Professor of Rock

Alright, I’ve gotten more requests for this band than any of the last couples years… and they are definitely one of the most under-appreciated bands in rock history. —a group that sold 10 million albums and became superstars in Europe. But back here in America, they are a well-kept secret. Their debut album accidentally became a massive import hit in Germany, selling 50,000 copies before anyone even knew what was happening. And the country has loved them ever since. For this one, we’re gonna count down my Top 3 picks from their catalog, which includes one song where the lead singer wasn’t hitting the vocals with enough intensity. So his producer set up the mic stand on a crossbeam 35 feet in the in air in an old barn. And he made this singer climb up there and record the track. Would this circus stunt bring out the best in this vocalist, or would it completely backfire? We’ve got the story and even more good stuff coming up next on POR. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In this episode from the vault, we’re going to go behind the Top 10 songs of this same week from the year 1984. But we’re not stopping there. After we count them down, we’re re-ranking them according to all-time streams and views, to find out which one has left the biggest mark on history. This time around we’ve got some of the greatest hits from the 80s all duking it out for that coveted #1 spot. But who will be the champion? Will it be Van Halen, Prince? Genesis, or maybe a rookie new wave band, a glam metal favorite, or even a one-hit wonder? It’s a nostalgic trip back in time. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Today is a special countdown that proves that rock and roll never dies. As the 80s were ending, there were songs that didn’t ever become official hit songs, like AC/DC's Thunderstruck. It didn’t even make the Hot 100 charts, but it's now over 6 billion plays and has outperformed every number one hit of the year it came from.In fact it’s has 4 times as many streams as any hit from the year and it started out as a throwaway guitar exercise. Plus, the song World in My Eyes that Depeche Mode's frontman Dave Gahan had been recording with his band was a fast song, but he had to leave the studio for a few days, and while he was gone, the band took that fast song and slowed the temp down to a crawl… When he got back, he was livid, but once he started singing… the song became a classic. Then there was the La's who had a big hit, There She Goes, and a future that looked bright, but he threw it all away when he took their recorded album and 35 songs and destroyed the only master tape…Plus, the famous indie band The Sundays, which was climbing the charts and making a name for themselves, just up and disappeared for 30 years, and they’re still missing. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Let's take it back with this 2021. Up next the Godfather of Alternative rock Perry Farrell of Jane’s Addiction tells us the very personal story of one of the true standards of 1988, Jane Says. We solve the mystery of this very eerie and brilliant song and the woman who inspired the song and the band’s name. Plus he goes in depth on how he created the band’s seminal album cover. A bonafide Must see story behind the song next on Professor of Rock See 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 back at it again. It’s the third edition of one of this channel’s new favorite shows: Punchlines! And for this one, we’re counting down 6 more entries of songs that have become punchlines, and we’re telling some stories that will make you do a double-take. Including how everyone thinks the #1 hit You're Beautiful is a romantic ballad, but it’s actually about a drug-fueled subway stalker who can’t stop staring at his ex-girlfriend. The song got so overexposed that even the singer James Blunt started mocking it, along with everyone else. Then there’s the girl group the Spice Girls, with a vocalist whose voice was not up to snuff. So producers repeatedly switched off her mic in concert so no one would know or hear her. Was she just lip-syncing the whole time? And finally, there’s the legend Tom Jones, who had a massive problem. Women wouldn’t stop throwing their underwear at him while he was on stage. It started with women passing him napkins to wipe the sweat from his brow. But then one night… one woman decided to pass him something more intimate… it launched one of the funniest running gags in concert history. Let’s get into it. See 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 counting down 8 great female hidden gems… songs by some of the industry’s best that too often get overlooked. And on this episode, we’ve got the story of upstart singer Marcella Detroit, who stole the mic and the spotlight on Shakespears Sister's biggest single Stay. And the principal singer Siobhan Fahey got so jealous, she fired her through an award ceremony acceptance speech… and she wasn’t even there to give it! She had her publicist do it! Then there’s the badass track that one of music’s greatest rockers Joan Jett covered back in the 80s, but decades later, the song’s original writer was convicted for some truly awful crimes so bad it’s made this song disgusting in hindsight.… Would she still sing it? Plus, there’s the 18-year-old guest vocalist Michelle Branch who sang on the Game of Love, a track by one of the most iconic guitarists of the rock era, a Woodstock legend. But she was hired only after the “Queen of Rock n Roll” after she bowed out. Could she even do the song justice? Find out next as we dive into our latest Female Hidden Gems countdown. Let’s get started! See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Coming up, we jump back to a glorious year in music, to remember some hit songs that were so indicative of that period of popular music, you will cry tears of nostalgia…Were going back to 1987….We’ll tell the story about Chris de Burgh seeing his wife across the room at a party, and he was so enchanted by her presence after taking her for granted that he wrote the classic 80s hit Lady in Red about it. Yet the legacy of the song would be tarnished by a scandal when the singer had an affair with their nanny. There’s also the song Right on Track that came from the Breakfast Club, a band whose lead singer once told Madonna that she had ‘no talent,’ so she quit the group to prove him wrong, and did he ever pay for that dumb comment. And there’s the Genesis song Tonight Tonight Tonight about being trapped in the prison of cocaine addiction, yet the song was used by a beer brand to illustrate having a fun evening with friends. And lastly, a song by Yes, one of the most musically complex rock bands ever, with one of the stupidest lyrics in rock history. These tales and more on our feature about Dated Hit Songs from 1987….NEXT on Professor of Rock. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

COMING up the story of the #1 1985 smash Sussudio by Phil Collins. Based on a made-up word…. One that just fell out of Phil’s mouth while he was singing. Even Phil had no idea what it meant. Unable to think of anything better, Collins decided to just make up a meaning. But as weird as it is, this song completely captivated listeners. However, as Sussudio started gaining traction as part of Phil Collins ’ 1985 blockbuster album No Jacket Required, it also stirred up controversy. Critics noticed that its central riff was nearly a carbon copy of another huge hit from a few years earlier. 1999 by Prince. And not long after, Phil Collins confessed it was a rip-off job. But the question was “to what degree?” The parallels were unmistakable. But were they enough to nail Phil Collins for plagiarism? Find out… NEXT on the Professor of Rock. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

So this one’s gonna turn a few heads. Today’s show is all about misinterpreted songs… that may or may not be about “getting it on…Today We’re counting down 6 tracks you've been singing along to for decades… That may be the ultimate double entendre…Or maybe not… But today we’re having it both ways… We’re also debunking some tracks that people are certain are double entendres. But either way, I guarantee these stories will keep you entertained. One of these songs, Brick House, was innocently put in a musical Hallmark greeting card… for Mother’s Day! But the last thing you would want to do is dedicate this song to your mother. Then there’s the track Tutti Frutti whose name doubles as a frozen yogurt chain. But when it was originally written, its lyrics were far too explicit to be aired on radio. You’ll never look at frozen yogurt the same way again. And finally, there’s the Jamaican dance floor anthem, Electric Boogie, that sparked a viral internet rumor that put a whole new spin on the words “good vibrations.” But was it true? Get ready, we’re diving into Volume 1 of my Most Misinterpreted Songs series… Bedroom Edition. Let’s do this. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Let's run it back! How Led Zeppelin followed one of the biggest selling albums of all time, the 70s classic, Led Zeppelin IV with a bold venture that utterly confused their core faithful. It would’ve been a ’no-brainer’ to simply stay the course, and give the fans what they were used to. But Robert Plant, Jimmy Page, John Paul Jones and John Bonham went the other way, and purposely abandoned the heavy blues rock sound they were famous for. The 2nd single from this long play deviation was a reggae song named after the punchline of an old vaudeville comedy routine. Dyer Maker as in did you make her said in a cockney accent…It became one of the most mispronounced song titles in history. From Houses of the Holy, the story of an all time 70s classic rock standard next on P.O.R. See 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 taking a field trip to the movies to study cult classic films that owe their success to their incredible soundtracks. Some of these films would have never survived without the music that backed their most iconic moments. There’s the iconic 70s stoner flick Dazed and Confused, named after a song by the Lords of Rock. But when the director wanted to use one of their songs in the movie, they gave him a FLAT NO!. So he swore he’d boycott their music for the rest of his life. Also, there is the movie Napoleon Dynamite that spent half of its minuscule budget on 1 song. Only the problem was that they ran out of money by the time they got to the epic scene and only had a few minutes of film left to nail the climactic moment of the film. So it would have to be perfect… Find out what happened. Plus, there’s the 80s teen flick Pretty in Pink, whose ending was booed by test audiences. After a desperate rewrite, the New Wave band OMD only had a few hours to compose a song for the new ending. And finally, we’ve got the story of the most cursed cult classic ever: The Crow. It was plagued by hurricane-force winds, unexplained accidents, and the tragic death of the film’s lead actor, Brandon Lee, on set. Let’s do it. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

FROM THE VAULT: On March 31, 1967, Jimi Hendrix shocked the world by setting his guitar on fire, cementing his legend as rock’s most unpredictable genius. But behind the flames was a far more complex artist. In this episode, we dive into the myths, mysteries, and misunderstood truths surrounding Hendrix… a left-handed virtuoso who loved science fiction, kept parakeets, and constantly pushed the boundaries of sound and consciousness. We explore the many competing origin stories behind one of rock’s most iconic songs, “Purple Haze”...from wild tales of kidnappings and stalkers to vivid dreams and altered states that blurred the line between reality and imagination. And we uncover the surprising vulnerability of a guitar god who was so insecure about his voice that he struggled just to record it. This is the story of Jimi Hendrix like you’ve never heard it—separating fact from fiction and getting closer to the truth behind the legend… NEXT on Professor of Rock. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Coming up…. a passionate spotlight on 10 non-hits that are far better than the number one hits from the epic year they come from. including a song that’s bass line is epic it make you wonder of if the band made a deal with the devil to get it which is what the song is about plus there’s the song born from the ashes of a house fire—everything burned except a wallet, and the spared contents led to such a heartwrenching track that even people who hate this strange band love this song. The Cure Pictures of You,.Then there’s Trent Reznor a pioneer of electronic rock who dismissed Head Like a Hole track as a throwaway, only to have it jumpstart his career and later embarrass him when a DJ sang an obnoxious version of it to his on LIVE tv to win a bet. There also the song Advice for the Young at Heart that one part of Tears For Fears wrote as a diss against his counterpart and it was brutal but the worst part is that the dissed band mate had no idea it was about him and actually sang the song! Plus Fine Young Cannibals who had several monster hits and a #1 album and at the peak of their fame walked away and never released another record ever again. Let’s do it. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Alright, it’s go time. Today, we’re going all in on band roster chaos! You know, some rock line-ups are built for the long-haul… But more often, bandmates come and go whether we like it or not. Infighting, personality clashes, creative differences, sheer fatigue, and even tragedies all take a toll on bands… On today’s countdown I’m giving you 6 band line-ups that have changed so drastically over the years you can hardly keep up … some of them are almost unrecognizable. I’m calling this one Downshift. And as usual I’ve got some stories! We’ll recount how one of the best and of the 60s and 70s, the Guess Who, had their identity stolen. And how these imposters got away with it for decades, until they were sued into oblivion! There’s also a couple of lead singers who stepped in to replace two of the most legendary frontmen ever: Freddie Mercury and Steve Perry. And after one gave a subpar performance, he told fans that if he got a million negative comments on social media he’d quit the band. Did he get voted out? Let’s get into it! See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

So I was deleting some old files on my laptop and hard drives the other day, and I came upon an interview I did a long time ago…It must have gotten buried because I didn’t even remember doing it. But it’s from a multi-platinum hitmaking singer who’s written a few modern classics, including a dozen hits and several that went to #1. So even though I’m going to be cutting back on interviews, I thought, what the hell…Let’s get this one out there because He’s a great guy and he talks about all the hits here, including the song he says his mother sent to him from the after life…It hit #1… and the song where he referenced an old 80s band that had one big year in music, and I find out why he referenced that band. All the hits are here. Let's do it. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In honor of the great Steven Tyler's 78th birthday, we bring you back to this classic from 2021. In the early 70s 'the bad boys of Boston” know as Aerosmith were a maelstrom of chaos, and chemically induced tension. The leaders Steven Tyler and Joe Perry battled through their toxic relationship between themselves, and an interloper to produce a rockin’ rampage that started with bassist Tom Hamilton’s vibe, Sweet Emotion would be the band’s breakout hit. We relive the 'bitter sweetness' of a classic rock standard NEXT on Professor of Rock. HBD Steven Tyler! See 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 temporarily trading in the studio album cuts for the “in concert” experience. On this episode, we’re counting down 7 classic live tracks that have surpassed their original recordings. Classic songs that are even better in concert. We’ve got the story of Peter Frampton, who woke up with a wine glass in hand after a heavy night of drinking. He took one look at himself and wrote the iconic hangover track Do You Feel Like We Doin minutes… But it didn’t become a hit till it was done in concert, and then it became the biggest-selling ever. There’s also the legendary song written by Stevie Nicks for Fleetwood Mac's Rumours. But the rest of the line-up voted to make it a B-side instead. Two decades later, she got her revenge on stage as she sang this song while staring down her bandmate and ex-boyfriend, and it made history. Plus my favorite song of all time that only gets better when it’s done in concert, as well as Bob Seger's Turn the Page which wasn’t a hit. In fact, the album hit #188, but a powerful solo on a live version years later made it the most chilling song of its time. Let’s do it. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Coming up, today’s band Foreigner took a frigid walk through New York City in minus 20-degree weather to nail down their classic 70s song Cold as Ice… a top 10 single about a gold-digging ice queen. A lot of people have wondered through the years if it was based on a real girl, and we’ll get to the bottom of that. Apparently, after finishing Cold as Ice, one of the song’s co-writers, Mick Jones, thought it was just a little too pop and wasn’t sure if it belonged on the album. But when his bandmates said they loved it, he came around. It was a good choice because Cold as Ice is an undeniable classic rock standard… Tag-teaming with me for today’s tale, we’ve not one, but two founding musicians from this legendary band, Lou Gramm and Mick Jones. And they’re both ready to give you a behind-the-scenes look at this frosty track… NEXT on the Professor of Rock. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Coming up on Professor of Rock, we’re diving back to 70s to rediscover 10 hits that were brilliantly crafted for their era—so of course they never quite faded away. But they are stuck in that wonderful decade. We’ll spotlight a duet that rewired the wholesome image of Olivia Newton-John, who dared to take bold risks on screen and on vinyl. There’s the track Miss You from one of the Rolling Stones, whose devoted fans flipped out and accused them of selling out when they jumped on the disco bandwagon to get a #1 hit. Plus, we’ll revisit the record-setting song You Light Up My Life that also tops my list as the worst song I’ve ever heard, written by the biggest creep in the music business, who refused to pay out millions in royalties and even cooked up a scheme that drew aspiring actors into danger. And we also have the colossal smash Shadow Dancing from a Haley’s Comet of the era Andy Gibb, who sadly burned out as one of the most tragic—stars in music history. His famous brothers gave him a song that was bigger than any of their hits, even though they were one of the most successful groups ever, but decades later its all but forgotten. Download the Gametime app, create an account, and use the code ROCK for $20 off your first purchase. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Alright, we’ve done the 60s, the 70s, and the 80s… But we’ve still got another decade to cover. On this latest episode of Professor of Rock, we’re counting down the most iconic cartoon theme songs from the 90s. And you’re not going to believe some of these stories. In the 90s, it seemed like the biggest rock stars were lining up to get in on the cartoon action… From Aerosmith to Devo to Michael Jackson to Danny Elfman, and maybe even Nirvana… so many of your favorite cartoon tracks featured top-of-the-chart hit-makers, and you may not even be aware of it! There’s the story of how Kurt Cobain pitched a demo for The Ren and Stimpy Show, one of the most unhinged cartoons of all time. But the show’s creator kicked him out and tossed it in the trash. Weeks later, he would regret it when the band became the biggest in the world. Also, another famous musician, Joe Perry, shredded a radioactive guitar track to replace one of the most iconic cartoon themes ever… And it may be even better than the original. And what about X-Men: The Animated Series, that ripped off Whitney Houston and a Hungarian kung-fu cop show? Or how Danny Elfman made tens of millions for singing three syllables on The Simpsons. Let’s do it. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In this exclusive, full-length interview, Adam sits down with Gavin Rossdale, the voice and driving force behind the legendary band Bush. Gavin opens up like never before, taking us on a candid journey through the highs, the struggles, and the defining moments that led to the formation of one of the most iconic rock bands of the ’90s. From the uncertainty of his early days to the breakthrough success that changed everything, this is the story behind the music… told by the man who lived it. It’s raw, reflective, and packed with insights you won’t hear anywhere else; an inside look at the mindset, resilience, and passion that fueled Bush’s rise to global fame. If you’re a fan of Bush, ’90s rock, or the real stories behind legendary artists, this is an interview you don’t want to miss. Only on Professor of Rock. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Coming up, we tell the story of songs that had deep meaning to the writer, and to us, the listeners, who locked into their emotional power. And they are songs that are some of the most celebrated ever, but were surprisingly never HITS! We’ll tell the tale about Oingo Boingo's Dead Man's Party, a song that was inspired while staying at a haunted hotel where multiple deaths took place. And what came from that overnight stay is one of the catchiest and creepiest songs ever. There’s also the story of Dire Straits' Brothers in Arms, which was intended to unite soldiers fighting on different sides of a war. And it means as much today as it did then. Plus a deeply personal song that the singer wanted to emote perfectly. He felt the best way to get in a vulnerable state of mind was to record the song without any clothes! Plus Depeche Mode's Blasphemous Rumours that sent small communities into a tailspin and the greatest B SIDE in history. It's our countdown of the Top 10 Non-Hits of ’85. NEXT on Professor of Rock! The stories of The Smiths How Soon is Now, Inxs Listen Like Thieves, Tear for Fears the Working Hour, The Cult and many more.  See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

We're serving up another Vault classic in honor of POR's Sammy Hagar giveaway. In this classic episode, the Red Rocker himself, Sammy Hagar tells us how he joined Van Halen and the resulting Music. He also tells the story behind creating the game changing song Dreams, the second single from their 1986 album 5150 which was the first Van Halen album to go to #1. The album 5150 is named after Eddie Van Halen’s studio. 5150, sold a million copies in its first week. Think about that for a second. The last few years, there have only been a couple of artists or albums that have sold 1 million copies over an entire year! Enjoy our Exclusive Interview with Sammy Hagar. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Coming up, we just hit 1.5 million subscribers! And to celebrate I’m giving some love to a “lost art” in the music biz, the Greatest Hits Record… but with a twist! Back in the day, these compilations were a vital part of our collections: Beatles Red and Blue, Eagles (1971-1975), Fleetwood Mac, Queen, Journey,… we all loved having all the hits in one place. Today I’ve got my picks for the 9 greatest song stories in rock history. I went with 9 cuz it’s my favorite number. You could call it a Professor of Rock Greatest Hits episode. Some of these stories have been told but today I’ve dug up some completely new details. And I gotta tell ya, it was so hard to narrow down thousands of stories to just 9. So maybe we’ll have to do a POR Greatest Hits volume 2. But for this one, I’ve got the story of the most cursed song in the history of music Gloomy Sunday, written by Rezso Seress, a former trapeze artist who survived a death-defying fall. Plus, there’s the story of Strawberry Alarm Clock trying to record their hit song, but Nobody in the band could nail down the tough vocal…Finally, a random kid watching the session jumped in and tried it and blew everyone away! It became a #1 hit and he wasn’t even in the band. Then there’s the story of a teenager who was told by his dad to write the stupidest song ever… and it led to one of the most iconic themes of all time, M*A*S*H! Let’s get into it. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Up next, a true story of resilience and redemption as we tell the story of STEVE MILLER BAND and their classic song Jet Airliner… a song that was trapped on an unreleased album by a guy named Paul Pena, who was stopped by legal battles and a ruthless manager, who was hell-bent on destroying his career. But hope emerged from an unexpected source when legendary rock star and "gangster of love" Steve Miller stepped in to breathe new life into the imprisoned track. With expert rearrangement and by changing the lyrics from an angry song to a happy-go-lucky one, Jet Airliner was transformed into a chart-topping sensation across multiple formats. The aerodynamics for one of classic rock’s greatest hits and a classic of the 70s is revealed NEXT …on Professor of Rock. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Today, the name of the game is “Sabotage!” And it's sabotage in every sense of the word. And on this episode, we've got stories of self-destruction, tales of bands mutilating their songs in concert, and even undercutting rival bands onstage. We’ll tell the story of Liam Gallagher, who refused to perform Oasis's MTV Unplugged gig. And instead, he actually heckled his bandmates from the balcony throughout the show. Then there’s the off-beat pop star Cyndi Lauper, who loathed her headline hit The Goonies R Good Enough. She hated it so much that she badmouthed it in the press and refused to perform it live for over a decade. Could her fans ever change her mind? And finally, there’s the Replacements, who were determined to flush their career down the toilet. When they were given the opportunity of a lifetime to open for Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, the guys took the stage dressed in the other band’s wives' clothing. They gave such an awful performance that it went down in history. But why? Find out next as we count down my Top 6 Sabotage Stories in rock. Let’s go. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Coming up next an interview with one of the greatest voices of the 80s…Tony Hadley who fronted new romantic band Spandau Ballet. He tells the story of their greatest songs including the classic TRUE and in the middle of the interview I shock him with the news that a boy band totally ripped off his classic song plus their other classics like Gold and his story of meeting Frank Sinatra. Let’s do it.  See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Rock has always had a rebellious streak… that’s why we love it, right? Well, coming up, I’m counting down 6 songs that stirred up controversy and pissed off all the wrong people. These are tracks that got banned, blacklisted, and canceled by gatekeepers and tastemakers. We’re back at it again with another edition of Taboo Songs! And one of these tracks by George Michael was one of the most talked-about S-E-X—related singles of the 80s… especially after MTV refused to play its video without a disclaimer. But for all the uproar, the song was actually promoting monogamy and committed relationships! Then there’s the comeback hit from the squeaky clean, former teen heartthrob Donny Osmond… and it was banned for having a title that might hurt the feelings of armed forces families. Trust me, there’s no way it could, and it makes no sense. And there’s also the Foreigner album that people were throwing into bonfires because its cover showed a girl in a men’s restroom. I mean, you can’t make this stuff up. Let’s get into it. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In 1986 Van Halen released their first album with new lead singer Sammy Hagar. 5150 became the band’s first number one album in the US and included three top 25 hits. It also contained a mind blowing rocker, Best of Both Worlds was a perfect pairing of Eddie’s guitar and Sammy’s voice that should’ve been a massive hit. Next up the story of this Van Halen classic with commentary by Sammy Hagar. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Coming up….we celebrate songs from one of the greatest years in music. These songs were HUGE back in the day, but decades later, sound really DATED. Just because they haven’t held up well doesn’t diminish our love for the songs, but it makes for an interesting study in music. One of the songs, Turn Up the Radio, came from a bunch of drinking buddies who were all in other bands but jammed for fun on the weekends. But it just so happened that the drummer was jogging buddies with frontman David Lee Roth of Van Halen, and he heard one of their drunken jams and loved it so much he invited them to open for his band on one of the biggest tours ever. Another one, She Bop by Cyndi Lauper, was written about self-love and faced the wrath of a bunch of politicians’ wives who named it one of the dirtiest songs ever and got it banned. Another was written by an unknown singer named Rockwell who tried to hide his true identity due to his famous father and even used a fake British accent to throw off reporters, and one song became a hit because a famous actress was on a radio show and she was trying to play her boyfriend’s band but played the wrong side of the tape where the German singer Nena blew up the phones lines and made the song that was never supposed to be released in america a smash. Let’s do it. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

We lost another great one, and for me, this one really hurt. I was honored to spend several hours with the legendary singer-songwriter and comeback kid Neil Sedaka several years ago, and we really hit it off. In fact, he sent me Christmas cards and kept in touch in the years after that. I was honored to call him a friend. Neil was definitely one of the good guys in music. He wrote so many classics: Breaking Up is Hard to Do, Calendar Girl, Bad Blood, Laughter in the Rain, and the classic Carpenters song Solitaire which may be Karen Carpenter’s greatest vocal, and even though she hated singing it, she killed it. She and Neil had a little drama when they toured together, apparently, which Karen later said she regretted. Maybe they’ve worked it out on the other side, but I digress. See 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 never over until it’s over. On this episode, we’re featuring 6 bands and artists whose careers were buried 6 feet deep. All of them had already made it big. Fame and fortune, chart-topping hits, best-selling albums, legions of adoring fans… they had it all… well, until they didn’t. The music industry is very fickle, and even the best can fall on hard times. But today, we’re all about the survivors, the comeback kids. I’m talking about acts that came back from the dead to enjoy a second life of musical dominance. On this countdown, you’ll hear the story of Def Leppard, who were one of the biggest bands in the 80s, who just a decade later were playing in Walmart parking lots and on the State Fair circuit. Plus how Frank Sinatra, the greatest singer in history, reached the low point of his career singing with a dog on a novelty track. How could he ever come back from that? And there’s also Nickelback, the band that got so much hate after blowing up, they lost a social media popularity contest to a pickle, which beat them out with over 1.5 million fans. Get ready for some really entertaining stories. Let's get started. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Coming up next, a star-studded event with a diverse group of legends telling the story behind one of the Biggest movie soundtracks of the 80s. Footloose. It was one of only 5 albums to hit #1 the year it came out. A record that still stands and as a soundtrack it had 6 top 40 hits Footloose by Kenny Loggins, Let’s Hear it For the Boy by Deniece Williams, Almost Paradise by Mike Reno of Loverboy and Ann Wilson of Heart who we have interviews with to tell the story. The other hits were Dancing in the Sheets by Shalamar, Holding Out for a Hero by Bonnie Tyler and Heaven Helps the Man by Kenny Loggins, 3 of these songs hit the top 10 and 2 went all the way to #1. And the screenwriter, Dean Pitchford had a hand in all of them! There are so many great stories hear. There’s the top 10 duet that almost didn’t happen because one singer broke her hand. She had to sing without pain pills and first met her duet partner when they sang the first take which became the record! And then 2 of the #1 hit were pitted against each other for an Oscar. Find out who, plus an appearance by Kevin Bacon! See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Coming up, another great song mystery. It’s a famous song everyone knows: House of the Rising Sun. But Nobody really knows who wrote it or what it’s specifically about. Today we have a special guest to help us solve it, The Animals Eric Burdon. It was either about a hooker or a prisoner. It’s centuries old but became a #1 hit when the lead singer of today’s Hall of Fame band covered it and may have invented a whole new genre with it. They were also the first British invasion band to wrestle #1 away from the Beatles who had dominated the top spot week after week and in the end, this singer didn’t really get paid for this song since he wasn’t listed as an arranger on the song. Also, other hilarious stories from this legend on several other classic hits from this band is next on Professor of Rock. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Today, we're diving into one of the most turbulent, passionate, and creatively explosive sagas in rock history. This British-American supergroup, Fleetwood Mac, turned their personal disasters into platinum records. But somehow, through all the substance abuse and betrayal, they channeled their misery into one of the most epic rock careers ever. For this episode, we’ve got the story of two songs that were written by ex-lovers to be sonic weapons: Go Your Own Way and Dreams, each calling out the other in front of millions until the end of time. And the crazy thing is, they had to perform these songs together night after night, smiling for the cameras while secretly seething. Then there’s the story of the deeply personal song Sara that clocked in at 15 minutes with 16 verses. It told the entire story of the band, but there was no way it was ever getting onto the album or the radio. So the songwriter Stevie Nicks kept chopping down until it barely resembled what it was supposed to be. And yet, it is still an all-time classic. It’s the Evolution of Fleetwood Mac told through their greatest songs and stories that have never been told till today… Let’s do it. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In this edition of 70s Hidden Gems, we dangerously hover over some gory pulp fiction with Bloodrock’s freaky D.O.A, We drift down the sea of heartbreak with Ian Gomm’s Hold On….and come together for a union of humanity with Livingston Taylor “I Will Be In Love With You" (James Taylor’s brother) and Lindisfarne with Run For Home and Robert Palmer’s Every Kind of People. This is A showcase of 5 diverse 70s Hidden Gems that you’re going to love to re discover , including commentary from artists up, NEXT on Professor of Rock See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Coming up, some of the greatest songs of the 70s have one thing in common. Even though they are classics and you hear all the time on classic rock radio, they were never hits. Some struggled and did not make the Top 40 on the Billboard chart, and some were not even released as singles. We'll share the story of legendary singer Carole King who had 24 hits before the age of 20, but when she went solo, naysayers said her voice was too weak to make an impact… she answered with the best-selling solo album of the decade. Then there was the song Rock and Roll that Led Zeppelin was struggling to record, so they just started jamming on the spot, and by accident, that jam became the greatest encore song in rock history. Plus, the song Can’t You Hear Me Knocking that the Rolling Stones played as a warm-up, but the warm-up was so great that, unbeknownst to them, the tape was rolling, and it became one of the greatest songs of the time. Plus, John Lennon's How Do You Sleep, a track that energized a feud between the most prolific writing duo of all time, and a teenage fiddle player who snuck into one of the most famous sessions in rock history and played a part randomly that would go down in history. Let’s do this. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

On March 1st, 1973, Pink Floyd released The Dark Side of the Moon — an album that redefined what rock music could be. In this episode, we revisit the making of this landmark record with legendary engineer Alan Parsons, who shares firsthand stories from inside Abbey Road Studios. From the heartbeat that opens the album to classics like “Time,” “Money,” and “The Great Gig in the Sky,” discover how bold experimentation and visionary production helped create one of the most influential albums of all time. On its anniversary, we celebrate the masterpiece that changed music forever. Only on Professor of Rock. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Oh man, this one is going to be something else. Today we're counting down 6 songs that became pop culture punchlines… These tracks that got mocked, misunderstood, and in some cases, flat-out destroyed. I’m talking about one musical legend, Isaac Hayes, whose biggest song, the Theme from Shaft, was parodied in pop culture more times than you can count, including by the Cookie Monster. But if that wasn’t enough, he also completely rewrote that song so he could collaborate with Mr. Potato Head to sell French Fries. Then there’s was the hard rock frontman Jani Lane, who was excited to release his band Warrant's sophomore album that would show his more serious side and poetic lyrics, but the head of the label wanted a hit song so this Jani wrote Cherry Pie, the dumbest song he could think of, on a pizza box in 15 minutes as a big joke. The only problem is the CEO loved it, and it became a massive hit. It got so bad that Jani went on record saying he’d rather be dead than be known for that song. On top of that, we’ve got Rod Stewart disco disasters, some seriously cringeworthy musical performances by Corey Feldman, and the 13-year-old Rebecca Black, who wrote the viral song Friday that was universally cited as the worst thing to ever happen to music. Let's go. Go to this exclusive web address to try ZipRecruiter FOR FREE: https://www.ziprecruiter.com/rock See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

We've had a tough couple of weeks in the music world, with the recent passing of an incredible 80s songwriter, Billy Steinberg. He penned five number one 80s songs for some of the era's biggest female artists, making him a true legend in songwriting. Dive into this episode of the music podcast to remember his famous songs and the impact of 80s music. Songwriters Hall of Famer Billy Steinberg, wrote 5 Number one hits in the 80s for some of the greatest female singers of the era, including Alone By Heart, True Colors for Cyndi Lauper, So Emotional for Whitney Houston, Eternal Flame for The Bangles, and like a Virgin for Madonna…Plus other big Hits for Divinyls, the Pretenders, and Linda Ronstadt. He was hit making machine and one of the good guys of music. I was so grateful I got a chance to interview him and get to know him and we’ve exchanged messages over and remained in touch over the years since that interview. Up next, an interview with Billy about his big hits, including a great story of meeting and writing a song for his hero Roy Orbison, and his interactions with other great singers who interpreted his songs, including his infamous exchange with Madonna. God Bless him, may he rest in peace…His songs will live forever… here’s the interview.  See 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. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

We did the 80s, but after thousands of requests for the 60s and 70s… we are counting down the top cartoon themes of those decades… And there are some spectacular stories to tell here. Like how The Flintstones started out as a prime time show with the main animated characters selling cigarettes during the commercials and even smoking them!. Then there is the famous voice actor who fell into a coma after a head-on collision… But then his doctors began talking to him as if he were a cartoon character. And he came back to life! Find out which character brought him back from death’s door. Then there’s Super Friends, the cartoon that was not allowed to animate any violence. They weren’t even allowed to throw a punch. So they had to find very creative ways to bring the villains to justice. Then there’s the Archies song Sugar Sugar that was the biggest Hit song of the year. Topping the Beatles and the stones but the singer Ron Dante behind it had to keep his identity a secret for decades…. Let’s Count ‘em down! See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Here we are… more than twenty-six years into the 21st century, and you can really feel how much has changed since the start of the 2000s. Pop culture has evolved in big ways. When you rewatch a movie or TV show from one of your favorite decades, the outfits and the way people spoke have that distinctive sound & look that perfectly reflect that era. Songs can be like that. Songs from that favorite period can sound dated, like the year they were released, not timeless in a production sense, yet they take us right back to those precious moments in our lives that are memories we treasure. It used to be a slight when one would say that a song sounds dated but now it’s a compliment because they captured a snapshot in time including Wang Chung's Everybody Have Fun Tonight that had a chorus that was improvised as a joke but that joke became a major catchphrase of the 80s, plus the happy go lucky Novelty song by Timbuk 3 that had a more sinister meaning… this one hit wonder band was offered millions by advertisers to license it, but they wanted to stay true to its message so they turned it down, plus Rock Me Amadeus that was the first All German sung song to hit #1 on the charts. Let’s do it. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

So today we’re coming back to a show that we did a little while back that you all absolutely loved. It was one of our most popular episodes of 2025… the funniest “non-parody” songs of the Rock Era. Well, we’re back for round two, and these tracks don’t pull any punches. And some of these are really ridiculous. Included in the ranks is one rock’s most famous “teen crush" anthems, Stacy's Mom, a Mrs. Robinson for the 90s, but while everyone thought it was inspired by a crush on his friend's mom, it was actually a crush on his friends Grandma! There’s also the country-fried tune by Primus that’s title is a double entendre about a beaver, and it really pissed off a Hollywood actress, Winona Ryder, who thought it was about her. Find out how it ended. Plus, we’ve got the rock track Popular by Nada Surf with a hard-hitting chorus whose lyrics plagiarized a 1964 etiquette manual about how to become a popular teenage girl, as well as Chuck Berry's My Ding-a-Ling, the dirty joke that was hidden inside of a Nursery rhyme that offended every parent in America when it hit #1… This episode’s got laughs, it’s got weirdness, and it’s gonna be a lot of fun. Let’s get started. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Coming up. Let’s dive into the bizarre and sensational era of the Satanic Panic, a time when songs were accused of harboring "evil" hidden messages, and bands faced relentless scrutiny as alleged corruptors of society. While heavy metal bands were the primary targets, even the likes of today’s squeaky clean band ELO, the Electric Light Orchestra, found themselves entangled in the fanatical crusade. Today we break down the hidden messages in ELO’s music including the doubled sided hit Sweet Talkin’ Woman and Fire On High.. We unravel the stories behind these cryptic songs, their secret messages, and the mysterious woman who cast her spell on an unsuspecting rock star named Jeff Lynne and how Fire On High might must be the most bizarre and creepy B side of the entire 70s…. NEXT on Professor of Rock. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Let's reach into the vault for this classic from 2021. The brothers Hawkins from the Darkness tell the story behind their evolution in music including getting inspired by Queen as well as the story behind their Rock smash I Believe in a Thing Called Love one of the last great hard rock classic. A truly hilarious take from Justin and Dan Hawkins. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

It Only HIT #105...But 40 Years Later It's CLEARLY the BEST SONG of 1987! | Professor of Rock Coming up, we are covering one of the years that’s consistently called one of the 4 or 5 best years in rock history. In fact, it was so good there were dozens of incredible songs that missed the charts that were far better than any of the biggest hits of the last 15 years! It was a year full of major label gambles, such as one ballsy decision that nearly ruined one of the most anticipated albums of the Rock Era, Def Leppard's Hysteria. When the label released a disastrous lead off single Women that tanked the record and took a miracle to course correct. But decades later, that song is better than you remember. Then there’s one of the catchiest songs of the decade Lips Like Sugar that the lead singer Ian McCulloch felt was below average at best, but it took the underground band to American radio. And an infamous rock song Rocket Queen by Guns N Roses that included the real, unedited sounds of a sexual act that took place right in the middle of the recording session, and it was nearly banned from being put in stores… and last but not least, the biggest waste of a hit song in history, The Replacements CAn't Hardly Wait. It’s a song that was so catchy and cool, it’s actually a tragedy it wasn’t a hit… Let’s do it. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The Love songs we love to hate and hate to love... Music at it's best...Including Billy Joel, Peter Gabriel, Journey, and some guilty pleasures like Nickelback, Bryan Adams and Color Me Bad. it’s an episode that may raise a few eyebrows. In honor of Valentine’s Day, I’m counting down the Top 10 love songs you shouldn’t be ashamed to love, or maybe we should say it’s a countdown of the songs we hate to love… I’m not going to be too cool for school for this one. You can call them guilty pleasures or whatever you want, but the stories behind these songs are great, including the story behind one of the most iconic music scenes in 80s cinema. It almost never happened because lead actor John Cusack was furious that he might come off looking like a wuss. And he was so annoyed doing the scene, the director thought they wouldn’t be able to use any of the takes. But the pissed-off look in his eyes actually made the scene pop culture gold. Then there’s the group Color Me Badd that released a massive bilingual hit I Adore Mi Amore, despite the fact that not a single member actually spoke Spanish. So they were coached phonetically, word by word in the studio on how to sing the song. Then they had to frantically learn the language on tour so they wouldn't be exposed as frauds. And we’ve got the power ballad Far away from the most hated band in the world, Nickelback, that's actually... a lot better than you remember … Forget the internet mob, these songs are worth it... Let’s go. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Coming up next a special tribute to a rockstar we lost recently in an interview I did with him that I’ve never shared on here. Brad Arnold of Three Doors Down passed away on February 7th 2026, after battling stage 4 cancer that had spread to his lungs for nearly a year. He was 47. He battled this horrible disease with Optimism to the very end. His last message to fans was on Christmas when he shared a photo with his wife and dog kneeling down in front of a small tree. He said, “Merry Christmas, everybody. “I can’t tell you how thankful I am to be here!” I was grateful to get to know him when I interviewed him several years ago… I’ve shared a part of that interview about their Number one rock hit kryptonite but I’ve never shared the rest of the interview. and I gotta warn you… This one will hit you in the heart. What he says throughout the interview is deeply poignant and life-affirming. He was a man of faith, and he was one of the kindest, most genuine people I’ve ever met in this industry. And I was devastated when I heard he’d passed. Cancer sucks. It also just took James Vanderbeek… Today, Brad tells the story of 3 Doors Down’s other big hits Here Without You and Love Me When I’m Gone and Loser and the songs take on a different meaning now. I have to admit, I really didn’t like 3 door down when they came out. I misjudged them, feeling their music was just ok, but then again, I didn’t really give it much attention until I met the band and Brad. After that, I was a fan. Because the band is just a bunch of good guys, and for the haters out there who went into the comments this week and said nasty things about Brad because of who he voted for, can you please show some compassion? A man has passed away…Somebody's husband, somebody’s brother, somebody's son… Let’s pay our respects. So here is the interview… Rest in peace, Brad.  See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

It's a music marathon. We’re shining a light on some of the most underrated songs from female artists… It’s the latest edition of Female Hidden Gems. But behind these beautiful melodies lie some of the wildest and most twisted stories in rock. Seriously. We've got the haunting duet where the female vocalist Hope Sandoval sang a love song with one brother while secretly dating the other. Then there's the soulful singer Duffy whose breakout hit Mercy became eerily prophetic after she was kidnapped and held captive years later. The tragic incident turned the song on its head, but ultimately it became an anthem of empowerment. And we'll also reveal how one of the biggest girl groups of the 80s The Go-Gos recorded their final hit Head Over Heels in a studio combat zone. That story involves physical altercations, thrown bottles, substance abuse and sabotaged instruments. All while the song's lyrics literally documented the band's collapse in real time. Plus Stevie Nicks who canceled her wedding night and honeymoon to record her song Stand Back where she basically ripped off Prince’s new song by basically putting new lyrics over his music… It became a smash… We’ll see what his reaction was on it. Let’s get started. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Coming up an interview with one of the biggest selling bands of the 70s, America, led by Dewey Bunnell, Gerry Beckley, and Dan Peek. Here, the 2 principals, Dewey and Gerry, give us the story of a song that became their third consecutive top 10 hit and a radio staple of the early decade, Ventura Highway. The song conjured up imagery of a wondrous and mystical destination, although the group has taken flak for decades for some of the lyrics… including one about flying alligators? or maybe listeners just heard them wrong? One strange lyric was used by Prince a decade later in a song and a record that would blow up… Purple Rain. But America was the first to use it in a pop song… Maybe Prince was listening! Featuring one of the most creative guitar lines of the time, Ventura Highway is a sonic time machine and will take you back to the carefree 70s in an instant. The interview is next on Professor of Rock. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Tribute to 3 Doors Down frontman Brad Arnold. who passed away from Cancer. Brad was one of the good guys. In this interview, Brad open up about 3 Doors Down and their Biggest hit Kryptonite which Brad wrote when he was only 15 years old in math class when he was bored... He did it in 5 minutes. Rest in peace Brad See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

1987 was one of the most iconic years in music history, with classic releases from Def Leppard, Guns N’ Roses, George Michael, Michael Jackson, and more—but Whitney Houston ruled the year. Her euphoric anthem “I Wanna Dance With Somebody (Who Loves Me)” hit #1 in 13 countries and became one of the defining songs of the 1980s. In this special From the Vault episode honoring Whitney Houston on the anniversary of her passing, legendary producer and drummer Narada Michael Walden tells the inside story of how this global smash was created. It’s a powerful tribute to Whitney’s legacy, a landmark moment in pop history, and one of the greatest feel-good songs ever recorded—on Professor of Rock. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Today we're diving into one of the most underrated careers in rock history—Phil Collins, a guy who turned his own devastating heartbreak into a commercial empire, while simultaneously fronting one of the world’s biggest bands, Genesis, from the back of the stage. Haters call him vanilla… but digging into his catalog, Phil Collins is anything but ordinary. And we’ve got some insane stories to back it up. Including the future #1 hit classic Against All Odds Phil Collins refused to put on.. not one, but two of his own albums… because he thought it sucked—but after it soundtracked a box office bomb, it somehow became his first chart-topper. Then there's the deeply personal track If Leaving Me is Easy that he banned himself from performing live after audiences refused to give it any respect…. It’s one that caused his ex-wife to flip out on him when he was settling his divorce across radio… And we’ve got a couple urban legends to address… like how one upbeat pop anthem Something Happened on the Way to Heaven secretly tells the story of a ghost who skips the afterlife so he can stay behind and haunt his lover. And also the In the Air Tonight legend about how Phil saw a man who murdered a man and later called him out in concert. Let’s go. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Sadly this legendary band went down in flames. Lynyrd Skynyrd's famous album cover even predicted it. And so did one of their songs… Lynyrd Skynyrd wrote That Smell in 1977…It was an eerily prophetic rocker that warned them there would be hell to pay. They created their album cover with Fire and Flames around them! Truly, no one worked harder than Frontman Ronnie Van Zant and the wild boys of Lynyrd Skynyrd, but then again no one partied harder either… and it was nearly to the point of self-destruction. Their trail of carnage included knock-down drag-out brawls, punched-out teeth, furniture flying out of fifth-story windows, cutting and maiming their guitarist hands the night before a big show and one time when the lead singer tried to throw a roadie out of a plane… mid-flight. I mean come on… that’s insane. Blacklisted from hotels and airlines alike, it all came to a tragic conclusion on October 20, 1977. After that day, this band would never be the same again. The story of two classic hits from their 70s classic album Street Survivors: the 70s hits, What’s Your Name and That Smell….Brace yourself, this one’s as crazy. as rock and roll gets… The story is coming up… NEXT on Professor of Rock.  See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Okay, it’s that time of year again. We’re gearing up for the Rock and Roll Hame of Fame’s class of 2026. And AS PER usual The Rock Hall is going to snub some of the best rock bands and musicians of all time. Hey, it’s what they do. So today, I want to make the case for some extremely talented artists who deserve to get in and see if we can create a groundswell for some of the most deserving musicians of all-time. That’s right, I’m counting down my Top 8 acts who the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame has consistently ignored and neglected for decades. I want to give them some love and at the end of the video, I’ve got an important Call to Action that I need your help with, so we can get the #1 band into the Hall of Fame. So let’s get right to it. Sign the Professor of Rock's petition to get Boston inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. https://c.org/TTyvqVjTzJ See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Up next an interview with an icon of 60s rock and roll, Peter Noone of Herman’s Hermits. Peter was only 15 years old when he became the singer behind Herman’s Hermits, who would go on to garner 18 hits, including an amazing 11 songs that hit the top 10 and several that went to #1. In fact, before Peter got to his 18th birthday he and Herman’s Hermits finished ahead of the Beatles on the Billboard year-end survey for top groups. It was on the strength of two big hits that kept his band in the top ten for 6 months! Including today’s song “I’m Henry the Eighth, I Am” that was actually from the year 1910… It caught on because it was so easy to sing and so easy to remember…It’s because the band repeated the same verse three times because they only knew the one verse, even though the song had numerous verses…it made “I’m Henry the Eighth, I Am” one of the most famous novelty songs ever… and the story of Mr’s Brown, You’ve got a lovely Daughter...The story is coming straight from the icon next on Professor of Rock. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Coming up next, an interview with a man who is on a shortlist of the greatest singers in music history but he never gets his due. Mickey Thomas of Jefferson Starship and Starship... He’s had numerous hits, and his voice is so gritty, and his range is so high that he can go toe to toe with anybody. And up next, we cover his greatest hits, including the song that put him on the map. But it was a total accident. He was invited to sing backup for a famous guitarist on a song he’d written, but during the session, the famous producer said let’s have this rookie background singer try a take… The take was so amazing that it blew everyone away, and luckily, the engineer was recording. Even the famous gutiarst was like it’s your son,g brother. Soon after it flew up the charts but barely missed #1… and then decades later after it was used in a big movie, it finally hit #1. The song was Fooled Around and Fell in Love by Elvin Bishop. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Today, we're shining a light on eight 80s classics that deserve way more recognition, but I'm not talking about hidden gems here. A lot of these were huge songs, but they were quietly great four decades later; these songs don't get the headlines. like the overplayed ones. So what happened? In most cases, they've been overshadowed by bigger hits from their band. But make no mistake, these are top-tier tracks. All timers. Including an awe-inspiring song On the Turning Away that emerged from one of rock's nastiest legal battles... probably one of the most notorious conflicts of the 80s. Then there's the perfectionist Lindsey Buckingham, who brought in one of rock's legendary drummers to record on his track... only to reject every single take and "roboticize" him by looping just 4 seconds of his drumming through the entire song. And I've also got the story of the Duran Duran music video that nearly got the band lynched by four thousand Buddhist monks... and then almost killed the guitarist when he contracted a tropical virus in a lagoon filled with elephants. From synth-pop gems to guitar-driven anthems, these are the quietly great songs that shaped the 80s. We give ‘em their due today. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The amazing story of the first all indigenous band Redbone and their ultra catchy 70s smash Come and Get Your Love. The band was compelled by a burning desire to put the spirituality and history of their ancestry in the forefront of their music... the band featured in this episode risked commercial acceptance...disregarded music industry conventionalism, and scored the first major pop hit by a group entirely made up of Indigenous Americans. The inspiring story is coming up NEXT on Professor of Rock. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

It was the year that lit the flame of Rock and Roll. The charts were full of remakes of hit songs by black artists that were re-recorded by white singers that became a trick of the trade in the record business. It's FASCINATING music history. At one point 4 different versions of one famous song competed for #1. One of those led to the first crossover hit by blues legend Fats Domino, and helped him afford to buy a gold ring he bragged about on stage. Another was orchestrated by Alan Freed, the man who coined the phrase ‘rock n’ roll,’ but was later indicted for payola. The landmark track Only You by the iconic vocal group The Platters came out during this year and the hook to that song was created because of a hiccup that made the singer’s voice jolt, and that jolt made the song a classic. But, the most impactful quake that shook the landscape was caused by Rock Around the Clock, a song that was rescued from obscurity by the 9-year-old son of a famous actor who accidentally played the wrong side of a record, and that mistake became THEE anthem that established the Rock Era. Honestly, there’s a fascinating story around every track that came out during this pivotal year. Every song is a history lesson! Next on professor of rock. with Elvis Presley, Chuck Berry and Little Ricard to lead the way! See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Todays song is a music revelation. it's a song story that will kick you in the teeth. This killer 90s song is epic. Coming up a song breakdown of The Beastie Boys at their best with their big fat classic.. Sabotage. It’s so ferocious you have to blast it whenever it comes on and then crank it up some more. It’s the most badass song of the decade it came from.. this high-octane assault on the ears almost didn’t make it. It sat on the shelf for a year. The band couldn’t think of any lyrics. Turns out, The Beastie-Boys were a little distracted. Their studio had a skate ramp and a basketball court and they were always messing around. Finally, two weeks before their deadline, their producer got so frustrated he YELLED AT them to finish one song. So in a moment of smart-ass inspiration, Ad Rock spit out a verse about how this producer was stifling their creativity by making them work. Turns out, that was all the Beastie Boys needed to turn what was supposed to be an instrumental track into the iconic hit Sabotage from their classic album Ill Communication. Plus there’s the hilarious music video to talk about as well. That’s a whole other story. We’re gonna break it all down for you with Ad Rock, MCA and Mike D… NEXT on Professor of Rock. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Alright, today, we’ve got a line-up of songs that were complete failures when they first came out… but fortune was with them. Because even though some of these tracks couldn't crack the charts to save their lives, they all became massive multi-million dollar money makers.  We've got a fascinating lineup of 'love failure songs' that initially stumbled but ultimately made massive comebacks, becoming multi-million dollar hits. This video also explores a heated band rivalry, showcasing the dramatic stories behind these musical 'comeback' triumphs. Including the story of Nick Drake who decades after his death scored a huge payday when his song was used in a Car Ad and he sold more records in a moth than he sold in 30 years combined. You'll hear about a psychedelic rivalry so intense it involved shotgun shells and restraining orders. Plus the cult classic Where is My Mind by Pixies that wasn’t released as a single, but thanks to an explosive movie spot in Fight Club it’s now getting licensing offers once a week… making the songwriter enough to retire. Then you’ve got the band Alabama 3, whose song became the theme song for one of HBO’s all-time biggest shows the Sopranos. And their manager completely screwed them… selling it for just $500. It raked in millions. But would they ever see any of it? Plus, there’s the B-side Tainted Love that nobody wanted that came out of nowhere to make 25 million. From family-friendly drug anthems like Lust For Life by Iggy Pop to obscure punk covers from the Cramps that went viral 40 years later, these are the songs that prove timing is everything. Let’s go. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Everyone loves a great underdog story, and up next, we have one of the best from the 80s. Today’s Rookie artist Cyndi Lauper went through hell and back to get to the top. First of all, she lost her voice because of a collapsed vocal cord, and doctors said she’d never sing again. Then she got sued for $80K, which today would be like a quarter million. This forced her to declare bankruptcy and left her destitute. But Lauper kept going, she finally got a break with a label, but they didn’t believe in her songs, they pushed her to do cover songs from other artists, even though she was a great songwriter herself. After recording a bunch of covers, she rebelled and wrote a song with another up-and-coming artist from the band the Hooters that came from her TV GUIDE and an annoying alarm clock that kept malfunctioning and going off in her apartment. She even smashed it against a wall and threw it in the shower, but it kept ticking away. That ticking sound inspired one of the greatest #1 hits in history. Time After Time from her 80s classic album She's So Unusual. It became the most covered song of the decade and hundreds of artist have claimed it's the one song they wish they'd written. It was so good her producer would let anyone near the studio when she was working on it for fear someone would steal it. Up next, I have the co-writer to tell the story. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Coming up next a lead singer from an underrated band that in their peak years from the late 60s to the mid 70s had More Gold records Than The Stones! Bigger Crowds Than Credence! And Fatter Purses Than Elvis! Chuck Negron's band, Three Dog Night had had a then record, 21 consecutive hit songs and up next he shares the story of several classics including a song...Pieces of April he recorded because the band needed one more song, only the rest of his band mates were out of town so he had to go in and record it himself but because he didn’t have his regular group and none his of session guys were available so he found out that the janitor played Cello and the studio’s secretary played guitar and so he Jerry rigged the song and it became a smash. Then there was the album cover that was so controversial he had to put a bandage over the cover and then there was the hit song called the show must go on that he covered and decided to change the lyrics but he was in such a hurry to get it recorded, he forgot to call the original singer for permission to change them and when the song came out he was livid… plus the song that was created for a failed children's tv show and because one of the biggest rock songs ever, Joy to the World. So many classics coming up next.  See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Coming up, we shine a focus on the neurological condition known as stuttering…. Some spend a lifetime trying to get rid of it, others have learned to control it and become legendary performers. And then some have turned the condition into some of the biggest hits in rock history. In this episode, we explore how a stutter was turned into a clever art form, uniting a universal chorus of stammers that was beautiful. Including the song Lola that Kinks singer Ray Davies was writing when his toddler started singing along with him… the simple lyrics were like a nursery rhyme and they stuttered it together and that stutter by his toddler made it a classic. Then there’s the stutter that came from frustration when The Who's legendary singer Roger Daltrey, couldn’t get the timing of the vocal and lyrics right, so he had to stutter to make it fit. It became an all-time anthem. And then Randy Bachman, who wrote Ain't Seen Nothing Yet to mock his little brother’s speech impediment and it hit #1 in 12 countries and he even got a special award from the non-profit stuttering foundation. Let’s do it. Go to this exclusive web address right now to try ZipRecruiter FOR FREE: https://www.ziprecruiter.com/rock See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Ladies and gentleman, rock and roll. From its inaugural blast off and moon landing on August 1, 1981 until the clock struck midnight on New Years Eve 1989, MTV and the 80s were a match made it heaven. The decade was no doubt the most important in the network’s history and was stacked with landmark moments. Famously opening with the Buggles’ “Video Killed the Radio Star,” MTV quickly became part of the fabric of our lives. It’s humble origins began with a very limited library of music videos, but it wasn’t long before the channel caught fire… and became the juggernaut that powered the lives of music lovers everywhere. As the “I Want My MTV” ad campaign hammered the brand into public consciousness, rock and pop stars came out of the woodwork to throw in their support. And as the decade unfolded, we were hit with music videos that revolutionized the medium and kept our eyes glued to the screen. Duran Duran’s Hungry Like the Wolf, Peter Gabriel’s Sledgehammer, Dire Strait’s Money For Nothing, Genesis with Land of Confusion, and Michael Jackson’s Thriller. The list goes on and on. And surrounding the never-ending line-up of videos were moments that put MTV down in pop cultural history: Madonna’s“Like a Virgin” performance at the 1984 MTV Video Music Awards, Live Aid coverage, the Run-DMC Aerosmith collab on Walk This Way, Motley Crue’s Home Sweet Home breaking Dial MTV, the debut of MTV Unplugged in 1989… But now over 44 years later. MTV has been unplugged once and for all. On December 31, 2025, the last of MTV’s dedicated 24-hour music television channels ceased global broadcasting, ending over four decades of continuous music programming. The shutdown affected 5 major channels (MTV Live, MTV Music, MTV 80s, MTV 90s, and MTV Hits). See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Sometimes you ask a question, and there’s some mustard behind the answer. Today I talk with a legend who was riding as high as a band can in one moment, but then music got turned on its head, and this band, along with dozen’s of other,s were suddenly at a crossroads. Coming off one of the biggest albums ever, this band was in crisis going into a new decade… They lost two of their members. Their legendary guitarist and their so called 6th member, one of the greatest producers ever, as they gathered to put together their new record, all bets were that it was gonna be dark and brooding. That was certainly the mood, but instead this band put out a relentlessly upbeat album full of hard rock that was a pure adrenaline rush with a huge first single; the only problem was their timing was a bit off. Had this record come out even a year before, it would’ve been twice as big, but it dropped when GRUNGE had taken over the landscape and was threatening to take this band out. I pose the question decades later to their legendary frontman. What were you thinking when this musical movement that took out so many bands and threatened yours happened, and he spits a little fire my way… But his answer is priceless. Let’s do it. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Some songs start as hits but end up as punchlines. Over-saturation, endless mocking, and viral internet culture can transform a former chart-topper into a pop culture punching bag. Today, we're counting down 6 tracks and artists that went from beloved… to the butt of the joke. We’ve got stories like the time Conan O'Brien teased Michael Bolton. So Bolton threatened to end Conan's life by sending a softball through his head at their next charity softball game. Or how about when the star of Titanic, the highest-grossing film of the 20th century, said that movie’s theme song My Heart Will Go On makes her throw up in her mouth every time she hears it… because fans won’t stop playing it for her! And then there’s the music journalist who was locked inside a listening booth at a Best Buy, and was forced to listen to We Built This City his magazine called “the worst ever”… for 24 hours straight. Plus, there’s What's Up, the song that is so annoying I'd rather be water boarded then list to it. We’re covering the rock era’s best musical punchlines. Let’s go! See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

So last week I showed this strange one-hit wonder Mmm Mmm Mmm Mmm by the Crash Test Dummies, to my autistic son, and he was absolutely mesmerized. He has listened to it about 90 times since then, so it got me curious about a deep dive on it. It’s undeniably creepy but strangely comforting…Written about 3 different kids connected by the common thread of loneliness and suffering. It was inspired by true stories and events, and the singer delivers it in an unconventional style with a voice that many tried to imitate at the time it came out, but no one could do it. It made us all bristle with astonishment and wonder lead with the strangest meandering one-word chorus in history. It’s time to get to the bottom of this one. Let’s do it. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

1980 was a wild year for rock. It’s hard to believe it was 45 years ago… The charts were dominated by soft rock holdovers and the last gasps of disco… Meanwhile, some of history’s most groundbreaking tracks were flying under the radar. Songs that became legit anthems for generations to come. But they couldn't even crack the Top 40. Today, we're counting down 10 badass tracks from 1980 that were ignored by Radio but are now Classics. Including Joy Division's Love Will Tear Us Apart, a song that an iconic frontman wrote that fans and his own band didn’t realize was a suicide note till it was too late. Plus U2's I Will Follow that was written during a screaming rehearsal argument. Bono, who couldn’t play any instruments, got so angry he ripped the guitar off his guitarist's neck and started making a sound like a dentist’s drill. It became one of their most iconic tracks. Or what about the lovestruck guitarist Mark Knopfler, who got his punk rock girlfriend a record deal, only to be brutally dissed by her in a public interview… He turned that diss into a 6-minute sonic masterpiece. Let’s do it! See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Coming up you asked for it. and so her it is Round 2 with the UNFILTERED Dr Love. Gene Simmons of Kiss. This first iteration got backlash and I even got called out for not pushing back in the last interview My job is to ask questions and get out of the way. Well, haters are gonna hate because This one may piss them off even more. We talk about the classics from Kiss’ biggest song ever I Was Made for Loving You to the one that put ‘em on the map I Wanna Rock n Roll All Nite (And Party Every Day) plus some deep cuts, his notorious tongue, he shares his feelings on his roots which is very touching, how he made it in America, and then his phone dies mid-interview. He says what he wants, and along the way we get some great stories. Here’s Gene Simmons of Kiss on the biggest hits and misses.  See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Here’s Part 2 of the greatest Female Rock Singer Ever and most of save for a few minutes here and there most of this has not ever been show. Ann Wilson of Heart takes us from the late 80s thought the 90s and up to now with the stories of the song and album that made heart one of the greatest bands in history including the song that save their career, plus the song that became their biggest hit of the last 35 years but Ann Hates it so much she refused to play it for decades plus the song she took a step back and let her sister Nancy who was the guitarist and backing vocals sing and it became a smash…as well as tackling the most revered song in rock history that she sang in front of here heroes and made one cry and another smile plus their impact on grunge and the new millennium here’s Ann Wilson. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

I've Made 1600 Episodes On This Channel-This Was The TOUGHEST One I've EVER Done!--Professor of Rock So the other day I was doing some organizing and I found a buried treasure. A Paper I wrote back in Jr High about My Late Father. The Assignment back then was do a report on something your father is passionate about. My Dad passed away almost 7 years ago so it was a really precious memory to read this paper. My dad and I always connected on music, he’s the reason I do what I do. I did the Paper on his favorite songs of all time. So coming next I’m going to count down my dad’s top 10 and tell you the stories..from both the history of the song and his own stories behind them. It’s a very personal episode and so I’m going to get right into it.  See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Coming up, we’re putting music's greatest legends on trial. counting down the most insane musical courtroom dramas in history and giving you the verdicts… Now I guarantee you know about these famous lawsuits, but you’ve never heard the true stories of them, and they will blow your mind like the rappers Vanilla Ice who clearly ripped off his #1 hit Ice Ice Baby from 2 legendary artists Queen and David Bowie, but did you know that by ripping them off, he actually made their song 10 times bigger? And then he actually turned around and bought the full copyright of the song because it was cheaper than the legal fees. So he makes money off his rip-off and the original. Plus, there's the late legendary rocker Ozzie Osbourne who was sued because parents claimed his song caused the death of their son. But the song was actually completely misunderstood. But they tried to get him brought up on charges of manslaughter…and then there’s the legend who was sued for ripping off his own song! John Fogerty who's solo hit allegedly ripped off an earlier Creedence Clearwater Revival Song... Plus did Led Zeppelin steal Stairway to Heaven from Mary Poppins or the band Spirit? Let’s find out! See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Today, we're all about the Bee Gees, one of the most iconic groups, not just of the '70s, but of the entire rock era. These masters of pop reinvention went from cabaret obscurity to global domination, only to become scapegoats for a cultural revolution that came crashing down all around them. It’s a story of evolution, survival, and resilience. In it, we’ll cover the song Nights on Broadway that led to the most recognizable helium-powered voice of the rock era…and it was a total accident. There’s also the story of how the Bee Gees gave away one of their biggest potential hits More Than a Woman to a lesser-known band as a gift. But over time, their original version, which was only released as a B-Side, went on to dominate the airwaves and surpass that group anyway. You'll also hear how the guys cranked out three #1 hits in an hour and a half like it was nothing. And how when they turned their album to record execs they were told they didn’t hear any hits…Turns out the album would have 7 #1 hits and their main singer would replace himself at #1 a record four straight times. But just a year later, the Bee Gees would be musical pariahs…as radio wouldn’t touch their music. Let’s do it. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

It was 40 years ago that today’s song Separate Lives hit #1. And it’s definitely one of the most heart-wrenching duets ever recorded, and to this day, even though it was a #1 hit sung by Phil Collins, one of the biggest artists ever... it doesn’t get the credit or the plays it should. And it has an amazing story behind it. 40 years ago Phil Collins was arguably the biggest artist on the planet. He was right there with Michael Jackson, Madonna and Prince and he didn’t have a lot in common with them... He looked more like your dad’s accountant, but he had one of the greatest voices ever, and from 1984 to about 1991 he had a hit every single week on the charts and in 1986 he could’ve whispered on a record and it would be a hit. Well he wrote most of his hits, but he sang a duet with an up and comer named Marilyn Martin that cut to the bone… Separate lives was a big hit from the movie white nights and the reason it was so heart wrenching is because it really happened. It was written by Stephen Bishop who had quite a few hits and actually the biggest hit he wrote, he didn’t sing and the biggest hit that he sang he didn’t write! find out what those songs were in our interview coming up… Plus find out the famous actress who ripped his heart out that that inspired Separate lives and find out why Phil Colins’s duet partner Marilyn Martin quit music to be a real estate agent! See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Coming up…A story of scorned passion…revenge, and arson. It sounds like a film noir thriller, but it was actually an innocent 2-minute song called Norwegian Wood by a little band called the Beatles! The song was based on a cheating husband (John Lennon) whose finished masterpiece managed to offend one of the most influential artists of the Rock Era and change the landscape of popular music for generations to come. It was from the greatest band ever that some critics then and now called the first boy band bashing them over their first few hits like She Loves You Ya Ya Ya… Well, this was the song that turned them into popular music’s Michaelangelos! They set the course for music and decades later everyone is still trying to match them. There’s only one band that could create such a storm of melodrama. Including Paul McCartney taking some credit and George Harrison’s latter feud with Lennon over a writing credit. Find out all the details NEXT on Professor of Rock. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Hey Music Junkies Professor of Rock always here to celebrate the greatest artists and the greatest songs of a all time. Make sure to subscribe to the channels Well we are truly getting to the end of our yearly countdowns If Can find 10 great top 40 songs in a year end countdown, I will cover it but it’s getting harder and harder. So let’s get into the final year of the 90s…1999! Let’s get into it. … According to the Billboard Magazine’s Year End Survey, the 10th biggest song of the year for 1999 was “Living la Vida Loca” by Ricky Martin….But, we’re kicking off our countdown of the Top 10 Songs of ’99 with, “What It’s Like” by Everlast at #10: This was Everlast's first solo single after leaving the group, House Of Pain. Being in that band became an arduous task that Everlast hated. He compared it to the feeling you have when you wake up early on Monday morning and have to go to school.  See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

History tells us that Nirvana saved rock and roll in 1991 with Smells Like Teen Spirit, but that’s the history that was written by the media… what if I told you that there were a couple of moments that happened before Nevermind and Teen Spirit that moved the needle but didn’t get the hype? We’re going to cover one of those moments today that happened a couple of years before Nirvana, and it’s a crazy story. It involves code words and mystery lyrics, a decades-long feud with a rival band that came from stealing this band’s dance moves, and a controversial music video that gave every animal rights activist a coronary. All of this is connected to Epic, one of the most influential songs you’ve heard. And it is part of an alternative history that has been buried. Today’s song Epic came right after today’s band Faith No More fired their singer… a new singer came right in and wrote the lyrics to this band’s killer riff. and this band knew it was a hit but the record label didn’t care… they chose the band’s first single and when it flopped they let this group pick the next single…it not only ignited this band’s fortunes, some argue it invented a new genre but so many styles we’re represented here they had everything in this song… even the kitchen sink…the story is NEXT on the Professor of Rock. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

So In the past we’ve counting down the greatest television theme songs from the 60s, 70s, 80s, and 90s. We’ve covered movie scores and the best jingles. And through it all, I’ve had thousands of requests for Saturday Morning Cartoons or cartoon themes. Well On this episode, we’re counting down the greatest cartoon theme songs of the 80s. And we've got some crazy stories to tell. Like, did the J Geils Band secretly lift their risqué chart-topper Centerfold from a kids cartoon… about tiny blue creatures? We’ll also solve the bizarre internet rumor that’s persisted for decades, claiming the dignified host of Inside the Actors Studio was the secret mastermind behind the ThunderCats themes ever. How did that even start? And wait until you hear how Arnold Schwarzenegger indirectly launched one of the biggest action figure lines of the decade and one of the most iconic cartoon themes in history. Plus, a hit songwriter wrote one of the catchiest songs of all time… Everyone knew it would be a #1 smash, but it became a kids' TV song and never got released as a single. He missed a #1 hit, but decades later it’s more famous than any of the #1 hits from the year it came out.. Can you guess it from its first second? From bouncing bears to pizza-loving reptiles, we're covering it all. Let’s do it. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Coming up, it’s a massive hit from a band that was absolutely clobbered 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 including Pearl Jam. Yes Scott Weiland and Stone Temple Pilots took a lot of flack... But it was completely unwarranted… and untrue. In fact, in one Rolling Stone poll STP were 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 death, 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. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Coming up next, the Police, a rookie band that would start a 5-year trek that would take them from nobodies to the biggest band in the world. But their first couple of singles would be B.O.D. banned on delivery because they were about a hooker and suicide: Roxane and Can't Stand Losing You. And to discuss these two classics, I have 2 of the principals from the band, Sting and Stewart Copeland. Their first 2 songs were catchy and had the makings of big-time hits, but radio refused to play them due to their subject matter. But there’s more to it than that … it may be that the band stretched the truth about radio blacklisting them to stir up controversy and publicity. Well, let’s find out… coming up, the most famous song about a sex worker in history on Professor of Rock. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Coming up I interviewed one of the most ICONIC rock stars in the history of planet earth.. Love him or hate him, he’s always got something to say and when he says it, you know it’s how he really feels, he doesn’t mince words and it was no different when I spoke to him It’s always interesting because the man has no filter and he doesn’t care about Political correctness or kowtowing to anyone or anything. . He says what he thinks, and in this interview, he gives us his truth behind some long-held myths about his band’s songs, and it rewrites some famous stories that have been told forever, including his band’s biggest hit, which was a B-side that sounded nothing like their typical rock songs, and who really wrote it. Everyone has said he hates it, but he tells us his real opinion on it and how it got the hard rock band to play on AM Radio next to Jonn Denver. He goes off on censorship and how certain songs get canceled, but others skate by, including certain rap songs. It’s Gene Simmons unfiltered. He says what he wants because he just doesn’t care anymore. Here it is. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Sometimes the deepest cuts leave the most lasting marks. I’m talking about songs that never dominated the airwaves, but are worthy of regular rotation in our lives. Today we're celebrating 7 female hidden gems that deserve way more love than they ever received. We've got the story of Sandy Denny, the only female vocalist ever to appear on a Led Zeppelin studio album. She went toe-to-toe with Robert Plant to create a bona fide Zeppelin classic. Then there's the heartbreaking tale of an under-the-radar vocalist named Eve Cassidy who gave her final public performance while battling terminal cancer. Her haunting rendition of an iconic track became her devastating farewell to the world. Then there was the prolific male songwriter from ABBA who wrote a song about his brutal divorce… just so happens that the woman he was divorcing was the singer in his band and she had to sing this song next to him for years... and hear it for the next 45 years when it became a classic. Add to that stalker survivor Sarah McLachlan, and Kate Schellenbach, the only woman to ever be called a Beastie Boy, and you know this is going to be a must-watch episode. Let’s get started.  See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Despite its eventual historic significance, there was a moment when the band’s iconic lead singer contemplated scrapping one of the greatest albums ever recorded, because he had second thoughts about the quality of the record. The story of what led to the creation of U2’s astonishing achievement The Joshua Tree NEXT on Professor of Rock. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Coming up, some perfect songs that came out during the great downturn in mainstream music when rock was becoming extinct including Everlong, the greatest rock song of the last 30 years by Dave Grohl, a man who was in the shadow of one of the most revered frontmen in history, but he stepped out of the background and shocked the world with a one man band that I believe has superceded his original band. Then there’s the band Chumbawumba that had whose massive hit Tubthumping was flying off the shelves at record stores. But then a band member told fans she didn’t care if they shoplifted their new album…There were so many stolen copies that their label had to force stores to stop carrying the record! Then there’s the sappiest song of its time, Butterfly Kisses, that actually cost me my marriage. Plus, the haunting classic Silver Springs that was unfairly pulled from one of the biggest albums ever Fleetwood Mac's Rumours, only to end up as a hard-to-find B-side. But it made the ultimate comeback when it was recorded as part of a live album 20 years later. Sweet revenge came when it not only charted but became one of the legendary band’s most-streamed songs. Plus Mark Morrison who wrote Return of the Mack a song about a comeback while he was in prison, and the song hit #1. See 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 classic song from one of our most precious singer-songwriters who has a debilitating disease and won’t be with us much longer… the great Neil Diamond. We hope for a miracle, but for the time being, we can celebrate his genius as one of the most beloved icons of the 60s 70s and 80s. Today we honor his classic song "I am... I Said," that was inspired by the experience of a failed screen test for a film about one of the most controversial comedians of the 20th century. It was the most personally challenging song of his illustrious career. And it took him 4 long months to write. It was a daily battle to put the song on paper, and it truly drained him emotionally. But when it was finished, it turned out to be one of the most fulfilling songs he had ever written. In fact, it came from therapy sessions he was having at the time. However, one lyric about a chair inspired a famous journalist to write a scathing book about Bad Songs, wherein he ripped this 70s classic to Shreds… However, the fans struck back with bags and bags of hate mail, and it was so insurmountable the journalist had to write a public apology, and he very nearly retired! The story of the most ridiculed song of it’s time and a tribute to a beloved icon next on Professor of Rock. Look for the new movie about Neil Diamond's music "Song Sung Blue" with Hugh Jackman and Kate Hudson. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Today we're returning to our Taboo Songs countdown, where we cover the most controversial tracks that either sparked outrage back in their day or that some modern audiences have tried to cancel…We’ve done many episodes on this and it’s become one of our most popular series. So today we’re at it again. And this time around, we’re turning up the heat… with a truly strange story. The legendary guitarist Link Wray whose distorted guitar tune Rumle became the only song in American history to be all-out banned from radio despite having zero lyrics. It was just too sinister for listeners! Then there’s the story of Cher, who was banned by the US Navy after recording a near-nude music video on a naval ship. Not only did she receive a Naval ban, but she got everyone else banned as well. Then there’s the story of a controversial track Dear God by XTC, that inspired a radio station B-O-M-B threat and a high schooler to take his principal hostage and forcibly play the song over the school’s PA system. They’re the songs that provoked outrage and were deemed too dangerous for the public. Find out which one tops the list... NEXT on the Professor of Rock. 34 See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

It’s a fact today’s band Dire Straits was a revelation when they first came out in the 70s…They interrupted disco and took radio hostage with a throwback rock sound that was completely their own, thanks to their versatile singer-guitarist. But after a spectacular debut, their sophomore album was a failure; it faltered on the charts, and they were back to square one. Determined to get back on top, today’s legendary singer heard a song on the radio that blew his mind, and that song set into motion his best work. His new album was close to perfect, but he was so meticulous about it he actually erased the title track from the tracklist and then he erased his own brothers’ contributions from the final mix, causing a bitter fallout between the brothers and bandmates in facts, they hadn't spoken in almost 45 years. The record had some incredible artistic risks, including dead air that made DJs panic. Next, the story of one of the most cinematic records ever. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Coming up, the final part of my deep dive conversation with Rick Beato. This time we talk about the most underrated band of all-time, as well as the catchiest song of the last 40 years, and the band from yesteryear that is having the most impact on our kids, and discuss the oft-sighted term musical genius, and who are the last musical geniuses on this planet. Plus, what is the greatest Riff in music history, and I try not to incur the wrath of the Swifties when we discuss Taylor Swift’s legacy in comparison to other female icons from the last 40 years. Hell, we even discuss aliens and UFOs… You’ll see what I mean next. Let’s geek out on music. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Coming up next, a collaboration with another one of my favorite YouTubers. A famous rockstar and one of the funniest guys in music, it's Justin Hawkins. We connected when he toured through Salt Lake City with The Darkness, and we had a great hang, discussing everything from our personal interactions with Corey Feldman to bonding over getting copyright claims. We’ve both gotten plenty, but Justin shares a revelation… He got one for using his own music! I pick his brain about his picks for his favorite songs of all time, and his classic stadium anthem I Believe in a Thing Called Love and jamming with his heroes. It’s great fun. Let’s do it.  Make sure to subscribe to Justin's YouTube Channel: @JustinHawkinsRidesAgain See 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 telling the tale of a misunderstood sibling rivalry between Paul McCartney and John Lennon. We’re talking two legendary singer-songwriters who were the driving engines behind one of Music’s most legendary bands The Beatles… until it all fell apart. And yeah, it was one hell of a fallout. And that’s where we’re going with today’s episode, the aftermath and all its wreckage. As Paul and John went solo, a war of words ensued through their music… songwriting skirmishes and potshots launched via lyrics. Including some low blows. But was it really as bad as it seemed? The answer may surprise you. Today, it’s an all-out, free-for-all, “tell us how you really feel” songwriting slugfest and a multi-song episode that proves that the pen is mightier than the sword… Would there be a happy ending? Find out NEXT on the Professor of Rock. See 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 relaunching and rebranding a series that we used to feature as a regular entry on the channel… The Hit Song Redux. WE USED TO TRAVEL BACK to the golden era of rock to count down the top 10 hits from THIS SAME WEEK, AND THEN AFTER THE SHOW, WE’D TELL YOU what the real top 10 was based on how much the world has listened to them since. But now there’s a twist… we’re expanding our coverage to the entire Top 40 from that week to find out once and for all what song is the real all-time #1… we’re calling it Test of Time. On this inaugural episode, you’ll hear the story of a heartbreaking confession from James Taylor, who didn't find out he lost his closest friend until 6 months after she was gone. And so he wrote a classic Fire and Rain, inside a psych ward. Plus, the throwaway song The Tears of a Clown that Smokey Robinson recorded just because he needed an extra song, 3 years later, after he’d already put out several new albums. Someone at his fan club put the 3-year-old reject out for the fan club, and the radio started playing it, and it soared to #1. Plus, Immigrant Song, the track that unintentionally crowned Led Zeppelin the greatest rockers of all time. It was meant to be a joke, but fans took it seriously. And they got it right. the story Your Song By Elton John, No Matter What by Badfinger, Black Magic Woman by Santana, I Think I Love You the Partridge Family, I'll Be there by the Jackson 5, and My Sweet Lord by George Harrison.  See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Coming up next a video that we tried to release 2 years ago. It was up for a bit but got claims. Then we tried to put it up again last year, and the same thing happened before we could even release it. So we made some adjustments, but due to its subject and its history of trouble, we will only have it up for a short time. But let’s see if it stays up first. It’s the story of an artist we lost on Christmas Day in 2016. Back in the 80s, he was obsessed with dominating the charts. His goal in 1984 was to score four #1 singles. And, by November of that year, he and his musical partner had three… With time running out, he pulled out a surefire hit he wrote in the middle of watching a football game on TV. He was certain it would hit #1… and it was a holiday song that couldn’t miss, but it ran into the biggest song ever and had to settle for #2. But here’s the thing…He actually sang a small part on that song, too! So he sang on the top 2 songs on the countdown, but his own song was kept out of #1, but it would become one of the biggest songs ever with 4 billion streams, and to think it was only a promotional single in America, but the big Surprise is that it actually ended up hitting #1... 37 years later… Merry Christmas from Professor of Rock. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Coming up, we are about to discuss one of the catchiest songs of the 80s. It's My Life by Talk Talk. One that makes the hair on your neck stand on end. But it came from a genius reclusive artist, Marc Hollis, who didn’t want the limelight. He played the game as best he could, but was miserable doing it. He should’ve had dozens of hits, but It's My Life was his only hit in America. But there’s a lot to this story. After this big smash hit he walked away from music to be a father, and he never returned, but he had good reason to. When he was away, a greedy label put a lame remix album without his permission. He sued them, and they had to destroy eversingle copy they had made and this was sweet revenge, especially after his label had sued him before for not being commercial enough. The story of a classic is next. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

MERRY CHRISTMAS! Professor of Rock is celebrating with another stellar classic from the vault. 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… See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Merry Christmas Eve from Professor for Rock! Today, we revisit an absolute POR classic; 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. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

A few weeks ago, I told you that I had a special gift for you this Christmas, and it’s a few days early. The most requested video in the history of my channel: a Rick Beat dit down. Over the history of my channel, I've had thousands upon thousands of requests asking for this video. I don’t know what you’d call it… Some have called it a crossover. Some have called it a collab. But whatever you want to call it, I had a blast. Over the summer, when I was drowning in the quicksand of claims and despair, this legend reached out to me to offer help, as he had been through my plight and then some. And we became fast friends. And since then, we've spoken on the phone many times and had some great talks about all things music. For today’s interview, I go down a rabbit hole of rock and roll with Rick Beato. From his early years to his extensive career, and along the way, I PICK HIS BRAIN and ask him the questions I've always been curious about in his musical journey... from his favorite records to the one song he would like to hear before he leaves this earth… to some things that I’m not sure anyone knows about him. This is one I guarantee you’ll enjoy. Let’s get into it. " See 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 time to resurrect some of the greatest hits of the 70s and 80s that were actually huge hits in their time but have been somewhat forgotten in modern times. I’m going to prove why they deserve the Stranger Things treatment, meaning a renaissance in pop culture... including the rock song Midnight Blue that Lou Gramm brought to his band Foreigner, but was crestfallen when the leader rejected the song outright… So Lou put it out as a solo song, and it outsold Foreigner’s next album by a long shot… Sweet revenge. Then there’s The Tubes' song She's a Beauty, that everybody knows by heart, but nobody can remember the band’s name. It was their only big hit, and it came from an exotic dancer. Or how about The Little River Band that had 13 hits in a short time, including Cool Change and years later, they can’t even tour under their own band name because a bunch of impostors own it, even though none of them are original members. There’s also the stories of Throwing it all away by Phil Collins and Genesis. Atomic by Blondie that was stolen from a Nursery Rhyme. Also Same Auld Lang Syne by Dan Fogelberg, the Best of Times by Styx and I’ll wait By Van Halen. The songs in this episode share one astonishing link: they were monster hits that faded from the cultural spotlight, seldom landing in TV, film, or social media. It’s time to change that…next on Professor of Rock! See 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 most perplexing disappearing acts in rock history. Blondie with Debbie Harry defined the late 70s and early 80s and was the face of the musical movement. They were beloved by critics, and they ruled the charts with 7 huge hits in about 3 years. But they weren’t just hits; they defined the era. True masters of hook-laden classics that captivated punk kids, rock kids, and disco kids equally, but their label was so out of touch with their sound that even after several big hits, they doubted them. In fac,t they had an album that seemed completely hitless or at least that’s what the label told them after listening to it. Granted, the Autoamerican was very different from their other material. when it came out, the risky record got no love from the industry, but then it scored 2 number one hits in a row, including today’s featured song The Tide is High and Rapture flowing Blondie hits like Call Me and One Way or Another. . Today's song the Tide is High was beloved by one of the greatest rock legends ever John Lennon, who brought it up in an interview, ironically the next week the song he loved replaced him at #1 but sadly this song would be their swan song on the charts Worn down by a never-ending workload and label pressure to stay on top, these guys bottomed out and never had an other hit after having 7 big ones in just 3 years. . But was it really the end? We’ll find out… NEXT on the Professor of Rock. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

So what happens when Weird Al, the world's most famous musical comedian—a guy who's made a career out of roasting rock’s biggest acts—completely snubs you? Or give us a short clip of what a full-blown parody might’ve been like, but never turned it into a full song. Today, we're talking missed opportunities… and hidden gems by the king of musical comedy and covering career-defining hits that were begging to be mocked… the biggest bands and artists who somehow escaped the ultimate honor in music: getting sonically skewered by the prince of parody. Most of these bands got a little taste of what a parody of their song could’ve been, but they never got the full monty. And many were huge missed opportunities, including Axl Rose, who was brilliantly mocked on multiple occasions… but just not when it counted most, as well as another rock frontman who really wanted to be skewered but Al declined. There’s also the hilarious send-up of Alanis Morissette's Ironic music video, where he rides shotgun and spazzes out right alongside her... but skipped the song parody. And then there’s a funny parody making fun of Metallica, who were fighting Napster. Many claimed it was Al, and the song started going viral, but was it the real deal? We find out next on PROFESSOR OF ROCK. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Coming up a famously cerebral band that many think is one of the greatest ever, but they only had one radio hit, and guess what, they HATE IT. They Loathe It. Refuse to perform it, you’ve heard the cliché many times, but there’s a rub with this one. It's a song that spoke to a generation but was never intended to. The Band wrote it as a joke. The guitarist thought it sucked, so he played the most outrageously over-the-top dumb guitar solo ever to sabotage it, and it totally backfired. It made the song a classic. It was written about the lead singer’s awkward, drunken plea to a girl who thought he was a creep because he was stalking her. It was a confession made to this girl he was obsessed with… He crashed and burned, but the song rocketed up the charts, and even though it was a creepy joke, it was both cathartic and the epitome of self-deprecation. Let’s do it.  See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

I shared a video a few months back about the legendary rockstar who walked out of my interview to go eat a burrito. Well, today I have that uncut rollercoaster interview. And as we were prepping it this week, it was funny because the first thing he told me before we even started talking was that I could ask him anything. Well it’s probably the most entertaining interview I’ve ever done because He shares some incredible stories behind some of the greatest songs of all time because He was in 2 different supergroups The Byrds and Crosby Stills and Nash and a vital part of the music of the 60s and 70s but then he turns on me and tells me what for and walks out of the interview only to return about 45 minutes later… I think he was hangry, but no matter, this is a must-see interview, a train wreck that somehow has a cool ending. We get the stories of some of the greatest songs of the 60s and 70s, including Eight Miles High, Mr. Tambourine Man, Turn! Turn! Turn! and Suite: Judy Blue Eyes, Teach your Children, and Ohio here’s my interview with David Crosby Warts, profanity, cuss out and all!  See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Coming up… a riveting leap back to the ‘80s to celebrate 10 phenomenal songs that don’t get the credit they deserve from some of the greatest female voices ever, including some insane stories behind them. including a Natalie Merchant who was touring a London museum, was suddenly struck by a tingling, then numbness, and searing pain. She would have emergency surgery to save her life and spinal cord. In the surgery, they had to remove 3 bones from her spine & shift her vocal cords to the side. When she awoke, she could no longer sing… There’s also the eerie vocal by Bjork and a strange song that sounded like a Train Wreck, but its peculiarity made its singer a revelation. And then there’s the pivotal day when Sade would give a career-defining performance, and at the time, she was destitute and improvising a life inside an abandoned fire station. Where the building’s utilities failed—the toilet froze, nearly running a career before it began. Plus, the highest note achieved on a hit song in history by Sheena Easton, and it’s not annoying. The stories of the 80s hits by Warlock and Doro which became a one hit wonder, Heart featuring Ann Wilson with a duet Surrender to Me, the Sugarcubes Birthday, Piano in the Dark by Brenda Russell and Magic by Olivia Newton John and Rooms in Fire by Stevie Nicks of Fleetwood Mac, See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Sometimes the biggest songs never got their due on the charts. Today we're counting down the Top 10 tracks from 1979 that should have been massive hits but somehow never cracked the Top 40 even though they defined a generation, shaped rock history, and became undeniable classics—And as per usual, we’ve got some crazy stories… like Police frontman Sting who got so drunk in a Munich hotel room that the world was spinning around him—but in the middle of his drunken stupor he came up with one of the most cosmic tracks of the decade, Walking on the Moon. There's also a guitar legend Mark Knopfler who wrote the song Lady Writer about a brilliant woman on TV and used her to absolutely destroy his ex-girlfriend with some seriously savage lyrics. And we'll reveal the infamous lyric from Neil Young that would haunt him forever after it appeared in one of music's most tragic suicide notes. Plus, the top 2 songs on this countdown are 2 of the most played songs in rock history, with about 8 billion streams and listens Pink Floyd Comfortably Numb and AC/DC Highway To Hell, but were never hits. One was almost an instrumental and one is arguably the greatest riff ever. Plus the story of All of My Love from Led Zeppelin, Robert Plant's tribute to his fallen son.  See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Coming up next the most insane story of a hit song in the annals of insane stories of hit songs. A famous songwriter John D Loudermilk was allegedly kidnapped by three men while resting in his car waiting out a late-night blizzard. He said he was beaten for three days, and then it got worse when they found out he was a famous songwriter… That’s when they made a deal with him under duress. If he would write a song about the unjust treatment of their people, the Cherokees would let him live. Otherwise, they would take his life. There really wasn’t a choice… Now, this songwriter had written a lot of great songs for everyone from Johnny Cash to Roy Orbison, so he was confident he could write a song to save his life. He agreed to the three men’s demands to save his own life. He went about writing a song called Indian Reservation (The Lament of the Cherokee Reservation Indian) and it became a massive global smash for Mark Lindsay of Paul Revere and The Raiders..After the song became massive and he had lived up to his promise… the truth would finally come out, and it would ruin his career… The truth surrounding one of the biggest hits of its time coming up next on Professor of Rock. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

They had the talent. They had the songs. They had their shot at superstardom. But for these artists, something went off the rails… Dead wrong at exactly the wrong moment—leaving us to wonder what might have been. Today we're counting down eight bands and solo acts who seemed destined for massive, enduring careers… but for reasons ranging from self-sabotage to tragedy to bad timing, it never happened. Including the La's perfectionist frontman, who actually destroyed millions of dollars' worth of his own recorded music because it didn't sound “authentic” enough. He physically destroyed them, and no one will ever hear them! Or what about the Fiona Apple who ruined her career with an out-of-control acceptance speech at an awards show? After that, her career stalled because her label refused to release her latest album… then thousands of fans mailed apples to the label’s headquarters in protest. Find out why. Plus, the mysterious hospital cover-up that robbed us of what could have been rock’s greatest frontman, Mother Love Bone's Andrew Wood. It’s our latest episode of One and Done, NEXT on the Professor of Rock. Plus the story of 80s bands that had a chance to be huge but lost their careers including Shattered Dreams by Johnny Hates Jazz, Wild, Wild West by the Escape Club, I Just Died in Your Arms Tonight by Cutting Crew and You Get What You Give by the new Radicals who chose to be a one hit wonder.  See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Coming up next… You’ve seen pieces of this interview over the years but here is the uncut full length version with one of the greatest rock vocalists in history. From her formative years to the her legendary years in the 70s to her fall from grace in the early 80s to the comeback in the 80s.  and the stories of all the songs are here including Crazy on You the song that put Heart and Ann Wilson on the map.  When people started calling them a Woman’s answer to Led Zeppelin along with the other massive hits’ magic man and the Scumbag record executive who harassed her that led to the Rock classic Barracuda to the Duet where the label gave her the choice to sing with any rock frontman in the business and how she learned to sing like that…a full uncut interview with rock legend ann wilson is next…Make sure to subscribe below for more interviews like this.  Let’s do it.  See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Coming up next, the legendary Prince who wrote a throwaway song that he gave to his bandmate's solo project. He wrote it quickly, without thought, as a favor for his bandmate to give him a little something. He had just picked up an acoustic guitar and created the song in a matter of minutes. The very next day, Prince came into the studio, and as a courtesy, he checked on his bandmate, who was in the middle of recording that throwaway track. But all of a sudden, Prince heard something more. It was better than he’d originally thought. In fact, as Prince continued to listen, he knew the song was going to be a massive hit, and he knew it was too good for this side project. So he took it back. Prince immediately locked himself in the studio for several hours and transformed the little acoustic ditty into one of the funkiest hits of the 80s: Kiss. Sure enough, it hit #1, and he promised to give his bandmate a writing credit. But it never happened. We have a great story of a throwaway song that hit #1 and the drama that followed next. Let’s do it.  See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Coming up, This group was on a tear to start the decade. Wham! starring legend George Michael and his pal Andrew Ridgely were on top of the world. but George in particular was obsessed with dominating the charts. His goal in 1984 was to score four #1 singles. And you know what, by November he and his partner had three… With time running out, he pulled out a surefire hit he wrote in the middle of watching a football game on TV. He was certain it would hit #1… and it was a holiday song called Last Christmas... However, in December he was invited to sing on a massive charity single. Band-Aid Do They Know It’s Christmas ...when he heard it, he knew it was sure to go #1. Wrestling with guilt, he secretly hoped his song would outperform this charity track. It’s the story of one of the most popular songs of the 80s with almost 3 billion streams yet the song was only a promotional single in the US. Find our if it ever got to #1 NEXT on the Professor of Rock. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

You know how much I love the stories of the great one-hit wonders of the rock era. Well, today we're starting off a new countdown series on the channel, and this one is going to be a blast… It’s the 10 best Bottled Lightning hits from a single year in the rock era. And to kick off the series, we’re targeting the halfway point of the 80s, including the story of powerhouse vocalist Alison Moyet who publicly rejected her biggest US hit, calling it weak and vowing to never perform it again and she has kept that promise… We’ve also got the supergroup The Firm featuring Jimmy Page, arguably the greatest guitarist ever, who let the lead singer Paul Rodgers play the guitar on their biggest hit, even though the singer could barely play. And then there's the song by C**k Robin that seemed innocent enough in the 80s, but whose lyrics read like a restraining order waiting to happen. The creepiest love song of the 80s, and it’s not Every Breath You Take. Plus Kate Bush's Running Up That Hill that went from millions of streams over 36 years to billions of views overnight due to one single use in a famous show… Let’s do it. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

We have another year-end countdown today, and this one is packed with songs that have stood the test of time, including a broke rockstar Johnny Rzenik who had just been screwed over by his label and was coming off a brutal divorce and ready to quit music. But an epiphany while strumming a guitar with many broken strings gave him one of the biggest hits ever, Goo Goo Dolls' Iris. Plus the female powerhouse Alanis Morissette, who sold 33 million copies of her debut, only to lose 30 million of those fans on her follow-up song Thank U, which had a provocative video where she appeared naked & blurred. Plus Lauryn Hill, who said she wasn’t dissing her contemporary in her hit song but ripped her with a one-liner that felt like an uppercut about her booty. Plus the greatest song of the last 30 years, Bittersweet Symphony, that has been one of the most streamed and synced songs ever and the artist behind it made nothing and how a song about getting a BLEEEEP while dancing close became the #1 hit of the year… Let’s do it. To get $35 off Aura’s best-selling Carver Mat frames go to: AuraFrames.com and use promo code ROCK at checkout. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Coming up next… The Final Single from the hardest-hitting, most epic rock band in history, Led Zeppelin. The song? Fool in the Rain. For a decade, Zeppelin ripped a hole in the ozone layer and redefined rock, but for their final magnum opus, they came out of left field with a dynamite single that was so catchy they knew it couldn’t miss. Whereas they’d had few hits because they were an albums band first and only released a handful of singles, they knew they had a sure-fire hit on their hands, and it came from their final proper studio album. Would the band that only had a few of the top 40 singles because mainstream radio refused to play them finally get a #1 hit? Fool in the Rain had the best chance yet, but it was a big gamble; it sounded nothing like their heavy sound. Let’s find out next. Regardless, Zeppelin would defy radio and sell 300 million records. Robert Plant, Jimmy Page, John Paul Jones and John Bonham wrote some of the greatest songs in rock history from Stairway to Heaven, Kashmir, Whole Lotta Love and Black Dog but Fool in the Rain maybe the catchiest song they ever wrote...Here's the story! See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Merry Christmas a little early, everyone! Today I’ve got a once-in-a-year countdown for you that I know will put a smile on your face… For this episode, we’re unwrapping a Christmas rock countdown. But to be honest, some of these tracks weren’t exactly born out of holiday cheer. One was actually written by a musical genius, Brian Wilson, to spite a hero and rival producer. Another was a duet by the Pogues that they tried several different females for years. They tried to nail this song down, finally, the producer’s wife got so fed up she walked into the vocal booth and did a perfect Take. Plus, we’ve got the story of the classic track that The King tried to sabotage in the studio. He treated it like a joke, but it ended up anchoring one of the highest-selling Christmas albums ever. There’s also Bruce Springsteen, who was tangled up in legal disputes, so he couldn't release any music. But his manager bootlegged a live Christmas recording and distributed it to radio stations—creating a major hit, but it couldn't be purchased for six years… But putting all the drama aside, I hope this episode will help you keep the good vibes going through the holiday season. Let’s do it. See 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 funniest song stories I’ve come across. Sammy Hagar was in the middle of an intimate moment with his then-wife. Ya, they were in the middle of doing it... when they were interrupted by the singer’s neighbor. His neighbor also happened to be the legendary guitarist in his band, Eddie Van Halen from the band of the same name...Van Halen... Eddie was up late, a bit tipsy, and his wife had kicked him out, but he had a no-brainer song idea that he wanted to write then and there. So Eddie interrupted the couple's session. They got a massive hit out of it, Finish What Ya Started, but the singer was in trouble with his wife. The story is next on Professor of Rock. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Coming up a special full-length uncut interview with one of the great unheralded guitar heroes of rock history. One of my favorites, but not only that, he’s a legendary producer, songwriter and the right-hand man of the late great Tom Petty. Mike Campbell. Mike produced and co-wrote many of the Heartbreakers' classics as well as several big hits for Don Henley, including Boys of Summer. A song that has one of the most incredible stories of the rock era. Mike thought he had written one of his best songs, but when he brought it to Tom Petty, Tom rejected it as it didn’t fit the album they were creating, so producer Jimmy Iovine told Mike to take it to Don Henley for his second Solo Album. So Don came to Mike’s house.So when he played it for Don, Henley’s reaction made Mike feel like he thought it was a dud too. Henley left without a word, but then he called back about an hour later and told Mike he’d just written the best song of his career. Putting lyrics to Mike’s Music. There’s even more to it with the Track almost getting erased forever and thenTom Petty’s reaction after it became a hit. But that’s just the tip of the iceberg; there’s the story of all of Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers hits on here, and Mike does it while smoking a bowl. It was such an amazing interview, I felt like Tom was there in spirit. Discussing the greatest hits from Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers including Free Fallin' , Mary Jane's Last Dance, Refugee, American Girl, I Won't Back Down, Running Down a Dream and many more. Ya know, the more time that goes by in my life, the more Tom Petty moves up in my top artists list. He’s probably top 5 for me!  See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Oh man, coming up on today, we're getting into a topic that we’ve never covered before. It’s the stories of musicians who vanished from public without a trace. I’m not talking about One hit wonders who never had another hit…I’m talking about actual missing persons… Amazingly, some of these artists would later be found after decades of having gone missing but the others remain unsolved. Some of these disappearances are completely unexplainable, and some of these musicians have been pronounced dead… because it’s the most likely scenario. We’ll tell the story of a beloved bassist from an iconic 80s band Loverboy who was swept overboard by a massive 25-foot wave off the coast of San Francisco. And the tale of legendary bandleader Glen Miller, whose plane disappeared over the English Channel. And then there’s the brilliant folk singer Connie Converse, who packed her Volkswagen and drove off into the sunset never to be heard from again. Some of these artists would leave nothing behind but their music. But did some of them fake their own disappearance? Some people think so. Get ready for seven incredible disappearing acts… including David Glasper from Breath who had hits with Hands to Heaven and How Can I Fall and Gerry Rafferty who's 70s hit Baker Street changed everything. Both vanished. NEXT on the Professor of Rock. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Coming up, the fantastic stories from the creme of the crop from a pivotal year in the formation of the Rock Era: 1957. Including a classic hit we all sing along to, but decades after it was a smash, nobody knows who sang it. It was recorded by two competing bands who were touring and recording under the same name, the Del-Vikings! But the two singers sounded so much alike that nobody knows who really sang it. Let’s see if we can solve it. Then there is the breakout single That'll Be the Day from one of rock’s greatest legends, Buddy Holly, who stole the lyric from a movie. He knew the song was a hit. But he was told by his producer that it was “the worst song he’d ever heard, so he set out to prove him wrong all the way to #1. Then there was Jerry Lee Lewis, who was playing to such a rough crowd that they were throwing bottles, and then they ran out of songs… Fearing for their life, they launched into a song they barely knew and had to adlib the whole thing. The crowd loved it so much that they made them play it 23 more times. By the end, they knew it would be a smash, and they were right! Our countdown of the Top 10 Songs of 1957 is NEXT…on Professor of Rock. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Coming up next… sometimes you have to ask, is there any justice in the world? Today I’ve got an interview with Don Barnes, one of the coolest singers of the 80s. He’s a guy who doesn’t get the credit he deserves. He fronted the band 38 Special, which started out as a southern rock band, but by the early 80s, they’d transformed into a leading arena rock group. And they released some of the most memorable hits of the decade, including today’s classic Caught Up in You. It was actually a co-write between this band’s guitarist and lead singer, along with a talented writer from a rival band…when the rival band’s guitarist heard about this contribution, he was livid. To avoid a lawsuit, they gave him a co-writing credit even though he didn’t write anything. By the end of the 80s, after 16 hits, this band had a temp singer who came in for 1 album, and he delivered their biggest chart hit. Let’s do it. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Coming up next a story you won’t believe. Talk about an ordeal. Today’s guest, John Parr, has a massive #1 hit in 1985 that is still huge today. It was the theme to the movie St. Elmo's Fire, but the song was actually written about the power to overcome anything and was inspired by a disabled man. It not only hit #1 but was the frontrunner to win the Best Original Song Oscar that year. But then it was pulled from contention on a stupid technicality. But in the end, it raised incredible awareness and millions of dollars for people with spinal injuries. John Parr was at the pinnacle of his career, and then someone in his inner circle betrayed him, and an ongoing litigation kept him from recording music for 18 years! He had to get a regular job to make ends meet for his family and to raise his kids. But there is a happy ending. Let’s do it See 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 all in on the most unlikely origin stories for some seriously legendary bands and artists. I think you're going to really dig this one... including the grieving drummer Dave Grohl, whose famous band, Nirvana had just splintered in tragedy. He left music for a time, but then, out of the blue, he secretly recorded a solo album in one week, playing every instrument himself. Then made up a fake band name FOO FIGHTERS because he didn't want anyone to know who he was… He became one of the biggest acts in rock. Then there’s the story of Nikki Sixx, who found his guitarist, Mick Mars, in an unforgettable classified ad… but it turns out he had already met him before and even had his number. He had just forgotten about him. Their band, Motley Crue, would become one of the biggest acts of the 80s and beyond. Plus, the singer Darlene Love, who was hired by one of the biggest jerks in history Phil Spector to sing lead on the legendary song He's a Rebel. The song went to #1, but it was credited to another band, the Crystals even though she was the voice behind it! Even today, people still don’t know she sang it. Plus the story of the Everly Brothers who were recorded a Country record called Bye Bye Love but they accidentally sent it to rock stations and it became a #1 rock hit and made the Everly's rock stars! See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

When today’s legendary band came out, they were unlike anything anyone had ever heard back in… Black Sabbath! Their music was hardcore and at first, they almost called themselves a three-word title that started with Polka, thankfully they saw a horror movie around that time and took its much cooler title as their name.. Their first record was destroyed by the critics but out of nowhere fans bought a million copies of it and they readied their sophomore record. Needing only 3 more minutes of music to finish it, the band created a track that inadvertently affected the future of rock & roll. Paranoid would change everything. It was the unfolding of a heavy metal anthem was it inspired by dark mysticism or the highs and lows of drug indulgence….find out next on Professor of Rock. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In this exclusive podcast-only episode, the Professor of Rock sits down for an unfiltered, full-length conversation with the one and only Paul Shaffer—legendary bandleader, keyboardist, and comedic straight man for David Letterman. From his early days growing up in Canada and discovering his love for music, to becoming a mainstay on late night TV for over three decades, Paul shares hilarious, heartfelt, and behind-the-scenes stories you've never heard before. From SNL to CBS’s Late Show, from jamming with musical legends to accidentally upstaging them, this is Paul Shaffer like you’ve never heard him. It’s a rare glimpse into the mind of a pop culture icon who helped shape the sound of an era. As always, we’re incredibly thankful for you—the listeners—for making it possible to bring these stories to light. Your support keeps the music (and the memories) alive. Happy Thanksgiving from the Professor of Rock. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

STRAIGHT UP. If there was just one Video or interview That I’ve done in the history of my channel that I would want my viewers to see. Just one. that I could leave to this world…Leave to my kin, to my ancestors. Well you get the point. It would be this one. I made a list of 15 artists I wanted to interview before I leave this earth and this was in my top 3. they Say NEVER to meet your heroes but in this interview, I found that belief to be untrue. What you are going to see next is the full uncut interview with one of the greatest singers and lyricists in rock history, He wrote and performed the most played song in radio history with Every Breath You Take with the Police and we talk through his career with the police including the stories of Every Breath You Take, King of Pain, Wrapped Around your Finger and Roxanne and his solo career including his hits If You Love Somebody Set Them Free, All This Time, Fields of Gold and If I Ever Lose My Faith In You and tears are shed as we talk about our fathers and their deaths. It’s very personal and thoroughly uplifting. In the past, I’ve only shared a piece of this, but today I’m giving you all of it. Here is my full interview with Sting. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Today, we're counting down the Top 10 Songs from 1984 That Deserved BETTER! We play them all the time, but somehow they missed the Top 40, and Most are better than the biggest hits of the year. I’ve got the story of Prince's gut-wrenching ballad that has been rumored to be about three different women. It was written in a late-night session as a last-minute track for one of the most unforgettable films of 1984. But who is it really about? There’s also a classic song by rock icon Ian McCulloch that was so divinely inspired the songwriter literally gave half the songwriting credit to God. Plus, there’s the folk rock legend Leonard Cohen, who spent years and 80 verses trying to write his masterpiece. He went so mad over this song, and one night, while in a hotel room in his underwear, he started bashing his head on the floor trying to figure it out. Finally, Decades later the world would recognize him for his genius. Plus the most haunting song of the 80s and it missed the top 40! These stories and more are coming up next. Let’s go. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Pat Benatar has something of an adversarial relationship with one of her biggest songs… the Top Ten 10 hit “Hit Me With Your Best Shot.” It broke her career wide open. There’s a few reasons for this, but ultimately, even though she made it famous, it wasn’t her song to begin with. That distinction goes to a struggling songwriter who wrote it after punching pillows in a new age therapy session. Yeah, you can’t make this stuff up. Even though Pat doesn’t care for it, there’s no doubt that generations of fans haven’t been able to get enough of it. It’s an 80s classic rock radio staple for sure, oozing confidence and bravado, putting Pat Benatar forward as the 80s premier female rocker that would be followed by plenty of great hits like Love Is a Battlefield and We Belong. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

I can’t believe I initially stopped doing these yearly countdowns at 1994 because today’s yearly top 10 is truly great. These 10 songs were certainly surrounded by some of the worst songs ever, but they shined like the song that Smashing Pumpkins frontman Billy Corgan wrote about an important landmark date in his life, 1979 but he had to use a different year than the actual one because it had better rhymes. But his hardcore producer deleted the song from the final album track list because it wasn’t good enough. This frontman was livid. He argued for it so passionately that the Producer gave him 24 hours to go back and rework it, or it was going in the trash bin. So he stayed up all night and perfected it. The next morning, it was undeniable.. It would make the album, but not only that it became the Smashing Pumpkins’ biggest hit and one of the best songs of its time. Plus, No Doubt's Don't Speak the song that was the most played song of the year, but due to a crazy technicality, the Billboard charts wouldn’t let it be included in the charts. So it was never a hit, but 30 years on, it has over 3 billion streams, plus the most Haunting Instrumental of the rock era, Children by Robert Miles. Plus Champagne Supernova by Oasis and Missing by Everything but The Girl as well as Journey Singer Steve Perry and his final song with the band When You Love a Woman. It’s all coming up on a star-studded year-end countdown. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Today, we're diving into the solo career of one of rock's most over-the-top frontmen, David Lee Roth. After leaving Van Halen, one of the mightiest rock bands on the planet in 1985, this larger-than-life showman set out to prove he didn't need his former band to make killer rock music. Armed with a supergroup of virtuosos and a stadium-sized ego, he unleashed a string of hits that split fans right down the middle. But no one could deny Dave's charisma and ability to command the stage. On our latest edition of short and sweet, we’re counting down Roth's three biggest solo tracks, including a death-defying music video shot on the face of a mountain, a cover song that secretly featured a secret rock and roll legend, and a track that may have been a declaration of war against his former band. Find out which songs made the cut and the inside joke that he and his former band were perpetrating… NEXT on the Professor of Rock. See 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 turning back the clock to the days when the Grammys actually mattered… But for today’s bands, maybe that’s not such a good thing. Because if you landed on this countdown, it means you’re in for some surefire disappointment. I’m talking about the much-talked-about Grammy curse… the best new artist curse… Is it a ticking time bomb, ready to blow up careers? Well, we’re going to investigate this urban legend. And in the process, we’ll tell the story of the singer-songwriter Marc Cohn, who barely survived being shot in the head during a carjacking. Also, there’s the soft-rock quartet Starland Vocal Band that was behind one of the 70s biggest summer hits Afternoon Delight, whose career got flushed down the toilet… destroying two marriages in the process. And then there’s the mysterious singer Bobbie Gentry, who topped the charts at 23 with a haunting hit that captivated the nation. But years later, she vanished without a trace. So… what do all these musicians have in common? They won the Grammy’s Best New Artist award! Is it the kiss of death? Is it music’s greatest curse? Find out next on POR. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Today’s featured artist, Phil Collins is a favorite. And he may well be the greatest hit machine of any decade. In fact he was such a prolific hit machine at one point he averaged a hit song every 3 months for 7 years including Solo career and fronting the band Genesis. ..but today we focus on one of he best songs... Easy Lover a song that he was producing for Philip Bailey of Earth Wind and Fire and then in the middle of the recording session, it became a surprise duet and it was just a rough demo but when they came back to record it for real, they couldn’t top the rough spur of the moment demo so they kept it. He can also thank his cheating ex-wife for the hit. It would become one of many hits he wrote about that subject. Lambasting his ex made him a lot of money… You’ll see what I mean next. On Professor of Rock… Let’s do it. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

If there was ever a cautionary tale about a rock group making a deal with the devil to hit the big time, it would be the story of the rise and fall of SWEET. A saga of talent, fame & excess, followed by violence, frustration, alcoholism, disaster, poverty, and death. Along this bumpy journey, there are a lot of GREAT songs that will make you stand up and cheer. I want to warn you….it’s gonna be electric and frantically hectic.. the story of their biggest american hit Ballroom Bltiz from the 70s is .NEXT…on Professor of Rock. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

I really enjoyed this one. Today we're counting down 9 of the greatest female hidden gems in rock history. Songs that seriously deserve the spotlight... including the heartbreaking tale of Eva Cassidy, one of the greatest voices of her generation who was virtually unknown while she was alive. She died at just 33 years old—with only a handful of songs recorded that were paid for by her aunt. The labels flat our rejected her because they didn’t know how to market her multifaceted style, but her posthumously released recordings have since sold over 12 million copies including a song that she covered that has somehow surpassed the Legendary original! We also have the incredible story of Nicolette Larson, a backup singer who found her career-launching Top 10 hit "Lotta Love" on a random cassette tape lying on the floor of Neil Young's car. He didn’t want it and just handed it to her and said "it's yours.". Plus The Primitives who broke up but then a sleazy label allowed a blockbuster movie to use their hit Crash and record a bunch of new instruments into the classic track without involving the band…crazy stories. Let’s get into it. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Coming up, it was the year rock n’ roll dominated the airwaves, and pop culture, and those who were desperately trying to control the status quo thought the world was coming to an end. These stories are crazy…you had a legendary lyricist who wrote Elvis Presley's hit Don't Be Cruel and All Shook Up which became some of the biggest hits of all time, and sold it for a couple of bucks.. then One of the most elegantly performed classics ever, The Great Pretender, by the Platters and was written on a commode during a break.. then there was the song written by a teacher and refrigerator repairman that gave Elvis his first #1 hit. Heartbreak Hotel. Plus Frankie Lymon who sang a love song that he never made a penny from, instead a notorious mobster took credit for the song and finally the scary song Tonight You Belong to Me that has begun one of the most famous urban legends ever where young sisters were threatened by a man with a knife to record one of the creepiest song ever and then when one refused, tragedy struck but is the story true? See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Today we're telling the story of Jimmy Buffett, a singer-songwriter who spent years bouncing around the Southern US struggling to find his voice… before he invented an entire lifestyle brand built on relaxation and escapism. This Alabama-raised dreamer crafted a sound he called "Gulf & Western," mixing down home storytelling with Caribbean rhythms and beach-town philosophy that turned him into something more than a musician. This Jimmy’s laid-back melodies and tales of coastal living created a fantasy world that millions wanted to live in. Buffett went from a struggling songwriter to the leader of an army of "Parrotheads" who turned his concerts into parties and his brand into an empire. It's a journey from dive bars to billion-dollar businesses from a song that all the big wigs said was a terrible idea to launching a whole new way of life on our latest edition of Short and Sweet. Let's get into it. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Remember back in the day when we used to draw band names and logos on our trapper keepers, and binders or school tablets? Well these logos, these symbols were more than just doodles. They were declarations of our rock identity. And man, we've uncovered some wild tales today as we count down the best ever. And these stories will blow your mind, like the Nirvana logo that's shrouded in mystery—no one can figure out who sketched it. whether it was swiped from the sign of a seedy gentleman’s club? Or a jab at frontman Axl Rose? Plus the same band’s logo was so low on the priority list they paid a measly fifteen bucks to a typesetter to create it, instructing him to just use whatever font was already loaded in his machine and it became legendary. Then there's the emblem known as "The Lick" that was faxed over to the Rolling Stones' label, but The fax was so distorted they had to redraw it which changed it... but the change was kept a secret for decades. Plus the most famous rock band ever The Beatles with the most iconic logo didn’t actually put it on any of their album cover until over a decade after they broke up. And then they didn’t even copyright it until 30 years after they formed their band... and they’ve made more from licensing their logo than their music. Let’s do it! See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Today’s song Forever Young by Alphaville is a classic that every 80s kid knows by heart… But here’s the kicker… some know it as a slow methodical ballad and some know it as an up-tempo anthem. That’s because the song was released in 2 iterations, and depending on how and when you heard it, one of those versions is your memory of it. And the other crazy thing is that, even though it’s one of the most well-known songs of the 80s and it’s been used dozens of times in film and television, it was not actually a hit. Not in America. In fact, it was released 7 different times, and not one of those times did it become a hit, though we all swear it was. But when it hit #1 across the sea, the band didn’t even know how to play their instruments. Up next the story of a classic that was a disaster until the band’s engineer accidentally slowed the tempo down. Let’s do it... See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

I’m excited to share today’s interview. He’s had 11 Top 40 hits, sold over 55 million albums, and is one of only a few artists in history with a Top 50 album in six consecutive decades. But even more important — today’s guest is a rock pioneer who helped build and shape some of the most important musical genres and movements of our lifetime and beyond. Like shock rock, of which he’s the king. But also punk rock — Johnny Rotten’s tryout that got him the job as singer of the Sex Pistols was Alice’s song I’m Eighteen, and the first song Joey Ramone wrote for the Ramones was based on the chords of that same song. The seeds of punk rock came from Alice! And of course, hard rock and metal owe a debt of gratitude to Mr. Cooper. KISS begged, borrowed, and stole from Alice — even they admit it — among many others. And what other living rock star was beloved by Groucho Marx, Mae West, and Salvador Dalí? Or was called a great songwriter by Bob Dylan? Or had a comic book series created about him by Neil Gaiman? He also waged one of the greatest comebacks in rock history in 1989 with Poison after critics said he was done — and then won the hearts of a whole new generation in Wayne’s World. We cover all of that, plus the real story behind the chicken and many other urban legends. You’ll get some surprises along the way — and some of the best stories I’ve ever heard in an interview. I’m recording this intro just hours before going in for serious surgery… hoping this isn’t my final interview. But if it was — I’d take it! Ha ha. Here’s Alice. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

FROM THE VAULT: The controversial song about female self-love… was written by a dude? Ha ha. It's I Touch Myself by the Divinyls. This story is almost too good to be true, and yet it is. I have an interview with a Hall of Fame songwriter Billy Steinberg who wrote 5 #1 hits with his songwriting partner Tom Kelly. And all five #1s were for female artists. All 5 songs were huge in the 80s, but at the end of the decade, Billy met with a prolific Australian band and sheepishly gave them his private notebook of lyrics and asked what song they wanted to work on. And today’s iconic female rocker Chrissy Amphlett chose a song that was about self-love. I Touch Myself wasn’t quite finished so the band and the songwriting team tackled it. It’s pretty straightforward forward, and though it was controversial it became a global smash. Let's run it back, on Professor of Rock See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Today, we're diving into one of the most innovative and enjoyable bands to listen to in rock history…it’s a group that blended symphonic grandeur with pure pop perfection. It's Electric Light Orchestra. And if you can’t get on board with these guys, you better check your pulse. And there’s great stories to get into along the way… Including the panic-written hit Evil Woman that may have been inspired by a wicked California groupie whose identity is still a complete mystery. But this singer, Jeff Lynne, got even when he lambasted her on radio. Then there's the tale of the double album Jeff said he would write in a month… Only he got writer’s block soon after, and he couldn’t break through it until one day the clouds literally parted and his depression fizzled and he wrote Mr. Blue Sky to chase away his anxiety, and it actually ended up being the happiest song of all time, as backed and certified by scientists. It’s a journey through five landmark albums that changed the sound of the 70s and 80s forever... Let’s do it. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

I ended this series a few months ago because I didn’t think there were any great top 40 songs after 1994. Well, after months of reflection, I admit I was wrong. Most of the songs in today’s year countdown were reluctantly recorded, and were either not intended to be a single, or were an embarrassment for the artist who created it- and they ended up being masterworks... including the Pearl Jam song about a traumatized boy who watched a man he thought was his real father hurt his mother. He turned it into a song years before he hit it big, and never wanted to put the song out. Then there was the Tom Petty song that MTV initially banned, and then edited a lyric by playing a word backward that confused the hell out of listeners and changed the meaning of the song. Then there was the pissed off fan who offered Weezer a multimillion-dollar fortune to just go away, because they couldn’t match the majesty of their perfect debut album. Our countdown is next on Professor of Rock… Let’s do it! See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Today we are telling the story of the other Canadian power trio that originated in the 70s. And their name isn't Rush. It's Triumph and they maybe the most underrated band of their time. Coming up, We've got the wild tale of how a single radio DJ in San Antonio, Texas turned these three unknown guys from Toronto into arena rock legends, back when that sort of thing could happen. Plus we’ll cover the anthem Never Surrender that ironically planted the seeds for the band's eventual breakup. It’s our latest episode of Short and Sweet, NEXT on the Professor of Rock. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

I’m pretty sure this episode is going to blow your mind. Today, we’re counting down the biggest female power ballads of all time. And some of these are serious scorchers. But there’s a catch. There may just be no such thing as a 100% female power ballad. Let’s just say someone else might have been pulling the strings. There are some truly twisted stories here. There’s the “tough as nails” lead singer, Chrissie Hynde, who was desperate for a hit; she openly admitted she was selling out to get it. Then, when the song was finished, she called it CRAP. Talk about a love-hate relationship. There’s also the turn it to 11 track about Monsters getting it on... Total Eclipse of the Heart. It was originally written for a Nosferatu musical and coveted by one of the most theatrical rock stars of all time. But he didn’t get to sing it. Then there’s the unlikely story of how an American exchange student armed with a cassette tape turned the European power pop duo Roxette into global superstars. Plus, the school teaching duo Quarterflash, who were teaching in the day and playing clubs at night, till their power ballad rocked the 80s, and they could quit their day job. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Coming up next Ya know I’ve interviewed over 800 Famous musicians over my career and I have to say today’s guest is my favorite He’s my favorite person in the music business. A humble guy, a great person. next is A full uncut interview with Huey Lewis… From 1984 to 1988 nobody was bigger. he had so many classic hits like The Heart of Rock and Roll, Heart and Soul, Jacobs Ladder, I Want a New Drug, Stuck With You, The power of Love, Hip to Be Square and a dozen more. Huey Tells the story of all of them here in some of the best stories you’ll hear on this channel. i’ve only shared some tidbits from this interview over the years.. Never the whole thing. Let’s do it.  See 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 Jason Mraz, one of the nicest guys in music... about one of the catchiest singalong hits of the last 30 years: I'm Yours. The song started as a rough demo that this artist put on their website. It was just a throwaway B-side. He thought it was good, but it was just a simple song; it was easy to sing, almost like a nursery rhyme, but he soon forgot about it... until a few years later when he was playing a concert in a foreign country and ran out of songs. Ao he played the old B-side and was floored when 10K people knew every word and were singing it in unison. He couldn’t believe it. So when he got back home, he did a proper recording of it. And put it out and it blew up. It set a record at the time of being on the charts for almost 2 years. He tells the story next on Professor of Rock. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

It’s our latest “Fell Short the Top 40” countdown. And this might be one of the strongest years we’ve done so far. These are tracks that should’ve dominated the charts, but were simply too ambitious, too dark, or too outside the box for mainstream radio. We've got the story of Led Zeppelin, who spent weeks in the desert creating Kashmir, a track so massive and mystical that it redrew the boundaries of rock. And the band members have all said it’s the best song in their catalog, but it always takes a back seat to a much more popular pick. But then their famous guitar mortified fans when he let a predator use it in his terrible rap song. In fact, the guitarist was even in on the recording. We’ll also reveal how James Taylor's escape fantasy was actually a shocking confession of addiction and delusion… a cry for help disguised as an upbeat travel song. Plus, we’ll cover the devastating moment when the Eagles closed one of their most successful albums with a bleak farewell—a ticking time-bomb track that was a public admission that the band was about to implode. Let’s do it. Plus the story of Pink Floyd I Wish you were Here and Heart with Dreamboat Annie.  See 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/adchoices See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Coming up, the infamous side of fame, where sketchy artistic moves, bad behavior, deceit, and out-of-control egos create career killers. We’ll tell the story of Creed, a band that was on top of the world until their lead singer, Scott Stapp, proclaimed himself a prophet of God and wound up homeless... The story of The Replacements, a band that delivered the most notorious performance on Saturday Night Live ever. Plus, an offensive t-shirt that made rookie lead singer Sebastian Bach a villain, which derailed his band Skid Row as they were on top of the world after massive hits like 18 and Life and I Remember You. And also Peter Frampton, who was riding high after releasing the best selling live album "Frampton Comes Alive" that became the biggest-selling album ever with the Hits "Baby I Love Your Way" And "Show Me The Way" at the time, but a bad movie role in Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band cratered his career. It’s 8 stories of Career Killers, NEXT on Professor of Rock! Plus the story of the Bay City Rollers and Color Me Badd who both imploded after some bad decisions. And Dead Or Alive who became a one hit wonder in America.  See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Today, we have the story of what I believe is the greatest protest song of the last 50 years, Pink Floyd's Another Brick in the Wall Part 2. And the back story is like a classic big-screen drama or the front page of the National Enquirer. It was the only #1 hit this legendary rock band ever had, and they made it count. It came from the landmark record The Wall, which is arguably the greatest concept album ever created. So today’s song might be the most unlikely #1 hit ever. First off, it was only a minute long, and initially it was pretty boring… What made it a classic was a strange recipe… a choir full of children that the band secretly bussed from a nearby school that they never had permission to use on the recording, and the guitarist was convinced to add some disco to it, even though he loathed that particular genre. It may be the most controversial song of its time due to its history. The detailed story is next on Professor of Rock. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Coming up, it's the story of Richard Marx, a Chicago kid who grew up in recording studios watching his jingle-writing father work. For years, he stayed in the shadows, singing backup for superstars and writing powerhouse hits for other artists. Marx spent his twenties as a session singer, quietly honing his craft and paying his dues, trying to make it as a singer. In fact, super-producer David Foster told him he’d never make it. But he proved him wrong… Dead wrong. When he finally stepped into the spotlight in the late 80s, he exploded. Seven Top 5 hits on the Billboard charts. Then seven more Top 20 hits in the early 90s. He was a repeat chart offender who became one of the most successful pop songwriters of his era. So how did this kid go from singing backup to dominating the airwaves? Get the behind-the-scenes story of his rise from the studio shadows to pop royalty, including an interview with the man himself… on our latest edition of short and sweet. He had so many hits from Endless Summer Nights to Right Here Waiting to Satisfied to Angelia...from Should've Known Better to Hold on the Nights, from Hazard to Now and Forever, from Keep Coming Back.  See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Today, we're returning for round three of the Strangest Feats in Rock. And this time we're going bigger than ever before with a seriously supersized episode. Last time our big one was the only artist to sell 90 million records without ever playing a live concert It Enya!. This time, we've got even more insane records, including the band Jackyl that played 21 full concerts in just 24 hours—requiring military precision as they tore down, traveled, and set up again and again with zero room for error. Then there's the shocking story of the loudest concert ever and how Deep Purple cranked up their amps so loud that three fans hit the floor unconscious from the overwhelming sound. It was a stunt so dangerous that Guinness World Records had to retire the category forever. And then there was the largest band to ever play together. Over a thousand musicians playing simultaneously as one massive group. It’s a dream that started with a viral video plea from one man to his favorite band… And it ended up breaking world records in front of packed stadiums. And there’s plenty more where that came from. These rock records pushed music to its absolute limits. Let’s do it. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Coming up next, an interview with an artist who had a bunch of hits in the 70s, with several that will take you back to a simpler time! and are as 70s as it gets. He was known to all as just One Name: LOBO. Well, today we solve the mystery of the real man behind that pseudonym and get the stories of his biggest hits, including a song co-written by his dog. "Me and You and a Dog Named BOO", it’s a really funny story and the song that came from his crush on his high school teacher, "I’d Love You To Want Me" that became a smash hit and topped the charts in 7 countries, including hitting #2 here in America… It’s the story of a mellow 70s AM Gold Artist that’s song were smooth and still are classic of 70s classic rock and pop radio. Let’s do it. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Coming up, I’m finally doing it. My personal top 10 song of all time. 10 songs that were pivotal in shaping and changing the life of a small-town boy from Idaho. These are my personal favorite classic rock songs of all time. There's a story about the genius Brian Wilson of the Beach Boys collaborating with an unknown jingle writer that surprised rock fans and even his own band with the greatest harmony ever…with the song God Only Knows. The story of the 70s classic Baker Street, a song that features one of the greatest instrumental performances of the Rock Era and the sax player was only paid 27 bucks while the singer made millions … Plus Pink Floyd's Comfortably Numb, the song that pulled me out of deep despair following a devastating divorce that ultimately put me on a path to a life I didn't know existed, and Born to Run by Bruce Springsteen the song that made me who I am and busted me out of prison It's the countdown of MY Top 10 Personal greatest songs EVER, NEXT on Professor of Rock. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Bob Seger had been a regional sensation for over a decade but when it was all said and done he had only had one hit in 15 years and by 1976 it had been 8 years since that hit. He couldn’t seem to break through. Well, one night after seeing a popular film of the time he started to have a vision for a song. the 70s rock classic NIGHT MOVES was a very emotional and private experience from his adolescence and sometime later he wrote it at an A&W Drive-in after ordering a burger.. rumor is he wrote it on his tab… He wrote it about a teenage tryst. She ended up marrying somebody else and broke his heart but he turned it into a breakthrough smash single, transforming him into one of American Rock’s greatest rock storytellers. and to think due to a mix-up at his label it almost ended up being a b side… The story is next on Professor of rock See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Today we're counting down 10 killer classics from a special year in the 80s that were snubbed by mainstream radio. I’m talking about massive songs from some of the biggest musicians and bands of the era… that somehow never made the top 40. These are real musical mysteries —We’ve got the story of a remixed Don't Stand So Close to Me, that’s tied to what may be the most disastrous band reunion ever… including a broken collarbone and a 12-inch switchblade. As well as Boston's Cool the Engines, that was almost lost forever when its writer accidentally melted its master… Find out how he saved it. There’s also the AC/DC that pulled out of a 6-year slump with a massive record that a famous author fanboyed the band into doing for a B Movie. But it sold 5 million and outsold the movie! Then there was one of the biggest records of the year that landed Paul Simon on a hit list, and then years later, some would try to cancel it for Cultural Appropriation. Find out why. And finally, there was the song that iconic guitarist Johnny Marr of the Smiths wrote, and then declared it to be the best song he had ever heard in his life. But then he refused to release it as a single! Let’s get into it. The story of AC/DC Highway to Hell and Who Made, Bon Jovi Never Say Goodbye from Slippery When Wet, Boston third stage including the Hot Amanda, Van Halen with Sammy Hagar and Eddie Van Halen on the album 5150 including Dreams and the Best of Both worlds, Paul Simon Graceland , Peter Gabriel So and Sledgehammer and Red Rain, The Smiths there is a light that never goes out, The police Don’t Stand so close to me. Try ZipRecruiter for free: https://www.ziprecruiter.com/rock See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Today we’re telling the story of folk singer Jim Croce, who spent years playing dive bars and college cafeterias for pocket change… before he finally broke through in his thirties. This Philadelphia everyman wrote songs in the back of pickup trucks between construction jobs, pouring his heart into tales about working stiffs, lost love, and fleeting moments. Jim's warm baritone and fingerpicking guitar-work created intimate three-minute short stories that felt like conversations with an old friend. Tragically, just as Jim reached the summit, his life was cut short in the cruelest way imaginable. But the songs he left behind became timeless classics that still move us decades later. It's a bittersweet journey on our latest edition of Short and Sweet. Let’s get into it. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Alright, you asked for it. So you got it. It’s a Halloween Special Edition of Professor of Rock. Today, we're counting down my Top 8 most haunting, spine-chilling tracks from the rock era. And yeah, we’re gonna get a little creepy here. So brace yourselves. On this episode, we’re telling stories of sonic spookers, dark confessions, back-masking messages, and deathly warnings… including one track that was born from a father's twisted bedtime stories about a man-eating monster that haunted his son Robert Smith of the Cure for decades. He couldn’t escape his nightmares; the only way he solved it was through writing a song about it called Lullaby. Then there’s the song that was so traumatizing for Korn lead singer, Jonathan Davis, that he broke down into hysterics after he finished singing his vocals. And it was all caught on tape. The producer just kept it rolling. I’ve also got the most controversial musician I have ever interviewed on this channel. When I released our interview a few years back, I lost 5000k subscribers overnight…I’m hoping it doesn’t happen again. IlAnd lastly, the most chilling song ever released: DOA by Bloodrock. It was not only banned…for a time, it was against the law to play it. It was so disturbing that the band’s promising career never recovered and they were cursed to be a one hit wonder  See 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. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

COMING UP I’ve never done this before but if it goes well I’ll do it again. A full length interview with one of my favorite rock singers ever. A true legend who will walk us through his legendary career song by song including fronting one of the greatest rock bands ever. It’s our first ever episode of RETROSPECTIVE We start with Sammy Hagar and cover his entire career from Montrose to his solo years including I Can't Drive 55 and then joining Eddie Van Halen and helping take Van Halen to #1 on the album charts many times with 5150, 0U812 and For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge and the stories of his biggest hits including the guitarist he hates working with because he never tries the same thing twice. It's all coming up in our 1 hour interview with Sammy Hagar the red rocker... See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

There must have been something in the water back in the mid to late 60s because legendary bands and artists wrote some of the most life-changing songs ever. Today, we celebrate a true lost art... songs that stick it to the man. From an accidental protest song from rock’s greatest poet Bob Dylan, who put lyrics to a melody from the 1800s but wrote the lyrics down so fast and messy that night when he played it live for the first time, he couldn’t read his own handwriting, so he had to make up the lyrics on the spot, and it became an all-time standard. Then there was the legendary song that Barry Maguire didn’t like. In fact, he recorded a bunch of songs, and his voice was so shot that he trudged through the song without any care; it was raspy, rough, and haggard. He knew it was a scratch vocal and he’s re-do it later, but then the label put it out as is, luckily it was just a B-side, but then a DJ mistakenly played the wrong side and it became a #1 hit overnight. And helped push the 26th Amendment across the finish line. And then there was the Byrds' song Turn Turn Turn, which was taken straight from the bible, and its writer added his own 2 cents to the scriptures that made it a protest song. Let’s get into it.  See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Riding high on satire…Weird Al Yankovic seemed unstoppable in the mid 80s after Eat It! and Like A Surgeon. but when his fourth record, Polka Party essentially flopped, he almost called it quits. But instead, he started writing for his life. And out of this trepidation, he created a supersized song patterned after the King of Pop Michael Jackson’s latest hit Bad called Fat. It not only won over listeners, but captivated MTV audiences across the world with a hilarious video in 1988. If you lived through the 80s, I don’t think there’s any way you could have missed this one. It was huge! How Weird Al went platinum with Even Worse and rocked 88. Check out this classic, next on Professor of Rock. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Remember when a particular band came out of nowhere and dominated radio and MTV with a big album and a bunch of hit songs, and it looked like the start of a massive career? But then the band sputtered and never had another hit, and a few years later, you might hear their old hit and go "What the hell happened to that band?" Well today we have a special edition of bottled lightning, counting down those intriguing stories. Including frontman Darius Rucker, who was overheard singing in a college dorm shower. His future bandmate proposed they team up on the spot… Then years later, David Letterman boosted their album sales into the millions when he promoted it on his show. Then there was Fine Young Cannibals, who put an ad on MTV for a new lead singer. They got 500 cassettes in the mail, and they all sucked. But a friend took pity on them and recommended Roland Gift, a saxophone player who secretly had a great voice. They had 3 Huge hits and a #1 album and became the #1 band of the last year of the 80s. And then they NEVER put out another song ever again. Let’s do this. See 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 story of a band that made rock history by literally singing their way onto the cover of Rolling Stone. This ragtag bunch of musical misfits from Jersey looked more like a gang of bikers than pop stars. Their lead singer wore an eye patch that made him look like a pirate, and their sound was unlike anything else on the radio... they were the musical equivalent of a traveling circus. And they were a powerhouse scoring 8 massive hits in the 70s and early 80s that we still love today. but then they just vanished. It's a wild ride from dive bars to the top of the charts on this New edition of Professor of Rock. We call short and sweet. See 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 done two of these, and you loved them and asked for more. The great IMPROV Moments in music, and the 3rd time might be the best. These are some of the most entertaining stories I’ve come across. Songs that weren't planned or rehearsed, but became pure gold. We’ve got a producer who brought a feast of chicken and ribs into the studio and got Screamin' Jay Hawkins and his band so drunk they blacked out during the session…and forgot they wrote a song. When they got sober, they discovered they’d created a shocking, unhinged masterpiece called I Put a Spell on You. There's also the legend Ella Fitzgerald, who forgot the lyrics to Mack the Knife during a live broadcast in front of thousands... but instead of panicking, she rewrote the song on the spot and walked away with two Grammys. Plus, the UK band Blur improvised a two-minute parody track called Song 2 to mock Cheesy American rock, fully expecting it to be a throwaway cut. But their label loved it, packaged it as a single, and it became their biggest hit. And then the broken string that caused a badass guitar sound that the band Metallica was never able to repeat again. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Coming up next, I must have a death wish to keep covering this band but I have the final part of my interview with one of greatest producers of the 70s and ‘80s who produced most of the tracks on the biggest selling album ever as well as 5th biggest selling album ever and he has some great behind the scenes stories on some true American classics including a legendary song that may be the most storied rock hit ever. Hotel California, and there are some stories here that have never been told, including the fact that the song had to be recut three different times. The first time it was cut i the wrong tempo, then the second time it was done in the wrong key. The third time was the charm, and then this producer got a front row seat to the greatest guitar battle of all time when the dual solo was recorded. Then there is the classic song that was just Joe Walsh’s warmup exercise, and the band talked him into making it into a song, and there was the song that was a source of contention between the guitarist and lead singer…The guitarist wanted to sing it, but the singer outfoxed him and got his vocal down on the final. These stories are next on Professor of Rock. See 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 defining track of a big-budget, no holds barred rock opus. But writing this signature song would be a harrowing experience for this band’s frontman Dave Grohl. Just a couple years removed from the suicide of his friend and bandmate, Kurt Cobain when he was in NIRVANA, Dave Grohl was trying to move on. Now with a new band Foo Fighters and writing their second album the Colour and the Shape, he was facing all kinds of problems. The guys weren’t gelling and were exhausted from their perfectionist producer Gil Norton. And then he got served divorce papers at the studio. Crushed by the weight of his crumbling marriage… he put the sessions on pause and flew cross-country to his hometown. There he wrote his best song Everlong, pouring into it everything he was feeling. When it was finished, it would become the biggest song of his career. One that would have millions of fans singing along in unison. Get ready for a banger next. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Today, we’re covering a truly special group, the Carpenters. This brother-sister pair ruled the 70s and early 80s with 10 Top 5 hits, 18 that made the Top 20, and 15 more that went to #1 on the AC Charts. And we’re going to cover as many as we can, tracing the evolution of their career. We’ve got some amazing behind-the-scenes song stories to go with this one. How about the song that Richard Carpenter saw performed on late-night TV, but had no idea what it was called? But he knew they had to record a cover version because they could do it better. Or the track that one Richard was so sure would bomb on the charts that he bet his recording engineer $1000 that it would flop. And how about the song that Karen Carpenter hated with a fiery passion, and never performed live. And to add flame to the fire… Neal Sendaka, who wrote the original version, went out on tour with them, and they fired him for stealing the show. There are a lot of cool stories on this one. Find out how it all plays out… NEXT on the Professor of Rock. See 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 lost songs, underrated classics, and B-sides that should have been A-sides… all coming from the rock’s mightiest band Led Zeppelin… It’s a mystery how some of these tracks weren’t bigger than they were. In the mix, we’re uncovering one of rock’s holy grail songs. An epic song that could have rivaled Zeppelin's most iconic tracks… But it didn’t made the cut for its album. So it was broken up and scattered across at least four other songs… so you can hear parts of it, but what does the actual song sound like and why wasn’t it released? Especially since it had the potential to be Led Zeppelin's biggest anthem… It’s an episode packed with some of the best odds and ends and hidden gems from classic rock’s most legendary band… NEXT on the Professor of Rock. See 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 counting down the Top 10 songs from one of the greatest years in music history… including the story of David Bowie and Sweet who released singles at the exact same time with identical riffs… they both swear it was pure coincidence, but next we’ll find out the real story. Then there's the tale of a young Sammy Hagar who was so blown away by a guitarist's performance that he broke up his current band on the spot. He tracked down the axeman's address, showed up at his door dressed like David Bowie with a Les Paul and a notebook. They shook hands, and a legendary partnership was born. Plus, the haunting ballad written Elton John as a tribute to a Hollywood LEGEND that was never released as a single, but then years later new lyrics were written to the original music and it became the fastest-selling song ever. Then there’s the classic Zeppelin song that was written after a Beatle made an offhand remark that a famous hard rock band couldn’t write a good ballad, and finally the no-hit wonder who never had a hit in America but sold 145 million records and had 1 that was in the charts for 18 years. Next on Professor of Rock. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Coming up an interview with a band that you’ve probably forgotten or don’t remember, but I guarantee that you know the opening line of their most famous song. It's the Five Man Electrical Band and their classic song Signs that came to its creator when he was racing down Route 66 and saw billboards advertising products in the middle of beautiful scenery. Ads right smack dab in the middle of Mother Nature. It was covering up true beauty, so he wrote a protest song, he threw it onto the B side of a song that the band thought would be a hit, but instead, DJs turned the record over and played the lesser-known song, and it became a 70s classic. Up next, the surviving member of the band gives us the story on Professor of Rock. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Coming up… We have a spectacular show for you. It’s become a lost art. But for those who grew up and came of age in the 60s, 70s, and 80s, the album cover was paramount, and today we count down the greatest album covers of the 80s with some stories that are almost too good to be true, including the colorful album cover every 80s kid knows by heart. It may be the most famous album cover of the decade, and everyone thought it was just a random drawing, but over 40 years after it hit #1, a real person was shocked to find out the image was actually a drawing of her! Find out how the mystery was solved next. Plus, the controversial album cover that came from bribing a kid with candy cigarettes, when his mother saw the album in stores she freaked out. Plus a striking image captured on a train track in Thailand—and the famous rock band in the pic were, allegedly, almost killed by a train. And finally, the album cover came from a total screw up we’ve all dealt with in our lives… a printer paper jam that turned into one of the coolest album covers ever! It's all coming up next on POR. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Up next, we have one of the most prolific rock writers, Desmond Child, to tell the story of the biggest songs by one of rock’s most legendary bands, I Was Made for Loving You by Kiss. First of all, he wrote it with Kiss's lead singer, Paul Stanley, who claims he wrote his part of the song as an answer to a challenge from the song’s producer. The Paul singer got into a discussion with this disco producer about whether it was easier to write a disco song than it was to write a rock song. So it became a bet. He was out to prove he could write the song quickly, and lo and behold, the song became a monster hit. But then one of the principal members of the band publicly said he HATED it, and Desmond got pissed, especially since he’d given the band a smash hit that made them millions, so he told Paul to go blank himself. And then this hardcore icon gave the only apology he’s ever given. The drama is intense next on Professor of Rock. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Where do I even start with this POR classic? Over 50 musicians came in and out of this one-hit wonder band in its time... Dexys Midnight Runners. And its principal, the singer Kevin Rowland absolutely detested his #1 hit Come On Eileen. He hated it because he didn’t think it was mixed right… He was so angry about it, he didn’t listen to the song for 40 years, which is hard to believe because we all LOVED IT. Come On Eileen was such a big song it bested the biggest-selling artist on the planet during its unprecedented peak. This was the song that stopped him. It was a dirty song in more ways than one and it still moves the needle. A bottle-lightning classic and besides its controversy a former band member would come out of the woodwork and claim the singer stole it from him. The story of an 80s classic next on Professor of Rock. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Sadly, it’s now a lost art, but we've all been there. That moment when your favorite band announced their new album and you could practically feel the electricity in the air. Remember when that anticipation built for months, sometimes even years. You're counting down the days… then finally the album drops, and… you hate it. You can’t believe what you’re listening to. And you can’t even force yourself to finish the record. Well, today we're diving into some of rock's most crushing letdowns – those highly anticipated albums and songs that fell flat, and made you want to get your money back. You’ll hear the story of Heart's #2 hit All I Wanna Do Is Make Love to You that a top producer wrote for one of rock’s best vocalists, but it made her want to gag. She reluctantly recorded it, but later refused to sing it again. Also, there’s Guns N Roses' Chinese Democracy that was hyped up for the better part of two decades and cost $13 million to make, and it turned out to be one of the biggest flops of all time. That went through 10 different guitarists in the process, including 2 of the best ever. Plus, Metallica the band that sued their fans and made a list of 335 K fans they wanted to punish for downloading their new song without permission. And then the Red Hot Chili Peppers album One Hot Minute, which was actually a pretty big hit, but the band hated it so much that they’ve essentially erased it from their history. Get ready for some good stories from some bad albums, NEXT on the Professor of Rock.  See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Coming up, it’s the remarkable story of a #1 rock song from 1984 that was written on the porcelain throne. ya the Yes #1 classic rock standard, Owner of a Lonely Heart was written by Trevor Rabin while sitting on the pot In fact, Trevor said he wasn’t ashamed to sing in the loo. well, it’s hard to argue with the results. But even more importantly, this song was instrumental in bringing one of the greatest prog-rock bands of the 70s back from the dead and into the 80s. After years of being broken up, the founding members including Chris Squire and singer Jon Anderson, plus some new faces including producer Trevor Horn all converged around this song… giving them a new lease on life and a new musical direction. And to help us tell the story, we’ve got exclusive interviews with the iconic frontman Jon Anderson who co-wrote and sang this song… as well as some behind the scenes insight from the legendary record man Phil Carson who helped reunite this band. You’re not going to want to say “no” to this one. The story is… NEXT on Professor of Rock. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Today we're going “Casey Kasem style,” counting down ten stone-cold classics from 1983. It’s our weekly Saturday Morning countdown where we feature songs from a throwback year that left a lasting mark on rock history… and shockingly never made the top 40, even though many of these are some of the biggest songs of the time. It's a musical mystery — how did these rock standards get passed over? As usual, we’ve got some great stories and guests, including how Billy Idol stole the master tapes for his new record and held them hostage to get the label to change the cover art on the album. He was about to bootleg them to the public if they didn’t cave. Or how about the song Blue Monday that New Order wrote because they were sick of coming back out on stage for encores. Their plan was to just have sequencers play it and have a robot sing it while they walked off. But it became their most famous song. And then there was the band that made up a word in their song as a joke, and it became a classic. And then there was the Journey classic Ask the Lonely that got pulled from an album at the last second and was banished to a crappy movie. Stick around for the latest episode of Professor of Rock. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Coming up next the story of one of the greatest, most epic rock songs in history: Layla. It has so many subplots, it’s a shock that it hasn’t been made into a biopic because you could never make this up. The song came from the writings of a 12th-century poet, and then hundreds of years later, that ancient story fell into the lap of legendary singer-guitarist Eric Clapton, who happened to be in the same situation as the man in the tragic story. Clapton was in love with his best friend’s wife, but that’s nothing. The song became shrouded in a cocktail of vices, from killing, adultery, drugs, and stealing… When I say stealing, the song was stolen from an iconic singer Rita Coolidge, who I have on the show to explain her side. The angled web of the greatest rock songs ever is finally revealed in all of its truth and drama next on Professor of Rock. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Next we’re sharing the greatest underdog stories in music history. In our countdown of the strangest feats in music. including athen the incredible the incredible artist who sold almost 90 million records without ever playing a live concert. As well as an instrumental song that had over 2000 overdubs that became the soundtrack for one of the scariest movies ever, the Exorcist & went on to sell 18 million copies. A s well as a group of monks that came out of nowhere and leapfrogged over Soundgarden, Mariah Carey, Pink Floyd, and Pearl Jam to sell 4 million copies in the middle of grunge. Find out what happened in these stories and more, as we count down the Top 10 Most Unconventional Musical Feats ever. NEXT on Professor of Rock. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Coming up next, the iconic singer of the #1 rock band in the world tapped his buddy Sebastian Bach and Skid Row to open for him on their world tour in 1989. Skid Row was a bunch of rookies whose debut album hadn’t even come out yet, but they had a secret weapon, Sebastian Bach, a young kid with a five octave range, and these rookies blew the #1 band in rock off the stage… They were the talk of the industry, and once they put out their album, they would scale the top of the charts with several massive hits, including the power ballad I Remember You that most of the band thought was too cheesy for the record… Until Sebastian unleashed an otherworldly note. He said he wanted to hit a note that no one would ever be able to top, and he more than delivered… It took I Remember You to the top of the charts, and I have Sebastian with me today to give the first-hand account next on Professor of Rock. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The Red Hot Chili Peppers broke through with their massive album Blood Sugar Sex Magik, and it made them one of the biggest rock bands of the time… but then their next album, One Hot Minute, flopped massively with a different guitarist. And they were in a tailspin.. So they fired their new guitarist and convinced their former guitar hero to come back to the band. They needed a comeback and felt they had a great song in the hopper... Californication. The only problem was the lyrics were incredible, but the music wouldn’t gel…In fact, this singer tried 10 different arrangements, but it got progressively worse. He got so frustrated that he threw the song away. But their guitarist saved them from the trash can and just when the record was about to be turned in he came to the rescue with the exact music the lyrics needed. He had actually just relearned to play the guitar after kicking drugs for good. But then the band handed in the record to the label, and their 3 best songs were shredded by the label. They called them second-rate, but they had the last laugh when all 3 songs hit #1, including the one that got saved from the trash bin.. Coming up next an amazing story of perseverance on POR. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Today, we’re leaning into a two-word question that every rock fan has asked about their favorite bands… “What if?” What if The Beatles hadn’t broken up? Or The Police? What if we didn’t lose icons like Freddie Mercury, Bon Scott, or Keith Moon? Or if Lynyrd Skynyrd’s plane hadn’t crashed? Or if David Lee Roth had stayed with Van Halen? What would have happened? Well, with modern technology blurring the lines between science fiction and reality, maybe we can find some answers. For this episode, I am putting AI to the test to see if it can answer some of these “what if” questions. I’ve got two of rock's most revered bands in mind: Led Zeppelin and Pink Floyd. And I want to know if Artificial Intelligence can tell me what would have happened to these bands if just one key moment had played out differently. And then I want you to tell me what you think about the results. Could this have happened in some alternate universe? Or is AI just full of crap? We’re going to try to get to the bottom of two unsolvable band mysteries next on Professor of Rock. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Coming up next… an incredible story from the POR vault with the two masterminds behind one of the most recognizable synth-pop songs of the '80s Jack Hues and Nick Feldman of Wang Chung tell the wild story of how Michael Jackson wanted to record their song “Dance Hall Days” for Thriller—but only if he could change the lyrics. The band said no, and instead turned the track into their own breakout hit in 1984. It’s a wild, what-if tale straight from the mouths of the artists who lived it—only here on Professor of Rock. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Alright, we’re going all in on the shortest songs that have left the longest impressions. Tracks that you just can’t get out of your head and never will, because, well… they’re the catchiest damn things you ever heard. I’m talking about the mini-anthems that ate up the space between your favorite TV shows back in the day. That’s right, jingles. I said it. We did this once before, and you loved it. We did the 80s. This time, we’re doing the 70s and they're even better. Today, we’re featuring some unbelievable stories… including one about an iconic singer-songwriter who has sold nearly 100 million records and had 25 hits, but he admits his greatest hit is an insurance commercial song. Then there’s the jingle that is so annoying that the CIA has used it to interrogate prisoners. And don’t forget about the radio jingle that lit up phone lines because listeners had to hear more of it. It was a commercial! The song later became one of the most famous TV ads of all time and was released as a single by multiple bands. You’re not gonna want to miss the stories behind these 70s viral hooks… It’s all coming up next on Professor of Rock. Try Squarespace free for 14 days and receive 10% off your first purchase. Go to: https://www.squarespace.com/rock See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Coming up, a fabled rock and roll story that is hard to believe. Today’s band had the promise and grit to become one of the greatest bands ever, with a singer-guitarist brother combo that lit up the stage. Then tragedy struck when the band’s guitar virtuoso died in a serious accident. The band was stunned… how could they go on? Well, their secondary guitarist stepped up and wrote a song that would take them to the top of the charts. It had taken him years to write the music, and then it only took him mere minutes to write the lyrics. It became the band’s signature song, but get his it was held out of the #1 spot by the future wife of their singer. 2 years later the iconic female who denied them the #1 spot would marry their lead singer and then one year after they lost their guitarist, they lost their iconic bassist to the same accident on the same road. The story is next on Professor of Rock. See 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 traveling down a hazardous road of rock history with the stories of some of the most controversial songs ever. it’s our latest edition of Taboo Songs.. including a hit song from Rumours, one of the biggest-selling albums ever, where Lindsey Buckingham S-L-U-T shamed his ex-girlfriend Stevie Nicks in the song, and she had to sing it with him for the next few decades, but when ME TOO hit, it got the silent treatment when that iconic female singer downed it. Then there’s Motley Crue's Girls, Girls, Girls that was written on a napkin & it name checked sleazy gentlemen clubs. It became so big it increased their business 10-fold. Plus the happy song Timothy that sounded like a tune from the Partridge Family, but hidden in the lyrics is a DARK SECRET and once DJ s figured it out it was BANNED across the board. And speaking of disturbing, we have the story of the most horrifying song ever, Frankie Teardrop. It's so frightening that many have warned others not to listen to the song at night. It’s become a FAMOUS CHALLENGE & those who have dared have become physically sick & bad things have happened. 1 famous critic called it the scariest song ever. We have some great stories & songs coming up on POR. See 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 my favorite interviews with a legendary member of what I believe is the greatest hard rock band ever. He shares the story of the wildest music video of the MTV ERA. That was banned for a bit, but ended up being one of the most iconic of MTV’s history. Its star was a former centerfold, and the whole video was concocted by rock’s craziest frontman, including the iconic spoken word intro that the singer made up on the spot, plus he tells the story of what may be the coolest rock song of the 80s that a famous singer ripped off the year after. I ask today’s legend what he thought about the blatant rip-off, and his comeback is hilarious. You’ll hear stories never heard or told from one of the most famous records in rock history. So let’s do it. The interview is with Professor of Rock. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Coming up an amazing story of true musical genius. Today’s Legend was a young rookie at the top of his game as the new guitar genius stepping forward to play for David Lee Roth after the singer quit Van Halen… They hit back with a big record that had everybody talking and hit the top 5. He co-produced the next album, which was also a hit, but then he shocked everyone when he quit to play guitar for God, creating a sonic masterpiece that came from fasting for 10 days. He was in a spiritual flow and the result was what many have called the great guitar song ever written. he was playing in a higher vibration then he could have ever imagined and today he is here with me to tell the story of this once in life time track and he also explains how he was challenge by his young son on the video game guitar hero and lost to him on his own song. It’s a great interview next on Professor of Rock. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Today, we’re counting down seven landmark performances that, for one day, turned stadiums into sanctuaries. Starting in the neon decade, we’ll revisit a Pink Floyd lightning-strike reunion that nobody believed would ever happen—a moment where bitter grudges melted away under the weight of a single setlist. We’ll witness a once-in-a-lifetime farewell, where Ozzy Osbourne literally ruled the venue from a throne. We’ll drop in on a confessional acoustic set that followed years of silence from Alice in Chains, whose scene had pretty much died, and it became one of the most gut-wrenching and unforgettable concerts of its era. And we’ll relive a rain-soaked halftime show where Prince didn’t just deliver the greatest Super Bowl performance of all time—he seemed to command the weather itself, turning a torrential downpour into a perfect storm. Nobody cared who played or won; they remember this legend. And then, 3 years before that, Prince blew half a dozen legends off the stage with a life-changing solo after a lame magazine had left him off their top guitarist list. Boy, did he ever get even. The stories are coming up NEXT on the Professor of Rock.  See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

They were likely Rock’s first supergroup and it all started when these virtuosos who went by the name of CREAM starring Eric Clapton, Jack Bruce and Ginger Baker all took in a Jimi Hendrix concert, and the bassist Jack Bruce was so juiced with inspiration by what he saw, he went home and created one of rock music’s most familiar and magical riffs. Sunshine of Your Love One that gets stuck in your head for days and that’s a good thing. However when they showed the guaranteed hit to the label head, legend Ahmet Ertegun he hated it. He thought it was crap. Some famous artists outside of the band had to talk him into putting it out. The supergroup was only together for a couple of years and they almost killed each other but their music will last a millennia creating genres and subgenera’s in the process. The story is next. See 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 counting down the Top 10 songs from an unbelievable year. Some of the biggest rock songs ever, but they were never actually hits, and truly, most of these are even better than the hit singles of the day. We’ve got some wild backstories on this one, including how Queen's album Jazz was shredded in a nasty hit piece that called the band sexist. Then their big single Don't Stop Me Now from the album FLOPPED at #86. But decades later it became the biggest song from that year with almost 5 billion streams. Or how about Moving in Stereo from one of the best debut albums of the 70s that soundtracked the most rewinded movie scene of the 80s. It was rewinded and it broke a record amount of VCRs. We also have Devo album opener Uncontrollable Urge that was never even released as a single, but it’s made a million a year for the last 16 years straight because of a cable clip show. And last, but not least, how Steve Perry as a temporary roadie was promoted to Journey's lead singer and became one of the greatest rock singers ever... next on POR. MyBookie: Get in on the action with MyBookie. Use our promo code ROCK and any bet you choose up to $500 is fully covered. Go to https://www.mybookie.ag/ See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The Foo Fighters spent over a million dollars on their hyped new album, but they had to throw it away to write their opus: Times Like These. Coming up, they wrestled, creating an album that should have been the biggest of its time. But after a year of work, they trashed it because the band hated it. The songs were infamously called the Million Dollars Demo, but to make matters even worse, the band was about to kill each other. They were about to throw down. So here they were, 3 albums into their career, and it seemed like they were done. Dave Grohl was touring with Queens of the Stone Age, then somehow they found their magic and recorded 14 songs in a few days... including their magnum opus Times Like These, which wouldn’t have happened without all the adversity. But years later, the song means even more… Find out why next on Professor of Rock. Try Squarespace free for 14 days and receive 10% off your first purchase. Go to: https://www.squarespace.com/rock See 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 have fun with the stories of songs that were denied the coveted position of reaching #1 on the Billboard Hot 100, settling for #2. I always call them the bridesmaids. Well, today they really are the bridesmaid to the bride, as in the greatest female #2 hits of the 70s, with some of your favorite singers ever. Including the legendary Linda Ronstadt, who had 21 Big hits in her career, and most people are shocked when they realize they were all written by someone else, and most were cover songs! Then there’s the story of a Crystal Gayle song that was inspired by an unfortunate incident where a beloved pet was nearly blinded in one eye from a rock thrown by a garbage man. That incident inspired a song that brought Crystal out of the shadow of her legendary sister. Then there was the song Fire that was written especially for a comeback for ELVIS, but he passed away before he could record it. And it was almost buried forever until the Pointer Sisters turned it from a male perspective to a sensual female smash. And finally Karen Carpenter, who turned a jingle written for a bank commercial into an all-time standard…and then 3 years later she did the same thing with a song written for a toddler’s TV show… It’s coming next on Professor of Rock. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

It began with a simple remark during a lover’s quarrel—and became one of the most iconic anthems in rock history. Ronnie Van Zant didn’t think much of it at first, until one night he laid on his back in the studio and wrote the lyrics in minutes. The song eventually stretched to 17 minutes and was nearly cut from the album after the label pushed back. But “Free Bird” went on to become a symbol of freedom and a must-play at rock shows for decades. This is the origin and legacy of Lynyrd Skynyrd’s Southern rock masterpiece, created by a band both blessed and cursed—and forever legendary. NEXT on Professor of Rock. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Coming up an interview with a legend about a song that came into his head from the sound of his tires rolling over a bridge. He was on his way to record with his famous band, they were expecting him to bring them a song for their new album but he didn’t have one well as soon as the he heard it in his head he kept humming it over and over until he ran into the studio and yelled at the band to grab their instruments and he wrote the song from the tune in his head in like 3 minutes... We also talk about the supergroup that he joined years later that after several hits the record label paid his band Millions to not release another album and his reaction to that is priceless… A FUN interview is next on Professor of Rock. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Today, we are going back to the 80s for a countdown you are gonna love. See if you can guess the year. Raiders of the Lost Ark ruled the box office, and Donkey Kong dominated the arcades. And the best songs missed the charts. We’ve got some crazy stories behind these classics. Like the guitar genius Eddie Van Halen who was so fed up with frontman David Lee Roth, he started sneaking into the studio in the middle of the night to overdub new parts onto songs that they had already recorded. Or how about Joe Elliot who was driven insane by his perfectionist producer Mutt Lange, who made him sing just two words over and over for 45 straight minutes. 100s of takes, so he got so drunk he PUKED his guts out and then nailed it. Then there was the Flying High Again that came from Ozzy Osbourne getting banned from the Alamo for 12 years for urinating on it. Plus, the Duran Duran Music Video that was made for Adult Channels, and then there was the classic Stone in Love that came when a band dropped one letter from the song title. and the Greatest song never to chart. It’s next on Professor of Rock. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

FROM THE VAULT: Metallica’s 1986 masterpiece “Master of Puppets” wasn’t a chart-topper when it was first released, but it became the band’s defining anthem—a dark parable about control, addiction, and power set to one of the heaviest riffs of the ‘80s. Decades later, the song exploded back into pop culture thanks to its unforgettable placement in Stranger Things Season 4, when Eddie Munson shredded it to save the world. In this episode, Professor of Rock breaks down the story behind the track, the brilliance of James Hetfield, Lars Ulrich, Kirk Hammett, and the late Cliff Burton, and how “Master of Puppets” roared back to hit #1 nearly 40 years after its debut. See 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 best of the rest. Not too long ago, we began counting down the top television theme songs from the 60s, 70s, 80s, and 90s. And you guys loved it. However, I was lambasted for a few oversights. I mean, really lambasted! So for this episode, we’re going to right the wrongs. That’s right, I’ve got 8 more iconic television themes that deserve some serious love. Including the Laverne & Shirley that opens with “hopscotch chant”. It's a classic TV song that came from a children’s Jump Rope song, and no one knows what the hell it means! There was also Joey Scarbury's The Greatest American Hero (Believe it or Not), a one-hit wonder that has outshined its show a hundred times over. Becoming bigger than the show itself. In fact, it was more requested than Journey or AC/DC! And finally, there’s the theme that they changed every Single season of its show’s 8-year run. It was the biggest show on TV, and now almost no one can bear to watch it because one person ruined it for the rest of us. Plus, the Charlie's Angels Theme, a song that was about female empowerment, but feminists hated it, but one of the show's actresses sold 12 million posters! We’ve got these stories and more coming up, NEXT on the Professor of Rock. A BIG THANK YOU to ZipRecruiter for sponsoring today's video. You can try ZipRecruiter for FREE when you go to this link and enter the promo code ROCK. Check it out. https://www.ziprecruiter.com/rock See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Coming up, Queen's classic rock standard Killer Queen, a song that will certainly rearrange your mind, or most likely it already has. But here’s the thing, it’s a song story that got taken down by the powers that be. In fact, I tried to do this video a few times, and because I use a word that... isn’t really a bad word per se… but because I used that word from a story told by Freddie Mercury, I got in trouble. So I’m going to try this again and use a replacement word to tell this story, cuz Killer Queen is a great song from a legendary band. So when Queen put this song out, they didn’t have anything to show for their efforts. They had put out two albums, but almost nobody knew who they were outside of their native UK. They had toured across America to try and break through, but their famous guitarist, Brian May, had to be hospitalized, not once but twice. And it stopped all their momentum. They desperately needed a hit song. So Freddie Mercury wrote one in the bathtub. He was bathing, and it just fell into his lap. Freddie was trying to put pen to paper with soapy suds everywhere. And he wrote the song to prove that classy people can be… This is where I got in trouble last time. How do I say this? Freddie wrote it to prove that classic people can be… Uh… Let’s try to explain it next on Professor of Rock. See 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 covered the Greatest IMPROV songs that became Magic. Well, today we're doing a sister series… We're counting down the Top 7 Mistakes That Turned into Gold. Screw ups that actually resulted in TRUE GREATNESS. We’re exposing songs that didn’t fail—they exploded after a stumble, a split-second miscue that stuck and became iconic. You’ll hear about a Kinks guitarist, Dave Davies, who blew up his amp and it resulted in the first hard rock Song, and invented Guitar Distortion. Then there was Ozzy Osbourne, who laughed through a botched intro to his anthem Crazy Train and let out the most famous three-letter word in rock history, and Ritchie Blackmore, who played a wrong note that sounded like a classical music piece that he turned into the most played riff by those first learning guitar. And then, of course, Paul McCartney, who sang the wrong lyrics and created a classic! The anxious moments that made these tracks legendary on the Top 7 Mistakes that Turned to Gold, NEXT… on Professor of Rock. Get in on the action with MyBookie. Use our promo code ROCK and any bet you choose up to $500 is fully covered. Go to https://www.mybookie.ag/ See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

We lost legendary singer-songwriter JD Souther a while back, and it didn’t make the news. It was extremely frustrating because he wrote some of the biggest hits of the 70s and 80s, even into the 90s. He truly deserved better. I was so grateful I got to interview him. In fact, it was the last in-depth interview he ever did. It was an honor. Well, next we have that interview, and he tells us the story behind one of the biggest hits of the early 80s, Heartache Tonight. A #1 smash for the Eagles, a band that was about to destroy each other. Today’s classic song came out of a jam session with the Eagles, and they knew they had a smash hit, but they couldn’t figure out the chorus. Later on, one of the lead singers of the band happened to be on the phone with a famous buddy who gave them the line to finish the chorus right then and there. The music of the song came from a strange use of an instrument, and it sounded like a brawl, which was appropriate because the band would get in a brawl soon enough that would nuke the band for good. Coming up I’m hoping to get through this one without a certain band member taking this down. Let’s see how we do next on Professor of Rock. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.