Hell's Kitchen Radio #587: From Hell To Eternity

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I just got back from New Orleans with my daughter, Spawn of Hell. We were there celebrating her 21st birthday, and I could not think of a better place to take her. I love this town! So much great music and food. The weather wasn't too hot or humid, the beignets were powdery and fluffy, the cocktails were flowing, the gumbo was steamy and the crawfish étouffée was delightful.

NOLA is a walking town, and we put that to the test. We walked 10
miles on Saturday and another 7 on Sunday. Most of our walking was through the French Quarter, as well as up and down Frenchmen Street hitting up as many of the clubs as we could.

I think my finest memory will always be us walking towards Frenchmen Street and she says she hears a band that sounds familiar in the distance. We walk towards the music and it turns out to be one of her favorite bands of the past couple years: Dirty Rotten Vipers. She was over the moon! They were playing on the street and the crowd was very enthusiastic. We also made our way over to the Blue Nile, a club I like to visit when I'm in town. This is the same club I met my brother-from-another-mother, and brilliant singer/songwriter Adam Mackintosh. I shared that story here and it's worth your time.  

I digress.

The band was a funk/jazz ensemble that featured a drummer that was getting pretty lit, but never dropped
the beat. The main cat, who played trombone and sang, asked for anyone celebrating a birthday to get on stage, so Spawn and four other women made their way up while the band celebrated them all. Just look at that smile on her face!

We spent some time in Algiers Point, where Memphis Minnie lived and wrote "When the Levee Breaks", which I open the show with.

Did you know the first pharmacy in the United States was in New Orleans? I didn't know this either. They have a museum in its place now. We took the tour. We also toured the Museum of Death. If you like serial killers this place is for you! We were hoping for a bit more science-related information around death, but alas, sensationalism ruled the day. We also went to an excellent haunted house inside a former mortuary. I give it four stars. If I was a teenager that hadn't seen as many horror films as I have, I would have been scared out of my wits. All that said, we were spooked good. Spawn insisted that she go in front during the three floor tour, knowing that a jump scare was expected around every corner. They were good for that.

I've been wanting to take my daughter to NOLA for her 21st birthday since she was 12, and we're both so happy we went. Excellent people, food, music, drink and views. It's a beautiful city. Get there. Have fun. You're welcome. More pictures at the bottom of this post.

My first hour was inspired by our trip, but is in no way NOAL-exclusive. Lots of roots, blues, soul, jazz, hiphop and funk, before I segue to some singer/songwriter, Americana/Punk, lo-fi, and a tribute to Donna Jean Godchaux, the former singer from the Grateful Dead (1972-1979) who passed away last week. I got to meet her when Jerry died. Her son Zion used to date a dear friend of mine, and when Jerry died, Donna came for the memorial in Golden Gate Park and we all went together. I write about it here.

Go on and enjoy the music. That's really all what it get to: the music.

jh

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

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When The Levee Breaks: Memphis Minnie (Blues Classics By Memphis Minnie - Arhoolie Records)
Left Me A Mule To Ride: Big Joe Williams (Tough Times - 1959)
Frankie and Albert: Taj Mahal (Ooh, So Good 'n Blues - 1973)

Black Is: Last Poets (MOJO: Revolution Blues - 2018)
Munaye: Mulatu Astatke (Mulatu of Ethiopia - 1972)

Redebe: Johnny Dyani (Witchdoctor's Son - 1978)
Flute Loop: Beastie Boys (Ill Communication - 1994)
Kon Karne: MF Doom (Mmm Food - 2007)
Anti Love Song: Betty Davis (S/T - 1973)

Jesus Christ: Bob Dylan (Through the Open Window: The Bootleg Series Vol. 18 - 2025)
Corrina, Corrina: Bob Dylan (Through the Open Window: The Bootleg Series Vol. 18 - 2025)

Every Grain of Sand: Giant Sand (Swerve - 1990)
A Change Is Gonna Come: The Gits (Enter: The Conquering Chicken - 1993)
From Her to Eternity: Nick Cave (Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds - 1984)

Sway: Chrissie Hynde and Lucinda Williams (Duets Special - 2025)
The Girls Are Naked: The Creation (Action Painting - 2017)
Keep Your Big Mouth Shut: Thee Headcoatees (Here Comes Cessation - 1997)

Sunrise: Grateful Dead (In tribute to Donna Jean - May 26, 1977)
The Music Never Stopped: Grateful Dead - April 24, 1978)

Salsa Verde: Psychedelic Porn Crumpets (Pogo Rodeo - 2025)
Spanish Fly: Boss Hog (Drinkin' Lechin' and Lyin' - 1989)

Respect: Aretha Franklin (Live At The Fillmore East - 1971) 

    

Hell's Kitchen Radio #373: Hello London, Hello San Francisco

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This show straight up rocks. My old KFJC buddy FEAST joins me in the studio. He'll fill in for me on nights that I'm unable to make my show. I'd rather have a warm body in the studio than a rerun, and FEAST is just the man to take the helm.

Lots of great music tonight. New music from Kate Vargas, Melvins/ShitKid split, Oh Sees, Ty Segall, Amyl and the Sniffers, and music that's new to you.

Enjoy.

jh

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

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Tattooed Love Boys: Melvins/ShitKid (Pretenders cover)

Chronic Schizophrenia: Wesley Willis

Island Raiders: Thee Oh Sees

Roll Around: Kate Vargas

Love Me, I'm Liberal: Jello Biafra and Mojo Nixon

Merry Christmas From the Family: Robert Earl Keen Jr.

Pharmaceutical Rainbows: Turn Me On Dead Man

Starfire 500: Amyl and the Sniffers

No Way Home: Pins of Light

Until All The Threads Are Stripped: Triclops

Radio: Ty Segall

Thirsty Land: Angel In Heavy Syrup

Nucleus: Anekdoten

*Feast Set*

Spanish Fly: Boss Hog 

She Talks To Rainbows: The Ramones

Waterfall: Richie Hawton

Lessons: Rush

Anvil Dub: Kitchens of Distinction

Fever (Steve Hillage Remix): Stereo MCs

Romeo and the Lonely Girl: Thin Lizzy

Moon: Color Haze

What A Wonderful World: Louis Armstrong

Hell's Kitchen Radio #348: Rebel Hell

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If there is something I detest, it's when I hear a disingenuous commercial DJ, who claims to just LOVE the new Foo Fighters. Really? You love the new Foo Fighters do you? Really? Really? No you don't. And if you do, then you either have absolutely no taste and no life, or so deeply consumed the Flavor Aid (yes it was Flavor Aid at Jonestown NOT Kool-Aid) that you cannot see the damage all those years under the corporate thumb has done to you. Get out while you still can.

I invited a top local commercial rock DJ to come on my show a few years back, under an assumed name, to play the music they would love to play during their day job but cannot. They turned me down, claiming that they have no need to because they just LOVE The Eagles! I think they were being honest. Poor bastard. 

Starting in 2007, I was lucky enough to recruit the late, great Michael "M-Dung" Slavko to join me on both FCCFreeRadio and then at Radio Valencia. He took me up on both, knowing that he would have a chance to take his professionally-honed radio chops and push it to the edge on a non-com. Dung is the number one reason I found myself hungry for a radio career. His morning show on KFOG (when that station had BALLS) was stuff of legend back in the 80s, pre-Stern and the vomit-laden Shock-Jock radio era. Dung Boy was much too classy for that crap. This year Dung was inducted into the Bay Area Radio Hall of Fame. You are dearly missed, Dung Baby. B-DAYYYYYYYYYYY!!!

One more note about Dung, when I was 16 I got into Wolfgang's nightclub in North Beach, owned by the late rock promoter Bill Graham (his birth name was Wolfgang). Dung was hosting the weekly "Sunday Night Idiot Show" there on this particular night. He featured a Dung sound-a-like contest that evening, and I jumped at the chance to show him my Dung-ness. I didn't win, but he appeared to be pretty impressed with my impersonation, as well as my ability to get into a 21+ club at the tender age of 16.

I don't play The Eagles on my show.

I do feature a Velvet Underground set (two covers and Lou solo), newish Boss Hog and Qui, a harrowing tale from Spiderman, and more Bongwater than you can gurgle. Or is it gargle?

Ooh, I'm also gearing up for my 8th annual Annual Annual in November. Which year will I cover? Tune in and find out. I'm also considering a Ty Segall special. This guy releases something new every time I sneeze.

Anyway, this one is for all you classic rockers who need to go back to school.

Enjoy.

jh

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

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Dad: Qui
Eight Miles High: Husker Du
Caliente: Reverend Horton Heat

Radebe: Johnny Dyani
Banzai Pipeline: The Boardwalkers
Speed Ticket: Inez and Charlie Foxx and their Mockin' Band
Tonight I Think I'm Gonna Go Downtown: Jimmy Dale Gilmore

Sunday Morning: Kelly Stoltz
Pale Blue Eyes: Patti Smith (January 09, 1976 WBCN-Boston)
I'm Waiting For The Man: Lou Reed (May 14, 1974 Stockholm, Sweden)

The First and Last to Love Me: Kip Hanrahan
Celebrity Compass: Bongwater
Nasty: Killdozer

Black Eyes: Boss Hog
The Invasion of the Dragon Men: The Amazing Spiderman
Electric Funeral: Black Sabbath
Beer Sheba: Masada

Park Head: Melvins
Kim's Dirt: Dirty Three

Soul Rebel: Bob Marley and Lee "Scratch" Perry

Want to check out the sounds of Dung? Check out the audio-only clip of mic breaks from a classic Sunday Night Idiot show below.

Hell's Kitchen Radio #344: TRASH THIS SHOW!!!

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DO NOT LISTEN TO THIS SHOW!!! It's my first week back in the studio in about a month and I am really rusty. Too many DJ errors to count. Dang! The music kicks ass, and I am pretty funny to listen to while screwing everything up, royally, but other than that this is without a doubt a throw away program. Seriously. At the very least you should speed through my mic breaks. No one should have to sit through such blather. Ugh.

That being said, just take a look at that set list below! Damn! What a fine and diverse selection.

I'm back in the studio tonight, as far as I know at this hour. I do have kids, so anything can get in the way of a good time. Er, I mean, I love having a good time with my kids. They're a blast (insert thumb up sign here).

New music from Goggs, Oh Sees, Tropical Fuck Storm, Sleep, and Ty Segall & White Fence.

Enjoy.

jh

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

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Space Rinse: Goggs
Thesis: Sam and the Soul Machine
Wedge/Seesaw Semiology: Melt Banana

Un Garcon En Mini-Jupe: Karo
Island Cry: Rhasaan Roland Kirk
Panchito Blues: Peach Kelly Pop
Enrique El Corbrador: Oh Sees

The Happiest Guy Around: Tropical Fuck Storm
Anybody Wanna Party: Gloria Gaynor
Comes a Time: Honky
Wam Bam: Silver

Blood: Zig Zags
Watcha Gonna Do About It: Thee Headcoats
Help Save The Youth of America: Billy Bragg

Red Bath: Boss Hog
Hedges: Naked Lights
Cold Thoughts: The Love X Nowhere

Leagues Beneath: Sleep
The Lady Loves Me: Elvis Presley and Ann Margaret

Body Behavior: Ty Segall and White Fence
Eyes of the World/China Doll: Grateful Dead (June 24, 1973 Portland Coliseum, Portland, OR)

Hell's Kitchen Radio #317: Take A Knee

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I promised I wasn't going to go on a rant tonight. I almost got through the entire show too. It was worth it. But it's all about the music, right? That's why you tune in. You want to hear what I'm going to play, and in what order I'll be playing it. I get it. That's why I listen to quality radio programs, and often with a pen and paper at hand. I want to get excited about a tune I haven't heard before so I can run on out and purchase it, and perhaps get turned on to an artist that has deftly escaped my attention until now.

Recently, a friend of mine was telling me that I should contact a commercial radio station and ask for the opportunity to be their music director for one day. Yes, the music heard on most commercial stations, most of the time, makes me want to puke. Much of what I'm perplexed about is the order of their songs. They can hand me the list of all artists/songs they want played for that day and allow me to place it in an order that actually makes sense. Don't hold your breath for me to do this anytime soon, but I do like the idea.

If you have been enjoying the second hour live sets I've been doing then I believe you're really going to enjoy what I have in store for you on this show. Check out the playlist below, and click the stream/download links above.

Enjoy.

jh

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

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Some Context/The Acrid Corpse: King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard

Powerman: The Kinks
Time of your Live: Daevid Allen
Repo Man: Iggy Pop

Rodeo Chica: Boss Hog
That's Not My Name: Ting Tings
Let It Bleed: Goat

Plastic Plant: Thee Oh Sees
Death Sound Blues: Country Joe and the Fish
The Same Thing: Muddy Waters

Jeun Ko Ku: Fela Kuti

Keep on the Sunny Side: Nitty Gritty Dirt Band
Roadrunnre: Jerry Garcia Band (August 1, 1974 - Keystone, Berkeley, CA)

Head Home: Midlake
Visions of Johanna: Bob Dylan (May 26, 1966 Royal Albert Hall, London, England)

Sweet Jane: Lou Reed (October 27, 1974 Palace Theater, Dayton, OH)
Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere: Neil Young (February 19, 1970 KQED TV, San Francisco, CA)

Messin' With the Kid: Rory Gallagher (July 10, 1972 Bob Harris Show, BBC)

Hell's Kitchen Radio #300: Celebrate Good Times

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I've been hosting a radio show on and off since about 1990 when I was at KFJC. I never counted the number of shows I hosted there, but between 1990-1997, probably over 1000 weekly shows. Those were great times, and by far the best education I could have dreamed of. When I started Radio Valencia back in 2010 I had no idea how it might grow and how long we would be around. Monday night I hosted my 300th show, not counting the many specials I've done. What a fun milestone this is.

I started off the night with 15 minutes of Facebook Live, which I'm still not totally comfortable doing, but at least it's a way for my family to see me in action. HA! My guest, managing editor of local magazine "Haight Street Voice", Linda Kelly spent the rest of the evening with me talking about the importance of having a regular publication in the city that supports local voice, whether they be citizens, homeless, merchants, artists, musicians, or whomever. Linda knows her history of the area like the back of her hand, and wants to use HSV as a medium to bring people together of various backgrounds, all of whom share their love of the city, and the Haight specifically. I concur. It was a fabulous interview. She turned the mic on me in the second hour, asking about my thoughts on show 300 and where I'd like to see Radio Valencia go in the future.

The music is just a continuation of all things John Hell is into. There's some brand spanking new Father John Misty, new Boss Hog, new CFM, new Crystal Fairy, live Thin Lizzy, and of course some live Grateful Dead. Check out the playlist below.

I don't really feel that this blog is for me to ramble on and on. I think the radio show itself should be the focus. So, click on the links above to stream or download this show, and then you too can take the two hour journey that I've prepared for you, 300 shows in the making...give or take.

This May 25th I'll be interviewing music critic and author Joel Selvin about his new book "Altamont

Enjoy.

jh

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

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Way Down in the Hole: Blind Boys of Alabama
Tunic: Sonic Youth

Sunday Routine: Boss Hog
N.I.B.: Brown Sabbath

I Call My Baby Pussycat: Parliament
Real Love Baby: Father John Misty
Love Song: Bongwater

Lethal Look: CFM
When Doves Cry: Patti Smith

Temple Beautiful: Chuck Prophet
Moth Tongue: Crystal Fairy
Wiggle Stick: Reverend Horton Heat

Sway: Rolling Stones
A Change is Gonna Come: The Gits
Suicide: Thin Lizzy (09-25-80 Sun Plaza, Nakano, Japan)

No Blues: Miles Davis
Loser: Grateful Dead (03-19-1977 Winterland, SF, CA)

Il Teatrino Delle Suore: Sex Mob

Below is the FB Live video from Monday's show, if you're into that kind of thing.

Hell's Kitchen Radio #299: Radio Junkie

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There's free-form radio and then there's FREE-FORM RADIO! I've been doing this too long to stop now. There are times when I'm driving late at night, pushing the buttons on my FM radio, thinking to myself "why am I hearing the same songs at this late hour that I would hear in the middle of the day? Shouldn't the late hours be the time when radio stations stretch out, try something new, or perhaps even a deeper album cut? Isn't this the time when they can play a 20 minute track? Isn't this the perfect opportunity for them to try out a new, local artist who deserves the airplay? WHY AREN'T THEY DOING THIS? And why haven't I written a letter? Tweeted? Made a call? "

If I was given a chance to program KSAN (aka:107.7 The Bone) I would make "Big Daddy" Tom Donahue proud. That man must be seriously spinning in his grave to see what has happened with his love child. Some say Steven Seaweed is an institution. I say that he's been phoning it in for about two decades now. No offense, Steven. You've made a great career out of being super excited to be playing another AMAZING Van Hagar track, and having people call out the WEEDMAN! I've worked in commercial radio. They hand you the playlist and tell you what you are and are not allowed to say and play. Any deviation from the norm and you're out the door. All to please the listeners. Yeah right. It's all about the sponsors. There is no longer any art or risk-taking in the land of mainstream radio. And it's been this way for a good 25 years now; perhaps longer.

Tonights show is all over the aural spectrum. Brand new music from Boss Hog, and CFM has a new LP out as well. There's some sizzling rock, toe-tappin' country, Japanese Psych, nouveau Americana, Seattle Grunge (I hate that term), and American Punk. I'm sure I left out something. Take a look at the playlist below and click on the stream or download above to enjoy this program, sure to please even the finickiest music lovers in your home.

Next Monday night is my 300th show on Radio Valencia. That's a lot of shows. I have no clue what I have planned, but it promises to be worth your time. Tune in 8-10PM at http://radiovalencia.fm

See you on the radio.

jh

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

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Way Down In The Hole: Tom Waits
The Deep: Red Fang

Ashes to Ashes: Eric McFadden
White Bird: It's A Beautiful Day

Volunteers: Jefferson Airplane
Sleep Drifter: King Gizzard and the Lizard Gizzard
I'm Sure to Meet You: Angel in Heavy Syrup

Rubber Lips: Damaged Bug
Pretty Bird: Jenny Lewis

Young, Gifted, and Broke: Aura Lewis and Lee "Scratch" Perry
I Fall to Pieces: Patsy Cline
Hey Hey, My My: Neil Young (June 13, 2003 Bonnaroo Music Festival)

Ground Control: Boss Hog
Make it Now: Mudhoney (September 26, 1993 Hollywood Palace)
Let It Bleed: Rolling Stones (November 1, 1981 Cotton Bowl, Dallas, TX)

Dead Weight/Message: CFM
Barn Burning: Dave Alvin

Frankie and Albert: Taj Mahal
Ice Water: Ray Condo
Diddy Wah Diddy: Thee Headcoats

American Heavy Metal Weekend: Circle Jerks (February 14-1986 Fender's Ballroom
Long Beach, CA)

A Season in Hell #193: Poly-tician

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Crap, I did it again. Or I didn't do it again. Right. I didn't. Dang. Here I sit in March 2022 taking a look back at a show I did in October 2014 trying to figure out something witty to say to you about this here show, and all I can offer is...dang. At lease the playlist looks fun!

Enjoy.

jh

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

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They Call it Stormy Monday (live): John Mayall's Bluesbreakers
Theme From An Imaginary Western: Jack Bruce
Apostrophe': Frank Zappa

Politician: Cream
Africa: Sun Ra
Onions Make the Milk Taste Bad: The Melvins
March of the Lor: The Sword

Red Bath: Boss Hog
Runnin' On Fumes: Obniii's
White Light/White Heat: Lou Reed
Like and Hurricane: Roxy Music
Heaven Knows: First Aid Kit

(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction: Manfred Mann
Tobacco Road: War with Eric Burdon

Not Fade Away/Goin' Down the Road Feeling Bad: Grateful Dead (October 18, 1974 Winterland Ballroom, SF, CA)
By The Time I Get To Arizona: Public Enemy vs Herb Alpert

Front My Cock: Prince vs. The Who
I Left My Heart In San Francisco: Tony Bennett
Happy Boy: Beat Farmers