Monday, November 30, 2015

Hell's Kitchen Radio #244: 21st Century Schizoid DJ

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There were so many amazing sets tonight. For the past month or so I've been designating a "Set of the Week" to sets that have the type of character that stands out against the rest of the program. Tonight, I swear there must be at least three sets that I could have given the title to. It was that kind of night. Everything just made sense. Just take a look at the playlist below, and I think you'll agree.

Really, take a look at the Set of the Night™. It's all about T. Rex. First, there's the new LP release from Ty Segall "Ty Rex", which is all T. Rex covers Ty originally released on 7", with the addition of the track I played, for vinyl only. Hell yes! I follow that up with a John Zorn produced track from Zorn's "Great Jewish Composers" series on Marc Bolan. Finally I have to play some T. Rex. Do I play "Bang A Gong"? Fuck no! What radio station are you tuned into? Get your head out of your ass. No. I play "The Motivator" because it kicks serious ass! Now THAT is a quality set.

But later in the night I connected Black Sabbath to Primus. How did I do this? I know you're interested. Get this: The Butthole Surfers track I played, "Dum Dum", uses the exact same drum melody as "Children of the Grave" by Sabbath. I followed up the Buttholes with some Melvins, featuring Pinkus and Leary from the Buttholes, off of the 2015 Melvins "hold it in" release. But wait, it gets better! Dale Crover is the drummer from the Melvins (but you know that). He's also the guitarist/singer for Altamont! GET THE FUCK OUT OF HERE! And Altamont is a local SF band, which leads to me playing the next four local bands: Rube Waddell from Oakland; The Mummies from San Mateo (where I went to high school, thank you very much, and saw The Mummies at Pony Express Pizza in Redwood City, when I was 16-18); SF's Polkacide, which if you haven't seen them then you just plain suck, and you know it. Give it up already. Really. Give it up. Finally, South Bay's Primus. They suck, but I still love them. I was at that Berkeley Square shows that turned into "Suck on This". Party. With. Me.

What a ride. If memory serves the banter was humorous at times, and I didn't stick around long enough to make you run away screaming.

There's some very early (1965) Pink Floyd near the end, and an isolated vocal track from a young and wild (though probably not nearly as wild as he would be following the electro shock treatments he received for skipping out on Vietnam) Roky Erickson.

That's probably more than you wanted to read, but aren't you happier for doing so? No? Thanks for being a friend. Can you feel the love? Just feel the love, already.

Enjoy.

jh

Hell's Kitchen with John Hell
Mondays 8-10PM
Radio Valencia in SF
http://radiovalencia.fm

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21st Century Schizoid Man: King Crimson
Starliner: Montrose

Easy Now: Hot Tuna (request)
Into the Sun: Grand Funk Railroad
Give Me Some Skin: James Brown

***Set of the Night***
20th Century Boy: Ty Segall
Children of the Revolution: Arto Lindsey and Marc Ribot
The Motivator: T Rex

Stay Away From Downtown: Redd Kross
Steppin' Out: John Mayal's Bluesbreakers (featuring Eric Clapton)
The Thrill is Gone: BB King
Rubber Biscuit: Blues Brothers
Spazz: The Elastic Band (request)

Baby Let Me Kiss You: King Floyd
Children of the Grave: Black Sabbath
Dum Dum: Butthole Surfers
Bride of Crankenstein: The Melvins

Young Man Blues: Altamont
Boom Boom: Rube Waddell
The Frisco Freeze: The Mummies
Glorious: Polkacide

John the Fisherman: Primus
Africa: Sun Ra
Double-O Bo: Pink Floyd

You're Gonna Miss Me: 13th Floor Elevators (Isolated vocals)
13th Floor Opening: Mudhoney

Below is a great and grimy commercial from Pony Express Pizza's Hair Metal Week. I'm so happy this place existed. We need more all-ages venues for the kids, today.


Monday, November 23, 2015

Hell's Kitchen Radio #243: 1975! ANNUAL ANNUAL

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1975! What a year! What do you recall? I was five years old, and living in Toledo, Ohio. My aunt, who worked at Peaches Records bought me the first five KISS LPs, so naturally, KISS was my first favorite band. That's all I really remember about that year.

Being older, and a scholar of music and culture, I can tell you that 1975 was a real crossover year. The 60s were definitely over by this time. Music was moving a bit more into the "Yacht Rock" era, and Disco was starting to emerge as well. Funk was at its creative peak. Punk wouldn't really break onto the scene for another year, and metal was also still in its infancy. It was a weird year.

Some of my favorite records were released this year: Physical Graffiti, Nighthawks at the Diner, and Blood on the Tracks, just to name a few.

Along with Eric McFadden and Delphine de St Paer, we delve into the many faces of 1975 last Monday night. We just barely scratch the surface in two hours time. Take a look at the playlist below, and click on the links above to stream or download this show.

Enjoy.

jh

Hell's Kitchen with John Hell
Mondays 8-10PM
Radio Valencia in SF
http://radiovalencia.fm

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Tonight's the Night: Neil Young
Blue Eyes Crying in the Rain: Willie Nelson
Rhinestone Cowboy: Glen Campbell

The Black Widow: Alice Cooper
Hunters and Collectors: Can
Dolemite: Ben Taylor
Fight the Power: The Isley Brothers
Fire: Ohio Players

Ten Years Gone: Led Zeppelin
Across The Universe: David Bowie
Motorhead: Hawkwind
Dammit Janet: Rocky Horror Picture Show
Dunkirk: Camel

Chocolate City: Parliament
Muffin Man: Frank Zappa
Shelter From The Storm: Bob Dylan
Eggs and Sausage: Tom Waits

Deuce: Kiss
The Jungle Line: Joni Mitchell
Death on Two Legs: Queen
King Soloman's Marbles: Grateful Dead

Rose in the Heather/Beggar's Day: Nazareth


Monday, November 16, 2015

Hell's Kitchen Radio #242: Front This!

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Spontaneity is the name of the game sometimes, in radio. I often stare at my immense record collection, and think to myself "self, why don't you just blindly choose a bunch of LPs to take to the studio with you, and whatever strikes your fancy, go with it?". This is pretty much what I did Monday night. And boy howdy if it didn't pay off, too!

A few tributes (PF Sloan passed away, as did Mitch Mitchell (who actually died in 2008, but I believe everything I read on Facebook, obviously)); some tasty live treats, some local tunes, and a speech as relevant today as it was when it was delivered over 70 years ago.

I was training a new Radio Valencia DJ tonight, and later in the show, the banter gets pretty hilarious.

Take a look at the playlist below. You can download and stream this show by clicking on the links above. Please share this with all of your music-loving friends.

Next Monday, November 23, from 8-10PM on Radio Valencia is my 5th annual ANNUAL ANNUAL! It's all about 1975 for two whole hours! And this isn't your old man's 10 at 10, either. Guitar hero, Eric McFadden may drop by. He knows a thing or two about good music.

Enjoy.

jh

Hell's Kitchen with John Hell
Mondays 8-10PM
Radio Valencia in SF
http://radiovalencia.fm

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Eve of Destruction: PF Sloan
Voodoo Chile: Jimi Hendrix Experience (Live 1969)

The Midnight Special: Harry Belafonte
Wooden Ships: Crosby, Nash (March 26, 1972 - Winterland, SF, CA)
Just Like Tom Thumbs Blues: Bob Dylan (July 5, 1965 Manchester, UK)

Can Halen mashup
Fangsgiving: Happy Fangs
Sunless Saturday: Fishbone

Broken Sun: Wand
Bombay Calling: It's A Beautiful Day
Cantor de Mambo: Os Mutantes
En Gang Om Aret: Dungen

***Set of the night***
I Swallowed A Dragonfly: Heartless Bastards
I Wish A Mothafucka Would: Queen Crescent
Charlie Chaplin Incredible Speech
Move On Up: Curtis Mayfield

Sugaree: Grateful Dead (May 22, 1977 Hollywood Sportatorium, Pembroke, FL)
The Mercy Seat: Johnny Cash

My War: Black Flag (April 6, 1984 Washington, DC)

Monday, November 09, 2015

Hell's Kitchen Radio #241: Guest DJ Time - Happy Fangs

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How thrilling to have to rising local rock stars in the studio to do all the heavy lifting. I should do this more often. Rebecca (DJ RBG), and Mike (MC Cobra) of the mighty might Happy Fangs guest DJd in Hell's Kitchen tonight. They brought loads of 100% choice vinyl cuts, and knew their way around a radio studio.

I've had Happy Fangs in the studio before, to talk up shows and releases, but last time they were on I invited them to come back and guest DJ with me. They were obviously up to the task. Other than the first track, all the rest were from Rebecca and Mike. And just look at that playlist!

I'll be having other bands on to guest DJ with me soon.

This weekend there are a couple great shows to check out:

Friday night, local psych rockers Golden Void will transport you to the astral plane at Bottom of the Hill, where they will be headlining. I'm loving their new LP: "Berkana".

Saturday night there are two great bands playing at Amnesia on Valencia Street. The Reliables are a fun five piece, made up of old friends who decided it was high time they got together to make songs of journey and life. They've got a good funky vibe. The other band is the donut-laden trio known as DOWN IN FRONT! These ladies have the most fun no stage I've seen in years. The between-song banter is as much fun as the the songs themselves.

Support live, local music.

Coming up November 23rd is my fifth annual ANNUAL ANNUAL! I'm doing two hours on 1975. This isn't like KFOG. I actually know what was quality in that year. Tune in, and check out my previous ANNUAL ANNUAL shows from the past few years. Rumor has it guitar slinger Eric McFadden will guest DJ that night too!

Enjoy.

jh

Hell's Kitchen with John Hell
Mondays 8-10PM
Radio Valencia in SF
http://radiovalencia.fm

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All Tomorrow's Parties: The Fresh and Only's
Lust for Life: Iggy Pop

I Really Like You: The Lovely Feathers
Lion's Share: L7
Another Girl, Another Planet: The Only Ones

Hesperus: Windhand
Sexy Boy: Air

Two Against One: Rome
Bridge Over Troubled Water: Roberta Flack
A New Error: Moderat

***Set of the Night***
The IPD: Judy Small
Hey Little Cobra: The Rip Chords
Sex, Drugs and Rock and Roll: Ian Dury and the Blockheads
Diddy Wah: Ty Segall Band

Ain't Nothing Like The Real Thing: Jackson 5
Primary Colors: The Horrors
Shanghaied: Bishop Allen

Feels Blind: Bikini Kill

Summer Wine: Nancy Sinatra
Infinity Guitars: Sleigh Bells

Telephone Line: ELO

Monday, November 02, 2015

Hell's Kitchen Radio #240: A Rainy Night At Radio Valencia

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It's Sunday night, and I realized that I have yet to post my blog from last Monday. What the hell was I thinking?!?!? It's been one busy week, I can assure you. But that is no excuse for not getting the people what they want. And you want quality radio podcasts, don't you? Don't lie to me. I know how much you enjoy my well-considered playlists. I know you wait with baited breath for my mic breaks, where I'll wax poetic about the San Francisco of yore. Or perhaps, I'll bitch and complain about the cost of rents? Last Monday I think I went on a bender about a former student of mine (I'm a local SF public school teacher, but you knew that, because you tune in regularly and listen to me talk about my kids), and how falsely (?) blamed him for stealing my door stop, which just so happened to be a plastic baby's arm.

Now you too can stream or download this show and relive that fabulous story, and many more. This show also featured a tribute to the great jazz engineer, Rudy Van Gelder, on his 91st birthday. I played a few rain songs in celebration of the fact that it rained in SF for the first time in about 6 months, and I played a few songs to get you ready for our crappy election, where our lame "I'm never going to run for mayor" Mayor won a second term. Douchebag.

There's a very slowed down Alvin and the Chipmunks song, some classic rock you may or may not have ever heard before, new music from noteworthy local bands, and more.

Check out the playlist below.

This Monday night I'm excited to have local rockers Happy Fangs in the studio, where I won't ask them one damn question about themselves, their new record, or their tour. No I won't. Nope. Instead, they're guest DJing, which means I get to kick back and let them make the playlist.

Tune in every Monday night from 8-10PM for the finest in the fine sounds going down in the downtown, with me, John Hell. You can also subscribe to my iTunes podcast link and get the show downloaded to your iTunes every week. You can find the link above. Thanks to the over 300 of you who subscribe already!

Enjoy.

jh

Hell's Kitchen with John Hell
Mondays 8-10PM
Radio Valencia in SF
http://radiovalencia.fm

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Billie's Bounce: Charlie Parker
Status Quo: Cliff Jordan and John Gilmore

Ease Back: Grant Green
Loran's Dance: Idris Muhammad

Rain: Bernadette Seacrest and her Yes Men
See The Sky About To Rain: Neil Young
Make it Rain: Tom Waits

Rainy Night in SOHO: The Pogues
I'll Be Your Lover Too: Van Morrison
Every Mother's Son: Traffic
What Do You Want From Life: The Tubes

Southern Politician: Willie DeVille
Elected: Alice Cooper
Call Me (slowed down): Alvin and the Chipmunks

Paranoid: Golden Void
Headbanger: King Tuff
We Are What You Are: White Hills
Careful With That Axe, Eugene: Pink Floyd

European Son: Thee Oh Sees

Cold, Rain and Snow: The Grateful Dead