Former Beatle Paul McCartney was trying to establish his band Wings when he flew to Nigeria to record Band on the Run. 2 key members quite right before and then when they arrived equipment in the studio was dismal and one day when Paul and Linda were walking the streets they were threatened at knifepoint by a gang of terrorists… Paul had to keep calm if he was going to save he and wife’s life. So along with his wallet, he handed over a bag containing two of his most prized possessions... a notebook of lyrics and a demo tape of songs for his new album. Neither of which he had copies of. These thieves, having no idea who was standing in front of them, stole one of the 70s greatest #1 hits. Band on the Run alone with 70s classics Jet and Helen Wheels. After surviving the ordeal this musical genius knew he either had to track down the stolen lyrics and tape or try to remember it and recreate it… Find out what happened next on professor of rock.

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It’s one of the most recognizable songs EVER and one that had DOMINATED Pop Culture as much as any piece of music in the modern era. Africa by Toto has been a part of a long list of tv and film placements and covered by hundreds of artists, this classic rock standard has become an immortal entry in the pages of music history. And yet the band called it a “wildcard song,” THEY ABSOLUTELY never Expected it would do anything close to what it did. Band members Steve Lukather, David Paich and Steve Porcaro tell the sensational story of a #1 hit that came from reading about a continent they’d never been to in National Geographic to the all time pop culture punchline it’s the definitive story on the making of this #1 80s hit from Jimmy Fallon to Weezer.

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In the mid-50s, a school-teacher, and a former dishwasher repairman collaborated on writing a song allegedly inspired by the suicide note of a despondent man that was included in an article published by the Miami Herald. It would turn out to be for the King of Rock and Roll Elvis Presley… The song? Heartbreak Hotel. In fact the schoolteacher named Mae Axton vowed to Elvis that she would write his first #1 million seller and she did. Although Presley’s label RCA thought the song was a disaster. They hated it and predicated it would fail. It went to #1 for 7 weeks and was the biggest song of the years. Years later the school teacher who wrote it, would have a song Hoyt Axton who would write a #1 hit for Three Dog Night called Joy to the World making them the only mother and son to do so in history. Over the years the writing of Heartbreak Hotel from a newspaper article has become a mystery. Curiously, there is no evidence of such an incident in the public records of the State of Florida, nor is there any proof of a news article that was published on the alleged suicide by the Miami Herald. It’s the conflicting and mystifying story of the first #1 pop song by the King of Rock ’N Roll…NEXT on Professor of Rock.”

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This legendary singer songwriter woke up with a massive hangover after a night of partying. Multiplatinum singer songwriter Peter Frampton vaguely remembered some cool chords he’d been messing with the night before.. so at the studio a few hours later he was trying to recall the song and as he started playing his band members were ecstatic saying you have to put lyrics to that song…To which the singer replied . I can’t I have really bad hangover.. so they were like… write the song about that.. Out came one of the great 70s classic rock tunes. Do You Feel Like We Do from the classic record Frampton Comes Alive. Up next that legend tells the story on professor of rock .

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70s and 80s Legend Steve Miller was on the ropes before his career really took off.. He was still in his twenties when his label told him that after 7 straight poor selling albums, if his next one didn’t have a hit he was being kicked to the curb. Some time later he would Write that hit… a 70s classic rocker called the Joker with a timeless vernacular that defines the era Space Cowboy, Pompatus of Love, Maurice… This Rocker thought the song was just ok whereas the suits from his label were predicting it would be a smash… and for once they were right! How one of rock’s good guys stole #1 with a song that would go to #1 again 16 years later… find out next of Professor fo rock.

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After their 1995 album failed to capture the momentum that their breakdown album Blood Sugar Sex Magik did, Red Hot Chili Peppers were in a tailspin so they fired Dave Navarro and recruited original guitarist John Frusciante back into the band. At that time singer Anthony Kiedis and Flea made up with John and started their comeback album… Californication . It started out as song that Kiedis felt was his best ever lyrics but he couldn’t get the music to work. Tried 10 different arrangements but couldn’t get it. Just when they were about to finish the record John ran in and had it! the perfect music to put with lyrics. Having just relearned to play the guitar after kicking drugs, he saved Anthony’s song from the cutting room floor to return the band to #1 in 1999.

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It was one of the biggest breakups in rock history. After creating a catalog of desert island albums, Pink Floyd was torn apart by bitter feuding, behind-the-scenes schemes, and as one band member described it, “borderline megalomania.” Sadly, the inability of its two principal members Roger Waters and David Gilmour to put their differences aside made it impossible to continue. Roger Waters said that Pink Floyd was all him and tried to dissolve the band to go solo… David Gilmour and Nick Mason kept the outfit going while Waters scoffed that they couldn’t survive without him.. they answered with the 1987 record a Momentary Lapse of Reason that returned them to #1 on the rock charts with Learning to Fly and On the Turning Away. The story of the battle of Pink Floyd.

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In the 80s an up and coming band was looking to create the best album of their time. They finished half the album and took a break to gain some perspective on what they’s just written. From that break came a massive hit that started as a fast song but when it was slowed down and played on a piano instead of a guitar it became one of the most heart wrenching rock ballads of the late 80s. Michael Hutchence and Andrew Farris and Andrew Ferriss wrote most of the band hits including Need You Tonight, New Sensation, Suicide Blonde, and What You Need but they took the 4th single from their legendary 1988 record Kick called Neve Tear Us Apart to a whole new level! Which has only grown in status since Michael Hutchence’ untimely death.. It was played at his funeral. In this exclusive interview. founding band member and songwriter Andrew Ferriss tells the story of this hit and of the album from 1988. How Michael Hutchence was once complimented by Ray Manzarek of the Doors said Michael was the closest thing he’d seen to Jim Morrison. and how Michael took the vocal from Never Tear us Apart from 0-10 in seconds and made it legendary. and how when Andrew had grown sick of the song, 80,000 sports fans singing it in unison changed him…

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Up next iconic singer-songwriter Johnny Rzeznik of the Goo Goo Dolls tells the story of one of the worst points of his life. Going through a Torrid Divorce, he had excessive Writer’s Block, and was on the verge of quitting his own band when he ran away to LA and hid away in a hotel… a major movie exec wanted him to write a song for the film City of Angels and poof--Inspiration struck! Then while composing it he broke 2 strings on his guitar, but he just kept playing and out fell a song... Called IRIS. He knew would be a hit… boy was it ever. 18 weeks at #1 on the airplay chart. He beat writer's block with perseverance. Years later he would play Iris in front of fifty thousand fans in New York when it starting pouring down rain. He was told to stop playing by the venue, afraid he risked electrocution. He kept playing making the song even more legendary. Then Taylor Swift asked John to play it with her live. All of these things have made Iris an all time classic. The way he came up with the title is hard to believe. Up next, it's the story of a classic from the man himself.

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Coming up one of the best songs of the 80s came to Tony Lewis and John Spinks of the Outfield when they were hanging out in their flat. The second they wrote down the first sentence or opening line of the song they knew they had a smash hit. The song came effortlessly in less than 20 mins from that point forward and they were exactly right… Your Love ruled radio in the summer of 1986.. A couple of working class buddies were soon hanging out at the top of the charts with Madonna, Whitney Houston and ZZ Top with their song becoming one of the all time cheating songs ever but was the girl named Josie from the song a real person? We’ll Find out next as the late singer Tony Lewis, in one of his last interviews tells us the definitive story of an 80 rock classic.

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