Professor of Rock

Coming up, today’s band Foreigner took a frigid walk through New York City in minus 20-degree weather to nail down their classic 70s song Cold as Ice… a top 10 single about a gold-digging ice queen. A lot of people have wondered through the years if it was based on a real girl, and we’ll get to the bottom of that. Apparently, after finishing Cold as Ice, one of the song’s co-writers Mick Jones thought it was just a little too pop and wasn’t sure if it belonged on the album. But when his bandmates said they loved it, he came around. It was a good choice because Cold as Ice is an undeniable classic rock standard… Tag-teaming with me for today’s tale, we’ve got not one, but two founding musicians from this legendary band Lou Gramm and Mick Jones. And they’re both ready to give you a behind-the-scenes look at this frosty track… 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... Pearl Jam came out of nowhere to sell almost 16 million albums in 1992, of their classic TEN but at the peak of their fame, they completely sabotaged their greatest song: Black. After their album Ten blew up, they hadn’t even released the best song from the record… With most everyone agrees is Black, Because of this the label was psyched knowing Black would push Eddie Vedder and Pearl Jam further up the charts. But the band wanted nothing to do with this song being a hit. In fact, they did everything in their power to prevent it. Problem is it didn’t work. Find out the crazy 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 legendary singer Martha Reeves of Martha and the Vandellas tells us the definitive story of one of the most famous and beloved songs of all time: Dancing in the Street. First of all, Martha worked as a secretary for the label and one of her duties was singing the words to new songs on tapes that would be dispersed to recording artists so they could learn the words… This led to her getting a shot at singing backup and one day one of the most famous singers ever gave her the chance to record his new song that everyone knew would be a hit. When Martha recorded it, her first take was perfect, everyone was cheering and excited knowing that was the record. Only problem is the engineer forgot to turn on the tape… Martha was pretty pissed which led to the next take having some relish on it that made it even better. Up next the legendary Martha tells us the rest of the story and how the song became a true standard 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 Crash Test Dummies hit song Mmm Mmm Mmm Mmm. It’s a #1 song that was written about three different kids intertwined by an unfortunate common thread of isolation and suffering. “Mmmm” for short, was inspired by true life events, which made the song more personal and intriguing. The lead vocals were also weirdly authentic- delivered in an unconventional style by Baritone extraordinaire Brad Roberts and his unique timbre made listeners bristle with astonishment. Mmm Mmm Mmm Mmm definitely has one of the strangest choruses in history. Today was take an in depth exploration into one of the most mysterious songs of the Rock Era, 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 the story of the #1 1985 smash Sussudio by Phil Collins. Based on a made-up word…. One that just fell out of Phil’s mouth while he was singing. Even Phil had no idea what it meant. Unable to think of anything better, Collins decided to just make up a meaning. But as weird as it is, this song completely captivated listeners. However, as Sussudio started gaining traction as part of Phil Collin’s 1985 blockbuster album No Jacket Required, it also stirred up controversy. Critics noticed that its central riff was nearly a carbon copy of another huge hit from a few years earlier. 1999 by Prince. And not long after, Phil Collins confessed it was a rip-off job. But the question was “to what degree?” The parallels were unmistakable. But were they enough to nail Phil Collins for plagiarism? Find out… 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 AC/DC’s TNT, the track that established the identity of one of the GREATEST BANDS EVER. THIS SONG WAS DESIGNED TO KICK YOUR BUTT… It took AC/DC to the stadiums and made ‘em the kings of hard rock. But not before lead singer Bon Scott had to change some of the risqué lyrics to get it played… but at the time it didn’t matter TNT didn’t chart then.. but decades later it has over a billions streams. TNT is driven by a SOUND Effect that came from Bon Scott that was a happy accident… It was his reaction to the power going out, where he screamed oy! and the band turned it into a chant...With a devastating dual guitar attack between brothers Angus and Malcolm young and Bon’s voice that sounds like the engine of a Ferrari Get ready to “Run for your life... cause the man is back in town… 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 saga of 4 guys from the heartland of America…Robin Zander, Rick Nielsen, Bun. E. Carlos and Rick Peterson who slugged it out on the road together, playing gigs all over the country. Cheap Trick was one of the hardest-working bands in the music industry, but after years of touring, they had hardly anything to show for it. They were hitless, a million dollars in debt, and on the verge of disintegration. But then a weird and wonderful thing happened…. they traveled to another continent to play some shows and found out that in one huge country, they were as big as The Beatles!! It changed everything vitally overnight… The story of their unconventional international breakout I Want You to Want Me and their album Cheap Trick Live at Budokan 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… the story of ZZ Top’s 1973 classic La Grange from their third studio Tres Hombres. This song is about a legendary shack that operated illegally for over 60 years. It was a rite of passage for many in the town and frequented by famous dignitaries, who had a secret pact with the law to live and let live. Everything was rolling along smoothly, until ZZ Top wrote La Grange as a tribute to the house of Ill repute, and a geeky TV reporter, with a really bad toupee, decided he wanted to attack organized crime and had his sights on taking down the infamous Chicken Ranch. The powers that be were forced to close the ranch, once and for all, but ZZ Top’s Boogie Rock hit lives on. The legend continues…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 one of the greatest #1 hit singalongs of the late 80s, Every Rose Has It’s Thorn… From Poison’s hard rock frontman Bret Michaels who was absolutely devastated.… It wasn’t the Greek tragedy that the singer made it out to be, but the revelation of a cheating girlfriend left this struggling rock icon reeling with hurt & betrayal. Michaels drowned his sorrow at the laundromat at 3 AM with his acoustic guitar and out fell this perfect 80s power ballad… Even though the label warned the band not to release it because it would kill their budding career, they proved the label wrong once again… Next, the story behind a proverb that became the heartbreak anthem of its time 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.

Here’s a question. If you found out one of your favorite bands intentionally tried to sell out, would you like them less? Or would it even matter? Well, today’s band Journey was accused of selling out by an ex-band member, who said they cared more about the money than the music. After just one commercial album he quit. And I’m sure he’d have hated the next album Evolution even more since it featured the undeniable mainstream breakout single: Lovin’ Touchin’ Squeezin’. One of the most gut-wrenching songs of its day… this track is all about how this lead singer Steve Perry’s girl cheated on him right in front of his face. And it became so popular that it served as the catalyst for a decades-long career of worldwide superstardom… Sell-outs or savvy rockers. Either way, I don’t think you could love Journey’s music any less. Steve Perry and Neal Schon! 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.