing is he meant for the riff heard round the world to be a horn section and he was worried he may have inadvertently ripped it off. Thank goodness the horns didn’t take. When he showed it to singer Mick Jagger. The frontman went nuts. He wrote the lyrics and they became the greatest middle finger to the man lyrics in the rock canon and then to top it all off The song got banned for being too suggestive! Pirate Radio stations started playing it and then it blew up! The story of a true 60s 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 an interview with one of the 70s most prolific and successful bands… America! They blazed onto the scene as rookies with a #1 hit with A Horse With No Name and their debut album also hit #1 and then they won the cursed Grammy for Best New Artist. History has not been kind to many of the winners of that award but this America blew UP THAT CURSE with several hits IMMEdiately after including today’s smash Sister Golden Hair that had a very depressing opening line. The song originally sat on the shelf for a year not getting a release on their previous album. But the timing was right when they went to work with the biggest producer in the world, George Martin and they rewarded him with his 1st #1 hit outside of producing the Beatles. They got some flack for a pretty tame swear word in the song and admits he borrowed from another #1 song of the time which is funny because that particular song would lose a lawsuit for ripping off another song. The 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.

Inspired by the experience of a failed screen test for a film about one of the most controversial comedians of the 20th century, Lenny Bruce…superstar singer-songwriter Neil Diamond composed the most personally challenging song of his illustrious career. I Am… I Said…. It took him 4 months to write. It was a daily battle to put that song on paper that drained him emotionally. But when it was completed, it turned out to be one of the most fulfilling songs he had ever written. It came from therapy sessions he was having at the time. However, one lyric about a chair inspired a famous journalist to write a scathing book about Bad Songs, Wherein he ripped this Neil Diamond and This 70s classic to Shreds…However, the fans struck back and the hate mail was so insurmountable the journalist had to write a public apology. The story of this climatic song and the incredible journey to stardom by its legendary author 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’s Classic song was Written on a piano in an empty studio, Thing is, today’s Legend never expected it to see the light of day. If only because he had been in the most successful band in the world for years and written over 100 songs and they were all rejected… I’m talking about George Harrison writing the song Something for the Beatles. He had written over 100 songs that got rejected and never got one of his songs released as a single until Something. It would become one of the most beloved songs in their catalog and their 2nd biggest song as a band. It would end up inspiring one of the greatest solo careers ever. Meanwhile, its flipside brother, the John Lennon penned Come Together is just as grand. With a large helping of non-sensical lyrics that have been dubbed gobbledygook, but have become a lasting part of the cultural lexicon. That’s right, today we are giving you two Hall of Fame song breakdowns for the price of one. And 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.

How do you follow up the biggest album of your career, a legitimate 80s landmark album, when two of your bandmates have gone MIA? That’s the situation today’s band, Def Leppard was grappling with as they gathered to write their 5th studio album, Adrenalize. Tragically, one member, Guitarist Steve Clark was lost to the grips of alcoholism. And the other, the “so-called” 6th member, legendary producer Mutt Lange to an entirely different artist (Bryan Adams). If you didn’t know better, you might guess this record would be their darkest offering. The thought had crossed their mind. Instead, Joe Elliott, Phil Collen, Rick Savage, and Rick Allen composed a relentlessly upbeat collection of life-affirming rock and roll… A pure adrenaline rush starting with their first hit Let’s Get Rocked…Problem is the timing was a little bit off…It came right when their brand of Feel Good Highly produced Rock was nearly extinct. What would happen to this band in the changed musical environment when grunge ruled? I actually ask lead singer Joe Elliot next and he get a little pissed. Find out why 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 great underdog story of a rookie artist who went through hell to get to the top. Cyndi Lauper beat the odds to hit #1 in 1984 with Time After Time… First of all, she lost her voice due to a collapsed vocal chord and didn’t know if she’d ever sing again. She also got sued for $80k and had to declare bankruptcy leaving her penniless. But Nothing could break Lauper’s spirit or grit. When she finally got her break, her label, Portrait Records was trying to push her to only cover songs even though she was a prolific writer. She rebelled and wrote a song with another up-and-coming artist named Rob Hyman that was partly inspired by the TV Guide as well as an alarm clock that wouldn’t die. She even threw it into the shower and closed the door but the loud ticking kept her awake. Luckily, it did become a #1 smash called Time After Time that ruled the charts and went on to become the most covered song of the 80s. It was so good when they were recording it, the producer wouldn’t let anyone near the studio in fear that someone would steal the song. UP next, an interview with the cowriter and co-singer Rob Hyman of the Hooters on the story of an absolute 80s standards. Time After Time by Cyndi Lauper from her best-selling album She’s So Unusual! 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 intriguing narrative behind one of the most surreal songs of the Rock Era. Crafted by a trailblazing musical performer known as "the Chrome Nun,” Grace Slick of Jefferson Airplane. The classic '60s composition White Rabbit draws inspiration from the whimsy of a bedtime story that this singer was told as a child every night…Alice In Wonderland….Grace found some hidden messages in the story and longed to write them in this sinister and treacherous song. Whenever this songstress performed this composition live she would recite the words slowly and precisely so that the audience would understand her message but no one did! Join us as we delve into a mesmerizing journey through the rabbit hole of time, exploring a mind-altering dimension of music and bold rock artistry as we decode a song that has more mystery and enchantment than any song of its time. The story unfolds... next on Professor of Rock. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Here’s a number for you 13… Only 13 Instrumentals have hit the #1 spot on the Billboard Hot 100… Of those 13 as you may have guessed most are from Movies or TV shows… but out of that small list of 13 that hit #1 there is only 1 ROCK instrumental that did it in all of music history and it started out as a jam session. the Edgar Winter Group led by the wild and crazy mad scientist of Rock n Roll. He wanted to play his keyboard like a guitar so he put a handle on it and jammed. That instrument became the Keytar…that instrumental became Frankenstein. Once they recorded the song it was an epic 20 minutes long. If radio was going to play it, they would need to pair it down. But the song became the only #1 rock instrumental in history when a DJ played it by accident. Coming up we’ve got the goods. an interview with rocker Edgar Winter. who wrote the song tells us the story along with his massive follow-up hit Freeride… both of these songs are mainstays on classic rock radio. 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, one of the greatest feel-good one-hit wonders of the rock era. A song that changed everything and brought peace to a nation that was hurting from an integral voice that made the oft-recoded song shine. I’m talking about Get Together by the Youngbloods with lead singer Jesse Collin Young. It was truly one of rock's most significant appeals for peace and brotherhood during a very turbulent time in the world, with a Chorus that has become a part of the identity of the 60s, and yet it still resonates. Original singer and interpreter Jesse Colin Young tells the story of taking Dino Valenti’s folk song to the next level However it would be a long journey to the top of the charts… When it was first released it stalled at #62 but a lucky break gave him a second chance when it got re-released 2 years after it failed. Find out what happened next. On Professor of Rock. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Coming up… an interview with a mystery singer who had 2 songs in the top 10 at the same time with 2 different bands but here’s the thing he never got any credit. Nobody knew who he was until much later. One of these songs was so massive it became the #1 song of the year beating out The Beatles, The Stones, and Elvis who all had big hits that year…. I’m taking about the #1 song of 1969… Sugar, Sugar by the Archies. This song is so catchy everyone was singing it then and is still singing it now. And to think the #1 smash was actually written for preschoolers for a cartoon. there was so much mystery surrounding the identity of this singer and his imaginary band that it was a trivia question that no one could solve for years… The Question was: What group never appeared together, never went on the road together, never interviewed together, and had a #1 hit... coming up we’ll get the answer from Ron Dante in this exclusive interview and the story of a song so catchy it hit #1 for 4 weeks in the Us and 8 weeks in the UK and inspired Def Leppard to write Pour Some Sugar on Me decades later. 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 featuring a classic 1980 record from one of the most diverse bands of the era. The Tide is High By Blondie. Debbie Harry, Chris Stein, Jimmy Destri, Frank Infante, and Clem Burke were masters of their craft. True masters of hook-laden pop-ditties who had a knack for always hitting pay-dirt… and they did it with a fistful of rock and new wave… unfortunately, this time they had a hitless album on their hands. Or at least that’s what their label Chrysalis told them after listening to it. The record called Auto-American was just too different from anything they had ever done. This unusual collection got no love from the music industry. until it scored two chart-toppers including Rapture the first rap hit and The Tide is High. These 80s #1 hits helped the record reach Platinum status in the US. And really It was kicked off perfectly with today’s featured A track, a cover of an obscure song by the Paragons that became a personal favorite of one of the Fab Four in fact… it ended up replacing John Lennon at #1… Sadly, this record was the end of an era for Blondie. Worn down by a never-ending workload and label pressure to stay on top, these guys bottomed out and never had another hit after having 7 big ones in just 2 years. But was it really the end? We’ll 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.

In 1980, the quiet, reserved, bassist for one of the most popular rock bands, created a track that LIT up disco balls in the clubs and blasted over the airwaves around the world. John Deacon of Queen embraced disco with a funky bassline and the song THAT WOULD BECOME Another One Bites the Dust was enhanced even more once his flamboyant singer Freddie Mercury got a hold of it and bludgeoned the Disco semantics with a rock and roll swagger and Brian May’s shredding guitar took it even Higher. Queen turned Another Ones Bites the Dust into the best song of Disco. But there would be controversy when parents said that the song was evil. They claimed that if one played the song backward a subliminal message would corrupt teenagers' minds. The story of a sports anthem inspired by the band Chic, and crusaded by the King of Pop- that was a huge departure for one of the world’s greatest rock bands, and became the quartet's biggest-selling single in America. 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.

Apparently, it was the world’s worst demo. Ever. No one wanted this song. Tons of artists passed over it. The sound quality was nearly unlistenable. And the performance on the track was even worse. Amateurish, out of time, and highlighted by a bizarre falsetto, it was insanely bad… and about to be lost to oblivion because no one was going to record this mess. It was so bad one of the band members turned a chance to co-write the song down… a decision that would cost him millions of dollars. The song Happy Together was going nowhere fast…. That is, until finally a surf band turned folk band, turned psychedelic band heard a diamond in the rough. The band was called the Turtles with Howard Kaylan and Mark Volman. They themselves were on their last legs… having released five straight singles that absolutely bombed. Needing a surefire hit, who knows why they took a chance on this horrible demo? But we’re glad they did. Because as they say, the rest is history. It’s a tale of two intrepid friends Howard and Mark or Flo and Eddies as they would later be known, they have stuck together for the long haul, and so has their signature classic that everybody loves Happy Together. And I mean everybody. It’s a song that you can’t not sing along to when it comes on. It’s pure magic. And you’re going to love the story behind it, 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 starts out with a drum beat that is so abrupt, you feel as though your head might explode, and then one of the most recognizable guitar riffs in classic rock history, not to mention the singalong chorus that everybody knows by heart. I’m talking about the classic rock standard Slow Ride by Foghat. Speaking of that famous guitar riff…it changes speed and climaxes near the end, apparently, the band did this on purpose to mimic the act of S-E-X… they don’t call it Sex Drugs and Rock and Roll for nothing! The song came from a basement jam session where the power went off and they nearly lost the recording. But they pulled it off… they were used to off-the-wall happenings since they got their band name Foghat from a game of Scrabble. Up next, the story behind this all-time classic from one of the only remaining members of the band, drummer Roger Earl. It’s the tale of a 70s rock classic! 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 couple of great interviews about a song that barely missed #1 with its original artist, and then decades later it hit the top of the charts … In fact, this song has hit the charts in four different decades. I Think We’re Alone Now by Tommy James and the Shondells. The song went to the top 5 in 1967 as part of the rise of bubble gum pop in the charts but Tommy and his band were shocked when two of his biggest hits were remade at the same time in 1987… This one “I Think Were’ Alone” and “Mony Mony and both remakes went to #1. One by pop star Tiffany and one by Billy Idol. Incredibly Tommy James replaced himself at #1 decades after the songs peaked in the 60s. Up next we have an exclusive: the singer behind the original, Tommy James, and the singer behind the cover, Tiffany... tell us the story 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.

Breaking free from an established band is never easy. Especially when it's one of the most iconic, commercially successful bands of all time. But today’s artist Stevie Nicks had had enough of her bandmates and the continuous flow of drama within their Fleetwood Mac. So she took the plunge into a solo career. However, writing a hit record as a solo artist was harder than she thought. And when her producer Jimmy Iovine told her she didn’t have a hit single after writing a whole album, her career was almost over before it started. So in a last-minute Plan-B maneuver, they brought in a ringer… an iconic musician Tom Petty along with his backing band the Heartbreakers to save the day… Using one of their rejected tracks called Stop Dragging My Heart Around, they slapped her voice over the top of it and turned it into a duet. But would this last-ditch effort work? Or would this solo songstress crash and burn with this throwaway track? also, Stevie wanted to be in the band, the Heartbreakers… See what Tom Petty told her. 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.

Coming up an interview with one of rock’s greatest drummers Stewart Copeland of the Police. Stewart tells the story of two radio-unfriendly tracks. Roxanne and Can’t Stand Losing You. They were early singles from the Police when Sting, Andy Summers, and Stewart Copeland were trying to make it. The edgy songs were supposed to be a pair of breakthrough hits that would put this band on the map. Only radio stations wouldn’t play them. And there’s some difference of opinion as to why. Even within the band. One story says that they were banned due to their subject matter, with Roxanne centering around prostitution and Can’t Stand Losing You about… And another story says that the band stretched the truth about being blacklisted just to stir up some publicity. But either way, these songs became massive and set this group on a course to become the world’s biggest band just a few years later. It’s a story you’re not going to want to miss, told by a legend 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.

Sometimes it’s all about timing. Well today’s iconic guest Mike Score the singer and writer behind A Flock Of Seagulls and their new wave classic hits I Ran (So Far Away) and Space Age Love Song and (Wish I Had) A Photograph of You tells us how he and his band created the most viral music video in MTV history in about 2 hours. They threw together the iconic video for I Ran in one day and by the next day it was on MTV back when turnaround time was much longer. Also, A Flock Of Seagulls is always tagged as a 1 hit wonder but they weren’t. They had four hits including 3 that are wholly recognizable and played all the time. From 1982 to 1984 they were arguably the face of 80s music due to the lead singer’s iconic look but by the mid 80s they disappeared. Today we talk to their iconic singer Mike Score and find out what happened next on Professor of Rock. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Today, we’re getting into a little bit of trouble. Or at least our featured band is. As some of the most iconic rockers in history, Queen including Freddie Mercury, Brian May, John Deacon, and Roger Taylor were no strangers to controversy. Frontman Freddie Mercury in particular lived to push the envelope. But did today’s two featured tracks take things too far? Fat Bottomed Girls and Bicycle Race definitely pushed the envelope. The first Fat Bottomed Girls zeroed in on one particular part of the female anatomy and was hit with accusations of sexism. And the other, Bicycle Race, while lyrically less provocative, stirred up plenty of backlash when it was promoted via a buck-naked racing event… The guys defended themselves saying it was all just in good fun. But what do you think? Was it good fun or done in bad taste? The story of a classic double-sided hit 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.

Coming up… Toni Basil was headed for stardom in her early 20s with her first single for A&M Records, but it FLOPPED. so she started working in the industry as a choreographer. Then 16 years later at nearly 40, she released a song in 1982 that became one of the biggest one-hit wonders ever. Mickey. She took an old song from the band Racey and wrote a cheerleading chant over the top of it then she changed the gender and name of the song from KITTY to Mickey and a smash hit was born: When she wrote the chant to add to the song... The label pleaded with her to take it out… Her manager told her to drop it. But when it comes to forging her own path and pushing the envelope, Toni Basil has always danced to her own beat. She put on an old high school uniform and made a music video that galvanized early MTV and became one of the Funniest song parodies of all time when Weird Al turned it into Hey Rickey. Get ready to cheer for a great story NEXT on Professor or 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 classic song with multiple storylines of danger, deceit, and despair- so cryptic, and even now decades later fans are still trying to figure out exactly what it means. I’m talking about Steely Dan and their 70s rocker Do It Again. It didn’t help that the band played a prank on fans in the way they Listed the song on the back of the album Can’t Buy A Thrill… It also confused everyone when the Dan appeared on national television with a different vocalist singing the hit instead of Donald Fagan! Oh ya, and the backup vocalist David Palmer didn’t sound anything like the record. Apparently, Donald Fagan had stage fright so badly he couldn’t perform it. On this hit, duo Donald Fagan and Walter Becker showed their genius in the studio with the use of an electric sitar, combined with a really trashed-out cheap plastic organ. Up next We break down a classic of the 70s with a band named after something naughty and mindless Yet their music is so intelligent, your IQ goes up 20 points every time you listen 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.

Rock immortality. It’s a rarified state reserved for only a select few. And today’s featured band no doubt earned it with the release of their 8th studio album… The Dark Side of the Moon. Pink Floyd's 10-track collection eclipsed the competition. But what do you do after you have realized your wildest dreams? Well, that question almost tore this band apart. Roger Waters, David Gilmour, Richard Wright, and Nick Mason felt Stagnant and uninspired, these guys were just going through the motions… That is until Roger Waters dredged up the guilt he felt over exiling their former frontman Syd Barrett. Building that into a concept album called Wish You Were Here that the critics tore apart by the way but that fans bought in droves to the tune of 20 million albums. Wish You Were Here would feature a guest vocalist who came out of nowhere to record Have a Cigar when Roger lost his voice as well as the centerpiece of the album: Shine on You Crazy Diamond that was 26 minutes long and brought back this troubled former frontman in a truly mystical way. . The story’s coming up… NEXT on the Professor of Rock. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Coming up….we tell the story of the 1960s Classic hit California Dreaming’ by the Mamas and the Papas. First, the song was bestowed upon a famous folk singer riding the wave of a #1 smash. Barry McGuire who had just hit the top of the charts with Eve of Destruction….He was set to follow up his Big hit with California Dreaming... However, when his interpretation of the song was deemed unfit for popular consumption, Papa John Phillips took an unexpected turn and ERASED his vocals completely. Barry was Livid. However, The move transformed California Dreaming into one of the Rock Era’s most iconic anthems and took the rookie band the Mamas and the Papas to superstardom. Comprised of John Phillips and Michelle Phillips and Mama Cass Elliot and Denny Doherty. These guys would go on to have 10 hits including the #1 smash Monday Monday but would crash hard after due to substance abuse. How the controversial artist who called himself “the Wolf King” betrayed the friendship of a fellow folk singer Barry McGuire… oh ya and the band has been signing the wrong lyrics the entire time, for 60 years. The story is next. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Coming up a great interview with a band that ruled the 70s… Dewey Bunnel and Gerry Beckley from the group America and the story of their biggest hit A Horse With Name is a whopper. First of all as rookies This debut single and the album it came from both hit #1… And to top it off, a Horse with No Name might be one the most unlikely #1s of its time…It wasn’t an obvious hit. It was very strange and haunting with vague lyrics that everyone got wrong! Was it about drugs, or acid, or about a painting? As fans tried to decode the lyrics, critics ripped this band apart over them and claimed singer Dewey Bunnell was imitating another legendary artist… it didn’t help that this band replaced that same artist at #1… Coming up we get some answers directly from the band 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.

At the dawn of the 80s, Legendary American Rock band REO Speedwagon had their backs against the wall. They needed a hit record or they were finished. Their label told them as much. With the pressure on singer Kevin Cronin… He wrote a piano-based song and brought it to the band. The band hated especially, guitarist Gary Richrath who shredded his guitar so loud during the recording he was trying to ruin the song or drown out the singer. Instead, it made the song a power ballad to be reckoned with. Keep On Loving You became the hit of 1981 and helped put REO in the record books as the song and record Hi Infidelity went to #1 and became one of the biggest of the 80s spending 15 weeks at #1 and putting these guys into stadiums! Up next an interview with singer Kevin Cronin on this incredible 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, it’s a massive smash hit that was inspired by not one, but multiple stalker encounters. And one of them was by one of the most demented groupies ever. This disturbed fan wrote letter after letter claiming she and this artist were meant to be together… and that he was the father of her baby! Then one day she sent him a package with a weapon… telling him that they should use it on themselves so they could be together in the afterlife. Whoa… talk about creepy. However, this incident, and others like it, fueled the lyrics of this dark and sinister 80s classic that could possibly be the biggest song to come from the decade... But you know what? Fans weren’t the only ones obsessed. In fact, this artist was so consumed by this song, he didn’t even notice that his car was on fire while driving down the freeway. Completely locked into this song, he almost died. It was so big it helped this artist sell over 100 million copies of 1 album. If you haven’t figured it out by now I’m talking about Billie Jean by Michael Jackson from his 1982 classic Thriller. The story of how Michael wrote this song and captivated the world with his performance on the Motown 25th anniversary special with his moonwalk. It’s an unbelievable story NEXT on the Professor of Rock. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Coming up… an interview with some of the members of a band that has been somewhat forgotten in the time we live in... Which is strange because for a couple of years they were as big as any group on radio. In fact in 1999 when BMI compiled their list of the most played songs of the century they had 2 in the top 25… Tied with the Beatles and more than any other band. They actually had 3 in the top 60! I’m talking about the multiplatinum band The Association. Their vocal harmonies were some of the best of the rock era and yet they were like Halley’s Comet because by the 70s they all but disappeared from radio. They Scored half a dozen hits and then they were gone! Up next the story of one of the most-played songs ever… Cherish... The heart-wrenching song that many have walked down the aisle to but it’s a bit Obsessive! It was supposed to be a slow ballad but during recording the pace quickened and this made it a classic! The interview with members Jim Yester and Jules Alexander is next. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Up next the story of One of the first hard rock songs to light up the charts… Some even call it the first Heavy Metal song…and you’ll understand why next… The story of Born To Be Wild by Steppenwolf. The demo came after singer and writer John Kay test-drove a car… the music in his head dictated it would be a cruising song. But at first, it was written as a slow ballad but the second it was sped up it became one of the coolest rock songs ever. … then the band got the iconic title Born to be Wild from a slogan off of a billboard After it was recorded the band was very confident in it and they were anxious to get it out to radio. But the label was pushing for another song to get the coveted A side. So they compromised… They would put both songs on the record. one on each side and whatever the DJ played that was the song… Well, it just so happens that all the DJs chose this hard rock B-side and it flew to the top of the charts...then it became the voice of a new generation when it was used in one of the first indie movies called Easy Rider that blew up the box office. a great story is 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.

Forget the auto-tune. Today we’re going back to an era when singers could actually sing… unassisted. Just raw, pure, unadulterated talent. And in fact, we’re bringing you what I believe is the all-time greatest male vocal performance on a rock song. It’s tough to pick but I think Brad Delp of Boston on their 70s rock classic More Than A Feeling is the GOAT. Written by Tom Sholz the wizard who produced their Boston self-titled debut album in his basement is a perfect song. Upon release, it was an absolute instant classic. At his peak, Brad Delp was hitting and holding high notes that even the best of the best couldn’t reach, but despite that, he rarely gets the credit he deserves. So to put him back in the spotlight, I’m matching him against some insanely talented rock singers. Robert Plant of Led Zeppelin, Freddie Mercury of Queen, and Steve Perry of Journey…. And I’m stripping three iconic tracks down to the vocals for a head-to-head match-up… to prove once and for all who really deserves to be called the GOAT… the greatest one-song vocal performance. Get ready, 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.

Coming up, it’s a song that spoke for a generation, but was never intended to. A throwaway track that this band didn’t much like, and one of the guitarists actually tried to sabotage it in the studio. That however backfired. And only made the song better. Lyrically, it tells the story of a doomed, drunken confession the lead singer, Thom Yorke made to a girl he was infatuated with… and well, was basically stalking. Let’s just say he crashed and burned. But the song itself, rocketed up the charts, somehow managing to be both cathartic and self-loathing at the same time. In fact, this track got so big, the rock establishment tried to paint the band as a one-hit wonder. It’s the insane story of Radiohead Creep from their 90s classic Pablo Honey. So would they still be standing when all the dust settled? Plus, find out why they basically blacklisted Creep for years. The story is 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 an all-time rock classic that has 2 Legendary versions. All Along the Watchtower by Bob Dylan was actually covered by Guitar Virtuoso Jim Hendrix and realized before Dylan could get his out. Bob Dylan got into a motorcycle accident and shortly after changed the way he wrote and the result is All Along the Watchtower with lyrical inspiration from the book of Isaiah from the Bible making the song lyrics over 2700 years old. Thing is after Bob Dylan heard Hendrix's version of the song he freaked out. He loved it. In fact, after he heard it he started playing it the exact same way. It’s become arguably the greatest cover song ever and has been covered since then by everyone from Dave Matthews Band to U2. Bob Dylan released All Along the Watchtower on his 60s classic John Wesley Harding. 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, the story of a brilliant reclusive artist who didn’t want any attention…. He just wanted to make music. Mark Hollis played the game for a while and was miserable doing it. For 10 years, he was the leader of Talk Talk, a band that quietly mesmerized & influenced a generation. In 1984, he wrote a signature song of self-determination and independence called It’s My Life that became the group’s only hit in the U.S. Then a few years later he walked away from music to be a dad never to return…. Even when his song was remade by the multiplatinum band No Doubt and became a massive hit across the world he was nowhere to be found…not even for an interview. join me for the heartwarming spotlight on an artist driven by artistic purity, integrity, and parental responsibility…. something you hardly ever hear in rock and roll 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 a rock record that we all owned. Slippery When Wet by Bon Jovi was the pinnacle of glam metal and hard rock... in the 80s you couldn’t escape it if you tried. And it came from a rock band who more than paid their dues to make it. Bon Jovi did every job under the sun to make it. The record sold over 12 million copies on the strength of 3 massive hits. (You Give Love) a Bad Name, Livin’ On a Prayer and Wanted Dead or Alive…. the #1 hit that kicked the album off was a rocker that grabbed you by the throat from the first vocal but it was originally a disco song that was written for famous female singer Bonnie Tyler. But once these rockers put their stamp on it no one could fathom it being a disco pop song. Another of these hits was written in the basement of the guitarist’s mom… a masterpiece about the demons of fame. Wanted Dead or Alive... It was a warning sign of the back-breaking extremities of life on the road and years after the mega success of the record it became so overwhelming that this frontman was ready to end it all… So was this song a prophetic glimpse into this band’s future? With the help of an iconic rock producer Bob Rock, we’re going to find out… The many adventures of Bon Jovi starring Jon Bon Jovi, Ritchie Sambora, and the band! 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.

Two legends, Paul McCartney from the Beatles and Pete Townshend from The Who were talking shop back in the late 60s. Pete showed Paul his band’s new song I Can See For Miles and bragged that it was the loudest dirtiest rockiest song ever. Paul McCartney took his bragging as a challenge. He went back to the Beatles and challenged them to get loud and crazy and move the sound meter as far into the red as it would go. the Fab Four took the challenge so much so that the drummer Ringo Starr played as hard as he could for 8 hours straight and by the time he was done his fingers were bleeding mess. He had blisters all over them! The song was named after a kiddie ride… Helter Skelter and in the end, the Beatles may have accidentally invented heavy metal…It’s debatable. but in the end the song blew everyone away but then the kiddies ride song was stolen by a notorious killer… Charles Manson. The story or a scorcher 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 early 70s they were one of the biggest rock bands in the world. Some call them the first stadium rock band…they sold more records than anyone for a few years with 21 top 40 hits in a row and 11 top 10s…and most people don’t realize.. they were all cover songs! I’m talking about Three Dog Night! With 11 top ten cover songs, you could say they are the greatest cover band ever. But the thing is, their arrangements and vocals were so spectacular, it felt like they were their songs and many have never known the difference. Chuck Negron, Danny Hutton and the late Cory Wells were giants of the 70s. With hits like Joy to the World, Shambala, Black and White, Never Been To Spain, Easy to Be Hard, Eli’s Coming, Old Fashioned Love Song, Mama Told Me Not To Come and today’s classic ONE originally written and recorded by Harry Nilsson. These guys had a knack for breaking unknown songwriters. Several of whom would become industry giants. Like Randy Newman, Paul Williams, and Hoyt Axton...Truly one of the most successful groups of the 60s and 70s,. For this episode, we’re once again enlisting the help of two of their lead singers (two out of three) to tell the story Chuck Negron and Dany Hutton of what just may be the loneliest song ever written. Get the story straight from these icons themselves… 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, the greatest band in the history of the planet… who NEVER had a top-20 hit. In fact, they only had one hit but to call them a one-hit wonder would be blasphemy…I’m talking about Rush... I’m pretty sure they would’ve been SHAKESPEARE's favorite band. Geddy Lee, Alex Lifeson, and the professor Neal Peart make up a band so unorthodox they play time signatures that don’t actually exist but they’ve found a way to play them anyway… You’ll see what I mean with today’s song that seems to make me smarter every time I hear it. I’m talking about Limelight…from their masterpiece record Moving Pictures. With an incredible ability to connect with their fans, they were the Avengers of rock and today’s song might be their greatest composition. You decide. From their incredible lyricist's own brush with a fan. It’s all coming up. Plus How I got a rap fan to Love This Legendary rock band… 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.

His voice was the soundtrack for the groovy 70s. He wrote songs with a band that mesmerized the Me Generation, and ushered in the genre of ‘soft rock. I’m talking about David Gates and his mellow gold masters Bread’ He ruled the 70s with his soothing voice and charming charisma with classic hits like Make It With You, If, Diary, Baby I’m a Want You, Everything I own and Guitar Man... But after years of dissension and inevitable burnout, his group, bread broke up, and by the mid-80s this iconic vocalist, surprised his fans around the world… when he waved ‘goodbye’ to the music industry… and disappeared… Instead of wooing fans on stage at sold-out arenas, he went his own way…Find out where he went… Up next, the steady rise and sudden farewell of the man I like to call the “maestro of mellow” and one of his signature songs is NEXT on Professor of Rock. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In the mid-80s one of the greatest bands ever couldn’t get arrested… They were down and out until, they had a hit with a rap group… Walk This Way was originally an Aerosmith tune but RUN DMC remade it and Rick Rubin had the idea of including Steven Tyler and Joe Perry and co and it turned out to the opening shot on one of the greatest comebacks ever… the Story of Aerosmith’s classic 1987 album Permanent Vacation including the 3 hit singles: Angel, Dude Looks Like A Lady and Rag Doll. Steven Tyler, Joe Perry, and the Boston Calvary took over radio again with one of the biggest comebacks ever. nest 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.

One day Billy Joel was working on material for a new album he would later call Storm Front, when a famous friend came by with a guest, grumbling about how hard it was to be coming of age in the 80s, but Joel, nearly 25 years older, recalled similar challenges when he was a teenager, the young man dismissed his empathy, saying Nothing bad happened in your day… When the obstinate young man left, The piano man was compelled to write a song that covered all of the stuff that had impacted the world during his lifetime. From the H Bomb to the Aids epidemic... The song became an international pop culture commemorative called WE Didn’t Start the Fire. yet the author regarded it as one of the worst compositions of his career. It was so wordy this artist said if he missed one word in concert it became a total train wreck… It was a novelty song that became one of the biggest #1 hit of the year 1989. The story of this smash… and all of its irony… 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 one of the greatest rock singers in the history of our planet… Paul Rodgers who fronted Free, Bad Company, and Queen at different times... tells a story that will leave you dumbfounded. He once formed a supergroup called the Firm with arguably the greatest guitarist of all time in Led Zeppelin’s Jimmy Page, and they were working on their first single Radioactive and this guitarist told the singer he should play the guitar solo? or was it the other way around? Find out in our exclusive interview. Also, we have another special guest on today’s episode. Bob Rock, A legendary rock producer who did some of the biggest records ever including Aerosmith, Bon Jovi, and Metallica. Find out why he did this legendary singer’s album for free! Next on Professor of Rock. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The incredible story of the Creedence Clearwater Revival “CCR” 1969 classic rock hit Fortunate Son. Written and performed by lead singer John Fogerty during the traumatic time of Vietnam when young men were being drafted to fight in a war where there were no clear answers. The song was written to protest more than the war though… it was the ultimate middle finger against the establishment and put CCR in a place where they outsold the Beatles in that same year. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Today’s featured artist is one of the most mysterious frontmen you could ever meet. Legally changing his name to a symbol and he did it before Prince! He claimed to be a time traveler from another planet… And he also says that he’s lived a past life on prehistoric Earth, back when the dinosaurs were roaming around. So I guess it’s no surprise that the name of his band came from a cult classic 1950s Japanese science fiction film featuring aliens in capes. It’s one of the biggest one-hit wonders ever… Question Mark and the Mysterians with the 1966 classic 96 Tears. Lead singer Question Mark was always hidden behind dark sunglasses, he led his band out of nowhere to the top of the charts with one of the most unexpected songs of the rock era… Paving the way for an army of garage rockers ever after and even inspiring the phrase punk rock… This #1 hit has an inescapable organ riff that defined an era. No one knew who the singer really was for decades… Let's try to 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.