The ultimate rock music history podcast for fans of the greatest era of music. If you’ve ever wondered about the true stories behind your favorite songs, or wanted to hear directly from the legends who made them, Professor of Rock is your new go-to podcast. Hosted by music historian and superfan Adam Reader, this show brings the golden era of music back to life with exclusive interviews, behind-the-scenes stories, and deep dives into the songs that shaped our lives. This podcast uncovers how timeless tracks were made, the creative breakthroughs, the near-breakups, and the powerful moments that defined music history. Each episode is a masterclass in rock culture and nostalgia—whether it's a chart-topping ‘80s anthem, a one-hit wonder with a wild backstory, or a candid conversation with the legends themselves. Hear the Stories. Relive the Music. Only on Professor of Rock.
Improvisation is the X factor behind some of the greatest tracks of the Rock Era—moments of spontaneous genius nborn from gifted talent and instinct. On this episode, we’ll get ninto the captivating stories of how a teenager walking down the street decided to visit a studio that caught his eye. His name was Barrett Strong and he laid down a scratch vocal on a song he improvised… That scratch vocal became Money (That's What I Want), the first big hit for a label that npretty much became it’s own genre… Then a fiddle player got a random invite to a session and the band, The Who, had no idea who he was but he started playing and it was so powerful it put the finishing touches on 1 of the greatest rock anthems ever... Baba O'Riley. Plus the 16 year old opera singer who was supposed to sing a small part in a lower octave but decided to sing it much higher and it became thedefining vocal of the famous hit The Lion Sleeps Tonight… Plus the unknown singer Clare Torry who was supposed to sing a couple of notes over a musical bed but just belted out a wordless display of sounds that astonished Pink Floyd and became a crucial part of The Dark Side of the Moon, an album that spent 18 and a half years on the charts. Improv Magic…Part 2, is NEXT on Professor of Rock!
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