Professor of Rock

Coming up the story of the monumental #1 hit the Age of Aquarius/Let the Sunshine one of the biggest #1 hit of 1969 by the 5th Dimension… It’s definitely a song that defined it’s time. today we have an exclusive interview from two important former members of the group, Billy Davis Jr and Marilyn McCoo. … It all happened because Billy accidentally left his wallet in a new york taxi cab…. He realized this when he got to hit hotel room and his wife said well you’ll never see that again… they they got a call some time later from an honest stranger who found the wallet and wanted to return it… The stranger happened to be a big broadway producer and would invite the two of them to see the hit musical HAIR. As soon as the two of them heard the Age go Aquarius they knew they had to record it. So an act of honestly led to a magical song that has changed the world. It swept the Grammies and we still sing this ditty everyday... Find out how it came together 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.

One of the coolest and lesser known stories in rock history. Drummer Keni Richards used to be David Lee Roth’s jogging buddy One day Diamond Dave asked him what he was up to and Keni showed him a demo of the band he was in. DLR wasn’t impressed. Keni then showed him a demo tape of a bunch of his drinking buddies who jammed together on the weekends.. They weren’t even a band.. Diamond Dave love the sound that offered the non existent band a slot to open for Van Halen on their 1984 tour. Keni was ecstatic. So they put together the band officially and decided to name it Autograph comprised of lead singer Steve Plunkett and tapping genius guitarist Steve Lynch. But Lynch was told that he could use his tapping style while on tour with Van Halen because that was Eddie Van Halen’s thing. As the make shift band came together and played they got better and better and ended up getting a record deal which lead to writing one of the 80s best hard rock songs.. Turn up the Radio. Only Autograph had to fight to get it released as the label didn’t believe in it. Then they had to sell out a little without he music video which was sponsored by paper mate and one of the most obvious product placement videos ever. The song was a smash as Autograph had a built in pedigree for radio with it’s call to action and recorded version for stations… This was a band on fire and then they never had another hit. They are now remembered as a one hit wonder but they deserved better. We find out where the band is now. Hint: the band is still going but does’ have any original members. 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 1986 Level 42 was coming off one of the best songs of the 80s in Something About You. which went to the top ten on both sides of the Atlantic and the double platinum album World Machine. The trick now was figuring out how to do it again. the struggle for every musician. Repeating success in the 80s wonderland of blissful and magnetic rock and pop spectacles was not an easy feat. Fortunately singer bassist Mark King and falsetto singer and keyboardist Mike Lindup were up to the task coming up with a song that nearly matched its success in America and actually bettered it every where else including going to #1 in 5 other countries. the story of the 80s classic Lessons in Love from the album Running in the Family . Up next co-founding member Mike Lindup shares the in depth story of this undeniable 1987 hit that you may’ve forgotten about but will be delighted to rediscover. 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 renowned rock front Ed Roland of Collective Soul gives us the skinny on his band’s first number one hit Shine that came years before... He was visiting his parents and his kid brother Dean who was only 15 was messing around with a riff.. Ed loved it and finished the song on the spot…5 years later it would be the biggest rock song of the year in 1994… the brothers would later elaborate calling the chorus a prayer… a rock and roll prayer and a few years later one of the greatest legends of last 50 years, Dolly Parton would record a very strange but cool version.. How Collective Soul became the best of the post grunge era… Critics said they were copy cats of the grunge genre but they wrote this #1 hit years before the genre blew up...The interview is next on professor for rock. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Coming up this 70s rock band ruled radio on their first release… Green Eyed Lady by the band Sugarloaf flew out of the gates as an irresistible ditty fronted by a sensational bass line and mysterious lyrics about a beautiful lady that took the band to the top of the charts quickly. But then the band fell apart. Then they lost their record deal.. Not once but TWICE! Desperate to overcome being labeled a one hit wonder the band reformed and recorded at a friend’s studio. They did a song about the real struggle of trying to get the record label to notice them and the cut throat experience they battled through to get That first and only hit. It worked! The song Don’t Call us We’ll Call you gave them another hit but would they be able to turn that momentum into long term success or fade away again. an original surviving band member, Guitarist Bob Webber tells us both the story of these 2 hits. Singer Jerry Corbetta passed away several years back leaving Bob to tell us the history. 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.

Merry Christmas from Professor for Rock! Today we have a special gift for you from our friend the 3rd biggest selling male artist of the 20th century behind only Elvis Presley and Frank Sinatra… He tells the story behind his classic Christmas record as well as the magical story behind his #1 hit Chances Are! The first time he heard it on the radio he almost wrecked his car he was son excited. 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 is one of the most tragic tales of the rock era. Band leader Syd Barrett fronted Pink Floyd for a time and then cracked under the pressure. Whether it was due to excessive drug abuse, a preexisting mental illness, or psychological strain its not entirely clear. However the band was forced to go without him. But his memory would haunt the band members Rogers Waters and David Gilmour ever after, and cast a shadow over some of their greatest work including The 70s opus the Dark Side of the Moon. with would spend almost 20 years on the charts and become one of the biggest albums ever. Today, we are taking a deep dive into the classic rock standard Brain Damage and Eclipse the phenomenal album’s ending that was inspired by these events. 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 in-depth story of one of the biggest selling singles of all time. The only 80s song to hit #1 four different times … Do They Know It’s Christmas by Band Aid was put tother by Bob Geldof and Midge Ure to fight starvation in africa. Geldof saw the famine on television and knew he had to do something do ha assembled an A list team to record a song that he hoped could generate millions for relief. Everyone from Sting to George Michal to Duran Duran, Boy George, Spandau Ballet, Bono of U2, Phil Collins and many more. Up next an exclusive mini Documentary on the story of the song with co-writer and creator Midge Ure of UltraVox as well as interviews with 80s icons Paul Young, Tony Hadley formerly of Spandau Ballet. Four different versions of the song have went to #1 in the UK. The heart felt story is told in this new mini-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.

Today it’s the origin story of one of rock’s best drummers and how a failed pilgrimage to England brought him face to face with destiny. Neil Peart struggled to make it for years. He even felt his audition for Rush was a disaster. Geddy Lee like him but Alex Lifeson originally didn’t think the mighty Neil was cool enough for the band. Neil went from being a high school dropout to one of rock’s finest and most cerebral lyricist. Today we break down the first song that the power trio wrote together as the classic lineup of Rush in the 70s, Fly By Night from the legendary album. How the three of them came together with this classic prog rock record to forge a new path and give the world new insight into what it means to be truly elite. 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 their first massive hit in America. it kicked open the door and let people know that they were here to stay leading to them being one of the biggest bands of the last half of the 80s… INXS and their top 5 hit What You Need ruled MTV with it’s innovative music video that won many awards and get this they made it for just 200 bucks.. After Michael Hutchence and Andrew Farris wrote the song and it became such a huge hit, Andrew says that he and Michael felt a lot of pressure to follow up it up with a massive Hit. He says they both worried that What You Need Was their peak so they dug down deep and approached their next album with the idea that every song would be a hit. That’s where the #1 1987 album Kick came from...up next the co-founder and cowriter of this legendary band Andrew Farris tells us the rest of the story. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

COMING UP… one of the coolest stories you’ll ever hear about a #1 song… First of all the singer Brad Arnold wrote it when he was 15 in math class in about 10 minutes. Then he begged his local radio station to play it and then it was the most requested song on the station for months… then a few months later they were playing next to the giants of rocks… The story of Kryptonite by 3 Doors Down is so unbelievable you’ll think they made it up! The song went #1 on 3 different charts. Next this band tells the amazing story and I’ll tell you if you aren’t a fan You will be after this interview. Two of the nicest guys in all of music. Here’s the story of song that has sold 5 million copies and been streamed over a billion times! 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 absolute legend … Randy Bachman who made up a big part of two bands in the 60s and 70s… The Guess Who and Bachman Turner Overdrive or BTO... He’s written or co written some of the greatest classic rock standards ever as one of the only artists with a #1 hit with 2 different bands… The only other person to do that… Paul McCartney…Next He tells the story of recording a song as a total joke….. He wrote and recorded a #1 70s rocker to play a practical joke on his brother… But when a label executive didn’t hear any hits on his band’s new record, out of desperation A BAND MEMBER talked him into playing the joke song and the EXEC knew it was a smash. the only problem was that this singer songwriter didn’t want to release it Up next is legend tells the hilarious story of a classic rock standard on professor of rock. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In the early 80s this Survivor co-founder Jim Peterik came home for Lunch and checked his answering machine. He couldn’t believe his ears, Sylvester Stallone asked him to call him right back. He thought it was someone trying to prank him. but when he called back it was really him… Sly Stallone wanted unknown band Survivor to write the Anthem to a sequel to one of the greatest franchises ever, Rocky 3-apparently Queen had turned down the use of their #1 hit Another Bites the Dust… In a very fun interview, Jim tells us how he and Frankie Sullivan wrote the Eye of the Tiger for the opening montage and went to #1 for 6 weeks because Stallone was willing to give his rookie band the chance even though they’d never had a hit. How they created the perfect 80s classic rock anthem that still rules. 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 one of the most notoriously misheard lyrics in rock history. A line that was supposed to be referring to a Hot Rod, has instead confused generations of listeners because it sounds like a reference to a feminine hygiene product. Revved Up Like Douche…was supposed to be Revved up like a deuce... Yeah, no joke. Manfred Mann’s Earth Band took legend Bruce Springteen’s first single and turned it into a Billboard #1 hit. And it is the garbled delivery of that cover version of the song that is the culprit. because Sprinsteen’s original failed to chart, it’s feminine-health counterpart rocked the charts….Shaking his head in disbelief, the Springsteen joked that the public had spoken. Get the story behind the song and find out what the real lyrics actually say… 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 an exclusive interview with a cofounding member of the classic 70s and 80s group Little River Band. Graeham Goble who wrote and arranged the most played song in American history by an Australian band or artist…Reminiscing. The song went to #3 in the billboard charts in 1978. Since then it’s been played almost 6 million times on radio. There’ve been a lot of great australian artists over the years…right? AC/DC, INXS, Nick Cave, The Church, Olivia Newton John, Rick Springfield... and on and on and Little River Band or LRB as many know them by have the top song ever by an Aussie and the song almost got thrown out.. They couldn’t get the arrangement to work and were about to move on after trying to record it 2 separate times … Goble talked them into trying it just one more time and someone that wasn’t even in the band is the one who figure out how to make it work… also Beatle John Lennon said it was one of his favorite songs…. 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.

Legendary 70s singer guitarist Mark Farner formerly of Grand Funk Railroad or just Grand Funk as they came to be known, tells The wild story of the 70s classic rock staple We’re An American Band! A song that every fledgling bar band has covered on their way up. A staple of the Classic Rock Canon. First of all he recorded it with a broken nose… and he co wrote the song with the drummer but he says out of the goodness of his heart, he allowed the drummer to have the sole writing credit which has ended up costing him millions We get the real story behind an urban legend that’s been floated for years. In 1971 Grand Funk sold out Shea stadium faster than the beatles and has been snubbed by the rock and roll hall of fame for decades the interview is next on professor of rock. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Coming up the two principals from an 80 rock band that is a true mystery… Wally Palmer and Mike Skill of the Romantics explain their 1983 #1 hit Talking In Your Sleep… First of all they had two huge hits that everyone knows… Talking in Your Sleep and What I Like About You...Only What I Like About You wasn’t actually a hit. It was sung by the drummer and got a lot of Mtv and radio play but stalled at #49 Then Talking in Your Sleep went to #1 in 1984 and in addition it was top 3 on all of the charts. Dance, Rock and Pop... It seemed like they were poised for stardom, THEN they found out that their managers had been misappropriating the profits earned by the band from its records and live performance since day one and the lawsuit that followed kept the band from recording anything for over a decade…. Up next this band tells the story of their #1 hit and how they came back from an 11 year hiatus to reclaim their legacy.. 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 that reached the Top 5 all over the world and went to #1 in 8 different countries. It was also one of the early warning shots of the Second British Invasion. and the Human League frontman Phillip Oakey had only learned how to play an instrument months before And although Don’t you Want Me has gone down in history as one of the most pivotal tracks of the 80s, singer Phil Oakey actually hated it. Hoping that no one would ever hear it, he made sure it was the last track on the album and begged his label not to release it. But it wasn’t enough. The song was pure pop gold and they weren’t going to pass on a surefire hit. It’s the story of one of the greatest new wave songs ever by one of the most influential synth pop 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 some call it the greatest power ballad ever recorded.. Faithfully by Journey. It was one of the best songs of one of the best years in music history.. 1983. It was so universal and impactful that when Prince was writing his own power ballad Purple Rain, he was concerned that he may have subconsciously borrowed from it so he called the band to see what they thought… and even though the legendary guitarist Neal Schon and Super human lead singer Steve Perry figure prominently on this one, the song was actually written by the keyboardist Jonathan Cain from something real he was dealing with. Up next the keyboardist and guitarist of the rock hall of fame band give us the real story of a classic next on professor of rock . Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Today, it’s the origin story of an unrivaled rock band that was actually “this close” to never happening…Led Zeppelin almost didn’t work. At least not with the legendary lineup we’ve all come to revere. Rising from the ashes of another historic band, the Yardbirds young guitar virtuoso Jimmy Page dreamed of assembling the ultimate rock powerhouse… The only catch was, with a tour already booked, he only had a month to do it. Now he just needed to find three prodigies who could help him alter the rock’s sonic landscape forever... No problem, right? How Jimmy Page recruited John Bonham, Robert Plant and John Paul Jones and recored their 70s classic Good Times, Bad Times to make everyone forget about the Beatles breaking up and it only took 15 hours of rehearsal before they recorded their massive debut record that a critic once called weak… Didn’t matter, they became the heaviest band 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.

A tribute to the beautiful Christine McVie...She was the endearing “secret weapon” of the brilliant, yet treacherous supergroup Fleetwood …the enchanting songstress that illuminated natural beauty with a quiet, unpretentious confidence. Her bluesy, angelic voice mesmerized us, and the sincerity of her music inspired us with some of the greatest songs of the rock era… Like Everywhere, Don’t Stop, You Make Loving Fun, Little Lies, Songbird, Hold Me and her solo hit Got A Hold on Me… She was so underrated especially on Fleetwood Mac’s monumental album “Rumors”. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Up next a #1 hit that took 10 years to write. Kevin Cronin of Reo Speedwagon had the verses finished but he had been searching for the chorus for so long…He felt blocked. With pressure to write a hit for his band’s next album he scheduled a writing session with a famous contemporary but the morning of he canceled because he was physically sick! He was so frustrated that he stared cussing Screaming out to the muse! What is this song about! Just then it him like a ton of brick… up next he story of one of 80s greatest #1 hits Can’t Fight This Feeling by Reo Speedwagon with an exclusive interview and Kevin explains the cheesy, bubblegum lyric that’s he’s caught endless crap for! The story of an 80s power ballad. 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 Pearl Jam against the world when they were working on their follow up album to Ten that sold more copies that even Nirvana Nevermind in the early 90s. But as Eddie Vedder and co prepared for VS. their sophomore offering, they were tired of fame. They had planned on ten doing so well and they refused to do promotion of the album in terms of music videos etc… The album still hit #1. The signature song from the record called Daughter would actually start out with a different name and lyrics but Eddie Vedder really sunk his teeth into its message about child abuse and learning disabilities.. which had never been covered in a massive single before. Up next the story fo a 90s masterpiece. 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.

Legendary rock band Kansas was coming off of a huge single with Carry On Wayward Son and album with Leftoverture that established them as the one of the premier bands of the 70s as they were woking on their follow up their main songwriter Kerry Livgren was playing a fingerpicking exercise when his wife noticed and told him he should put lyrics to it. He did and wrote Dust in the Wind with lyrics that go back to Genesis in the Bible making it 6000 years old. The next day he was reticent to show the band this song since it was a ballad and totally opposite to what they were about. but as soon as he showed them they knew it had to be their next single. It became their only top 10 hit and in the interview next original guitarist and founding member Rich Willams tells how the song was such an ordeal it made his fingers bleed and how Steve Walsh made it flow… with special guests on how the 70s rock classic has changed everything. 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 lawsuit with a corrupt label stopped rock band Boston from releasing anything for 8 years. After ruling the late 70s with hits like More Than A Feeling and Peace of Mind and Don’t Look Back, Tom Sholz and Brad Delp were paralyzed for almost a decade and even though Tom Sholz wrote Amanda in 1980 he had to wait until 1986 to release it after the band won the verdict and were able to record with any label they chose. Their third album called Third Stage went to #1 as did the first single Amanda even though a rough demo bootleg had been played by some radio stations. Up next is the amazing story of the comeback of the 80s! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Coming up, we’re going to go count down the Top 10 songs of this very same week from the year 1983. It’s the lates edition of our program the hit song redux … And after we count them down, we are going to recalibrate them… revise them based on their all time performance since then. We’re going to show you what the real Top 10 is. Plus, we’re giving you exclusive artist commentary on the songs and including your memories and dedications… So who is the real #1? Is it David Bowie? Daryl Hall & John Oates, Pat Benatar, John Mellencamp, Michael Jackson, a one hit wonder or a maybe an ex-Beatle. Let’s find out next as we compare it to today’s mainstream music.. and it isn’t pretty... 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.

Some thought she was an overnight success when she swept the grammy in 1989… but guitar-toting songstress Bonnie Raitt was actually two decades, and ten studio albums in the making. Without a doubt, it was a long, hard road to get there. Dropped by her label, written off by critics, and getting loaded after every show, it seemed like her career was over. but Bonnie’s comeback was sweet when she hit #1 in 1989 with Nick of Time and swept the grammys and then her legend was etched in stone when she covered a former NFL football player's song that was so heart wrenching she sobbed through singing it. The song called “I Can’t Make You Love Me” was inspired by something a man said to a judge when he was being sentenced for shooting up his girfriend’s car and was played beautifully by Bruce Hornsby. …the amazing 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 one of rock greatest vocalists Ann Wilson of Rock and Roll Hall Of Fame band Heart tells the first hand account of a song that has become part of rock folk lore . the 70s classic, Barracuda Her record label Mushroom set up a publicity stunt that a radio promoter harassed her about implying a sexual relationship with there sister Nancy.. She was so outraged, so livid she went straight to her hotel room and wrote this seething rock masterpiece. This rocker tells us the story as well as several original members Steve Fossan and Michael Derosier and how guitarist Nancy Wilson pissed the band Nazareth off when she admitted to borrowing their riff when Heart was opening for them early on. 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 two principals from the classic Reggae group UB40, original singer Ali Campbell and toaster the late Astro tell us the compelling story of a song that took 5 years to get to #1! Red Red Wine originally composed and sung by Neil Diamond. In 1983 Red Red Wine went to the top of the charts in the Uk but stalled at #34 in America then 5 years later a DJ played it by accident confusing this band with another one and people starting requesting it. other stations followed suit and in it went viral before the internet.. Word of mouth took it to #1 . Now all these years later UB40 has broken up into two different bands using the same name! Ali’s brother took over the other group and they’re rivals. Find out the story of the song and the latest from this legendary group who had another #1 hit in the 90s with the Elvis cover, Can’t Help Falling in Love 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.

Today’s episode is a bottled lightning two for one. Singer Freddy Curci had Two chart dominating tracks though his bands vanished into thin air shortly after. One with the band Sheriff called When I’m With You that went to #1 in 1989 and one with Alias called More Than Words Can Say that hit #2 the very next year in 1990. So two massive hits with the same singer but two completely different bands.. He also set a Guinness World Record when he held the last note out for nearly 20 seconds. #1 hit and the second was a runner-up the very next year. It’s a lot to unravel, but it’s really cool. We’re bringing you the rare story of two bands, one singer, and two-1 hit wonders, 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.

"In 1971, up and comer Jackson Browne was working on his ‘all important’ debut album, and decided he needed to get out of LA, and take a road trip to visit the Hopi Reservation in Northern Arizona, to clear his head and discover inspiration for new material. He got as far as Winslow, Arizona, when his old Willys Jeep broke down- stranding him for two days. It could’ve been a frustrating ordeal, but instead, Jackson turned an engine-troubled adventure into an American Rock standard called Take It Easy. With a little help from a future hall of fame buddy named Glenn Frey, who lived upstairs in the same apartment complex, it became the Eagles first huge hit. With one of the greatest opening lines in rock history, as soon as radio played it, the 70s officially kicked off. With the smooth harmonies of the other band members like Don Henley. Randy Meisner and Bernie Leadon, country rock was born.. The story of this endearing rock classic is coming up NEXT on Professor of Rock" Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Robert Smith of the Cure created a masterpiece in 1989 called Pictures of You after he found an old photograph of his wife Mary when there was a house fire. He immediately wrote the lyrics on what would turn out of be a stand out track on the Cure's masterwork album Disintegration along with Fascination Street, Lovesong, and Lullaby. The record label didn't believe in the album thinking it was too dark and willfully obscure. It became the band's biggest selling album ever and Pictures of You was a major reason as it was the most heart wrenching song of the late 80s. The story of a masterpiece. 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.

Like sonic light cutting through the darkness, listening to this track is guaranteed to take you to a higher plane. It has been called one of the of the greatest guitar songs ever written. And it contains one of the greatest solos ever played. Steve Vai’s For The Love of God came about in an instinctive moment after this virtuoso picked up his guitar and everything just started to flow. He had fasted for 10 days to gain the spiritual intuition to get to a higher vibration. But amazingly, it would sit on the shelf years before it ever made it to record. In this episode I sit down with the legendary guitar hero himself and discover the origin story of one of the most powerful and inspirational rockers of all time. Oh ya and he also tells us about losing to his son when they play this on guitar hero. It’s a good one coming. 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.

Description When Legendary singer guitarist Lindsey Buckingham wrote the bitter cut throat rocker Go You Own Way calling out his ex girlfriend Stevie Nicks, accusing her of sleeping around it was caustic and blatant. She had to sing it with him every single night! Fleetwood Mac had the biggest rock and roll Soap Opera ever documented. and it was all in the music we heard on the 30 million selling album Rumours. Produced by Ken Caillat Rumors had multiple dramas going on at the same time … from Mick Fleetwood to John and Christine McVie and Stevie Nicks and Lindsey Buckingham. Stevie would have her own take on the album with Dreams which had the scathing line Players only love you when they’re playing. With special guests Kenny Loggins and Neal Schon of Journey, we break down this 70s rock classic and hear the true 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.

At a massive show at Wembley Stadium, the headliner Stevie wonder was all set to play in front of 72K people and a television audience of over 600 million. When all of a sudden his main instrument with all of his pre recorded backing music was gone… He could’t play so the promoters asked a little known artist named Tracy Chapman with only an acoustic guitar to fill in. She played her song Fast Car, a stark folky acoustic song about tough times and poverty. in less than 4 mins she blew the audience away and a few weeks later due to word of mouth her debut album went from selling a few hundred thousands to over 2 million. Up next the story of a song that didn’t sound like anything on the radio and how it somehow dominated radio in 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.

For once on our show…A song that came from no real inspiration at all.. Just a Jingle writer forcing himself to write a song on a lazy day where he was about to sneak off to the beach or go home. Mark Foster of Foster the People wrote Pumped Up Kicks in an afternoon just messing around. He pretty much just pushed himself to write a song that would become a masterpiece. He recorded a rough demo playing every instrument . He played that rough recording for people and in the end he actually released the demo. It would become the #1 song of the year. It actually went to #1 on alternative, dance, rock and pop charts collectively. Some would even try to ban or hate on it due to it’s controversial subject, claiming it was a violent gun song but as Mark Foster explains in the interview no one bothered to really listen to the lyrics which shows that no violence occurs at all. A deep dive interview about the best song of this century thus far.. This Interview blew my mind and changed the way I look at the world as we discuss song from Bruce Springsteen, Bob Dylan, and Johnny Cash and how Taylor Swift and Weezer covered it. 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.

Voted the greatest #2 hit in the history of Britain, this song is simply one of the finest singles of the 1980s armed with a spirit of mystery and noir by a new wave band who were kept out of #1 by one of the worst hits of it’s time… Vienna by Ultravox was an 80s phenomenon. Up next Midge Ure who wrote and sang this classic tells the story of creating this classic with it’s perfect Vilola solo. He explains that technically it was a nightmare and it took every last bit of patience and endurance to finish recording it. Midge Ure also co wrote Do They Know It’s Christmas and is one of the most under appreciated artist of the time. Middle also explains the feelings the band had as one of the dumbest songs ever was at #1 keeping Vienna from topping the charts. A blow by blow account of how Midge Ure helmed this sonic masterpiece is 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.

Bette Davis Eyes was recorded several times and didn’t go anywhere… Then 5 years later it was re recorded with a completely different arrangment with a voice so raspy everyone mistook the singer for Rod Stewart…With Kim Carnes distinct voice, the song spread like wildfire. Bette Davis Eyes had become a quintessential 80s synth classic. It got so big its success was impossible to duplicate. It eventually took home the record of the year grammy. It went to #1 on the billboard Hot 100 for 9 weeks and it outsold almost every other single in the decade. A true bottled lightning classic. The Writers of the song patterned it after the revered movie star Bette Davis who didn’t listen to the radio. The only way She only found out when her grandchildren finally thought she was cool and told her about it. 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.

Former Beatle Paul McCartney was trying to establish his band Wings when he flew to Nigeria to record Band on the Run. 2 key members quite right before and then when they arrived equipment in the studio was dismal and one day when Paul and Linda were walking the streets they were threatened at knifepoint by a gang of terrorists… Paul had to keep calm if he was going to save he and wife’s life. So along with his wallet, he handed over a bag containing two of his most prized possessions... a notebook of lyrics and a demo tape of songs for his new album. Neither of which he had copies of. These thieves, having no idea who was standing in front of them, stole one of the 70s greatest #1 hits. Band on the Run alone with 70s classics Jet and Helen Wheels. After surviving the ordeal this musical genius knew he either had to track down the stolen lyrics and tape or try to remember it and recreate it… 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.

It’s one of the most recognizable songs EVER and one that had DOMINATED Pop Culture as much as any piece of music in the modern era. Africa by Toto has been a part of a long list of tv and film placements and covered by hundreds of artists, this classic rock standard has become an immortal entry in the pages of music history. And yet the band called it a “wildcard song,” THEY ABSOLUTELY never Expected it would do anything close to what it did. Band members Steve Lukather, David Paich and Steve Porcaro tell the sensational story of a #1 hit that came from reading about a continent they’d never been to in National Geographic to the all time pop culture punchline it’s the definitive story on the making of this #1 80s hit from Jimmy Fallon to Weezer. 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-50s, a school-teacher, and a former dishwasher repairman collaborated on writing a song allegedly inspired by the suicide note of a despondent man that was included in an article published by the Miami Herald. It would turn out to be for the King of Rock and Roll Elvis Presley… The song? Heartbreak Hotel. In fact the schoolteacher named Mae Axton vowed to Elvis that she would write his first #1 million seller and she did. Although Presley’s label RCA thought the song was a disaster. They hated it and predicated it would fail. It went to #1 for 7 weeks and was the biggest song of the years. Years later the school teacher who wrote it, would have a song Hoyt Axton who would write a #1 hit for Three Dog Night called Joy to the World making them the only mother and son to do so in history. Over the years the writing of Heartbreak Hotel from a newspaper article has become a mystery. Curiously, there is no evidence of such an incident in the public records of the State of Florida, nor is there any proof of a news article that was published on the alleged suicide by the Miami Herald. It’s the conflicting and mystifying story of the first #1 pop song by the King of Rock ’N 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.

This legendary singer songwriter woke up with a massive hangover after a night of partying. Multiplatinum singer songwriter Peter Frampton vaguely remembered some cool chords he’d been messing with the night before.. so at the studio a few hours later he was trying to recall the song and as he started playing his band members were ecstatic saying you have to put lyrics to that song…To which the singer replied . I can’t I have really bad hangover.. so they were like… write the song about that.. Out came one of the great 70s classic rock tunes. Do You Feel Like We Do from the classic record Frampton Comes Alive. Up next that legend tells 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.

70s and 80s Legend Steve Miller was on the ropes before his career really took off.. He was still in his twenties when his label told him that after 7 straight poor selling albums, if his next one didn’t have a hit he was being kicked to the curb. Some time later he would Write that hit… a 70s classic rocker called the Joker with a timeless vernacular that defines the era Space Cowboy, Pompatus of Love, Maurice… This Rocker thought the song was just ok whereas the suits from his label were predicting it would be a smash… and for once they were right! How one of rock’s good guys stole #1 with a song that would go to #1 again 16 years later… find out next of Professor fo rock. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

After their 1995 album failed to capture the momentum that their breakdown album Blood Sugar Sex Magik did, Red Hot Chili Peppers were in a tailspin so they fired Dave Navarro and recruited original guitarist John Frusciante back into the band. At that time singer Anthony Kiedis and Flea made up with John and started their comeback album… Californication . It started out as song that Kiedis felt was his best ever lyrics but he couldn’t get the music to work. Tried 10 different arrangements but couldn’t get it. Just when they were about to finish the record John ran in and had it! the perfect music to put with lyrics. Having just relearned to play the guitar after kicking drugs, he saved Anthony’s song from the cutting room floor to return the band to #1 in 1999. 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 one of the biggest breakups in rock history. After creating a catalog of desert island albums, Pink Floyd was torn apart by bitter feuding, behind-the-scenes schemes, and as one band member described it, “borderline megalomania.” Sadly, the inability of its two principal members Roger Waters and David Gilmour to put their differences aside made it impossible to continue. Roger Waters said that Pink Floyd was all him and tried to dissolve the band to go solo… David Gilmour and Nick Mason kept the outfit going while Waters scoffed that they couldn’t survive without him.. they answered with the 1987 record a Momentary Lapse of Reason that returned them to #1 on the rock charts with Learning to Fly and On the Turning Away. The story of the battle of Pink Floyd. 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 80s an up and coming band was looking to create the best album of their time. They finished half the album and took a break to gain some perspective on what they’s just written. From that break came a massive hit that started as a fast song but when it was slowed down and played on a piano instead of a guitar it became one of the most heart wrenching rock ballads of the late 80s. Michael Hutchence and Andrew Farris and Andrew Ferriss wrote most of the band hits including Need You Tonight, New Sensation, Suicide Blonde, and What You Need but they took the 4th single from their legendary 1988 record Kick called Neve Tear Us Apart to a whole new level! Which has only grown in status since Michael Hutchence’ untimely death.. It was played at his funeral. In this exclusive interview. founding band member and songwriter Andrew Ferriss tells the story of this hit and of the album from 1988. How Michael Hutchence was once complimented by Ray Manzarek of the Doors said Michael was the closest thing he’d seen to Jim Morrison. and how Michael took the vocal from Never Tear us Apart from 0-10 in seconds and made it legendary. and how when Andrew had grown sick of the song, 80,000 sports fans singing it in unison changed him… 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 iconic singer-songwriter Johnny Rzeznik of the Goo Goo Dolls tells the story of one of the worst points of his life. Going through a Torrid Divorce, he had excessive Writer’s Block, and was on the verge of quitting his own band when he ran away to LA and hid away in a hotel… a major movie exec wanted him to write a song for the film City of Angels and poof--Inspiration struck! Then while composing it he broke 2 strings on his guitar, but he just kept playing and out fell a song... Called IRIS. He knew would be a hit… boy was it ever. 18 weeks at #1 on the airplay chart. He beat writer's block with perseverance. Years later he would play Iris in front of fifty thousand fans in New York when it starting pouring down rain. He was told to stop playing by the venue, afraid he risked electrocution. He kept playing making the song even more legendary. Then Taylor Swift asked John to play it with her live. All of these things have made Iris an all time classic. The way he came up with the title is hard to believe. Up next, it's the story of a classic from the man himself. 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 one of the best songs of the 80s came to Tony Lewis and John Spinks of the Outfield when they were hanging out in their flat. The second they wrote down the first sentence or opening line of the song they knew they had a smash hit. The song came effortlessly in less than 20 mins from that point forward and they were exactly right… Your Love ruled radio in the summer of 1986.. A couple of working class buddies were soon hanging out at the top of the charts with Madonna, Whitney Houston and ZZ Top with their song becoming one of the all time cheating songs ever but was the girl named Josie from the song a real person? We’ll Find out next as the late singer Tony Lewis, in one of his last interviews tells us the definitive story of an 80 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….this artist had dabbled in a lot of different styles to great effect but then he rolled out of bed one day with an awesome song idea… Tommy James and the Shondells would go through the ringer to get Crimson and Clover done. With some serious musical experimentation that regulated in a vocal that sounded like it was underwater. No one had heard anything like. it. He did the whole thing in a couple of hours merely putting his two favorite words together which people thought had a profound message even though it meant nothing. He had the artistic freedom to do this because the Mafia or Mob ran his label and let him do whatever he wanted! As he created layers of immaculate sounds and off the wall lyrics it all came together around cool guitar effect that’s grand result was a sound unlike anything of the radio ever. It was played without consent… without permission by a DJ that Tommy had showed a rough mix of the demo to privately. Well the DJ had recorded it, unbeknownst to Tommy and played it within minutes of tommy leaving the station. It went crazy, hitting #1 instantly. Tommy James tells the story of this incredible 60s #1 Psychedelic record. 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.

Whenever anyone talk about the greatest movie soundtrack of the 80s you hear the usual suspects… Top Gun, Footloose, some might say Dirty Dancing.. or any of the soundtracks from John Hughes films from Some Kind of Wonderful to the Breakfast Club to Pretty In Pink… but the soundtrack to Rocky IV is worthy of consideration... Up next I talk to several artist who participated the franchise defining film soundtrack. Eye of the Tiger was great but Rocky IV was a better overall soundtrack album with Burning Heart by Survivor, No Easy Way Out by Robert Tepper and of course Hearts on Fire by John Cafferty of the Beaver Brown Band!. Sylvester Stallone flew John Cafferty down to where he was filming Rambo First Blood part 2 and dressing full Rambo garb asked John to sing the song that would go over the 80s greatest movie montage. He was a big fan of John’s work from Eddie and the Cruisers… and so it was that he recorded the legendary song played at the end of Rocky IV and it wouldn’t be a stretch to say the song stopped the Cold War.. Ok I’m being funny now. Here is the definitive story of the Rocky IV soundtrack with interviews with John Cafferty and Jim Peterik of Survivor who co-wrote Burning Heart that went to #2… it’s an 80s marathon coming up… 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.