Hell's Kitchen Radio #583: Hell Is An Energy

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Shaking the rust off after being out for two weeks. All it takes is a track to start feeling fresh again, and this show is as fresh as you can get! It's also my birthday show, so I'm bringing a lot of favorites to the fore. I was asked if I was going to play all old songs that I love, which I can easily do, but there are so many new songs that I love too! That's the thing, when you listen to new music all the time, there is a lot to fall in love with.

Classics from Beastie Boys, Last Poets, Thee Oh Sees, Ty Segall, Black Angels, Led Zeppelin, PIL, Melvins, Flipper, and Mudhoney. New music from GOAT, Wet Leg, The Darts, and Sahra Halgan. How many genres is that?

Celebrate my birthday with two hours of must-have-music!

I celebrated on my actual birthday, September 30th, by seeing Wet Leg at The Fox in Oakland! Hot damn, what a great show! I love this venue, and if you've been to The Fox, then you do too. And Wet Leg really brought the energy, throughout. They play practically every song off of their two full length releases. The crowd was pumped, and no doubt why. I hope you have the chance to check them out.

Hardly Strictly Bluegrass is this weekend. I've been going almost every year since it began in 2000. That's crazy that it's been going for 25 years. WTH?!?!?! I got to check out Dan Tyminski, Patti Griffin, Cimafunk (it is HARDLY STRICTLY for a reason), Jeff Tweedy, and Robert Earl Keen Jr. Don't be surprised if my next show features a few of these folks. It may be a hardly strictly show on Monday. 

Stay tuned.

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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Shake Your Rump: Beastie Boys (Paul's Boutique - 1989)
This is Madness: Last Poets (This is Madness - 1971)

I Come From The Mountain: Thee Oh Sees (Floating Coffin - 2013)

20th Century Boy: Ty Segall (Ty Rex - 2015)

Mission District: Black Angels (Directions to See a Ghost - 2008)

Motorcycle Boy: LA Witch (Play With Fire - 2020)

Four Sticks: Led Zeppelin (4th release - 1971)

Dollar Bill: GOAT (GOAT - 2025)

Mangetout: Wet Leg (Moisturizer - 2025)

Straws in the Wind: King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard (K.G. - 2020)

The Wizard: Brownout (Brown Sabbath Vol. 1 - 2014)

O.F.Y.C. Showcase: The Fall (Your Future Our Clutter - 2010)

Hold My Hand: Death Valley Girls (Under the Spell of Joy - 2020)

My Heart is a Graveyard: The Darts (Nightmare Queens - 2025)

Rise: PIL (Album - 1986)

Hag Me: Melvins (Houdini - 1993)

Sacrifice: Flipper (Gone Fishin' - 1984)

Loose: The Stooges (Fun House - 1970)

If I Think: Mudhoney (Superfuzz Bigmuff - 1989)

Sharaf: Sahra Halgan (Hiddo Dhawr - 2024)

So Much Wine: Barbara Manning (Convenience of Tomorrow - 2023)

Hell's Kitchen Radio #582: Scott Amendola

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Listen into all my shows here!

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Scott Amendola doesn’t just play the drums — he opens up a whole other world with them. He’s one of those rare musicians who can sit behind a kit and make it sound like a full conversation is happening. Over the years he’s worn a lot of hats: composer, bandleader, and the kind of drummer other inventive musicians want in their corner.

Scott grew up in New Jersey, studied at Berklee in Boston, and then made his way west. Out here he became a key part of the amazing TJ Kirk quartet with Charlie Hunter, Will Bernard, and John Schott — their second record, If Four Was One, even got a Grammy nomination.

And he’s not afraid to think big. In 2011 he premiered an orchestral piece called Fade to Orange with the Oakland East Bay Symphony, joined by Nels Cline and Trevor Dunn. That’s the kind of career Scott’s had — one foot in the small, intimate club, and the other in these ambitious projects that stretch way beyond genre.

He’s worked with some of the most exciting names in jazz and beyond, including 

Larry Ochs of ROVA Saxophone Quartet
Mike Patton
John Zorn
Will Blades
Jim Campilongo
Ben Goldberg
Skerik
Cyro Baptista
Jenny Scheinman-violin

It was my absolute pleasure to host Scott in the studio on Monday night where he shared some great stories from his youth, where his grandfather, jazz guitarist played a major inspiration in his life. We spoke about the great risks he took with his music, the amazing people he has been able to record, perform and tour with, as well the current challenges of surviving as a full time musician.

I also asked Scott to bring some music that he enjoys listening to. I surprised him with some of his own live shows. I peppered some tracks in throughout the show. See the playlist below for details.

Go check him out with SticklerPhonics this Thursday night, September 11th at The Back Room in Berkeley.

I know you're going to really enjoy this show.

jh

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

Follow me on Blue Sky
Follow Radio Valencia on Facebook
Follow Radio Valencia on Instagram

Dream Brother: Jeff Buckley

Interview with Scott Amendola

When Kabuya Dances: Geri Allen Trio

Interview with Scott Amendola

Wall Town: Amendola vs. Blades (January 31, 2025 San Jose Jazz Break Room)
Well Blazed: SticklerPhonics

Afro Pusherman: Tony Allen
The Good Life: Pat Metheny and Ornette Coleman

Percussion Party! (Improvisation) > Down Tempo Slam (Improvisation) > Space… Sound… (Improvisation): Nels Cline Singers (Friday, March 28, 2025 - The Big Ears Fest)