Tune into Hell's Kitchen Radio, with John Hell, every Monday night 8-10PM (Pacific), on Radio Valencia (https://radiovalencia.fm) in San Francisco. You can find my playlists and links to the podcasts right here.
I've got a fun time set up for you! All you need is two hours, a comfy blanket, food, toys, enhancements, trash talk, crippling depression, a jones for talking dirty and retribution, along with a lifetime supply of Q-Tip brand q-tips, lavender oil, rechargeable AAA batteries, snakeskin from a Burmese Python, slightly used cat toys, a roll of quarters, and an unwatered plant of your choosing.
Now, gather all of this, sort it by age, weight, height, and ability to bring you happiness. Make sure you put your phone on do-not-disturb, (as you will not want to be disturbed).
In the event of a flash flood, earthquake, twister, tsunami, tax audit, intervention, or chem trails, you will want to note your evacuation routine.
This show is not for the faint at heart.
Enjoy and please share.
jh
Hell's Kitchen Radio with John Hell Mondays 8-10PM Radio Valencia in SF http://radiovalencia.fm
Listen into all my shows here! Subscribe to my show, via Subscribe to my Spotify Podcast HERE!
What will you do now that the orange cheeto has fallen from grace? I wouldn't bet him out. He loves a good comeback. Will the next season be worth watching? Stay tuned.
In the meantime, take a look at this juicy set I have just for you and yours. There's something here for just about every member of the family. You got your blues for the teens. Stoner metal for grandma. Sexy vocal stylings for your overweight stinky uncle who's missing teeth and hair. There's funk for white neighbor who swears he was Black in a previous life. And anything else that dad enjoys. For mom there's plenty of polyester dance hits to cover the couch.
We all need a creative outlet to get us through these tough times. What's yours? Need one? Just look at the contest I'm throwing and participate. Deadline is Friday, February 12th.
RUN FOR THE LILLIES 2021
The rules are simple:
You choose ten celebrities (from any industry) you believe will meet their demise by December 31, 2021.
The only rule: you may NOT contribute to their passing.
Email the list by January 31st (no one on your list may have passed before you get me your list) to mrjohnhell@gmail.com
I know this is morbid; my name is HELL
There will be a prize for the most names "collected", announced January 2022
Enjoy.
jh
Hell's Kitchen Radio with John Hell Mondays 8-10PM Radio Valencia in SF http://radiovalencia.fm
Download the Blabber HERE! Listen into all my shows here! Subscribe to my show, via
Sometimes absence does make the heart grow fonder. It's been a few weeks, I know, but don't let that be a reason you forget about dear old Hell. Taking time off allows me to amass more music to share with you. Most of the music on this show I haven't shared with you before, so count yourself lucky.
I hope you're tuning in with Shazam running. Or at the very least grab a pen and paper!
I paid tribute to word jazz stalwart Ken Nordine throughout the show. There's also new music from Frisco, and Tae. It's also the 50th anniversary of the Allman Brothers Band, and I have just cracked open the Holy Grail for live Allman's. I'll have more to share with you over time.
I'm not on this coming Monday night (family duty calls), but the after I should have Little Lauson Hell in the studio with me, and new music from Ty Segall (live) and OCS (live!!!), and whatever Lauson throws on. Her tastes have really evolved since last she was on a few months back.
Tune in Monday's 8-10PM (PDST)
See you on the "radio"
jh
Hell's Kitchen Radio with John Hell Mondays 8-10PM Radio Valencia in SF http://radiovalencia.fm
Rocked By Rape: Evolution Control Committee
Take a Letter, Maria: R.B. Greaves
Coral: Ken Nordine
Never Can Say Goodbye: Herbie Mann (with Duane Allman)
Go To Satan: Rube Waddell
Wild Action: The Ventures
California Sun: The Dictators
Panchito Blues II: Peach Kelly Pop
Comptroller: Frisco
Azure: Ken Nordine
So Much For Love: Pearl Harbor and the Explosions
Related to What: The Last Poets
Suspiria: Goblin
Focus Pocus: Big Business
Shake Shake Shake: Bryan Ferry
Don't Keep Me Wonderin': Allman Brothers Band (January 24, 1970 Whiskey Go Go, LA, CA)
Little Red Hen: Taj Mahal
Everybody's Happy Nowadays: Buzzcocks (March, 2 1979 Paradiso, Amsterdam)
I Wanna Be Around: Tony Bennett
May This Be Love: Emmylou Harris and Daniel Lanois (November 8, 1995 State Theater, Portland, ME)
A Thousand Big Bangs: Ken Nordine (with Jerry Garcia and Tom Waits)
Creole Love Call: Roland Kirk
Maggie Sue: Tae
Bankrobber: Joe Strummer and the Mescaleros (August 19, 1999 Two Days A Week Festival, Wiesen, Austria)
A Minute to Pray, A Second to Die: The Flesh Eaters (July 17,1982 Clutch Cargo's, Detroit, MI)
Tangled Up In Blue: Jerry Garcia Band (Live at the Eel - June 10, 1989)
What A Wonderful World: Louis Armstrong
To give you a sneak peak at the new OCS Live at The Chapel LP, here's a live video from the end of the show. I WAS THERE!!!
What was your favorite childhood toy? I used to love my Space 1999 spaceship. Loved it! I loved it more than the Star Wars toys I accumulated, probably because I really didn't care so much for the Star Wars franchise. I know, I know, shoot him now! I was more of a Trekkie. Did anyone own a Barbie? Did you own more than one? Did you own a Ken? Did you make them swap clothing? Did you have them make out? Did you take them apart and turn them into grotesqueries? My guest Monday night is all about turning Barbie and her friends into works of contemporary art.
Julie Anderson has curated "Altered Barbie" since 2003, hosting many multi-media artists who use Barbie as their muse, their canvas, their medium. We take the first hour and talk to her and singer Ethel Merman (who is performing at the opening reception this Saturday night) about the history of the event, the history of Barbie, legal issues and great art experiences.
I'm planning on attending the opening reception this Saturday night and I strongly urge you to come down and have a great night. It's absolutely worth every second, and you can walk out with some great art!
The gallery is located at Back to the Picture, 934 Valencia Street in San Francisco
Gallery hours: Monday - Saturday 10AM-6PM, Sunday 12PM-5PM
The remainder of the night focuses on recent live acquisitions that I'm excited to share with you.
Enjoy.
jh
Hell's Kitchen Radio with John Hell Mondays 8-10PM Radio Valencia in SF http://radiovalencia.fm
In The Flesh: Pink Floyd
This Year's Kisses: Billie Holiday + Lester Young
Buckets of Rain: Bob Dylan
Stormy Monday: Allman Brothers
I Don't Want to Talk About It: Delaney, Bonnie and Friends
Interview with Julie Anderson and Ethel Merman of Altered Barbie
Barbie Girl: Aqua
Million Dollar Babies/I Love the Dead/Million Dollar Babies: Alice Cooper (June 4, 1980 El Paso)
Stinkfoot: Frank Zappa and the Mother's of Invention (November 9, 1974 Orpheum Theater, Boston, MA)
Into the Groovy: Sonic Youth
You Know You Know: Mahavishnu Orchestra (April 21, 1972 Music Hall, Cleveland, OH)
Lusitanos: Weather Report (May 4, 1975 Berkeley Community Theater, Berkeley, CA)
Dancing in the Streets: Grateful Dead (January 3, 1970 Fillmore East, NYC)
This here is the very first Barbie commercial from 1959. It's also the very first mass marketed toy to kids. Check it out, and thanks to Ethel Merman for sharing this with us on the show.
Oh boy, Memorial Day once again. We really do need to stop having these. Do me a favor, if you really want to thank a veteran, punch a politician in the face. Tell them John Hell said it was OK.
The first hour features my subversive Memorial Day "celebration". I don't think you can make popsicles with them. I'll have to ask Ivanka. That woman can make a popsicle out of any national holiday.
I gave tickets away tonight to go see Dave and Phil Alvin and the Guilty Ones at Great American Music Hall for this Thursday night. This promises to be a great show, so congrats to the winners and I'll see you there. BTW, I give tickets away from time to time, so tune in and WIN!
The second hour of my show was yet another tribute to a fallen musical comrade. Vocalist and keyboardist Gregg Allman of the Allman Brothers Band passed away this past weekend at the age of 69, from complications from liver cancer at his home in Savannah, Georgia. Growing up I was a huge fan of Duane-era Allman Brothers. What a band! Someone asked me once, "if the Grateful Dead were playing at one club, and down the street Duane-era Allman Brothers were playing at another club, which band would you go and see?" That is a damn tough question to answer? Though they are both "jam" bands, the Allman's always were so in a more structured vein. And there jams could really fly. Consummate musical professionals. I think I would have wanted to have seen the Allman's, especially if this were 1971. That band was on FIRE that year. Just take a listen to the Live at the Fillmore East box set. Each note is alive with energy. Well, he's with Duane, Berry, and Butch now, getting the band back together. I can only imagine how much fun that must be. Dreams, indeed.
Full disclosure: I never once saw the Allman Brothers live. Not once. I own quite a few live boots of theirs too. They do not support live taping or trading of their music, so shows, especially soundboards are very hard to come by. I'm lucky enough to know people who know people. I pulled out some tasty treats from my collection to showcase Gregg and the whole band, but I stayed in the Duane-era world that I love so much.
Next Monday night on my show I'm excited to have P-Funk guitarist RonKat Spearman in the studio to share his many road stories and play some music from his own band Katdelic. This ought to be a lot of fun. Tune in Monday, June 5th, 8-10PM on Radio Valencia.
Thanks to everyone who came out to Folio Books in Noe Valley last week to see me interview local music critic Joel Selvin about his book "Altamont". Joel is a great interviewee. I ask him one question and he takes it from there. He almost seemed a little too happy to be there. He sold a few books, and a couple people even asked me to autograph it! Sure, why not?
Check out the playlist below and click the links above to stream or download last night's show. Please share this page with all the music-lovers in your life.
Way Down in the Hole: Maggie Bell
Little Boy Soldiers: The Jam
1916: Motorhead
The Unknown Soldier: The Doors
I Don't Wanna Be A Soldier, Mama: John Lennon
Some Mother's Son: The Kinks
Universal Soldier: Donovan
Fish Cheer/I-Feel-Like-I'm-Fixin-To-Die Rag: Country Joe and the Fish
Masters of War: Bob Dylan
War/No More Trouble: Bob Marley and the Wailers
The Fiddle and the Drum: Joni Mitchell
Eight Miles High: Golden Earring
Jubilee Train/Do Re Mi/Promised Land: Dave Alvin and the Guilty Men
Gregg Allman Tribute:
BB King Medley: The Hourglass (1968)
Dreams: The Allman Brothers Band (Ludlow Garage, Cincinnati, Ohio 1971)
Midnight Rider: The Allman Brothers Band (06-27-1971 Fillmore East, NYC, NY)
Done Somebody Wrong: The Allman Brothers Band (03-12-1971 Fillmore East, NYC, NY)
Every Hungry Woman: The Allman Brothers Band (07-03-1970 Atlanta Pop Festival, Byron, GA)
Ain't Waistin' Time No More: The Allman Brothers Band (04-07-1972 Manley Fieldhouse, Syracuse, NY)
Though I never saw them in person, thank goodness for YouTube. Check out their set from the Fillmore East, 09-23-1970.
Download this Exhibition, HERE! Listen into all my shows here. You can subscribe to my show through iTunes here.
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.
Stream the Spectacle, HERE! Download the Love, HERE! Listen into all my shows here. You can subscribe to my show through iTunes here.
Radio should be hosted by people who understand what it takes to create an aural spectacle, leaving you in awe and wanting more. Tonight was about me appreciating radio as such an art form. It's all about the segue. New Savage Republic in the first hour. Tribute to the late Maggie Roche who died January 17th. Also a tribute to the founding bassist of Can, Jaki Liebezeit, who passed on January 22nd.
If you love music, or know someone who does, then why aren't you tuning in every Monday night 8-10 on Radio Valencia? You are? Good on ya! Spread the love and share this post. Thanks in advance.
This coming Monday night I share with you the winner of the 2016 Run For The Lillies contest. And what a list they had. It's possible they cheated. Thanks to all who sent me their list of ten famous people they believe will kick the bucket by 12/31/2017. Since I wasn't on the air this past Monday, I'll give you until this Sunday, February 5th to email me your list. Send it to mrjohnhell@gmail.com
Stream the answer, HERE! Download the question, HERE! Listen into all my shows here, or just scroll down
Thanks for tuning in every Monday night at 8. I never mention this on the blog, but it's always fun to chat folks up during my show, so please if you're listening take a second to say hi on the Radio Valencia Chatterbox, or if you're a FB friend, then on there.
Another show, another tribute. What's up with this friggin' year? I have done more tributes in this single solitary year than in my first 25+ years in radio, combined! Greg Lake of King Crimson and Emerson, Lake and Palmer fame passed from cancer at the age of 69 last weekend. Best known for his days as bassist/vocalist for ELP, he was also a co-founder of the seminal prog-rock band King Crimson, where he performed on the first record and toured for their first two LPs before going on to start ELP alongside the late great Keith Emerson, who died in March of this year, and Carl Palmer who still has a few weeks left before something horrible happens to him. ugh
Much of the first hour is actually down right danceable. There are some seriously funky-ass tracks in here. Do me a favor and get your groove on until it's too late.
The second hour features a dive into my live music vault. And what a vault it is. You know, when I started doing the community radio thing a while back I committed to playing an hour of live music each week. I've sort of slacked off on that one, and for good reason. There are so many great releases I want to play with you week in and week out that the live music thing has had to take a back seat. Well not tonight. Take a look at the second half of the playlist and you can see that it's all over the damn place, and worth every second of your precious time.
I know the world has totally sucked this year. Who will it take next? Alan Thicke? Meredith Baxter (formerly Meredith Baxter-Bernie)? The election will still be with us. Syria will still be with us. Your job will still be with us...er, you. Maybe we just need to put some of this aside and enjoy the music for a little while.
Winter in America: Gil Scott-Heron and Brian Jackson
Power to the People: Curtis Mayfield
I'm So Bored with the USA: The Clash
The Candidate: Urge Overkill
Smokin' Cheeba Cheeba: George Benson
The Court of the Crimson King: King Crimson
Black Enough: The Pharaohs
Home Affairs: Osibisa
Since You've Been Gone: James Brown
Dip Stick: The Perfect Circle
Tidal Wave: Thee Oh Sees (Live at The Chapel, SF, CA - 2015)
She's On Fire: King Tuff (Live at Pickathon - 2013)
You Got It: Mudhoney (2001-01-13, Knitting Factory, LA, CA)
I've Been Loving You Too Long: Otis Redding (1966-04-10 Whiskey A-Go-Go, Hollywood, CA)
Toussaint L'Overture: Santana (1973-02-26, The Spectrum, Philadelphia, PA)
Dance to the Music: Sly and the Family Stone (1970-10-09, Piknik Kasteel Groeneveld Baarn)
In Memory of Elizabeth Reed: The Allman Brothers Band (1971-03-13 Fillmore East, NYC)
Waiting for the Bus/Jesus Just Left Chicago: ZZ Top (1980-04-15 Pine Knob, Clarkston, MI)
Big Chief: The Meters (1976-10-01 The Kingfish Lounge, Baton Rouge, LA)
Stream The Future of our Democracy, HERE! Download Our Email Purge, HERE! Listen into all my shows here, or just scroll down
Back on the air after a month away. I don't care to take so much time away from the aural pleasures that radio brings, but it had to be done. I traveled with my wife and daughter up to the great Northwest Territories! By that I mean Vancouver, Seattle and Portland.
I won't share the clusterfuck we got into at SFO when they wouldn't let my 11 year old daughter fly without a passport. Needless to say, we made it to all of our destinations, albeit about $1000 less in our pockets than I would have liked. ugh
We spent two days wandering around the EMP in Seattle. If you travel to that great town, please do your self a favor and go there. If you're a music fan, and I know that you are, you won't regret it.
Voodoo Donuts are overrated. There, I said it. Who the hell needs a Cap'n Crunch donut? Besides I live in San Francisco. We have Bob's. I do love me some Portland though. I will most likely retire there and start a radio station. HA!
On with the show.
The first hour pays homage to my late teens and early 20s. Spending time at the EMP inspired me to go back and listen to items on my shelf that may have collected a bit of dust.
The second hour is full of some tasty and rare surprises. A "new" Betty Davis LP issue of an oft-rumored Miles Davis-produced session was worth the wait. I have some new Melvins in there, as well as a number of live cuts from the likes of Tom Waits, Dave Bromberg, Allman Brothers.
I also blather on about the election, and croon about how much I love you.
Next Monday night, Little Lauson Hell makes an appearance. Tune in 8-10PM every Monday night!
Stream the celebration, HERE! Download my birthday extravaganza, HERE! Listen into all my shows here, or just scroll down
It's my BIRTHDAY, so that means that I get to play what I want. That's pretty much every week, or so you think. Most weeks I take a few requests, and like to even stretch my own comfort zone. Tonight it's all about what John Hell wants to hear. Just take a gander at that playlist!
There's some amazing new music from Sweden's Dungen, SF's Golden Void, and Austin's OBN IIIs, as well Thee Oh Sees from earlier this year, and even this new band, that you really need to look out for: The Flat Earthers (full disclosure: that's my band).
Still celebrating the 50th anniversary of the Grateful Dead, I played a gem from this date in 1972, from New Jersey. I actually played quite a few live tracks tonight.
I'm sure you'll find the music and banter worthy of your time. Please share this with your music-loving friends.
Stream this unique art piece, HERE! Download this piece de resistance, HERE! Listen into all my shows here, or just scroll down Subscribe to my show, via
Another night in bliss. Really, this radio thing might just go somewhere (says my 21 year old self). I had my chance to play shitty commercial shlock a long time ago. I worked at KRQR and then at KLLC-Alice FM. Worst. Jobs. EVER! "Here's what you're going to play, and here's what you're going to say. Don't deviate, if you know what's good for you". Oh joy.
Why have I continued to be involved in non-commercial, online, and pirate radio since 1988? I think it's plain to see, or hear, as it may be. Just take a look at the playlist below, and listen to any of my mic breaks. I could never do this on a commercial station. I would have been fired after my first show. And why? I'm not offending many people. I'm not swearing. I'm not any more insulting than your typical morning jock. I'm not anything like them. I host thoughtful interviews with local talent, and I play quality music from many genres. I just don't get it.
Tonight I was feeling a little blue, so we've got that in the mix, along with some country, psych, and a very tasty live Grateful Dead track from 1974. Unlike your local commercial station, there's a little something for everyone. Take a taste, and get satisfied.
Mob Rules: Black Sabbath
Pray Til You Sweat: The Flesh Eaters
The Vienna Waltz: Rube Waddell
Nobody Loves Me: Hank Snow
Red Dirt Child: Emmylou Harris
Black Eye: Uncle Tupelo
Women's Prison: Loretta Lynn
Drunken Hearted Boy: Allman Brothers Band
I Get A Kick Out Of You: Tony Bennett
I'm Gonna Move To The Outskirts of Town: Jimmy Smith
I Ain't Got You: Jimmy Reed
Dimples: John Lee Hooker
Flight: Wooden Shjips
Take Me Back to the Void: Wand
Interstellar Overdrive: Pink Floyd
Eyes Of The World: Grateful Dead (09-11-74 Alexander Palace, London, England)
Lilac Wine: Jeff Buckley (live)
Listen to this show right here!!!
