The Secret Behind Led Zeppelin’s “Ramble On” and Its Mysterious Drums
When Led Zeppelin released their debut album, it literally made the entire world shake. Nobody had ever heard a band like this… They took over America, touring nonstop in support of their earth-shattering LP. Their Label begged them to get one album #2 ASAP… Their sophomore record came out just months after their debut. Unheard of in music at that time… But in the hurried pace to get that second album out, the label kept them on the road…they were so slammed they had to record it in 13 different studios all over the world. Out of this second record came a masterful feel-good classic, Ramble On, that was inspired by a classic novel. Ramble On was an instant classic with a scorched earth vocal and blazing guitar and percussion…played on.. well, Nobody is exactly sure what the drummer was playing… We’ll try to solve that today… Ramble On is one of the band's most beloved, but they NEVER actually played it LIVE until they did a one-off concert after they broke up almost 40 years later, and it was the one time! They were so big, they said no to Woodstock. It’s a great one 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.
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Top ’90s TV Theme Songs: Friends, Seinfeld, X-Files & More
Alright, we’ve done it three times before, and every time it was a Gas. I’m talking about the greatest television themes countdown. We’ve done the 60s, the 70s, and the 80s. So you know, we gotta dial up the 90s. And this is my favorite yet… You know all these themes by heart. We’ve got the Friends Theme I'll Be There For You that was recorded over a weekend & was only 40 seconds long so a DJ looped it a few times, making it a full song, and it hit #1 on 3 charts and made them 1-hit wonder Mega millionaires. Then there’s Seinfeld's anti-theme song that was made up of a bunch of weird mouth sounds and slap bass, and the songwriter had to play a unique version for every single episode. The show was such a hit that he had to do 200 different versions of the same song. Then there was the classic Law and Order theme that came from the footsteps of 500 monks on a hardwood floor, and the rockstar Danny Elfman who’s made tens of millions for singing three notes of The Simpsons Theme, and the eerie X-Files theme that came from a frustrated composer slamming his elbow on the keyboard. These are some of the stories you'll hear 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.
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How Soul Asylum’s “Runaway Train” Saved Lives and Changed the World
Coming up next, a very interesting interview that was a little off at first but got better as we went along. It’s about Soul Asylum's Runaway Train, a song that started out as one thing and ended up making a powerful change worldwide. It came out of crippling depression and it took years to finish. Initially, the lyrics were too similar to another #1 Hit from another time, but after pushing through some horrendous trials, one day a metaphor hit singer-songwriter Dave Pirner like a bolt of lightning. An old memory of playing with a toy train, and he wrote Runaway Train we know, in a few minutes. Then the song’s video would have even more impact, helping solve crimes and saving lives. A song that came from Dave's lowest times changed the world in a way he could never have imagined. Get the story 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.
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Exclusive Interview: Gary Numan on His UK Success, U.S. One-Hit Wonder, and Finding Peace
Up next, an interview with Gary Numan about several songs that shook radio in different parts of the world. The first one, Are Friends Electric, was a hit in the UK and it came from an out of tune instrument that was written as a science fiction story about the future one that seemed far fetched in the late 70s but one that is a reality now about android hookers… and back then it sold a million copies then the second song Cars was a hit right in middle of soft rockers like Christopher Cross, and Olivia Newton John and this song could’ve have been more different. It was strange and epic, and it came from an incident of highway anger. Gary Numan cut someone off in traffic and almost got pummeled because of it. It became his only hit in America, even though he had many other brilliant hits. He got so sick of it, he resented it. He began to detest it, and then, years later, another legend made him realize he was being a huge baby, and he was grateful for it. A great interview with a legend is next.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
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FROM THE VAULT: How the Bee Gees Rose from Collapse to Conquer the 70s: Top 5 Songs of the Gibb Brothers
FROM THE VAULT: The Bee Gees or the brothers Gibb. Barry, Maurice and Robin Gibb have sold more than 220 million records over their storied career. In this Bee Gees documentary we celebrate their astonishing run as the most prolific group of the 70s and list their top 5 songs from Lonely Days to Stayin’ Alive, from Jive Talking to How Deep Is Your Love. These are the stories behind their incredible music.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
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.
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