Hell's Kitchen Radio #553: Yuletide Hell

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Being the resident non-holiday-celebrating host that I am, I figured I'd host a holiday show. Go figure. I'm no bah humbuger however. Oh no, far from it. I was married to two, count them TWO women who were both very much into the decorate-the-house-get-a-tree and all that jizzy jazz. And who did most of the decorating with glee? Me! Your own Hellacious Claus. 

And I have the collection of holiday music to go along with it. This is merely a tiny drop in the bucket of what I had to offer.

HUGE thanks goes out to the late great Mikl-em for providing much of what you heard tonight. What a fabulous human he was, and we're still at a great loss without him. FUCK CANCER!

So twinkle your lights and go drink something that'll make you merry. I'll take care of the next two hours for you.

If I'm in next week it'll be a sort of Best of 2024. There was a lot of great music this year. See you then.

Enjoy and please have a safe and a reflective holiday season.

jh

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

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Santa Claus, Go Straight to the Ghetto: Belle and Sebastian
The Christmas Song: James Brown
Father Christmas, Do Not Touch Me: The Goodies

Run Rudolph, Run: William Shatner
Yingle Bells: Yogi Yorgesson
You're A Mean One, Mr. Grinch: Thurl Ravenscroft

Baby, It's Cold Outside: Ray Charles with Nina Simone
Ain't No Chimneys in the Projects: Sharon Jones and the Dap Kings
Little Drummer Boy: David Bowie and Bing Crosby
Christmas Wrapping: Kylie Minogue with Iggy Pop

Merry Christmas From The Family: Robert Earl Keen Jr.
Santa Looked A Lot Like Daddy: Reverend Horton Heat
'Zat You, Santa Claus?: Louis Armstrong
Father Christmas Dressed in Green: Wild Billy Childish and the Musicians of the British Empire

God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen: Jerry Garcia and David Grisman (December 09, 1991)
Beautiful Star of Bethlehem: Emmylou Harris

Allen Toussaint: Silent Night, Holy Night
Santa Doesn't Cop Out on Dope: Martin Mull
Christmas Card From A Hooker in Minneapolis: Tom Waits

Father Christmas: The Kinks
Jingle Bell Rock: The Fall
I'll Be Home For Christmas: Doris Day
Santa Claus and His Old Lady: Cheech and Chong
Up on the Housetop: The Jambalaya Cajun Band

Fairytale of New York: The Pogues
Zan Vevede: Angelique Kidjo

Frosty the Snowman: Los Straightjackets
Carolina Christmas: Squirrel Nut Zippers
We Wish You Merry Christmas: John Denver and the Muppets
Auld Lang Syne: Chriss Issac
Hanukkah Schmanukkah: Rachel Lark
Silent Night: Brian Wilson

Hell's Kitchen Radio #552: Inner City Hell

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Hot damn, it was cold in the Radio Valencia studio on Monday night. It took a real hot set of music to turn up the heat. I often walk the line of telling it like it is and just getting the heck off the mic so you can enjoy the music. I even have a music bed, performed by the magnificent singer/songwriter Adam MacKintosh, that keeps me honest at about three minutes in length. There's a method to my madness. I need more than three minutes to tell it like it is. 

Each week I go through my record collection searching for whatever is tickling my fancy this week. I'm also listening to a lot of radio (Radio Valencia, KFJC, KALX, KEXP, WFMU, and others as I commute daily). There are so many great DJs turning me on to new music. 

If you're thinking of what to get your loved ones for a gift, I strongly encourage music. No albums in the house? Buy a turntable! Only listening via an app? Get the Bandcamp app and support the artists directly. But let's all agree that cassettes were wrong the first time around (other than mix tapes) and should never make a comeback. This coming from the guy who worked the cassette room at Tower Records, and owned thousands of bootleg tapes. There is nothing redeemable about cassettes. Though there is something to be said about buying an off-brand best of southern rock cassette while on a road trip. 

I do have a few boxes of my airchecks from my many years at KFJC. Those have to be incredibly embarrassing to listen to. There was a show I hosted in 1991 (one of my early graveyard shifts when I was the Reverend Dah Wave), when I was taking call in confessions (I didn't know it was a priest that took confessions, so there ya go). We didn't have a delay at KFJC, so I took a real risk that the callers weren't going to swear. Luckily no one did. And many of the callers were my friends, up late and very imbibed. The great Oz, the Watermonk of Dah (aka Noa Oz Appleton) was in the studio with me. We took a few very hilarious calls. 

Unbeknownst to me, my program director was listening in too. I got a stern talking to (understatement of 1991) and was lucky to keep my shift. I listened back to that aircheck a few years later. It was so cringey that I took the tape out of my car stereo and threw it in the back seat. I wonder where that thing is??? Do I dare listen back? Should I digitize it? Should I share it on Radio Valencia?!?!?!??!

As for this show, I'm as cringey as ever, but I own that now.

All vinyl. Nothing new. Many genres. All worth your time.

I'll be hosting an alternative XMas show on Monday, December 23rd. Tune in and enjoy the hot cocoa on me. Maybe that'll heat up the studio this time around.

Enjoy and please share.

 

jh

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

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I Fuck Around: Melvins
We're a Happy Family: Ramones

Gone Daddy, Gone: Violent Femmes
Midnight Special: Harry Belafonte
On The Sunny Side of the Street: Ella Fitzgerald

Inner City Blues: Grover Washington Jr.
Othelia: Yusef Lateef
It Takes A Lot To Laugh, It Takes A Train To Cry: Bob Dylan
Go To Satan: Rube Waddell

Down, Down, Down: Tom Waits
In Heaven There Is No Beer: Polkacide

To Defy The Laws of Tradition: Primus
Eminence Front: The Who
Broken Hands: Mudhoney

Notes and Chords Mean Nothing to Me: Monkeywrench
Deuce: Redd Kross
Backdoor Medley: ZZ Top

Vacancy: Neil Young
Do Not Go Gentle Into That Good Night: Iggy Pop
Sunday Morning: Velvet Underground with Nico

Uh Oh, Loves Comes To Town: Talking Heads
This Is Not A Love Song: Public Image Ltd.
Christmas Card From A Hooker in Minneapolis: Neko Case

Hell's Kitchen Radio #551: I Am SpartaHell

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Call me LuigiHell because I'm slaying tonight!

Seriously though, what's it going to take to wake people up...to the fabulous music that's being played on Radio Valencia? And to the Hell that awaits soulless CEOs and corporations that suck off the teet of the common people? 

I really hope that Africaaner leech oligarch is looking over his shoulder right now. That guy needs some comeuppance.

As for the music, holy moly this was a fun show to produce!

You got you some folk, blues, jazz, funk, punk, psych, garage, post-punk and more! All that you've come to know and love on Hell's Kitchen Radio.

Now, let's cook us up some oligarchs! 

Enjoy and please share.

jh

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

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Conservative, Christian, Right-Wing, Republican Straight White American Males: Todd Snider

Mojo Hand: Lightnin' Hopkins

Little Red Rooster: The Grey Ghost
Be Proud To Be A Black Man: Bee Houston

Ida Mae: Sonny Terry
The Cosmos: Sun Ra
The White Man's Gotta God Complex: The Last Poets

You Better Have A Gun: Fantastic Negrito

Whatever Turns You On: The Bell Reys
The Assembly Line: Commodores

P Funk: Parliament

Pass the Peas: The JBs

Doing In My Head: Amyl and the Sniffers

Lights Out/She Don't Want That: Midnight Snaxx

Excuse Me: The Linda Lindas

I Dream of Jesus: Dead Milkmen

Goatbrain: GOAT

Plastic Plant: Oh Sees

Reputation: CIA

Sex Bomb: Flipper

Meathouse: Negative Trend

Out of the Races and Onto the Tracks: The Rapture

Marques Cha-Cha: The Fall

Send Me A Postcard: Shocking Blue
Daylight: The Kinks

Hell's Kitchen Radio #550: Inspiration Move Me Brightly

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Inspiration comes in many forms, but for tonight it was a pile of vinyl and an old friend. We held a very rare in-person Radio Valencia meeting before my show with 18 members of our staff (35 current shows). One of our staffers, the Alchemist, Saturdays 6-10pm, has been a close friend of mine since we first met when working at Tower Records back in 1989. Yes, that's a longterm friend right there.

I recruited him over two years ago, since I knew he had excellent taste in music, and if he was interested, would host an impressive show. He has yet to disappoint.

After the meeting I invited the Alchemist to hang out in the studio with me for my show, and it pushed me to bring an even better show than I already strive for. This guy has taste and I did not wish to disappoint.

Plenty of new songs, including Robin Coomer, WAND, GOAT, the Linda Lindas, and Lorde covering Talking Heads. 

Dig This Inspired show.

Enjoy and please share.

jh

Hell's Kitchen Radio with John Hell
Mondays 8-10PM
Radio Valencia in SF
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Dicks Hate The Police: The Dicks
What Do You Want From Life: The Tubes

Me and the Girls: Amyl and the Sniffers
Where Eagles Dare: Misfits

Whoopie Chateaux: Sgt. Splendor
In Dream Every Home A Heartache: Roxy Music
Attractive Target: Negativland
Isotope: McCoy Tyner and Joe Henderson

Yo Me Estreso: The Linda Lindas
I Will Kill for Suzy: Catheads

Close Call: Robin Coomer
High Time: WAND
The Rain: Eddie Gale

Dollar Bill: GOAT
Tally Ho: Psychedelic Porn Crumpets

Chaise Lounge: Wet Leg
Bodies: Sex Pistols
Eagles Over America: ShitKid

Pushing the Extremes: Wipers
Take Me To The River: Lorde

Cream Puff War: Widespread Panic
In The Great Gettin' Up In The Morning: The New Gospel Keys

Hell's Kitchen Radio #549: 14th annual Annual Annual: 1994

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It's time for my 14th annual Annual Annual! This is where I choose one year to focus on for two hours. I like to put this out to my music-loving friends before I make a choice. I've covered a couple years from the 90s in the past, including 1991 last year. This time around I'm going with 1994.

My memories of 1994, when I was turning 24, are murky at best. In my own life I was single, living in Redwood City, on the air at KFJC and working at a small local record label/music distributor: Tandem Records/The Remix Club (TRC). I ran the warehouse before becoming the promotions director of the label. I recall us courting The Mermen, though I'm fairly confident we didn't get much farther than a meeting with them.

That was a challenging job. Most of the music the label had was in the Pop R&B genre, and I think you know what I think about anything Pop. And my boss was dating a young singer, who was marginal in talent to say the least...not to mention at least 20 years older than her. It was my job to get her played on R&B stations around the country and to take her to events in the Bay Area. There wasn't a lot of success there, in her music or the relationship.

I also didn't appreciate how my boss liked to yell at his staff, either. Ooh, I do remember that we watched the OJ Simpson trial in the office though. HA!

It was while I ran the shipping and receiving department that I learned of Kurt Cobain's death. I can picture that moment well: working in the warehouse and the announcement came on the radio. I saw Nirvana at the Warfield Theater in October 1991 for the Nevermind tour. TAD and Sister Double Happiness opened. I was on the floor for the openers, but it was so packed (oversold?) and my shoelaces were united, that I decided to bodysurf my way out of there. I ended up on the first tier with a perfect view of the stage for the Nirvana set. I always liked that band. 

Like my previous annual specials there's more to share than just the music: film, news and culture are included throughout the night, and there's never enough time to get to all the music I want to. 

Though there wasn't a lot of strong releases in 1994 (I blame the major record labels), there were a number of notable debuts: Notorious BIG, Jeff Buckley, Fu Manchu to name but a few. 

Let's get on with the show.

Enjoy and please share.

jh

2011 - ANNUAL ANNUAL - 1971
2012 - ANNUAL ANNUAL - 1972
2013 - ANNUAL ANNUAL - 1973
2014 - ANNUAL ANNUAL - 1974
2015 - ANNUAL ANNUAL - 1975
2016 - ANNUAL ANNUAL - 2006
2017 - ANNUAL ANNUAL - 1992
2018 - ANNUAL ANNUAL - 1983
2019 - ANNUAL ANNUAL - 1969
2020 - ANNUAL ANNUAL - 1980
2021 - ANNUAL ANNUAL - 1978
2022 - ANNUAL ANNUAL - 1968
2023 - ANNUAL ANNUAL - 1991

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

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Miserlou: Dick Dale (Pulp Fiction Soundtrack)

Juicy: Notorious BIG (Ready to Die)

Give It Up: Public Enemy (Muse Sick-n-Hour Mess Age)

Get It Together: Beastie Boys (Ill Communication)

The Man Who Sold The World: Nirvana (MTV Unplugged)
Royal With Cheese (Pulp Fiction Soundtrack)
Grace: Jeff Buckley (Grace)

Revolve: Melvins (Stoner Witch)

Timeline: 1994

Ojo Rojo: Fu Manchu (No One Rides for Free)

Supa Scoopa and Mighty Scoop: Kyuss (Welcome to Sky Valley)

Buenas Tardes Amigo: Ween (Chocolate and Cheese)

Baddest of the Bad: Reverend Horton Heat (Liquor in the Front)

Gringo Honeymoon: Robert Earl Keen Jr. (Gringo Honeymoon)
Pendulum: Mark Lanegan (Whiskey for the Holy Ghost)

Timeline: 1994

Bull in the Heather: Sonic Youth (Experimental Jet Set, Trash and No Star)

Violet Eyes: Meat Puppets (Too High To Die)

Fuel My Fire: L7 (Hungry for Stink)

Do You Love Me: Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds (Let Love In)

Free As A Bird: The Beatles (Free As A Bird)

Zed's Dead, Baby/Bullwinkle Part II: The Centurions (Pulp Fiction Soundtrack)

The Dishwasher: King Missile (S/T)

She Gave Good Sunflower: Black Crowes (Amorica)

Hell's Kitchen Radio #548: Radio Reset

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I take all the responsibility. Blame me. It's OK, I've been blamed before. No need to carry all of this on your shoulders. I took the night off before the election to go see King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard, and I was not able to share with you how to vote. I know, I know, I'm to blame. 

Shower me with your insults. 

What now? How do we carry forward knowing half of our country thinks the other half is bat shit crazy? This is the most polarized our nation as been since the civil war. This is no hyperbole! 

How long is it going to take until those who voted for he-who-shall-not-be-named realize they've been duped? And how many will continue to defend him even when their own house is on fire? This remains to be seen.

In the meantime, you didn't come here to receive a politicized tantrum, you came for the music. And the music I shall deliver. Yes, the first set is a bit pointed, but then again, isn't everything political in the end?

New music from Amyl and the Sniffers, GOAT, OSEES, Dale Crover, and False Flag. I also play a sweet suite from the King Gizzard show I attended at The Frost last week. Holy Hell that was one fine show.

Monday, November 18th I'm hosting my 14th annual Annual Annual! This is when I focus two hours on one great year in music. This time around I'll be throwing 1994 up against the wall. Tune in and reminisce 8-10PM Pacific.

I'll see you on the radio.

Enjoy and please share.

jh

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

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The Common People: Leonard Nimoy
Nazi Punks, Fuck Off: Dead Kennedys
Fascists Eat Donuts: Pop O Pies

Big Dreams: Amyl and the Sniffers
The Green Manalishi: The Flesh Eaters

Grinder Man: John Lee Hooker

One More Death: GOAT
Tour de Force: Dizzy Gillespie

Lears Ears: OSEES

Hitler Was A Vegetarian: The Residents

Ziggy Stardust: Bauhaus

Spoiled Daisies: Dale Crover (ft. Ty Segall)

You're Gonna Get What's Coming: Thee Headcoatees

Red Cobra #9: The Mummies

Where Eagles Dare: Bratmobile

Green Hell: Misfits

Welcome to the Dust Ward: Fear

Gone Sexual: False Flag

Fly on the Wall: Jesus Lizard

Get Me Religion: Scott H. Biram

I'm In Your Mind/I'm Not In Your Mind/Cellophane/I'm In Your Mind Fuzz: King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard (Live at The Frost Amphitheater - November 4, 2024)

Gimme Danger: Iggy and the Stooges

White Linen: Blüchunks

What A Wonderful World: Louis Armstrongblue

Hell's Kitchen Radio #547: The Phil Zone

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Well crap, this was bound to happen, right? Everyone dies. When you're a kid and you discover your heroes you think they're going to live forever. You don't want to imagine a day when they won't be around to inspire and excite you.

I remember being in my 20s think that some day every member of the Grateful Dead will be dead and gone. That seemed like such a long way off. Jerry Garcia passed shortly before I turned 25. I got to see a good many shows between my first on December 30, 1985 and my final show on September 19, 1994.

Going to Dead shows were all about getting up near the front for all the spectacle. This was before I had the knowledge of finding the sweet spot. When I had the chance I preferred to situate myself it was was commonly called The Phil Zone; directly in front of bassist Phil Lesh. 

My finest memory was at the Earthquake Benefit Show on December 06, 1989. I was standing up at the stage railing with friends. We saw Phil and a few others standing back stage smoking a joint getting ready to come on stage. As Phil made his way forward, myself and a few others made the universal sign for smoking a joint. Phil responded by throwing that sign right back at us with a huge smile. That is something I will take my own grave.

Thanks for all the music, Phil. So many great memories. 

As for the music I shared tonight, it's a mixed bag of what Phil and the boys put forth over the year. Phil didn't sing much more than backup over the years, and not at all in the mid-70s into the mid-80s. He's known mostly for dropping bombs! Mad bombs. He was never your typical bassist, keeping the beat. He was a lead bassist. He weaves his way through the music as much as Jerry every did. And his style was more akin to neo-classical and the avant garde. 

Check out the Phil and Ned (aka: Seastones) sets from the summer and fall 1974 shows. You think you know the Grateful Dead? This ain't no Touch of Grey. 

There are two particular passages here tonight that I think are super tasty. The first is the Spanish Jam from January 22, 1968. What they do with this theme is really beyond compare. The second piece is a 35+ minute Other One from the Europe 72 tour: April 26, 1972. The song is all over the place and showcases the brilliance of Mr. Lesh and how he can drive the band as much as any other player. This is improvisation at its finest. Even you skeptics will agree this is fine art. 

There are also some lead vocals from Phil including his classic "Box of Rain" which was written in

memory of his father. There's an early 1966 tune "Cardboard Cowboy", which Phil explains. I took the passage from his audio book/memoir "Searching for the Sound". There are also some alternative mixes from the 50th anniversary Mars Hotel: "Unbroken Chain" (first performed live in 1995) and "Pride of Cucamonga", a song the Dead never performed live. I also throw in a Dylan cover: "Just Like Tom Thumb's Blues", that I loved to hear Phil sing. 

His voice leaves a lot to love, and that's being polite. Being a Dead Freak we just kinda let that go. HA!

OK, enough for the lead up. Click on the link and enjoy the show.

jh

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

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Box of Rain (Alternative Mix): Grateful Dead

Comments on Cardboard Cowboy/Cardboard Cowboy: Grateful Dead (1966)
Born Cross-Eyed->Feedback->Spanish Jam: Grateful Dead (January 22, 1968)

Unbroken Chain (Alternative Mix): Grateful Dead (Mars Hotel 50th)
Hard to Handle: Grateful Dead (August 6, 1971)
The Music Never Stopped: Grateful Dead (July 17, 1989)

Just Like Tom Thumb's Blues: Grateful Dead (March 15, 1990)
Cryptical Envelopment->The Other One: Grateful Dead (April 26, 1972)

Easy Wind: Grateful Dead (May 15, 1970)
Pride of Cucamonga (Alternative Mix): Grateful Dead (Mars Hotel 50th)

Cosmic Charlie: Grateful Dead (Aoxomoxoa 50th)

Hell's Kitchen Radio #546: Who Is In Control?

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Well Hell, here we go again. There was a time, from the age of about 5 - 30 that I really thought I wanted to be a professional radio DJ. I loved the thought of playing my favorite music for a wide audience. If you grew up in the 70s and 80s, then you loved your local DJ, who you thought was programming their own shows. 

Silly me. And silly you if you thought they had total autonomy. I learned by the age of 18, when I was interning at KRQR that it was up to the Music Director, or Program Director what was going to be played. They also told you what you were going to say. 

DO. NOT. DEVIATE.

Damn.

Still, I wanted in on the game. The way I figured, it was more about me calling the shots after I'd been there 10-20 years. And I wanted to be there for life. By the time I left KRQR I knew I wasn't going to love all of the music being played, but I also thought I would have more say about programming once I was in the chair. 

I couldn't have been more wrong about that.

I ended up a button monkey (board op) at Alice-97.3 (KLLC). Coincidentally the same station that was once KRQR. This time I actually had a show. Still, here's what you play and here's what you say. And after the Telecommunications Act of 1996, companies began buying up the competition, so there was no need to take the risks they once had. 

Here's what you play. Here's what you say.

DO. NOT. DEVIATE.

This was in 2002. And this is when I decided to leave my dream of corporate radio dominance behind for the greener and much more poor pastures of non-commercial radio. I was actually still at KFJC when I was at KRQR. And I was hosting a show at the now-defunct pirate station San Francisco Liberation Radio when I was at Alice-FM. You can take the boy out of the subversive medium, you can't take the subversive medium out of the boy. 

Once I left KLLC I dove head first into SF non-comm/pirate culture, and I'm glad I did.

I may not host a daily radio show, but that also means I don't have to pretend to like the Eagles and AC/DC, or some pop crap. Can you even imagine?

My air name would probably be something like "Mike Alan". HA!

At least I can sleep peacefully knowing that all the Music and Program Directors have been replaced by Spotify and AI. 

I'm not bitter. I'm a DJ who programs their own show and you get to benefit from that. I guess I really am living the dream.

Enjoy and please share.

jh

Hell's Kitchen Radio with John Hell
Mondays 8-10PM
Radio Valencia in SF
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Bad Indian: Dead Pioneers (2023)
The Rain: Eddie Gale (1968)

Gild the Lily: Billy Strings (2024)

Happiness is Drumming: Diga Rhythm Band (1976)

Song of the Lake: Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds (2024)

Regiment: Brian Eno and David Byrne (1981)

Black Silk Stocking: Chrisma (1977)

I Got Rhythm: Django Reinhardt (1938)

Glossolalia: Dale Crover (2024)

Black Moon Spell: King Tuff (2014)

Grind: The Jesus Lizard (2024)
My Man: Shannon and the Clams (2015)

Did You Hear About Jerry: Harry Belafonte (1962)

Reasonable World: The Blind Shake (2016)

Cold Bear: The Gators (1970)

Gimme My Wife: Bruce Marshall (1970?)

One More Death: GOAT (2024)

Strange: Wire (1977)

Pigs (Three Different Ones): Pink Floyd (1977)

Dragonaut (live 1992): Sleep (1992)

Oh Allah: Alice Coltrane (1971)

White Bird: It's A Beautiful Day (1969)

In That Great Getting Up In The Morning: The New Gospel Keys

Hell's Kitchen Radio #545: INDECLINE and BLF

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Some interviews are just that much more special. Monday night was twice as nice. I was honored to have Jack Napier from the Billboard Liberation Front in house to talk about his history of "improving" billboards, laughing all the while. Jack was also kind enough to bring along a representative from the artist activist collective INDECLINE, who are currently celebrating their 24th year of upsetting the status quo. You may recall their life sized statues of a nude Donald Trump that were placed around the country in the lead up to the 2016 election. Yeah, that INDECLINE.

The conversation went from the history of this clandestine cabal, to how they recruit members, skirt thelaw (they don't always), find inspiration, explore the difference between art and graffiti, and what's coming up next. Even our old friend Jack is coming out of retirement; he's been so inspired. 

INDECLINE in San Francisco this week for a few nights in celebration of their art. 

You can catch them at The Roxie on Wednesday, October 9th, starting at 6pm, where there will be a double feature of their films "The Art of Protest" and "Side Hustles". A Q&A will follow, featuring members of INDECLINE, Jack Napier, Winston Smith, and moderator Broke-Ass Stuart.

Thursday INDECLINE will be celebrating the release of their new book "Control Alter Delete" at City Lights Bookstore in North Beach at 6pm. Jack Napier will also be in attendance. 

This event will be followed at 7:30 pm by an art installation at Studio Fall Out, 50-A Bannam Place, San Francisco.

Friday and Saturday there is more INDECLINE at Studio Fall Out.

First, on Friday night there is a "Control Alter Delete" film screening, that features behind-the-scenes footage of billboard liberation adventures from 2000-2024. This runs from 7-9pm.

And finally on Saturday night INDECLINE, in collaboration with Studio Fallout presents: “Liberation Vinyl” an intimate creative workshop giving guests the unique chance to create and take home their own custom art on liberated billboard vinyl. THERE ARE TICKETS NEEDED FOR THIS EVENT.

There is a lot of subversive and silly fun to be had this week in San Francisco. Go out and make your mark.

Thanks to Chick and Winston Smith for improving my show image at the top. I'm honored.

See you at the show.

Enjoy and please share.

jh

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

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How To Ruin Your Life: False Flag
Christianity is Stupid: Negativland

Interview with Jack Napier - Billboard Liberation Front

Confluence: Slift

Interview with Jack Napier and rep from INDECLINE

Mountain: Meatbodies

Do You Like To Eat A Cow: Paul Leary

Interview with Jack Napier and rep from INDECLINE

Hide and Seek: The Jesus Lizard
Be My Enemy: The Bobby Lees

Interview with Jack Napier and rep from INDECLINE

Queen: Melvins

Leaning on a Travelin' Song: Billy Strings

Total Destruction of your Mind: Swamp Dogg

Roadrunner: Modern Lovers

Pressure Drop: Toots and the Maytals
Rudi, A Message to You: The Specials

Beer Drinking Woman: Memphis Slim

Hell's Kitchen Radio #544: No Reason Not To Celebrate

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Happy birthday to MEEEEEEEE!

It's my birthday, and here I am alone in the studio giving back to YOUUUUUUUUU. And why not? It's a real treat being able to do this every week. Two hours is never enough, and I never come with a plan. I start with a song and go from there. I let the music move me, and since I wasn't focusing on playing anything new tonight, I was digging into my vault to pull out some tunes that have moved me over the years. 

Take a look at the playlist and click the link to play the show.

And if you want to show me some birthday love, please consider donating to Radio Valencia. This is labor of love, and we all pay monthly dues to keep the lights on and the turntables spinning. We need help maintaining the equipment we have, and regularly replacing worn out parts. We also have a deep desire to update our website. If you know anyone that can donate items for a raffle please let me know. Thanks in advance.

Enjoy this birthday gift I made just for you.

jh

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

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Metal Guru: T Rex
Powerman: The Kinks
Five Years: David Bowie

Poor Elijah/Tribute to Johnson: Delaney and Bonnie with Eric Clapton
Why Does Love Got To Be So Sad?: Derek and the Dominos

Can't You Hear Me Knocking?: The Rolling Stones
Sister Morphine: Marianne Faithfull
Slip Inside This House: 13th Floor Elevators

I Come From The Mountain: Thee Oh Sees
Licking Stick - Licking Stick: James Brown

Rise Up With Fists: Jenny Lewis and the Watson Twins
Only Son Of the Ladiesman: Father John Misty
Tiger Mountain Peasant Song: First Aid Kit

Lilac Wine: Jeff Buckley
The Pusher: Nina Simone

Southern Girls (Albini Recorded): Cheap Trick
I Wanna Be Your Dog: The Stooges
Rock and Roll: Velvet Underground

Red Right Hand: Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds
Right On For The Darkness: Curtis Mayfield

Chocolate Jesus: Tom Waits
Rebel Girl: Bikini Kill

Hell's Kitchen Radio #543: See All The Colors

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This is one of those times when I really count my blessings. Everyone has their struggles, so don't let me start getting into my own. Does any of it really matter? No. None of it matters. Holding a grudge does nothing but take the time away from having a really good time. And isn't that what we want: to have a really good time?

Why suffer? What does it bring? What have we gained by our own suffering? Experience? Isn't there any other way to grow? I've learned more lessons than blah, blah, blah. Is this what life is all about: learning lessons so as not to repeat the same mistakes over and over again? What if I learned a lesson, put in my best effort, asked all the right questions, opened myself up to scrutiny and vulnerability, articulated my boundaries, and still tripped?!

What then?

Throw it all away? Remain alone for the sake of caring for my heart? Risk appearing aloof or uncaring just so I don't have to clean up a mess that I worked diligently to avoid happen in the first place? We're not a solitary species? But what's so bad about being alone? I have my music to keep my warm. Even the kids grow up to live their own lives.

Enjoy the moment. That's all we have. Meditate on that. You can do your best to make up for the past. Take accountability even when it feels impossible. Make amends. Speak your truth with the most compassionate head and heart. Be the best listener. Ask the deeper questions. Be vulnerable and available for the criticisms that will come your way (and they will come!).

Prepare for the future, knowing as hard as you do, life has a way of throwing a lot of curveballs at you. Be calm through the storm. Flow like water. Respond, don't react. Breathe. Always breathe. And know that everyone else is going through the shit too.

All we have in now. It's only now. It's always now. Bring your best now. Now. And do not beat yourself up if the best you have now is not the same as what others are bringing. Never compare yourself to others, ever. You'll lose that battle. So don't do it. Rise above that. You're not rising above others, you're rising above the idea that others are above you. No one is above anyone else. We're all treading water in our own way. Our job is to do it as calmly as possible. Don't fight the waves. Don't fight the tide.

Flow like water.

Forgive.

Love.

Be. Here. Now.

And listen to good music. 

There's some pretty good music here. New The Jesus Lizard, Ty Segall, Dale Crover, WAND, and a bunch of other stuff I think you're going to love. I love it, anyway.

And if you want to support what we're doing, please consider donating. This is labor of love, and we all pay monthly dues to keep the lights on and the turntables spinning. We need help maintaining the equipment we have, and regularly replacing worn out parts. We also have a deep desire to update our website. If you know anyone that can donate items for a raffle please let me know. Thanks in advance.

Enjoy and please share.

jh

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

Follow me on Facebook
Follow Radio Valencia on Facebook
Follow me on Instagram 

Kasalefkut-Hulu: Mulatu Astatke
Sevda Olmasaydi: Altin Gün

Theme de Yoyo: Art Ensemble of Chicago
Down Home Girl: The Coasters

Help Save The Youth of America: Billy Bragg
Youth of America: Melvins
Bang Bang: Nancy Sinatra
The Tide is High: The Paragons

High Time: WAND
Enemy Destruct: Thee Oh Sees

Teenie Weenie Boppie: Free Kitten
Purple: Ken Nordine
Golden Gate Park: The Catheads
2 Drunk 2 Fuck: Avenue D
Fuck the Police (edit): NWA
Rudy, a Message to You: Dandy Livingstone

Lord Godiva: The Jesus Lizard
Blood Like Cream: Red Fang

I Waited Forever: Dale Crover (ft. Ty Segall)
Killer: Alice Cooper
Gathering of the Ancient Tribes: GOAT

The Dance/Walk Home Pt.2/First Touch: Ty Segall
Rise: PIL