Professor of Rock

Coming up, 80s guitar hero Steve Stevens who shredded and co-wrote many of Billy Idol’s greatest songs had his gear set up in a studio when film composer Harold Faltermeyer asked him to play a blazing solo for an upcoming movie starring Tom Cruise. The guitar virtuoso began to shred and within minutes he finished the song in 1 take and moved on to the next thing and forgot all about it. To him it was nothing.. well months later it became synonymous with one of the biggest blockbuster films ever in Top Gun and decades later it’s still killing it…. The Top Gun Theme is covered next in an exclusive interview. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In the late 70s, Led Zeppelin divided their fanbase when they released an album that, well... didn’t rock... Or at least that what the naysayers said. Admittedly, this record and today’s song All My Love were a journey into new territory. But Zeppelin wasn’t apologizing. In fact, it was a matter of personal catharsis for Robert Plant who was coming to grips with the most devastating tragedy of his life even as the band was starting to break down with Jimmy Page and John Bonham’s substance abuse problems, John Paul Jones became more central to the band’s Success on IN Through the Out Door 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.

Stranger Things Season 4 is just around the corner and in celebration we’re counting down the Top 5 songs from Stranger Things Season 3. In this episode, we’re really packing in as much as we can. With exclusive artist interviews, including REO Speedwagon, Howard Jones Limahl and Foreigner and we’ll go behind the scenes of the show including the big final that had the Theme song from the 80s fantasy film the Never Ending Story. and I’LL GIVE YOU MY TAKE on why these are the best song. Plus, you’re going to get insight into why each song is such a perfect fit for the story. So, get ready for a Stranger Things Fiver that will have you thinking about the series in a whole new way... NEXT on the Professor of Rock. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Up next Jefferson Airplane revolutionized 60s rock with a rebellious psychedelic spirit, but after a split they changed when the decade ended. Transforming into a classic rock 70s outfit with a more accessible sound starting with the hit song JANE. sung by newcomer Mickey Thomas. who share this insight along with band member David Frieberg who co-wrote the classic, turning Classic Rock radio upside down but didn’t they get some inspiration from Hold the Line by Toto. Find 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.

The unorthodox track known as Lullaby by Robert Smith and the Cure has so many stories tied to it. It came from the 1989 classic Disintegration that record execs called a career killer. The creepy opus really was misunderstood from the start. However, hypnotic, haunting, and kind of horrible, this song told a tale that was too shocking to turn away from. About a Spider eating Smith alive. it was the 80s creepiest song and induced plenty of nightmares but where did it come from and what is it really about? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In a year of blockbuster albums songs and artists the English synth domino Howard Jones Quietly released his sophomore album Dream into Action after several successive singles, he released his synth-pop masterwork…No One Is To Blame, which should’ve hit #1 but 1 radio station refused to play it. Up next this 80s icon tells why and how he wrote a standard due to an off-the-cuff comment. HoJo then had the inclination to re-record with a famous drummer in a long-shot bid to bring his music to the masses … 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 producer Narada Michael Walden tells us two stories that will make you laugh with joy! One of the most successful producers ever tells us how he was in the middle of working with Aretha Franklin when a 19 year old rookie name Whitney Houston walked in with a powerhouse confidence he’d never seen and recorded the #1 80s smash How Will I Know in 1 take beginning a legendary career few have equaled.. then he retells a story of when another legend named Prince challenged him and others in a game of basketball and with 7 inch heels and a puffy shirt schooled every one on the court. It’s a can't miss 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.

Rupert Holmes tells the story behind the top ten hit HIM from 1980 after hitting #1 at the end of 1979 and early 1980, with Escape the Pina Colada 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. A combination of two interviews with the co leads of 80s synth band Wang Chung, Jack Hues and Nick Feldman who wrote several hits that defined the era. Here we find out that their 1984 hit Dance Hall Days was well desired. The biggest icon on the planet at that moment Michael Jackson wanted to record the song, but wanted to change the lyrics. This 80s group declined and instead of being on one of the biggest albums of all time in Thriller it became this band’s debut hit single… the story 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.

Stevie Nicks and Lindsey Buckingham were lovers who had been trying to make it in music for years. After some fiery arguments, years of failures and poverty, Stevie decided to quit music for good. One night she put all that pain into a song she called Landslide. Almost over night after writing that classic she and Lindsey met Fleetwood Mac and they were asked to join up. They recorded the white album with song of their own to add and the rest is history. How Landslide changed all of that. 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.