Tune into Hell's Kitchen Radio, with John Hell, every Monday night 8-10PM (Pacific), on Radio Valencia (https://radiovalencia.fm) in San Francisco. You can find my playlists and links to the podcasts right here.
Tonight, I have a dear old friend, Hindu Mike, on the air with me. I've known Mike since 1987, when he and I worked at Tower Records in San Mateo. Ah, those were the days. We didn't live in the nanny state we live in now. Life was so much better before 9/11. I'd like to thank Osama bin Laden, and mostly George "Shrub" Bush for making our lives so much more miserable. Thanks.
Anyway, onto the music. It's a mix of me and Mike. He's in a metal/punk band: The Rockin' Chair. It's a lousy name for a band, but they are really good. The banter alone is worth it.
To stream this cavalcade of verisimilitude, go here.
To download this life-changing event, go here.
To digest all of my shows, go here, or just scroll down.
You should really know the drill by now.
Enjoy.
jh
Up in Smoke: Cheech and Chong
She Watch Channel Zero: Public Enemy
Cuban Pete: Desi Arnez
Things Happen: Coil
Track VII: Aluk Todolo
The Talking Horse: The Melvins
Die...For Darkside: The Rockin' Chair
Jackson Head: Boris
Kung Fu Man: Lee "Scratch" Perry
Meeting of the Spirits: Mahavishnu Orchestra
Short Break: Dirty Three
Bang Bang: Nancy Sinatra/Lee Hazlewood
Issac: Baroness
Rise and Shine: Eric McFadden
Starship: Jefferson Starship
All Night Long: Junior Kimbrough
Diamond in Your Mind: Tom Waits
No More Stalins, No More Hitlers: William S. Burroughs
Can't Complain: Stan Ridgeway
Breathe: Pere Ubu
There's Nothing in this World: The Kinks
Boycott: Shellac
I love having local bands in the studio, and The Y Axes made my night.
Now here's a young band, with a fresh pop sound, that's making it in the post-record label era. Let's celebrate young, fresh bands! I swear, if I could have hastened the death of the record label sooner I would have.
I follow up their visit with some live tracks I've yet to share with you.
Stream this magical experience here.
Download this illusion here.
Tune in to all of my freak shows here, or just scroll down.
Enjoy.
jh
Do It: Rollins Band
Come on Over: Isobel Campbell and Mark Lanegan
Cardboard Houses: HRVD
Winter Bones: The Y Axes
Interview with The Y Axes
Neon Streets: The Y Axes
Loop Machine: The Y Axes
Green to Gold: The Y Axes
I Want to Marry A Lighthouse Keeper: Erika Eigen
Mermaids: Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds
Lady Day and John Coltrane: Gil Scott-Heron
The Move Apart Parcel: Rin Tin Tiger
Mr Slick: Ken Nordine
What Does Your Soul Look Like?: DJ Shadow
Jams Run Free: Sonic Youth
Mojo Man: Jimi Hendrix
Closet Queen: James Gang (July 15, 1971 Oenkerk, Frisa, Holland)
400 Years: Peter Tosh (Pier 84, NYC, NY, July 6, 1983)
Virtual Insanity: Jamiroquai (Tokyo Dome, Japan, November 17, 1999)
Big Chief: The Meters (The Kingfish Lounge Baton Rouge, LA Oct. 1, 1976)
Squeeze Me Macaroni: Mr. Bungle (March 3, 1993 The Omni, Oakland, CA)
Here Comes the Sun: Nina Simone (August 9, 2000 Marciac, France)
Crawlin' King Snake: The Doors (March 18, 1967, Detroit, MI)
It was such a beautiful day, the sun was shining, the birds were singing, it's daylight savings time, so it's staying lighter later, and love is in the air. I can't think of a better time to play two hours of the Blues.
Oh, don't get me wrong, the Blues is not about feeling bad. The Blues is about taking all those feelings you have down in your soul and shouting it out to the world! I was born in a blues town, Toledo, Ohio. How, you ask, is Toledo, Ohio a blues town? During the Great Depression Toledo, Ohio has the "Great" distinction of having the highest unemployment rate for an urban area; over 85%. Talk about the blues!
I haven't lived there since 1981, but don't let that stop me. Oh no, no, no. I now live in the most expensive city in the US, San Francisco, and I make it on a teacher's salary, no less. I'm no martyr.
For a long time, when I've gone record shopping (yes, I said record shopping, as I still purchase vinyl, and I always will, thank you very much), I've made it a point, if I'm buying more than two items, to make certain that at least one is either international, country, or blues. Because of this I have a rather vast international, country and blues library. I buy a lot of records. That's one vice I'm proud to call my own.
I remember in 1978 when my dad brought home the Blues Brothers' "Briefcase Full of Blues" LP. I loved it from the start. I memorize every nuance of that record, and easily wore out that first copy. It was from that record that I was able to set out on an adventure through the history of not only the Blues, but the history of American music, going back to slave songs and gospels, as well as the history of Rock 'n' Roll. It's safe to say that my musical knowledge was birthed from the Blues.
So tonight it's all Blues. How happy I will be! You should recognize many of the names on the list, but perhaps not all of the songs. And vice-verse.
This show is a great history lesson. Get a pencil, write it down, and feel some love for the Blues.
If you're feeling way down low, then download this show.
If you're feeling mellow, stream this fellow.
If you feel like a low down dirty dog, then listen to all of my shows by going here, or just scroll down.
Enjoy.
jh
Hey Bartender: Floyd Dixon
It Must Have Been the Devil: Otis Spann
I Don't Know: The Blues Brothers
Rollin' and Tumblin': Elmore James
I'm Bad Like Jesse James: John Lee Hooker
My Last Affair: Howlin' Wolf
I Ain't Got You: Jimmy Reed
Cocaine and Whiskey: Eugene Huggins
Bring It On Home: Sonny Boy Williamson
The new Radio Valencia studios are built for speed. And when I say speed I mean bands performing live. Tonight I've got local Folksters: Down in Front, featuring Japa and Julie coming down. They're playing some fine, original folk for you. They are beautiful and hilarious in so many ways. It's the witty banter between the tunes that keeps me coming back for more.
New music and some sweet live boots in the second hour.
If you're listening to radio and it's NOT Radio Valencia you may wish to go get your head examined.
To get your head examined, go here.
To get your earholes examined right now, go here.
To hear how your head sounds, click here, or just scroll down.
Enjoy.
jh
Do It: Rollins Band
Psychotic Reaction: The Murlocs
Sweet Home Chicago: The Blues Brothers
Plethysmograph: Jello Biafra and the Melvins
Noriega: Down in Front
Bible Smells Like Whiskey: Down in Front
Fallen For You: Down in Front
The Train Song: Down in Front
Diamond:Down in Front
The Moth: Down in Front
Subterranean Homesick Blues: Down in Front
Halfway to a Threeway: Jim O'Rourke
Drop Dead Baby: Ty Segall and Mikal Cronin
Southern Comfort: Aeges
Needle Boy: Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds
Peliyot: John Zorn's Electric Masada (July 18th, 2003 La Palma, Roma)
Every Many Needs a Companion: Father John Misty (January 9, 2013, Headliners Music Hall, Louisville, KY)
To The Moon: Denim Wedding
Then you Smile at Me: Bill Withers
