Professor of Rock

Coming up, it’s one of the darkest days of one of the rock era’s most storied bands. 1987's Tango in the Night was Fleetwood Mac’s 2nd biggest record. Most people forget that. It also had more hits than any of their albums tied with Rumours with Little Lies, Everywhere, Seven Wonders, and Big Love. Already known for having more than their fair share of secrets, intrigue, and infighting, one tragic day after recording Tango in the Night took the band’s brand of musical mayhem to an entirely new level… leaving one band member, Stevie Nicks fearing for her life. And another Lindsey Buckingham outright quit the band for good. Mick Fleetwood and Stevie Nicks were both stuggling with substance abuse and Christine McVie felt pushed out of the creative cycle. John McVie hadn’t played in so long that he was rusty, but through all this turmoil they managed to record a hit song so magical, so joyful… even happy-go-lucky, that it puts you in a good mood even time you hear it. So could that joy and the record's success overcome the drama? Stick around to find out. The story is coming up… NEXT on the Professor of Rock. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Coming up legendary singer Steven Tyler of Aerosmith wrote one of rock’s greatest masterpieces at the age of 14. A 14-year-old kid! Not only that… This 70s classic is a pretty heavy song for a 14-year-old to understand let alone write. The 70s hard rock classic Dream On is the one that put the screaming demon and the Boston boys on the top of rock royalty. But when Tyler brought the bonafide rock classic to his band, guitarist Joe Perry didn’t want to cut it because he felt it was too soft for their sound even though the song builds and then explodes! Many obstacles stood in the way of this song becoming a hit from a run-in with a gangster who pulled a gun on the band to it failing on its first release to Steven Tyler blowing out his vocal cords on one big performance. The song is sung by Steven Tyler in an entirely different way than any song he’d sing thereafter. the story is coming up... NEXT on Professor of Rock. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Coming up, we’re going to go behind the Top 10 songs of this very same week from the year 1982. But that’s not all. After we count them down, we’re re-ranking each song according to all-time streams and views, to find out which song has made the biggest mark on history. So who do you think will take the top spot today? Will it be a veteran band like Journey, a previous chart-topping act like Rick Springfield, or the J. Geils Band? Or maybe a surprise one-hit wonder? Or could it be an 80s hit machine like Huey Lewis and the News? Stick around and find out if any of these contenders can make a run for the top spot… NEXT on the Professor of Rock. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Up next one of the greatest guitarists of the rock era, Steve Stevens tells the story of meeting legendary singer the new wave Elvis… Billy Idol and working on their first hit together…White Wedding, the head banging rocker that many have played at their weddings. Which is funny because it’s actually an ANTI-marriage song. Also many were confused with the lyrics thinking that the singer wrote it about his sister... misunderstanding the slang. And what’s more, the iconic music video cost very little to make but became one of the most visually iconic of all time. Also, how they crafted a classic that’s become synonymous with MTV’s glory days. The interview is coming up on Professor of rock Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Up next an interview with legendary singer Eric Burdon of the rock and roll hall fame band the Animals who’s signature song has empowered so many over the years but especially one of the biggest all time superstars of them all who credits this song as the direct inspiration to everything he’s ever written. Bruce Springsteen has said that We Gotta Get Out of This Place is the song that’s inspired everything he’s ever done form Born to Run to Born in the USA. I actually interviewed the singer and the legendary brill building songwriting couple Barry Mann and Cynthia Weil who wrote and I dare say both their stories haven’t been told together on video yet. It’s historic… it’s also may own personal favorite videos i’ve ever done. check it out next. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

A lot of people forgot about this band from the latter part of the 80s… Today’s act actually scored three US Top 10 hits from their debut album All That Jazz. The Sophista pop band named Breath pulled off an 80s hat trick... Not an easy feat. Especially since up until then they were riding out a losing streak of four failed singles. They were all but done. But it would be an impressive comeback and the perfect underdog story… seemingly setting them up for a long and prosperous career. First Hands To Heaven stole the #2 spot. Then came How Can I Fall at #3 and then Don’t Tell Me Lies at #10. This band should’ve been huge. They had the talent, and their lead singer David Glasper had a breathtaking voice. So what happened? Why are they all but forgotten today? Was it a case of the sophomore slump? Or is there some other reason they dropped off the map? Stick around, as we get to the bottom of this one, and try to figure out where in the world their singer is… NEXT on the Professor of Rock. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Most people assume that today's song from one of the biggest bands ever was a #1 hit because it’s such a classic radio standard...played all the time. In reality, it missed the charts entirely. Desperado by Eagles is one of their biggest songs ever. But Desperado wasn’t a hit because it was never actually released as a single. Written by Don Henley when he was a teenager. The 70s classic has quite a history from starting a fire at a photo shoot that required the fire department to save them to the band having no budget for recording which only gave the Henley a few takes in the studio to try to nail down the vocal with a renowned orchestra playing behind him. No pressure. But the song would have its revenge as it appeared on a future album and was a big reason why that album would sell 40 million copies.. the story is NEXT on the Professor of Rock. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

After years without a hit in their native land and a grand total of zero hits in America, Thin Lizzy was on their last leg… Phil Lynott and co were told by their label if their next record wasn’t a hit they’d kick ‘em to the curb. They were in debt, they were desperate but this band was made up of working-class Fighters…however today’s classic song, the Boys are Back in Town was one that the band deemed a throwaway track that didn’t even deserve to be on their next album, but the late decision to include the song would lead to a couple of DJs from the south playing the deep cut and it spread like wildfire not only saving their career, it catalyzed a classic rock anthem. Up next, the story of one of the most overlooked bands of the entire 70s and the surprising motivation behind this song… Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Coming up, were covering one of the biggest songs from a legendary rock band that has been streamed over a billion times and despite it’s popularity It never actually charted on the Hot 100. Simple Man by the kings of the south Lynyrd Skynyrd. The only reason it wasn’t a hit is because it wasn’t ever released as a single.. It finally charted decades later … Funny story: Apparently, the band’s producer Al Kooper didn’t want them to record it. So Ronnie Van Zant and co locked him out of the studio and told him not to come back until they were done. I guess these guys were butting heads all the time. But somehow, despite the constant fighting, they managed to put together one of the strongest debut albums ever: Pronounced ‘Lĕh-’nérd ‘Skin-’nérd And this song, well, I’ll just say if you listen closely, you’re gonna hear some of the best advice for a happy life and it has even more meaning now since this band’s last founding member, Gary Rossington passed away marking the end of an era.… Get ready, the story is… NEXT on the Professor of Rock. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Warren Zevon was told by one of the founding fathers of rock, Phil Everly of the Everly Brothers that he should write a novelty song about a horror movie icon… So he wrote a total joke song…One he called a piece of crap called the Werewolves of London... It became his only hit! It’s a song about a mysterious, sophisticated gent who could be seen dining at Chinese restaurants, and drinking Pina Coladas in posh areas of Soho & Kent. He’s a dapper fellow, with tailored suits, and perfectly coiffed hair. But don’t let appearances fool you….Despite his dashing looks, you better keep your distance... cause he’ll rip your lungs out. The truth behind this ‘hairy handed’ bottled lightning hit, and the tortured artist who released the cap- then “drew blood" is NEXT... on Professor of Rock.” Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.