Professor of Rock

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: @JustinHawkinsRidesAgainSee 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.