Hell's Kitchen Radio #297: Steal This Show

 

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I purchased my first bootleg, via cassette from a street vender on Telegraph Avenue in Berkeley, way back in 1983. It was a Grateful Dead show (obviously) from their 1981 European tour. Specifically, it was the Copenhagen, Denmark show from October 8, 1981. It was the second set only, and an audience recording. I didn't care. I was so excited. I was just shy of 13 years old, and I knew that I was in possession of some serious contraband. It thrilled me. My heart was racing. I had to hide it away. I didn't want to get busted holding something that I knew I wasn't supposed to have.

Looking back on that, it's so sweet I thought that way.

Shortly after that I began to hear tales of a store near my San Mateo home, in Burlingame, "The Record Man", who had a three ring binder full of shows, called "the bible", that he would pull out to show you if you asked nicely. I can picture him to this very day. I bought the brilliant June 18, 1975 Pink Floyd show from Boston Garden. This is an audience copy as well, but the quality far surpassed the 81 Dead show I had. This Floyd show had early versions of Sheep and Dogs, with their original titles "You've Got to be Crazy", and "Raving and Drooling", respectively. I was floored. By now I was totally and completely obsessed. I knew that I couldn't keep spending money on boots, since I didn't have a lot to begin with, having no job at 14. I had to think of other ways to find this golden booty.

I go into much better detail about my obvious addiction in a previous post, which you can find here.

I download an average of 12 shows a week these days. This year I've taken to featuring many of these shows during my second hour, but tonight I thought I'd take both hours to share what I've found recently. Sometimes two hours just is not enough! It's a mix from rock and blues, to jazz and reggae. There's some Americana and psych thrown in for good measure. As always I put the date and location for your edification.

In a few months I'm hoping to host another Rock Fight, where I go up against another bootleg collector and beat them to a pulp (aurally speaking that is) for about four hours. This time around, sound engineer John Karr will be joining me. Look towards the month of June for this show. I'll keep you posted.

In the meantime, sit back, put on the headphones, close your eyes, and let me take you to many venues and many nights of live musical magic.

Enjoy.

jh

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

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Rastaman Chant: Bob Marley and the Wailers (The Paris Theatre, London, May 24, 1973)
When the Music's Over: The Doors (09-18-68 Television-Byen, Gladsaxe, Copenhagen, Denmark)

No Speak, No Slave: The Black Crowes (06-11-92 Tokyo, Japan, Nakano Sun Plaza)
Incident and Neshabur: Santana (09-23-74 University Arena, Albuquerque NM)

Orange Was the Color of Her Dress, Then Blue Silk: Charles Mingus Sextet (64-04-14
Store Sal, Odd Fellow Palet, Copenhagen, Denmark)
Judy is a Punk: The Ramones (02-11-80 Paradiso, Amsterdam, The Netherlands)
I Know You Rider: Janis Joplin (07-28-66 California Hall, San Francisco, CA)

Hunt For Grandpa: Goober and the Peas
No Expectations: The Rolling Stones (alternate take)
Round and Round: OP8

Gloria: Patti Smith (06-25-2005 Royal Festival Hall, London, England)
Graveyard Shift: Uncle Tupelo (08-15-90 Off Broadway, St. Louis, MO)
I'm Losing You: The Faces (05-13-71 John Peel Sunday Concert, Paris Cinema, London, England)

Careful With That Axe, Eugene: Pink Floyd (05-09-77 Oakland Coliseum, Oakland, CA)
Salty Dog: Procol Harum (05-05-77 Hofstra University Playhouse, Hempstead, New York)

Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere: Neil Young and Crazy Horse: (02-25-70, Music Hall, Cincinnati, Ohio)
Black Diamond: Kiss (09-05-77 Tarrant County Convention Center, Ft. Worth, TX)

Johnny B. Goode: Chuck Berry (09-1967 Fillmore Auditorium, SF, CA)

Hell's Kitchen Radio #296: Phat Chance Buckcherry

Stream the Tribute/Celebration, HERE!

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Well damn, Chuck Berry died. Now what are we
supposed to do? It's like when you lose a parent and now you just know that you're all on your own. You knew this day would eventually arrive, but you never put too much though into it, because well, you knew it would just bum you out. He wasn't the nicest guy in the world, but I learned pretty much everything I needed to learn about music, through him. He didn't write autobiographical songs. No. He wrote about life as a young, fresh-faced kid, not trying to get into trouble, but just realizing that life is for the living, and if you're not busy living, then you're busy dying. Chuck Berry most likely did not go quiet into his dark night.

When I was a little bitty boy, my father used to often sing "My Ding-a-Ling" to me, much to my mother's chagrin. I swear it's the first song I ever memorized so I could sing it on the playground. I knew at a young age what my father and Mr. Berry were singing about and it made me laugh out loud that a song that sounded so damn innocent, was indeed as lecherous as they come. HA!

I got to see Chuck Berry live, once, at the Circle Star Theater in San Carlos, California. It was a small theater half way between San Fransisco and San Jose. It's torn down now, and in its place tech companies that could care less for the old theater and its colorful history. The stage sat in the center of the room and rotated so the audience could see all sides of the performer. I saw a number of shows there, but it was Chuck Berry that absolutely stood out the most.

Chuck had a long history of showing up to a venue with only guitar and amp in hand. It was up to the promoter to hire the backing band, all of whom one would hope, were well-versed in Chuck Berry tuneage. And why wouldn't they? Chuck would take the stage only after he had counted the cash, handed to him in a briefcase by said promoter. Who knows if he had even met the band yet. I'm pretty certain there was no soundcheck; or perhaps only a brief one. He would call out the song and key, count it out, and away they flew. It would take a bar or three before the band would gel, but then they would really rock!

On this particular night, the crowd was calling out songs and Chuck was playing them! I could believe it, an all-request show! WOW! This was November 1987, and I had turned 17 at the end of September. I attended the show on my own, and sat in the third row. All around me were 40-somethings, all of whom looked ancient to me. I'm 46 now, so that's hilarious to even consider. I shouted out for him to play "Promised Land", a song the Grateful Dead had performed for many years, and perhaps my favorite cover of theirs. A very large, very gruff and very 40-something man, sitting directly in front of me turned around and barked "HE ALREADY PLAYED THAT SONG, KID!". Chuck was RIGHT THERE, and proclaimed in a very animated voice "No I didn't. Here it goes!". HA! I laughed my ass off, while flipping this guy off (in my mind), and rocked out. Thanks Chuck. Thanks for everything. I don't care about any of the stories about your personal life. It's the music I came for, and it's for the music that I'll forever stick around for. RIP Johnny B. Goode.

On this particular night I was also thrilled to have in the studio, all the way from Pittsburgh, PA, the one and only, vivacious vocalist who puts the Phat in PHATASTIC, Phat Man Dee! What an absolute delight she is. Her vocals will mesmerize you, who eyes will tantalize you. She's a lot or woman. Man Dee was here in support of a dear friend, Robert, who is suffering from the affects of MS. We had a great fundraiser for him the previous weekend, and she stuck around to hang with old friends and play some tunes on the radio. We play a bunch of her tunes throughout the show. I promise that you will be searching for her music once you hear it. And luckily for you I have the link right HERE to go find it. Lucky you.

There's a lot of CB covers thrown into the mix as well, as so many great artists performed the master's classics. Enjoy them all.

jh

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

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Back to Memphis: The Band
Back in the USA: MC5

C'est la Vie: Emmylou Harris
Hey Phat Chick: Phat Man Dee

Pepe: Phat Man Dee
Neverwaus is Forevermore: Phat Man Dee
Promised Land: Chuck Berry

Let It Rock: Chuck Berry
Too Much Monkey Business: Elvis Presley
No Particular Place to Go: Chuck Berry
Around and Around: The Animals

Fourth Reich Arising: Phat Man Dee
O Sinnerman/Shalom Chaverim: Phat Man Dee

My Ding-a-Ling: Chuck Berry
Brown-Eyed Handsome Man: Nina Simone
No Money Down: Duane Allman

Two Tone Tattoo: Phat Man Dee
Oh Louisiana: Chuck Berry
Johnny B. Goode: Grateful Dead (12-31-1978 Winterland, SF, CA)

Back in the USA: Rick Derringer/Edgar Winter

I love this version of C'est la Vie. It's unlike any other I've heard the late, great Chuck Berry perform. Enjoy.

Hell's Kitchen Radio #295: My Bag Of Tricks

Stream the Whimsy, HERE!

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I did a deep dive into my CD collection tonight. I don't buy CDs anymore. I haven't purchased one in a few years, and it was a Melvins CD, since they rarely release on LP. The first hour has some delightful genre-busting "album cuts" for your edification. The second hour, as promised, is my weekly live music feature. Just take a look at the playlist below for track, artist, date and location.

I heard that Gregg Allman is cancelling his entire 2017 tour. Hopefully his health isn't that poor. In any case I pulled out a tasty treat from the famous Fillmore East run in March 1971. There's also a rare Jack Bruce/Robin Trower cover of a Cream song. I think you'll agree that Trower give Clapton a run for his money here.

I close the show with a track that is 51 years old this week. The Grateful Dead played the third Acid Test in Los Angeles on March 12, 1966. This Viola Lee certainly sounds lysergic-inspired. You tell me.

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

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The Way of the World: Flipper
Round and Round: Neil Young

Say Hey: Michael Franti
I've Been Working: Van Morrison
The Big Three Killed My Baby: White Stripes

I Think It's Going to Rain Today: Nina Simone
Moonlight Mile: Rolling Stones
Forest Ocean Sound:  Landing
Chicken Little: The Romulan's

Me and My Friends: Red Hot Chili Peppers
The Air is Getting Slippery: Primus
Home Sweet Mobile Home: New Duncan Imperials

Mt. Abraxas: Uncle Acid and the Deadbeats

Astronomy Domine: Pink Floyd (01-17-1971 The Roundhouse, London, England)
Pale Blue Eyes/Louie Louie: Patti Smith (02-15-1976 Boarding House, SF, CA)
Moving To Florida: Butthole Surfers (05-10-1986 Paradiso, Amsterdam, Netherlands)

Trouble No More: The Allman Brothers (03-12-1971 Fillmore East, NYC, NY)
Rock Island Line: Johnny Cash (11-12-1956 Country Style USA Radio)

Alcohol: The Kinks (02-19-1977 Winterland, SF, CA)
Politician: Jack Bruce and Robin Trower (02-26-2009 Kantine Club, Cologne, Germany)

Viola Lee Blues: Grateful Dead (03-12-1966 Pico Acid Test, Danish Center, Los Angeles, CA)

Here's a video of Jerry Garcia talking about the Acid Tests. Enjoy.

Hell's Kitchen Radio #294: Battle of Witty

Stream the Competition, HERE!

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Spinning a two hour set is always a hoot for me, but having a co-host who meshes with my style, and also knows how to throw me a surprise of three is always a real pleasure. On Monday's show I was thrilled to have Radio Valencia's Gatsby Fassbinder, host of Tighten Up Your Wig, Thursday's 4-6PM. If you like my show you're going to love his. Like myself, Gatsby is a walking encyclopedia for all things that he knows he knows. His tracks are marked by "GB".

New music from Melvins side project, Crystal Fairy, featuring Teri Gender Bender of Le Butcherettes. Also, new music from Meatbodies from their latest LP "Alice". A brand new 7" is out from Zig Zags that is more metal-y than previous tracks, but no less scary. A classic Iggy Pop/James Williamson track from "Kill City", a love song from Diamanda Galas, and the greatest fucking rock band of all time (next to the Melvins) SLEEP!

It's safe to say that tonight was all about the ROCK! The talk is cheap and so are we. Not much more to add. I'd prefer to allow the music do the rocking.

Enjoy.

jh

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

Follow me on Twitter
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Follow Radio Valencia on Twitter
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She: KISS
Slow Ride: Fu Manchu

Sweet Self: Crystal Fairy
Hell Toupee: Iron Prostate
The Kettle: Colosseum -GB

I Got Nothing: Iggy Pop/James Williamson
Living, Dying, Living/In A Zombie World: The Accused
Ripping Death: Zig Zags
Alice: Meatbodies -GB

Do You Take This Man?: Diamanda Galas
The Devil's Chasing Me: Reverend Horton Heat
Let's Go Steady: Dow Jones and the Industrials -GB

Piece of Mind: Monomen
I Heard it on the X: Olivelawn
Jezebel: The Mummies
I Lost My Mind: The Flesh Panthers -GB
I've Got The Shame: Fatso Jetson -GB

Spooky Nuisance: Satan's Satyrs -GB
Holy Mountain: Sleep
Notes and Chords Mean Nothing to Me: The Monkeywrench

You Never Come Closer: Doris -GB