Professor of Rock

How do you top the greatest band of all time? You can’t… The Beatles are the most popular group in history because of their flawless song craft…songs that have been covered more than any artist or band in history, more than a million times…but there was this one time that a gravelly-voiced madman named Joe Cocker did outdo the greatest band ever and he did it by spazzing out on the biggest stage in rock history… at Woodstock! playing a cover of the Beatles' 1967 hit “With a Little Help from My Friends" After his performance people couldn’t stop talking about his insane performance But clear back when the Beatles wrote this song, Ringo who Was chosen to sing the lead vocal was very concerned about one of the lyrics in the song and he refused to sing it unless the band changed it. It’s one of the most misunderstood songs ever from Sgt Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band...… the Vice President of the US hated it. Let’s get into the story next on Professor of Rock. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

coming up … I actually have a tool that tells me what the most requested song story is from you...our viewers and today we're covering it with an exclusive interview with the songwriter who wrote this 80s classic. It’s Don’t Change by legendary band INXS. Written by the underrated team of lead singer and showstopping frontman Michael Hutchence and Andrew Farriss. It wasn’t a huge hit when it came out but over time it’s become a powerful anthem that many have covered and it shows this legendary band at their very best. Released in 1983 it would pave the way for the band's huge breakout a few years later Kick where they were arguably the biggest band of the late 80s with a frontman for the ages in Michael Hutchence So here it is. The most requested song from our comments and our viewers 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.

I’m not going to lie, today’s song might hurt a little. That’s because this killer track is like a Kick in the teeth. It’s as hard as nails, and so ferocious you have to crank it up whenever you hear it… and then crank it up some more. SABOTAGE but the Beastie Boys...But 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 B-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 just 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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Coming up, it’s the unbelievable story of 5 artists who passed on collaborating with one of the most iconic musicians of the past four decades. Weird Al Yankovic….Working with this guy was a golden opportunity that only came by his request. With a steady stream of hit albums including Dare to Be Stupid and Even Worse and a catalog of legendary songs, like Eat It, Fat, and Amish Paradise and Smells Like Nirvana and so many unforgettable music videos to go along with them… it was extremely rare for anyone to tell Weird Al Yankovic “no.” But these guys did! Passing up on an opportunity of a lifetime. I mean, the members of Nirvana even estimated they sold an additional million records after agreeing to allow Al to parody their song. So what made these 5 bold musicians so bold as to turn him down? We’ll find out plus we’ll get the story of one artist who agreed to collaborate when Weird Al did Amish Paradise. but flipped out about it after the Al released the parody of his song… Stick around for an intriguing story NEXT on the Professor of Rock. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Coming up a wonderful conversation with one of the 70s and 80s great rock frontmen… Dennis DeYoung formerly of Styx about his old band’s signature song. Styx was always the bridesmaids opening for some of the biggest rock acts of the day including Kiss, Aerosmith and Rush but the 70s rock anthem “Come Sail Away" made ‘em kings of the arena… and they sold out their share because of it. Dennis wrote Come Sail Away for the underdog but its tempo change confused listeners as it went from a deceptively slow ballad to an all out rocker! Is it about an alien abduction? Some say it is... Well this song may seem like a fantasy but it’s 100% true… Coming up next we find out what the band’s promo man and guitarist Tommy Shaw did to get radio to play for the song and how it’s haunted geeks across the world who tried to slow dance to this song only to find out it was a fast 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.

Was he a soap star turned rocker? Or a rockstar who just happened to play a doctor on TV? Back in the early 80s, this was a ridiculous debate that the music press couldn’t seem to figure out. But the answer was simple. It didn’t matter. Rick Springfield was a multi-talented performer who was at home both in the studio and behind the camera. And you’ve got to give him credit while living the life of a pop star on two fronts, somehow he managed to write some of the biggest hits of the day. From Jessie’s Girl to Love Is Alright Tonite from Affair of the Heart to today’s featured track Don’t Talk To Strangers, even though many think he's a one hit wonder because of Jessie's Girl, but the reality is he's had 17 hits. Don't Talk to Strangers Is a song he actually wrote in a state of frenzied paranoia. Worried that his girl was cheating on him while he was on the road… in reality he was the one who was being unfaithful. It’s a crazy story. And as an added bonus, we’re giving the story straight from Rick Springfield himself as I had the privilege of interviewing him. It’s all coming up… NEXT on the Professor of Rock. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Coming up, the story of a song that epitomized the struggles, the triumphs, and the tragedy surrounding the artist that performed its signature interpretation. Piece of My Heart by the great Janis Joplin. In an instant, Janis became the Queen of Rock… Nobody had ever really heard anything quite like it. With her incredible performance, this Showstopping Female Rocker put everyone on notice. And Although her aborted career was fast & furious, Janis is regarded as one of the all-time greatest vocalists. Piece of My Heart was actually a cover song. But Janis re-imagined it in an explosive performance that came after being bullied in school for her acne and told by some adults she would end up in jail or an institution… Instead, Janis set the bar for every rock singer who came after. the story is …next on Professor of Rock. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This the craziest rock and roll story you’ll ever hear….“In 1979, Eagles Hall of Fame guitarist Joe Walsh, announced he was running for President of the United States, with a campaign promise of "free gas for everyone” if he won. His antics became world famous,,, He actually tried to circumcise Eagles singer Don Henley when he was drunk, He Drove a Lincoln town into a hotel swimming pool But, that’s nothing he caused 100s of thousands of dollars of damage when he took a chainsaw to another hotel room and we have the theme song for his failed campaign, "Life’s Been Good” a 70s rock classic which was the autobiography of his legendary hedonism. The crazy 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 an interview with a certified finalist for the heavyweight title of the greatest rock singer in history on a classic rock staple. Paul Rodgers has fronted several rock bands including Free, Bad Company, the Firm, and The Law. Today he tells us the story behind the 70s hard rock hit Feel Like Makin’ Love when he was with Bad Company. Which may be the greatest rock song ever written about about Coitus. He is the only rock singer to have a top ten hit with four different rock and roll bands and that’s not even counting the legendary band he fronted for half a decade, Queen. He fronted Queen many years after their own legendary singer Freddie Mercury passed away and the reason he stepped into his shoes was because this deceased singer may’ve spoken to him from the grave. The story and interview is next on Professor of Rock. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Coming up, it’s a band who owes much of their massive success to a random foreign exchange student. The band Roxette comprised of singer Marie Fredriksson and songwriter Per Gessle were on the rise in their home country of Sweden, but their records had failed to break through in America. However, after this student caught Roxette in concert, he returned home with their latest album Look Sharp! and almost single-handedly broke this band in the States. A DJ played their song The Look and it went straight to #1… for 2 years Roxette Reeled off four #1 hits and two #2’s, and actually you could say they 5 #1s because Dangerous hit #2 on the billboard hot 100 but hit #1 on the cashbox charts. Their other hits were It Must Have Been Love, Listen to Your Heart, Dressed for Success, Joyride, and Fading Like A Flower... they achieved in the space of two years, more than most bands achieve in a lifetime. Today, we’re covering those hits and giving you the inside track on their rise to global stardom. And then we try and figure out what happened after that. Because these guys completely disappeared from the airwaves a short while later. So how does such a successful band vanish into thin air? We’re going to get to the bottom of it… 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.