Professor of Rock

The Beatles...They are easily the biggest band ever. But after they broke up officially in 1970, the world hoped for a day they would reunite. but It seemed impossible. And yet following a decade of solo careers, for all four, Paul McCartney both solo and with Wings, Ringo Starr, John Lennon, and George Harrison there were behind-the-scenes talks of a reunion. it was actually going to HAPPEN! However, these plans were tragically cut short when John Lennon was taken from this earth. It was one of the darkest days in rock history. But then years later thanks to a near-forgotten demo tape, a reunion became a reality, as much as it could be… The surviving band members used this demo to record two new songs. Free as a Bird and Real Love. They also meant to do a third track called Now and Then, but the quality of the cassette was so poor they couldn’t finish it. Today we relive the history of all three songs including their new song, Now and Then… the poignant song has taken a band that has been broken up for over 50 years back to the top of the charts on Professor of Rock. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This catchy/happy singalong hit was actually written after Men Without Hats singer Ivan Doroschuk was kicked out of a club for moshing. He went home in defiance and wrote the Safety Dance... Little did he know it would became an 80s catchphrase and a #1 hit on the dance club chart and the Cashbox chart. It became the dance of the 80s and most don't realize it's actually a middle finger against conformity and authority. A protest song of the highest level. In this interview with Ivan Doroschuk the singer and creator of new wave band Men Without Hats tells the story and how the song has become a pop culture phenomenon. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

A Latin-flavored riff developed into an allegorical masterpiece and the signature song for America’s band. Hotel California by Eagles became their signature song. It’s the psychological tale of a man- precariously caught in a disturbing asylum- from which... he may never escape. The iconic writers Don Henley, Glenn Frey, and Don Felder wanted the song to open like an episode of The Twilight Zone.. They wrote it about the dark underbelly of the American dream and they used the song to call out another popular band of the time. The song was so epic the two guitar players Joe Walsh and Don Felder wrote a solo side-by-side that took 3 days to finish. It’s a song that every band dreams of writing… a Song that is still as popular and perplexing as it was the day it came out… A song that has inspired a dozen theories of what it really means. A '70s classic. We find out the true meaning 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’ve got the story of three mischievous New Yorkers who disavowed one of the biggest songs… Mike D, Ad-Rock, and MCA otherwise known as the Beastie Boys hated (You Gotta Fight) for Your Right (to Party). This breakthrough track became a legendary music video on MTV but for all the wrong reasons. A rebellious party anthem they wrote to make fun of party anthems in general but in the end, it painted the trio as immature frat boys. But the thing is, it was all a big joke… a throwaway track. Their producer however loved it and pushed for its release. After that things got out of hand real quick with the song blowing up on radio and MTV. And yeah, these guys were no angels… but when fans demanded they live up to the song’s raucous lyrics, they turned their backs on the track… and License To Ill in general. It almost broke up the band. Still, fans couldn’t get enough of it. And even today it is one of their most popular songs. It’s an all-out brawl for this band’s identity and a fight you’re not gonna want to miss… NEXT on the Professor of Rock. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Coming up… an interview with the mysterious disappearing rocker of the 80s. John Parr had a massive #1 hit in the mid-80s… a song he co-wrote and recorded in less than a day… St Elmos Fire (Man in Motion) was to be the theme to a big movie the Brat Pack 80s coming-of-age film St Elmos Fire. but he actually wrote the song about an inspirational journey that was being forged at the time by a disabled man. The song was going to be a frontrunner for the Oscar that year but it was pulled from contention over its connection to this everyday hero. It ended up helping to raise millions of dollars and awareness for spinal injuries… Then at the height of his career, this rocker was betrayed by someone in his inner circle and litigation stopped him from making music for almost 18 years…during this time he disappeared from the spotlight and worked a regular job to raise his kids. Up next, an interview with this 80s icon. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

It’s a track that slowly builds energy, perseverance, & resolve. It’s a Frankenstein song… with 3 completely different songs stitched together AND IT’S THE Only song in Fleetwood Mac’s legendary career where all 5 members created it The Chain from the 1977 masterpiece Rumours. By the time you hear its exhilarating crescendo, you feel as if you can conquer ANYTHING... Even a devastating, soul-crushing breakup. Which is what this song did. Christine McVie, Stevie Nicks, Mick Fleetwood, Lindsey Buckingham, and John McVie were about to self-destruct. The Chain actually stopped one of the world’s greatest bands from breaking up at their peak. If it weren’t for this song we would’ve missed out on six huge albums and 11 major hits. And to think it was never released as a single. Up next, the story of this 70s classic on Professor of Rock. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

It’s the rise and fall of one of the most controversial bands of the 80s… Frankie Goes To Hollywood a band that many here in the US think of as a one-hit wonder. But that couldn’t be further from the truth. These guys killed it around the world, even notching three #1 hits in the UK in one year. Relax, Two Tribes and the Power of Love… Relax stirred up a firestorm of controversy. As DJs listened to the lyrics, they soon realized this track was far from family-friendly. And the song’s music video wasn’t exactly rated PG either. Soon it was banned on the airwaves and on TV. But it still skyrocketed up the charts anyway. Here in the US, we missed all that. But you know what we didn’t miss? The MERCH….Americans everywhere wore this group’s swag more than any other band. The Frankie Say Relax... Get the story of this blacklisted 80s band, Frankie Goes to Hollywood with Holly Johnson as lead singer. and their rise to the top, and their sudden disappearance… NEXT on Professor of Rock. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Coming up, the story behind one of the many genius tracks created by one of the most shy and reluctant stars of the Rock Era. Jeff Lynne ELO otherwise known as Electric Light Orchestra. The lyrics of this international hit have spawned very emotional interpretations. See if you can guess what the real answer is. Was their 70s classic Livin’ Thing written about the suicide of a former bandmate, was it written about Saving the Whales… Was it written about a bad bout of dysentery, some swear it's a crusade against abortion, and then others are convinced that the song is about a relationship…Try and guess once you hear the song and we will solve it. It’s a song that opened the door for the genius leader of this band to meet his heroes and work with them when they got back together. Let’s 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.

In 1967, the illustrious Summer of Love, A psychedelic sunshine pop standard, hit number one on the US charts, Incense and Peppermints by Strawberry Alarm Clock but the song was cloaked in controversy, first of all, it was supposed to be a B-SIDE, then it was found that the song was allegedly based off of an instrumental idea from two of the band members who given credit. One Ed King, who would go on to help compose Sweet Home Alabama in Lynyrd Skynyrd… Then when the band was recording it, they hated the lyrics so no one in the band wanted to sing them, amazingly they were sung by a friend of the band, a 16-year-old kid who happened to be at the recording as a guest! Up next we get the story from An interview with the cofounder of this mystery band, Mark Weitz on Professor of Rock. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

It’s a song with a storied history and a bittersweet legacy. But you’d never know just listening to it. That’s because this is one of those happy-go-lucky pop tunes we were all singing along with back in the 80s. However, in the studio and behind the scenes… it was a different story. Walk Like An Egyptian by the Bangles. This song was actually the catalyst for this band’s breakup. It all fell apart when their producer forced each member to audition to sing on the song… their own song! With four musicians and just three verses… I’m sure you can do the math. Someone was getting the shaft. And then there was the music video, which has this iconic moment, that all of us remember. Susanna Hoffs and the iconic eye roll that made every boy a man... A moment that turned one of the singers into America’s sweetheart and left the others out in the cold. With the press and fans calling her the band’s lead singer, things got ugly fast. Stick around to find out if there is any way this divisive track could have a happy ending. 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 the story of a song that was written on a bet… Graham Nash was staying with a friend in Hawaii and was getting ready to leave the island to go home when his friend said if you’re such a big shot songwriter let’s see if you can write a song before you go… I’ll BET you 500 bucks you can’t… Well needless to say he wrote a song quickly and let’s just say he won the bet… oh ya and it also became his legendary group Crosby Stills & Nash’s biggest hit… Up next in an exclusive interview, this legend shares the story… as well as the story of their classic hit Our House 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.

Sammy Hagar was in Montrose. At the time they were called America’s answer to Led Zeppelin and it wasn’t even the biggest band he’d be a part of…. Since he joined Van Halen years later. Up next one of the greatest voices in rock history, the red rocker tells the story behind his biggest solo hit… I Can’t Drive 55 is a song that became a catchphrase in the 80s and came from getting pulled over by the police… When the song came to him he was panicked to get to a paper and pen so that he could Write it down… It was a song that he knew would capture the public and in a way, it became an accidental protest song. A great interview coming up next on Professor of Rock. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Coming up... the story of a band on the brink of destruction. They had no direction, no identity, and no money. The Moody Blues lead singer & frontman had left the band, and in a last-ditch effort to save the group, the remaining founders hired a 19-year-old lead singer named Justin Hayward- hoping he would spark new life into their sagging future. After a late-night gig, Justin returned home to his one-room flat, sat on the edge of his bed, picked up an acoustic guitar, and wrote two verses and a chorus to a song that had been milling around in his head. He’d recently been dumped by a woman that he deeply loved, and although he had been in several relationships since the breakup still tore him up inside. Inspired by a posh but boring gift of bed sheets from a girl that he had briefly dated after his traumatic breakup, he wrote lyrics that unexpectedly progressed into the foundation of a song for the ages. Night in White Satin by the Moody Blues...It ended up being more than just a song…it was the precursor to a movement of prog rock in rock & roll history. The birth of a trailblazing, art rock classic is NEXT on Professor of Rock. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Today we’re talking supergroups. And in particular one of the most unexpected collaborations of the 1980s. Damn Yankees. This band featured three big-time names, coming out of three big-time careers… Jack Blades from Night Ranger, Ted Nugent, Tommy Shaw of Styx, and Michael Cartellone from Lynyrd Skynyrd. Starting completely from scratch, they wrote half an album their first weekend together as a band… including the massive hit Hight Enough. The only thing is two of them were sure their other bandmate was going to hate the demo. Kind of a rogue character, they were really freaked he would tear this song apart. Then a couple years later, with two successful albums in the bag, the music industry completely turned upside-down. And their label actually offered them $1 million dollars not to record a third album. Just to walk away. So crazy. Did they take the money? Or did they make the album anyway? I tell you, this band’s story is pretty damn good. Find out all the details NEXT on the Professor of Rock. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

So how much is too much of a good thing? Well, today’s artist Phil Collins may epitomize the answer. This radio titan got off to a strong start in the 70s, was pretty much everywhere in the 80s, and barely slowed down for the 90s. He took over an established band in the 70s in Genesis then in the 80s he doubled his output by kicking off an unrelenting solo career… Beyond that, he also tried his hand at producing and collaborating with many legends… which brings us to today’s track: a so-called side-project that became a surprise duet when the Phillip Bailey of Earth Wind and Fire, whom he was producing suggested they write one together. It came quickly and they created a rough demo…except when they came back the next day to record it, they realized the demo was perfect so they released it…the story of one of the catchiest songs of 1985 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.

In an exclusive interview, Mark Farner formerly of Grand Funk Railroad or just Grand Funk tells the story of a song the came to him while praying. I'm Your Captain (Closer to Home) became an all-time 70s rock classic even thought it was 10 minutes long. It was the opening shot that made Grand Funk Railroad a household name, later having major hits with We're an American Band and The Locomotion, this 3 piece rock band was so huge...they sold out Shea Stadium faster than the Beatles. They've had 13 gold and platinum records and were one of the biggest concert draws of the 70s and they are not in the rock and roll hall of fame. Mark Farner tells the story of the classic.in this in depth song documentary. 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 Cure were underground for years making music that the outcasts embraced but then all of a sudden in the late 80s they started getting played on mainstream radio… and then they had a #2 hit with Lovesong from their 1989 classic Disintegration. After that The band that was everybody’s secret became mainstream and then they released today’s song. Robert Smith and the Cure put out a catchy sing-along classic that had half their fans screaming sell out! Friday I’m In Love hit #1 on the Alternative airplay chart and crossed over to the pop charts. To many, it was just a feel-good happy ditty but when the band had been the harbingers of doom for over a decade it was hard to fathom… Today’s story raised the question is it called selling out or is mainstream popularity the unavoidable price for reaching new audiences? We’ll find out next on Professor of Rock. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Coming up, it’s a smash hit from a band that was absolutely hammered by the rock press… At the center of a smear campaign, they called ‘em knock-offs, copy-cats, clones… And they were accused of being derivative of other popular bands at the time. Stone Temple Pilots took a lot of flack... But it was completely unwarranted… and untrue. In fact, in one Rolling Stone poll, STP was voted the worst new band by critics, and the best new band by readers….but It was the fans that got it right. This band was hugely popular. And their breakthrough song… PLUSH was a commercial monster, ruling the rock airwaves and MTV. Written in a hot tub, this mysterious track was inspired by a tragic kidnapping and murder, but its meaning is still something of a mystery. For decades, fans have tried to unravel its imagery… A classic by Scott Weiland….Smelling dogs, stolen masks, storms in your bedroom. See if you can figure out what it means. 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. IN 1984 a film starring SNL alumni Bill Murray and Dan Ackroyd called Ghostbusters needed a theme song badly but scores of artists had tried or been approached but nothing was working. Ray Parker Jr. came in with just days to go before the song was due… but he had nothing and he had the challenge of fitting the strange and very long movie title into the chorus. But what rhymes with Ghostbusters??? Well one night at 3 in the morning Ray Parker was watching TV half awake when a pest control ad came and right there the song’s genesis came to him… the idea became one of the most recognizable songs ever.. this artist tells the story next on professor of rock Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Coming up, it’s a musical genius who was in the room for some of the biggest chapters in rock history: Alan Parsons. He was with Pink Floyd on their landmark album The Dark Side of the Moon and the Beatles on several of their masterworks including Abby Road. It doesn’t get any bigger than that. But you know what? This prodigy wrote a mind-blowing chapter of his own. Masterminding an unprecedented rock experiment, he not only gave us some of the most thought-provoking albums of the 70s and 80s but also one of the era’s most iconic tracks… Eye in the Sky a song that has provoked a lot of speculation about its meaning. Is it about Big Brother? A dystopian future? Gambling? Or maybe it’s a break-up song… Plus, get the story of the copycat song that has been called a nothing more than “lazy rip-off” of this epic track we get the story straight form the genius himself 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 was the biggest song of 1980, by a band that defied all classification. Blondie. I mean you just couldn’t put this band in a box. With connections to new wave, rock, punk, disco, reggae, and r&b, you never knew what you were going to get with Blondie. Versatile and experimental, they were musical chameleons. So it’s no surprise that they jumped at the chance to try something new when the opportunity came knocking… Even if they were the 2nd choice...the chance to headline a movie soundtrack with a completely new sound. Call Me became a 6-week #1 smash. Enter an eccentric Italian producer named Giorgio Moroder who worked tirelessly; to write the perfect song for this band… only Blondie's phenomenal front-woman Deborah Harry liked the music but re-wrote the lyrics on the fly after watching a rough cut of this movie. As you’ll find out, the song was better than the movie. In the end, though, the song was put on the soundtrack and not this band’s new album denying them millions of album sales... Find out why 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 last musical will and testament of an all-time legend. Jim Morrison of the Doors! Taken from the planet at the age of 27… Today’s song, Riders on the Storm was nearly as haunting as his death… It’s a sinister and mystical epic about a spree killer that has some incredible insight into the artist who created it as well as the human psyche. After lighting up the world with Break on Through and Light My Fire the Doors took their mystical rock to a new level of brilliance, but at what cost? We break down the epic rock track and the 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.

The story of Glam Metal band Warrant and their MASSIVE 1990 Hit Cherry Pie! Written by lead singer Jani Lane. The song may've been a curse. Jani said as much himself.. It was also one of the last big hits of the Glam Metal genre that towered over the 80s. It may have been the song that ended the genre, coming at a time that GRUNGE took over and obliterated the excess of the music and the neon decade. Current Warrant band members Erik Turner and Joey Allen tell the story of writing and recording Cherry Pie and its impact on the time! 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 electrifying tale about a fateful encounter between a musical prodigy and the devil himself. Set against the backdrop of the American South, the encounter boldly turns into a fiery, foot-stomping duel known as The Devil Went Down to Georgia by The Charlie Daniels Band. A musician’s life is on the line. In the 80s classic hit, if he loses the bout, the devil gets his soul forever! It’s an epic battle of good vs. evil, a southern rock country fiddle classic, and an irresistible blend of story-telling and musical prowess in a classic song that crossed over to every genre and generation and had a swear word you didn’t normally hear on radio… NEXT on Professor of Rock. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Coming up, an interview with an artist who is on the shortlist of greatest singers ever. Part 2 of our sit down with Paul Rodgers who made his bones with many huge rock bands from Free to Bad Company to The Firm. Paul Rodgers killed it with every band he was in. In fact, he is one of a few artists in rock history to sing and write a top 5 hit with 4 different bands. Today he tells the story of a song that was so atmospheric and cool that the band drug all their recording equipment out to the middle of a field at night in the moonlight. It took hours to get everything hooked up, this was the 70s so it was difficult and Paul nailed it in 1 take. The name of the song would become the name of the band: Bad Company. He tells 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.

It’s arguably the greatest duet ever recorded and well it almost didn’t happen. Under Pressure by Queen and David Bowie. So First of all the iconic bass riff that galvanized the song was forgotten after the musicians took a dinner break… Then David Bowie almost blocked it from release because he was unhappy with it. the unorthodox structure of the duet came from every member of Queen including Freddie Mercury and David Bowie getting in separate vocal booths and singing improv without hearing what each other was singing… In the end, it fit like a glove… Then it wasn’t even a hit in America until the famous bass riff was Stolen by rapper Vanilla Ice in his song Ice, Ice Baby a decade after it was released reminding everyone of its sonic brilliance. The story behind this one is too good to be true. Yet it 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, Eagles were the most popular band in the world when they released the landmark 70s album Hotel California... It became a #1 hit and made them even bigger with 2 huge hits, the title track and New Kid In Town… Don Henley and Glenn Frey and company were on fire... the irony here is that this #1 song was the band singing about getting replaced by an up and coming artist and becoming forgotten. Next one of the legendary songwriters behind New Kid In Town, JD Souther who co-wrote 3 of the Eagles' #1 hits, tells us the anxiety and pressure the band had trying to maintain their top-of-the-charts status and we’ll find out if they remained on top or faded away… 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 backstory of today’s classic rock epic reads like the front page of The National Enquirer. Another Brick In The Wall by Pink Floyd from their landmark record The Wall but at first it was only a minute long and musically it was a little boring… it would take producer Bob Ezrin's secret mission and a fair amount of subterfuge to turn this Another Brick In the Wall to into the monster anthem it is today. With Roger Waters's prophetic lyrics and David Gilmour’s Disco guitar riff... It’s the tale of one of the most controversial songs ever to reach #1 on the Billboard Hot 100. And you’re not going to believe just how controversial it was. 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.

Many have speculated on the real story behind this historic 70s classic. Peg by Steely Dan is an all-time. But the duo of Donald Fagen and Walter Becker have been famously tight-lipped about it. Well, today we try to solve this mystery from the two foremost perfectionists of modern music. The song is historic for myriad reasons. It contained 40 of the greatest musicians in the world. It introduced the world to one of music’s most legendary singers in Micheal McDonald who actually sang backup on it and to top it all off they had 7 of the top session guitarists record the iconic solo before they chose the one that made the cut and then he had to play if for 6 hours before the band was satisfied… a band that was once called sociopaths masquerading as benign dictators. 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 Good Lovin’ by the Young Rascals or later known as just the Rascals. Every now and again you hear a song that has so much magic, you know it’s gonna be a smash. Here's the story of this rock classic from an interview with Felix Cavaliere the lead singer and keyboardist of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame band. The song explodes in the first 3 seconds and hooks you. The #1 hit story 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.

Written in just 10 minutes, today’s songwriting virtuoso, Elton John had this landmark track ready to go before his bandmates woke up for breakfast… Staying in a haunted 18th-century mansion at the time, Elton John and his band were out to write the album of their lives and they did…when this album and this song launched they darted to #1 Honkey Chateau and his 70s classic Rocket Man. But as it was rising on the charts the accusations started to fly… Was this song a rip-off of another iconic track? Namely David Bowie’s Space Oddity. It’s an allegation the duo of Elton John and Bernie Taupin strongly denied. However, they did admit that it was heavily influenced by a completely different song. But despite its origins, this anthem was destined to become a standard… It’s gonna be a long, long time before we ever hear anything like this again. 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… a 70s classic that has one of the most iconic opening lines of the decade… Sign says long-haired freaky people need not apply was a happy accident The song came to singer Les Emmerson of Five Man Electrical Band when he was cruising on Route 66 and saw all of these billboards advertising different things in the middle of nature. It was actually obscuring mother nature and Les wondered where these rules came from so he wrote a 70s classic protest song... the song was actually a B-side until DJs flipped the record over and started playing it. It became a massive hit thereafter with a great message. Up next the surviving members of the bands give 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.

Skinny ties and mullets… A quirky band named the Cars with two singers (Ric Ocasek and Benjamin Orr) who split the difference between rock and new wave and power pop. They sabotaged radio with their 1978 song that seemed to start the 80s off two years early. Just What I Need became the ultimate Singalong classic. The character in the song is a little unhinged but the chorus is so catchy and relatable it was tailor-made for ad campaigns that would follow for decades after… The story of a song that opened the floodgates for a band every social circle loved but didn’t sound like anybody else… 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.

Bad Moon Rising, written by John Fogerty of Creedence Clearwater Revival was released in 1969… It stands as a timeless musical monument to one of the most turbulent periods in American history. The classic swamp rock song encapsulates the fear & uncertainty that characterized an era of social upheaval, political unrest, and cultural shifts. It came from a very strange place, to say the least. It also contains one of the funniest and most famous misheard and misquoted lyrics ever. Let’s delve into the historical and cultural context surrounding the creation of this classic rock standard that became an anthem for a generation caught in the crosscurrents of change… 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.

Dangerous, volatile, and even outright destructive, today’s band is what rock is all about. Guns N’ Roses Broke onto the scene in the mid-80s, their hard-hitting music and reputation absolutely freaked out the media establishment… Radio refused to play their 1987 Masterpiece Appetite for Destruction, they were blacklisted by MTV, oh and parents confiscated what few tapes actually got sold… As unbelievably talented as these guys were, their music was never going to see the light of day. But just as their label was about to give up on them, one never-say-die A&R man threw up a Hail Mary called Welcome to the Jungle. He begged his boss to call in a favor to MTV and this band’s video of Welcome to the Jungle was given one solitary play on the channel… in the worst possible time slot. would it work? Find out the all-time rock and Roll Underdog story of a band that went from never heard of ‘em to the biggest debut album ever. 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.

We’re heading back to the Summer of 1985, to immerse ourselves in song so saturated with nostalgia euphoria that you may never want to take it off repeat. Summer of 69 by Bryan Adams. It was an up-tempo rocker and a legitimate rite of passage for every 80s kid. But I have to admit that it doesn’t mean what I thought it did when I was growing up. For years people have debated its message. Bryan Adams wrote it with longtime partner Jim Vallance for his 1984 classic album Reckless. Actually the song title was supposed to be a temporary lyrics meant as a joke… They kept it in though and it became an 80s smash. Does it reference a specific year in history? Or is it simply about getting some summer lovin’? Let’s see… This episode will have you longing for “the best days of your life.” NEXT on they Professor of Rock. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

A hit song can come from anywhere… a billboard, a magazine cover, a summer romance, a TV evangelist, or… maybe the idea for a song could come from a cheap bottle of wine. The incomparable Neil Diamond has written a song about ALL of the sources I just mentioned. One never knows where & when imagination will strike, and that’s what makes the backstory of the 70s classic Cracklin’ Rosie so cool. Let me take you on a little journey back to the late 60s to show you what I mean. Come on board and take a ride with me to the outer reaches of northern Canada to discover the origin of this feel good classic you’ve sung THOUSANDS of times and have had the meaning wrong the whole time! …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 rock’s most legendary singers… Robert Plant, Freddie Mercury, Ann Wilson of Heart, they’ve all cited him as the great one. I’m talking about Paul Rodgers… The man who helmed Free and Bad Company and the Firm with Jimmy Page. Paul tells us the story behind arguably his most iconic song…Alright Now by Free It took radio by storm and according to stats it’s played about every 45 seconds in this country! It came after the band played a horrible gig where only 30 people showed up and didn’t notice the band at all. They needed something that would wow the crowd and take them to the next level. They were so determined they wrote the song in about 10 minutes and the next thing they knew they were playing it at a gig in front of 600k people Find out the details of this classic from the legend who created it, next on Professor of Rock. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Coming up... this song was written to be part of a rock opera that legendary guitarist Pete Townshend of the Who wanted to make into a film but he couldn’t get it off the ground so he threw it on his band’s next album which happened to be the all time classic Who’s Next! It became one of the most powerful rock anthems ever. So powerful that the legend’s iconic scream was so piercing when the band first heard it they thought their singer Roger Daltrey had gotten into a fistfight with the engineer. It’s a song that is about a revolution but unfortunately, life has now imitated art because the lesson in this song has still not been learned 50 years later… We need to figure this out now! The story of the 70s classic Won’t Get Fooled Again by the Who 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.

The first 500 people to use our link: https://skl.sh/professorofrock1023 will get access to one of Skillshare’s best offers: 30 days free AND 40% off your first year of Skillshare membership! It’s a song that would spawn hundreds upon hundreds of clones… LITERALLY...I’m telling you everyone wanted to be just like AC/DC's fire-breathing guitarist Angus Young...Everyone wanted to sound like him, and yes, even dress like him. And you know what? That was a good thing. Because at this point in AC/DC's career, their commercial prospects were steadily declining. But then everything turned around with a surprise invitation from one of their biggest fans… who was also America’s most iconic author, Stephen King… He was diving into his big-screen directorial debut and wanted them to play the soundtrack to his film Maximum Overdrive. Now the movie wasn’t exactly Oscar material. But its headlining track, Who Made Who...that was something else entirely. It absolutely rocked. And it jumpstarted this band’s career after 3 rough albums. This is going to be a good one. The story is coming up… NEXT on the Professor of Rock. Brought to you by Skillshare. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

What do Queen’s We Will Rock You, The Beatles’ Come Together, Aerosmith’s Walk This Way, and AC/DC’s Back in Black all have in common? Well, today’s featured song Pour Some Sugar On Me by Def Leppard. Each of these songs played a role in the creation of this 11th-hour hybrid track. Actually, Joe Elliot didn’t think it was worth recording. And just wanted to save it for the next album. I mean, Def Leppard had been in the studio for years working on Hysteria and were ready to be done. But when their producer Mutt Lange heard him playing it, he said that they had to do it. HAD TO… It was the best hook he’d heard in 5 years. IT WAS THE RIGHT CALL. Because IT BECAME the most important track on the record...it saved the album from being a failure and turned it into a blockbuster it single-handedly turned everything around. So “Step inside…” join us for 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 pioneers of Thrash Metal: Anthrax... In our exclusive interview, we’ll find out why guitarist Scott Ian from Anthrax’s classic 1985 music video for Madhouse was banned by the suits at MTV. And how a Stephen King book inspired their next 80s classic record. And how a failed duet called I’m the Man with the Beastie Boys became their breakout hit when they had to do it on their own. All of this is Next on Professor of Rock. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Coming up….the saga of how a teenage girl at a clothing store completely bewitched a journeyman lead singer- Who wrote a song just minutes after meeting her that would become the fastest-selling debut single since the Beatles… The story of MY SHARONA by The Knack. This song eventually outdid them with 10 million copies sold. Times were good for The Knack with Doug Fieger...they had the #1 song of 1979 and this girl Sharona broke up with her boyfriend to be with Knack singer Doug Feiger but then just as quickly as their fortunes rose they fell… By 1982 the band vanished from the charts forever and Sharona broke up with the singer. Find out what happened to the band and the girl in from a song that is really the Halley’s Comet of rock, next on Professor of Rock.” Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Sometimes you just gotta kick back and let it rock. And that’s what today’s song is all about. One of the 80s’ ultimate party anthems, Poison and their hit Nothing But a Good Time is a high-octane antidote for the daily grind. But even though it nearly reached the top of the charts and anchored a multi-platinum record with Open Up and Say Ah!, this song actually came from humble beginnings. Living in a hole-in-the-wall warehouse, complete with cockroaches, this band was really slumming it. But at the same time, they were hustling hard. With an unrelenting work ethic for promotion their band they hit the streets and clubs of LA… determined to make a name for themselves. They even tried to hijack Van Halen and Motley Crue fans out in the parking lot before their shows. These guys would stop at nothing to make the big time. It was platinum or bust for Bret Michaels, CC DeVille, and Poison … But either way, these guys were determined to enjoy every minute of it. 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.

There’ve been hundreds of hits based on the apotheosis baby I made a horrible mistake and I want you back but this one is the king of all those songs…a 70s classic as told by the singer. He wrote it when his wife walked out on him… after he wrote it he knew it was A #1 hit He was so sure he guaranteed the record label… Well, he was right and decades later it’s still one of the biggest songs ever with every generation. The song was helped by a huge pause right before the chorus that made the ending of this song legendary find out the story next on Professor of Rock. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

They’re one of the greatest Duos ever. A rare and unique pairing that comes along maybe once a generation. Paul Simon and Art Garfunkel…AKA Simon and Garfunkel… Over the span of half a decade, they became so popular that at one point their records owned the top 3 spots on the US Albums chart. Sadly, however, this partnership didn’t last. Fraught with jealousy and bitterness, their relationship came to a passive-aggressive climax with the final song they recorded for their final album. Bridge Over Troubled Water became a #1 hit and a wedge between them. After the song’s writer Paul Simon gave it to Art to sing, he soon came to regret it. It was blowing up and legions of fans were cheering for his partner. Infuriated, Simon wished he had kept it for himself. Soon after, the two were irreconcilable. Find out how this song put the final nail in the coffin of this iconic partnership… NEXT on the Professor of Rock. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Coming up, the story of the epic 70s rock track with so many dramatic subplots, it should’ve been made into a full feature bio-pic- like Bohemian Rhapsody or Walk the Line. Derek and the Dominos classic Layla The roots of Layla go back to the the writings of a romantic tragedy by a 12th century poet that was a foreshadowing to Romeo & Juliet. Hundreds of years later, an adaptation of his work found its way to an all-time legend…Eric Clapton... a man who stole his best friend George Harrison’s wife! and that’s just the start... of a song shrouded in murder, drug abuse, tragedy, and despair. The tangled web of one of the all-time greatest songs of the Rock Era is NEXT on Professor of Rock... and it’s a doozy. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Coming up a song that has become a classic rock standard and one that started it all for one of the greatest American rock bands in history... Journey… The song? Wheel In the Sky from their 70s classic album infinity... To think it wouldn’t have happened if the road manager hadn’t insisted on pulling the tour van over to get a candy bar.. or Take a piss, depending on the story! At the time the young virtuoso Neal Schon pulled out his guitar and created a riff that would live on radio forever but it also needed a legendary vocal and 2 different singers would end up recording it. Robert Fleischman, and a young kid named Steve Perry. Find out what version got released as the iconic guitarist and founder tells us the amazing story in an exclusive interview next of 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.

Glam Metal band Europe wrote a keyboard instrumental to be the opening music for their live shows…to play while they were walking out on stage… Then half the band HATED it…and they actually shelved it for 5 years. Then they needed a song for their next album and dusted it off thinking it would be no more than a filler track. It not only became their signature song.. it became a stadium rock anthem that would rule our culture and it’s still killing it. The story of Europe and their hit the Final Countdown that ruled 1986 and 1987. 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 interesting how a band can blow up on the other side of the pond in the UK and be one of the most renowned bands of it’s time and then over here in the States are just a one-hit wonder… Well, today’s band and song are a lot more than that! The band Madness were trailblazers in their native England with 30 top 40 hits over the course of the 70s 80s and 90s with 17 of those going to the top 10. In America, they conquered the charts in 1983 with their only hit stateside but it was a big one. Our House by Madness was a monster smash. It’s a classic we all still sing along to pretty much every week. Madness is a band where every member came from a working-class family trapped in cramped quarters and several members even had criminal records before they hit the big time. It’s a compelling story of a band of brothers who rose above poverty and crime to create a musical movement that changed everything. We break down this sentimental classic by the “working man’s Pink Floyd"…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.