Professor of Rock

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.

Today, we’re dropping the needle on a track that a revolutionary artist wrote as a favor for his bandmate’s side project. When Prince and the Revolution bassist Brown Mark asked Prince to write him a song for his side project Mazarati Prince picked up his acoustic guitar and whipped up the song “KISS” in a few minutes. He didn’t think anything of it. But when Prince checked on the song’s progress a day later, he realized it was vastly improved… He knew it was a hit and it was too good for this band... he wanted it back. So he locked himself in the studio for four hours and wrote the funkiest #1 hit of 1986. Then promising to give his bandmate Brown Mark a co-writing credit, he tacked it on his album Parade… sending it to the top of the Billboard charts. The only thing is, he never shared the writing credits. It’s the story of how a stolen song became one of the biggest hits of this Prince's career, and how was really the catalyst behind the break up of one of the biggest bands of the 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…the band who taught us how to rock KISS…like many band before them, hated their biggest hit. The ballad “Beth" was allegedly written by drummer Peter Criss. Though Paul Stanley and Gene Simmons don’t believe he actually composed it. The band loathed Beth. They hated it so much they didn’t even show up to record it, so half the band didn’t even play on it, including Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley. Then they tried to keep it off their album. Ace Frehley was to busy playing poker to care. They buried it on a b-side until a random DJ turned the record around and made Kiss’ biggest hit. The saga behind the People’s Choice for “Favorite Song” in 1977... 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 legendary singer-songwriter who’s had various hits but the biggest Hit he wrote…was sung by another artist, and then the biggest hit he sang...he didn’t write! both were nominated for Oscars…Stephen Bishop had a #1 hit in 1985 with the Phil Collins and Marilyn Martin duet Separate Lives from the film White Nights… He didn’t sing it. but he did sing the 1983 #1 Hit It Might Be You from the Movie Tootsie. But he didn’t write that one. Separate Lives came from a horrible breakup with a Hollywood leading lady. Karen Allen who played Marion Ravenwood in Raiders of the Lost Ark. It’s one of the most gut-wrenching #1 hits of the 80s and he just so happened to luck out when the biggest star of the moment sang it. Phil Collins. A great interview with Stephen Bishop you won’t want to miss and the story of Marilyn Martin’s promising career. She would later leave music to become a real estate agent. The story is 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.

He was a small-time criminal… he was also a mailman… Then he was a chauffeur…He drove bands to and from shows. His name was Bon Scott… He went from being one of AC/DC’s driver to their lead singer literally overnight! He jumped on stage one night when AC/DC was playing instrumentals and started singing. Angus Young and his brother Malcolm Young were floored. This guy had chops… They turned their story… their rise to the top of the charts into a song… It’s a Long Way to the Top if You Want To Rock and Roll. the song became so synonymous with Bon Scott that the band stopped performing it when he passed away…Brian Johnson refused to sing it out of respect…the song’s signature sound came from a strange instrument… Bagpipes... 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, This group was on a tear to start the decade. Wham! starring legend George Michael and his pal Andrew Ridgely were on top of the world. but George in particular was obsessed with dominating the charts. His goal in 1984 was to score four #1 singles. And you know what, by November he and his partner had three… With time running out, he pulled out a surefire hit he wrote in the middle of watching a football game on TV. He was certain it would hit #1… and it was a holiday song called Last Christmas... However, in December he was invited to sing on a massive charity single. Band-Aid Do They Know It’s Christmas ...when he heard it, he knew it was sure to go #1. Wrestling with guilt, he secretly hoped his song would outperform this charity track. It’s the story of one of the most popular songs of the 80s with almost 3 billion streams yet the song was only a promotional single in the US. Find our if it ever got to #1 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.

This 1982 rock classic is played every Friday when the weekend starts since it became a hit. Mike Reno, Lead Singer of canadian stadium rockers Loverboy tells the story of their signature song "Working for the Weekend! in an exclusive interview.. When he was recording he sang the wrong lyrics and the mistake made it a classic hit. 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 the final single in the storied career of one of the most hard-hitting, epic rock bands ever assembled. Fool in the Rain by Led Zeppelin. For a decade Robert Plant, Jimmy Page, John Bonham, and John Paul Jones turned the world upside-down and inside out with their cutting-edge, all-out rock compositions… But they also did it with tracks that undercut audience expectations. And that is exactly what this song did. It came from their final proper studio album… In Through the Out Door… Fool in the Rain sounded like nothing else in the band’s catalog, and was so far out in left field, that honestly it was a gamble to release it. But the band felt like it would be their biggest hit. So would this unconventional song completely backfire and kill their momentum? Or would it be a huge hit…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.

It may just be the greatest cover song of all time..If not, it deserves that distinction for the 80s. Tainted Love by Soft Cell. Marc Almond's hypnotic and sinister vocal and Dave Ball's synth pop magic made Gloria Jones original into an 80s smash hit... and combined it with the Supreme's #Staying1 hit Where Did Our Love go! on the billboard hot 100 for 43 weeks in a row. A record that stood for decades. Soft Cell and Tainted Love was part of the 2nd British invasion that blew up radio in the early 80s with New Wave and post punk bands clamoring for the charts. Tainted Love has become one of the quint essential song of the neon decade. Up next the story of Professor of Rock and how I got my butt kicked for playing it as a teenager. With Exclusive interviews. 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 contains arguably the most iconic line in the history of the rock era… Where have you gone Joe DiMaggio A Nation Turns its Lonely Eyes to You… So poetic, so perfect. A tribute from the greatest: Paul Simon and Art Garfunkel… or Simon and Garfunkel from the Graduate film. Only problem is. This sports legend felt slighted by the lyrics. He was pissed! He totally misunderstood the context. Mrs. Robinson actually started out as Mrs Roosevelt… as a tribute to the first lady. it was going to be a lead song for The Graduate but then Paul Simon actually rejected the offer…would the movie execs be able to talk them into it? It was originally about Mickey Mantle but Simon had to change it because Mantle did’t have enough syllables to work for the song. Oh ya… Also When the song became famous the Yankee Clipper threatened to sue Simon and Garfunkel thinking they were making fun of him but years later Paul Simon was able to explain it to him… Worried that the soundtrack album would come out at the same time as the duo's next album it was a battle of marketing that would make them the first group since the Beatles to replace themselves at #1. 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.

Dennis DeYoung formerly of STYX tells the story of his only solo hit. Deseret Moon. Styx pretty much broke up after Kilroy Was Here and their massive but polarizing hit Mr. Roboto. And actually Desert Moon was as good as anything he did with STYX! It's captivating lyrics and beautiful melody make it one of the 80s greatest hidden gems. Tommy Shaw was the first one to put out a solo hit with Girls with Guns... It did moderately well but Desert Moon was a top 10 hit and even though it was supposed to be used for the soundtrack of the movie DUNE. it was much better as a solo song and showed Deyoung's gift for a perfect 80s ballad. Dennis tells the story of this wonderful song up next on Professor of Rock... Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Today, we’re going behind the Top 10 rock songs from this very same week in the year 1982… Can you imagine, a top 10 billboard chart filled with all rock songs? In the past we’ve done redux episodes, covering the most popular songs on the Billboard Hot 100, but today we’re putting a new twist on an old favorite. Going 100% rock. Then after counting them down, we rerank each song according to how many times they’ve been streamed and find out which one deserves to be #1. But which classic rock titan will be the winner? Will it be Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, The Mighty Rush with Geddy Lee, Alex Lifeson, and Neil Peart, or maybe one of the Eagles flying solo Don Henley or Glenn Frey? Start making your guesses in the comments and tell us who you think will take home the crown. I guarantee this is going to be a good 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.

The Compelling story of the Pet Shop Boys masterful 1986 #1 hit, West End Girls. A synth-pop miracle that put this duo on the map and started a career that so far has produced 44 top 40 hits in the UK. West End Girl was released in 1984 but it failed visually everywhere except in Belgium, where it hit #1. Neil Tennant and Chris Lowe knew they had a hit but couldn’t get the sound right. This was after Neil had quit his job as an editor and music critic for Smash Hits. His co-workers ridiculed him for leaving, but he had the last laugh when they got New Order producer Stephen Hague to redo the song and it became a global smash. The story of West End Girls 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 an interview with 38 Special singer Don Barnes who’s band started out as with a southern rock sound but by the early 80s they were a straight ahead arena rock band with several huge songs including today’s 1982 #1 rock hit: Caught up in You... It was a co write between Don Barnes, Guitarist Jeff Carlisi and a rival band’s main songwriter. Jim Peterik of Survivor. In fact when Survivor’s guitar player heard Jim was writing for another band he was livid. In the end, the this angry guitar player was given a songwriting credit to avoid a lawsuit… by the end of the 38 Special snagged their biggest hit…only it was with a completely different singer, a one album replacement…Max Carl… the song was second chance… Up next, the story of Caught Up in You and Hold on Loosely... 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 a saga of two musicians that fell in love, and put a band together, but the band broke up, and so did their romantic relationship. Annie Lennox and Dave Stewart formed then formed Eurythmics… They were Thousands of miles from home and broken up but the couple decided to stay united, professionally, and continue to make music together. The future looked bleak, the darkest point was a day when the couple had a huge fight and Annie Lennox was convinced her career as an artist had come to an end. Suddenly, Dave Stewart began playing a riff so riveting, so powerful, it shook Annie Lennox right out of her state of depression, and she began blurting out her deepest, darkest feelings, like a patient opening up to a psychiatrist. Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This) was born...They knew they had something great..but when they showed it to Music execs they said there’s no chorus no hook…This musical response to the suits would prove to be prophetic…The whole song is a hook… he was right when Sweet Dreams became a 1983 #1 smash. The story of a song that made them international superstars 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 known as one of the 80s most Iconic one hit wonders. It leads the pack of most infamous one hit wonders of all time! Only problem is "I Want Candy" by Bow Wow Wow wasn't actually a hit. It barely made the top 50. But it's such a huge part of our culture it will go down as one of the biggest non hits ever. In my interview with former Bow Wow Wow singer Annabelle Lwin tells the story of recording this classic and how the band had overcome censorship to get their music out. Malcolm McLaren was the who put the band together. and when they released an early singer with a scantily clad Annabelle on the front. it caused outrage. Also most people don't realize that I Want Candy was a remake of one old 60s tune. Annabelle tells the entertaining 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.

How I learned to love a song I once hated… Journey and their #1 power ballad Open Arms…But I’m not the only one. Neal Schon the guitarist of Journey also loathed it and refused to play it live for some time. Written by Steve Perry and Jonathan Cain… Well first of all, et me ask you...Have you ever disliked a song so much, that for most of your life, you just couldn’t stand to listen to it? I’m talking about one of those tracks you always skipped on the album or that had you reaching for the dial when it came on the radio. Sure you have. We’ve all got songs like that. But let me ask you this. Have you ever had a song that you hated, that you later learned to love after hearing it in a different context? Well, today, we’re covering Open Arms by Journey… From their 1981 classic album Escape… I hated it for decades until I was caught off guard and heard it with new ears. And now I love it…Find out what changed my mind and how it became Journey’s biggest song ever even though it was rejected by Jonathan Cain’s 1st band… with interviews with the band members 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. A song that came from a rock frontman’s desire to spit in the face of the "put a flower in your hair hippie persona" of the 60s. I’m talking about Ozzy Osbourne from Black Sabbath...He called the movement crap and he and his band with Tony Iommi, Geezer Butler, and Bill Ward only wanted to muck up the mainstream… So they wrote a haunting metal classic called Iron Man… At first, it was called Iron Bloke... This song did a perfect job of ripping up the mainstream. The goal with rock masterpiece…at least for Black Sabbath was to create a song that would scare the hell out of people. and they pulled it off in spades… With a classic vocal that was sung through a Household item… A metal fan…we get the straight scoop behind the scariest song of 1971… one that still haunts us 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 fact is Dire Straits interrupted disco in the late 70s with the classic song Sultans of Swing that would take radio hostage! with their unique sound and singer Mark Knopfler’s gruff iconic vocals. but they were victims of the sophomore slump when their 2nd record faltered and flailed on the charts. Determined to bounce back with a statement album, Knopfler heard a song on the radio that flipped him out, Because the Night by Patti Smith and it triggered a series of events that led to arguably his best work. Making Movies An album that was so meticulous and exact that the title track of the record was cut from the album at the last second. It was a rough process to touch greatness, it even caused a bitter falling out with his brother and band mate… The 2 haven’t spoken in over 40 years. The story of two of the greatest songs from the album Tunnel of Love and Skateaway are next on Professor of Rock. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The story of Louie Louie by The Kingsmen 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 terrifying story of a songwriter named John D. Loudermilk who was kidnapped by three men while sleeping in the backseat of his car during a late-night blizzard. Allegedly, his captors abused him for three days, until they found out that he was a professional songwriter in the Nashville music scene…and then.. they made him a deal…. agree to write a song about the injustices put upon the Cherokee people… or die. Loudermilk who had written songs for Johnny Cash, the Everly Brothers, and Roy Orbison agreed to their demands to save himself and honored the deal by writing a song that eventually became a massive global smash, the 70s hit Indian Reservation (the lament of the Cherokee). It would later be picked for Mark Lindsay of Paul Revere and the Raiders and became the biggest-selling song until Michael Jackson’s Billie Jean. The incredible story the writer told about writing the song was hard to believe… That’s because… he made the whole thing up. The truth surrounding one of the biggest pop smashes of the Rock Era 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 giving you a rare inside look at one of the most power-packed partnerships of the rock era. Two mighty musicians at the top of their game went on a massive decade-long run… Eddie Van Halen and Sammy Hagar… Van Halen kicked out four straight chart-topping records and 17 Top 10 rock singles. in just 9 years. For this episode we’re zeroing in on one of those tracks: the 1988 classic hit Finish What Ya Started. We’re telling the hilarious story behind its after-hours writing session. I actually got this one straight from this band’s legendary frontman the Red Rocker himself Sammy Hagar. And it’s really one of the funniest songwriting stories you’re ever going to hear. This famous guitarist interrupted his singer in the middle of an intimate night with his wife to write this song… and that’s what he wrote the song about.. 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.