Professor of Rock

In 1967, the illustrious Summer of Love, A psychedelic sunshine pop standard, hit number one on the US charts, Incense and Peppermints by Strawberry Alarm Clock but the song was cloaked in controversy, first of all, it was supposed to be a B-SIDE, then it was found that the song was allegedly based off of an instrumental idea from two of the band members who given credit. One Ed King, who would go on to help compose Sweet Home Alabama in Lynyrd Skynyrd… Then when the band was recording it, they hated the lyrics so no one in the band wanted to sing them, amazingly they were sung by a friend of the band, a 16-year-old kid who happened to be at the recording as a guest! Up next we get the story from An interview with the cofounder of this mystery band, Mark Weitz on Professor of Rock. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

It’s a song with a storied history and a bittersweet legacy. But you’d never know just listening to it. That’s because this is one of those happy-go-lucky pop tunes we were all singing along with back in the 80s. However, in the studio and behind the scenes… it was a different story. Walk Like An Egyptian by the Bangles. This song was actually the catalyst for this band’s breakup. It all fell apart when their producer forced each member to audition to sing on the song… their own song! With four musicians and just three verses… I’m sure you can do the math. Someone was getting the shaft. And then there was the music video, which has this iconic moment, that all of us remember. Susanna Hoffs and the iconic eye roll that made every boy a man... A moment that turned one of the singers into America’s sweetheart and left the others out in the cold. With the press and fans calling her the band’s lead singer, things got ugly fast. Stick around to find out if there is any way this divisive track could have a happy ending. The story’s 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 was written on a bet… Graham Nash was staying with a friend in Hawaii and was getting ready to leave the island to go home when his friend said if you’re such a big shot songwriter let’s see if you can write a song before you go… I’ll BET you 500 bucks you can’t… Well needless to say he wrote a song quickly and let’s just say he won the bet… oh ya and it also became his legendary group Crosby Stills & Nash’s biggest hit… Up next in an exclusive interview, this legend shares the story… as well as the story of their classic hit Our House 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.

Sammy Hagar was in Montrose. At the time they were called America’s answer to Led Zeppelin and it wasn’t even the biggest band he’d be a part of…. Since he joined Van Halen years later. Up next one of the greatest voices in rock history, the red rocker tells the story behind his biggest solo hit… I Can’t Drive 55 is a song that became a catchphrase in the 80s and came from getting pulled over by the police… When the song came to him he was panicked to get to a paper and pen so that he could Write it down… It was a song that he knew would capture the public and in a way, it became an accidental protest song. A great interview 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... the story of a band on the brink of destruction. They had no direction, no identity, and no money. The Moody Blues lead singer & frontman had left the band, and in a last-ditch effort to save the group, the remaining founders hired a 19-year-old lead singer named Justin Hayward- hoping he would spark new life into their sagging future. After a late-night gig, Justin returned home to his one-room flat, sat on the edge of his bed, picked up an acoustic guitar, and wrote two verses and a chorus to a song that had been milling around in his head. He’d recently been dumped by a woman that he deeply loved, and although he had been in several relationships since the breakup still tore him up inside. Inspired by a posh but boring gift of bed sheets from a girl that he had briefly dated after his traumatic breakup, he wrote lyrics that unexpectedly progressed into the foundation of a song for the ages. Night in White Satin by the Moody Blues...It ended up being more than just a song…it was the precursor to a movement of prog rock in rock & roll history. The birth of a trailblazing, art rock classic 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.

Today we’re talking supergroups. And in particular one of the most unexpected collaborations of the 1980s. Damn Yankees. This band featured three big-time names, coming out of three big-time careers… Jack Blades from Night Ranger, Ted Nugent, Tommy Shaw of Styx, and Michael Cartellone from Lynyrd Skynyrd. Starting completely from scratch, they wrote half an album their first weekend together as a band… including the massive hit Hight Enough. The only thing is two of them were sure their other bandmate was going to hate the demo. Kind of a rogue character, they were really freaked he would tear this song apart. Then a couple years later, with two successful albums in the bag, the music industry completely turned upside-down. And their label actually offered them $1 million dollars not to record a third album. Just to walk away. So crazy. Did they take the money? Or did they make the album anyway? I tell you, this band’s story is pretty damn good. Find out all the details 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.

So how much is too much of a good thing? Well, today’s artist Phil Collins may epitomize the answer. This radio titan got off to a strong start in the 70s, was pretty much everywhere in the 80s, and barely slowed down for the 90s. He took over an established band in the 70s in Genesis then in the 80s he doubled his output by kicking off an unrelenting solo career… Beyond that, he also tried his hand at producing and collaborating with many legends… which brings us to today’s track: a so-called side-project that became a surprise duet when the Phillip Bailey of Earth Wind and Fire, whom he was producing suggested they write one together. It came quickly and they created a rough demo…except when they came back the next day to record it, they realized the demo was perfect so they released it…the story of one of the catchiest songs of 1985 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.

In an exclusive interview, Mark Farner formerly of Grand Funk Railroad or just Grand Funk tells the story of a song the came to him while praying. I'm Your Captain (Closer to Home) became an all-time 70s rock classic even thought it was 10 minutes long. It was the opening shot that made Grand Funk Railroad a household name, later having major hits with We're an American Band and The Locomotion, this 3 piece rock band was so huge...they sold out Shea Stadium faster than the Beatles. They've had 13 gold and platinum records and were one of the biggest concert draws of the 70s and they are not in the rock and roll hall of fame. Mark Farner tells the story of the classic.in this in depth song documentary. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Coming up… The Cure were underground for years making music that the outcasts embraced but then all of a sudden in the late 80s they started getting played on mainstream radio… and then they had a #2 hit with Lovesong from their 1989 classic Disintegration. After that The band that was everybody’s secret became mainstream and then they released today’s song. Robert Smith and the Cure put out a catchy sing-along classic that had half their fans screaming sell out! Friday I’m In Love hit #1 on the Alternative airplay chart and crossed over to the pop charts. To many, it was just a feel-good happy ditty but when the band had been the harbingers of doom for over a decade it was hard to fathom… Today’s story raised the question is it called selling out or is mainstream popularity the unavoidable price for reaching new audiences? We’ll find out 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 smash hit from a band that was absolutely hammered 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. Stone Temple Pilots took a lot of flack... But it was completely unwarranted… and untrue. In fact, in one Rolling Stone poll, STP was 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 murder, 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. 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.