Hell's Kitchen Radio #613: Let's Blow San Francisco

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Sometimes things come in twos: peanut butter and jelly, baseball and hotdogs, cats and furballs. So it came as no surprise when I had panned to take the night off that I was lured into the studio when I read about Rolling Stone magazine's horrendous Top 100 Punk songs of all time list. 

As for the second treat, you may have read, or seen the flyer posted around San Francisco, looking for a Daniel Lurie look-a-like to star in a porn parody "Let's Blow San Francisco". I was lucky enough to land Don Francisco, the producer, director, writer for this soon to be classic film for an on air interview, talking about the film and where they're at right now in the process.

Daniel Haver, from the Mabuhay Gardens, was in the studio co-hosting with me again tonight. I've really enjoyed Daniel being around. He's really coming into his own on the air. And then Rob from the band The Seagulls came by along with his friend Heather. And to round out the crowd, Jasper, host of Saturday's Broadcast from Limbo added to the mix.

We all had something loud to say about this top 100. Upsetting and confusing was the common call. My theory is the editors for this list looked at regions of punk around the globe (US and Britain that is) and then considered the top acts and albums from those regions. Finally, they combined all of that into one list. 

Lame. All of it, lame. 

Nevermind #9! 

Most of these bands deserve to be on this list. Pretty much all of them shouldn't be in the order they're in (MC5 after Blink 182, who shouldn't be on this list at all!). And where's the first Stooges and VU albums? Where is DRI? MDC? Cromags???

So between the music, the banter, the talk about what makes San Francisco great, this turned into a better choice than to just stay home on a Monday night.

Enjoy and please share.

jh

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

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I'm Waiting For The Man: Velvet Underground (Velvet Underground and Nico - 1967)
Kick Out The Jams: MC5 (Kick Out The Jams - 1969)

I Want To Be Your Dog: The Stooges (The Stooges - 1969)
Looking For A Kiss: New York Dolls (S/T - 1973)

Judy is a Punk: Ramones (S/T - 1976)

Rocket Reducer: Dead Boys (Young, Loud and Snotty - 1977)

I Like Cars and Girls: The Dictators (Go Girl Crazy!!! - 1975)
I'm So Bored With The USA: The Clash (S/T - 1977)
Jocko Homo: Devo (Are We Not Men? - 1978)

Friction: Television (Marquee Moon - 1977)

Let's Lynch The Landlord: Dead Kennedys (Fresh Fruit For Rotting Vegetables - 1980)

Way of the World: Flipper (Generic - 1981)

Car Crash: Avengers (S/T - 1980)

Touch Me I'm Sick: Mudhoney (Superfuzz Bigmuff and Singles - 1989)

I Must Not Think Bad Thoughts: X (More Fun In The New World - 1983)

School: Nirvana (Bleach - 1989)

Caliente: Supersuckers (Smoke of Hell - 1990)

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

GFY: Amyl and the Sniffers (S/T - 2019)

Magic: Zig Zags (S/T - 2014)
Napoleon: The Bobby Lees (New Self - 2026)
Never Gonna Be: False Flag (7" - 2026)

Wasted: Black Flag (First Four Years - 1981)

Hell's Kitchen Radio #606: False Punks In Heaven...Sorta

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I anticipated a fun time on Monday night, but nothing could have prepared me for this multi-generational celebration of the local music scene. As I had been publicizing over the past week, I had drummer/artist Prairie Prince of The Tubes coming in, along with his bestie, author/screenwriter/director/producer/band manager Edwin Heaven. They were coming in to promote their Thursday night program at the Mabuhay Gardens, which is also featuring a live set from local rockers and all-around tastemakers False Flag.

This show on Thursday night is free, by the way. And it's 21+. Be warned.

What I wasn't totally prepared for were all the special guests. And Monday night was truly special. 

My Prom Committee team of Katrina and Daniel from the FabMab were in the studio, as well as our latest RV staffer Jasper, who is slated to take over Saturdays 4-6pm in the upcoming weeks. You are all going to love her!

And then comes False Flag! Pretty and Strong Sims came to hang out, along with drummer Monroe. And they brought a brand new song with them, that really kicked the crap out of me...figuratively. Get your head outta the gutter. 

It was full, and very rambunctious house, with Daniel teaching both Jasper and Strong how to use a yo-yo, Edwin attending to his Yorkie, Tulip; Prairie trying not to allow the jetlag get to him after returning from a show in NYC, and Katrina circling the room capturing it all for prosperity.  

After my interview with Prairie about his new album, Colours and Passions, and my talk with Edwin about his new memoir "The Night I Got David Bowie Laid Sorta", Strong and Pretty sat in to talk about the state of the music scene in San Francisco, and to share the aforementioned track "Never Gonna Be". Katrina and I are in agreement that this band is bound for stardom, and need to get their music onto a soundtrack, pronto.

There is so much fun conversation and music on this show, that I may need to loop it throughout the rest of this week. 

Fun things are afoot at Radio Valencia, and in this incredible scene that three generations of music-related folk all agreed with on Monday night.

See you at the show...any show. Every show!

Enjoy and please share.

jh

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

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Whitey On The Moon: Gil Scott-Heron (Small Talk at 125th and Lennox - 1970)
Moonage Daydream: David Bowie (The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust - 1972)
Flesh: Ken Nordine (Colors - 1966)
Dear God: XTC (Skylarking - 1987)

Interview with Prairie Prince

Flesh Terror: Prairie Prince (Colours and Passions - 2026)

Interview with Prairie Prince (Colours and Passions - 2026)

Orange Joy: Prairie Prince (Colours and Passions - 2026)
White Punks on Dope: The Tubes (The Tubes - 1977)

Interview with Edwin Heaven

WWIII: The Nuns (The Nuns - 1980)
Down on the Street: Iggy and the Stooges (Fun House - 1970

Interview with Edwin Heaven

(I Saw You) Shine: Flipper (Generic - 1982)

Interview with Edwin and Prairie

The American in Me: Avengers (s/t - 1983)
Suicide Child: The Nuns (The Nuns - 1980)

Never Gonna Be: False Flag (unreleased - 2026)

Radio Valencia Celebrates 50 Years of Punk In San Francisco

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Leading up to our epc co-presents at the fabled Mabuhay Gardens and On Broadway I hosted a rare Friday night special with two up and coming bands: False Flag and Bitchfit. Both bands played the evening showcase on Saturday night, upstairs at the On Broadway in support of Flipper and Friends and the 50th anniversary celebration of punk in San Francisco and the opening of the Fab Mab.

False Flag features sisters Pretty Sims (bass/vocals), Strong Sims (guitar/vocals) and Bayden Tubelle (drums). The will assault all manners of pretense once the curtain drops and they will not let up until they've been dragged from the stage, cables wrapped around their limbs like a junkie waiting for just one more aural fix. Lyrics born of urban decay and blight from a male-dominated culture, False Flag aren't just re-writing what the many-facetted  genre of punk looks like in 2026, they honestly don't care what you think about them. They don't do this for you. They do what every band that has ever been worth their weight has done: they do it for themselves, and you should thank your lucky stars they let you be along for the ride.

We played some songs and talked about music, their band, the record store I Hate Records that Pretty is also running (like they aren't busy enough), and setting the story straight on what exactly happened on that BART train.

Following False Flag the young start ups, Bitchfit from Oakland came through. They opened the show on Saturday night, and even though they don't have anything released yet, their reputation of fierce females on this scene proceeded itself. Full of charisma, confidence and hardcore ethos, Talulah (drums) and Ailish (bass/vocals) talked about bringing topics like body positivity, human rights politics and what we should be angry about today!

Witnessing both bands on stage Saturday night was a treat. The torch is firmly placed in the fists of both of these bands.

The image at the top is the poster created by the one and only Richie Goodtimes for the event. Thanks Richie. 

Check out the interviews here, along with music from False Flag and a bunch of other punks I love.

Enjoy and please share.

jh

Glorious: Polkacide

Party!: The Mutants

Interview with False Flag

How To Ruin Your Life: False Flag

Ha Ha Ha: Flipper
California Uber Alles: Dead Kennedys

Interview with False Flag

Corpus Christi: Avengers

One Man War: False Flag

Interview with False Flag

The Midnight Show: The Freak Accident
Fascists Eat Donuts: Pop-O-Pies

Boris: Melvins

Business on Parade: MDC
The Shah Sleeps in Lee Harvey's Grave: Butthole Surfers

Put A Little Love In Your Heart: Circle Jerks

Police Truck: Dead Kennedys

Interview with Bitch Fit

Midnight Creep: The Darts

Hellfudge: Lard

Interview with Bitch Fit

Keith Moon: Mike Krol

Frock Block: OSees

X Offender: Blondie

Nothing In This World Stop Me Thinking About That Girl: The Kinks
What A Wonderful World: Louis Armstrong

My posts are never written using AI of any kind. This shitty writing is mine and mine alone.

Hell's Kitchen Radio #600: Freaky Mutant Crime

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What a delight it was celebrating my 600th show on Radio Valencia by hosting four musicians who helped shape the punk history in San Francisco. 

Who would have thought when I started my road in radio in the late 80s, that I would grow up to hosts legends of a music scene that was too young to enjoy when it was at its height, but came to love it deeply?

I have always followed my bliss. Music has always been my bliss. I'm not much of a fanboy...Ok, maybe for Ty Segall, but other than that I just really enjoy being around music and musicians, for the love of the art. I like talking music. I love reading about music. My favorite books about music are when the artist is talking about making the art. Keith Richard's book "Life" does this well.

37 years in radio (yikes!) has honored me with seeing some incredible live music, interviewing countless bands, and getting to know some of the finest people to grace a stage. I'm living the life! Monday night I was lucky to host four people who have made their mark on the San Francisco music scene, and will be doing so once again this coming Saturday at the newly reopened Mabuhay Gardens and On Broadway in North Beach.

Fritz and Brendan from The Mutants, Henry Rosenthal (Hank Rank) of Crime, and Ralph Spight of The Freak Accident spent the evening with me telling tales of the heyday of punk in the city, and the venue that sparked the magic. Music from these bands and other bands of the day are sprinkled throughout, all in preparation for a great night at the FabMab and On Broadway.

I am honored to be co-producing this show with Steve DePace of Flipper. Radio Valencia is co-presenting and will be spinning music throughout the night. And I'm your MC!!!

Tickets are almost gone for these two events, so please follow the links embedded in the posters to grab yours before they're gone.

Tune in Friday 8-10PM Pacific for a special on the upcoming live shows, featuring Steve DePace of Flipper, and members of BitchFit and False Flag.

Here's to 600 more shows on Radio Valencia!!!

jh

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

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The Catholics Are Attacking: Pop-O-Pies (The White EP - 1982)

Car Crash: Avengers (ST - 1983)

Wild: The Nuns (S/T - 1980)

White Punks on Dope: The Tubes (S/T - 1975)

B-Side: Sleepers (7" - 1980)
Plastic TV Land on Acid: Pope Paul Pot

San Francisco's Doomed: Crime (San Francisco's Doomed - 1978)
Rock 'N' Enemy No. 1: Crime (San Francisco's Doomed - 1978)

Murder By Guitar: Crime (Murder By Guitar 1976 - 1980)

Party!: The Mutants (Curse of the Easily Amused - Recorded in 1979, Released in 2026)
New Drug (Version 2): The Mutants ( Fun Terminal - 1979)

Noises and Numbers: The Mutants (Curse of the Easily Amused - Recorded in 1979, Released in 2026)

Fairytales: The Freak Accident (The Midnight Show - 2026)

Cat Bird Seat: The Freak Accident (The Midnight Show - 2026)

Hell's Kitchen Radio #595: Rickshaw Throwdown

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What a jolly fine night this was. My good buddy John Karr, who runs sound at Rickshaw Stop came by with his colleague, Carmen Caruso, to talk up the club and spin some tunes from some upcoming shows. What makes this a hoot is that the staff of Rickshaw Stop are the one's curating the shows. This doesn't happen often, and when it does the staff bring together some really strong showcases.

I love talking music with people who know music. And it's a real treat to talk cross industry: radio and nightclub. We're all linked, you know. Artist, radio, clubs, record stores, promoters, critics. When we get together it's like we're comparing notes; a mind meld.

Carmen is also the fierce leader of the band Agouti, who is playing one of the showcases. The set that features her band also includes the other two who are on the bill, the Thursday. John and Carmen put this showcase together.

The following set of bands, featuring Gumby's Junk, is for the showcase that John Karr has put together for Thursday, January 22nd. 

I love when people who know and love music as much as I do turn me on to really great stuff. Feel free to share what you love with me. It may just get a spin.

John and I also tease an event that Radio Valencia is co-presenting at the end of February. I am just popping at the seams to tell you about it, but you'll just have to wait until next week for the official announcement. Suffice it to say if you hunger for the deep Punk history of San Francisco then you are going to flip for this!

Check out the playlist below and click on the link above to listen in.

Go see live local music and support the artists by buying their records and merch!

Enjoy and please share.

jh

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

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Truckin': Pop O Pies (The White EP - 1982)

Linda Blair: Redd Kross

Music Never Stopped: Grateful Dead (Blues for Allah - 1975)

Dragons: Agouti (Nodes - 2019)

Friendo: Grooblen (EP - 2025)

Living In A Flood: Everyone is Dirty (Caramels for Grandpa - 2023)

Stayin Alive by the Bee Gees: Gumby's Junk (Business and Pleasure - 2025)

Discover What Your Monsters Are: Rip Room (Alight and Resound - 2022)

Goblin Gruel Part 1: Inner Ear Brigade (Perkunas - 2024)

The Light, The Sound: Flipper (Gone Fishin' - 1984)

Paint It Black: Avengers (S/T - 1983)

Frustration: Crime (San Francisco's Doomed - 1978)

Wild: The Nuns (S/T - 1980)

Holiday in Cambodia: Dead Kennedys (Fresh Fruit for Rotting Vegetables - 1980)

Bar-B-Que Pope: Butthole Surfers (Brown Reason To Live - 1983)

Irony Man: The Freak Accident (Octopus Head - 2022)

Youth of America: Melvins (Electroretard - 2001)

Silver Machine: Hawkwind (Live at the BBC 1972 - 2010)

A Writhing Jar: Bill Orcutt (Odds Again Tomorrow

Hell's Kitchen Radio #444: To Death Do Us ROCK!

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I saw a meme the other day that made some comment about paying attention to those who are introducing new music into your life. Yes, please do. I also read something a while ago about once you reach the age of 30-something you stick with the music that made the most impact on you, sometime in your teens to 20s. Really? That's it? Some crappy, lowest-common-denominator non-offensive music that plays over and over on your favorite radio station, or Spotify playlist? What do you do when Spotify tries to suggest something new to you? Do you swipe left...or right? I wouldn't know; 

I don't have Spotify. Are you shocked by this new found knowledge? Did you think I got all of my musical inspiration from what Spotify suggests to me? I listen to radio. Non-commercial radio to be exact. KFJC, KALX, KPOO, KALW (on the weekends), WFMU, KPFA (especially Wednesdays 8-10pm). And I listen with Shazam close at hand. 

There are times I have stopped the car so I can Shazam a track. How much do you love this app? However there are times when it's stumped. That's mostly when I'm listening to KFJC, the station that stumps Shazam! HA! That's when I call them up and ask them what the hell that just was that blew my mind?!?!?!

I don't think I stumped Shazam tonight, but I gave it the old internet radio try. My buddy Eric came by the house today with his bass and we rocked out to GFY, along with some other Amyl, Stooges, Flat Earthers, Butthole Surfers and Oh Sees tunes. That was super fun. I really need to get loud like that more often. So let's start with some Amyl and the Sniffers, shall we? There's also new music from David McMurray, Paul Leary, Angel Bat Dawid, and Kate Vargas. Also, Mudhoney's 30th anniversary remaster of Every Good Boy Deserves Fudge arrived on Monday, so I threw that in for good measure. Or good fudge. 

There's something for everyone here, even you who still listen to the same music you've been listening to since high school. Don't be afraid. Dive right in. If you don't like what you hear, just wait 3-7 minutes and check out the next tune.

Enjoy.

jh

Have you tried out our iPhone or Android app yet? Get them where you get your phone apps. I love the iPhone app and use it every day.

Due to the recent attempted break in at our new studio, we are in need of funds beyond what our staff can afford. If you can throw a few dimes Radio Valencia's way, we will be forever in your debt. Thanks in advance. 

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

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GFY: Amyl and the Sniffers
Gimme MY Wife: Bruce Marshall
Dirty: Joy

Thin White Line: Avengers
Going Up The Country: Three Stoned Men
Take Me Higher and Groove Me: James Brown

The 11: David McMurray
Slates, Slags, Etc: The Fall
Room Service: Rap Rilplinger

Check Out Time: Mudhoney
Roadrunner: Modern Lovers

Gary Floyd Revisited: Paul Leary
Dum Dum: Butthole Surfers
Shit Storm/Youth Of America: Melvins

London: Angel Bat Dawid
Watch Out!: Wells Fargo

The Money Will Roll Right In (For Scott): Fang
Strangers: The Kinks
Raised Right Men: Tom Waits

Church of Misdirection: Kate Vargas
The Funny Bird: Mercury Rev

Apocalyptic Make Out: Love Jerks
What A Wonderful World: Louis Armstrong

Hell's Kitchen Radio #429: International Women's Day

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I always like the response to the question asked to late Supreme Court Justice, Ruth Bader Ginsberg, when she was asked how many women on the high court would satisfy here? Her response: 9. I love that. There were 9 men between 1789 - 1981 when Sandra Day O'Conner was appointed. Isn't it time for a high court full of women? 

Women are rising to greater heights in government, academia and industry, and of course some of the most amazing singers and musicians throughout history have been women. Tonight it's all about some of my favorite women. Most are female-fronted bands, but there are many all-women groups here, solo artists, and a few duets peppered in for good measure.

Spread this show far and wide.

Have you tuned into my Monday night Live Bootleg Bonanza? Monday's 6-8PM Pacific I dig into my live bootleg library and play a full show or two from the hundreds of bands I have shows from. Take a look at my full blog and scroll down for the past shows I've played.

Enjoy.

jh

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

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Rebel Girl: Bikini Kill
Criminal Element: Nikki and the Corvettes
Control: Amyl and the Sniffers
Paint It Black: Avengers

The Power of Pussy: Bongwater
I Like Girls: Samantha Sidley
Somebody to Love: The Great Society

The Leibnitz Language: Le Butcherettes
Kissability: Sonic Youth
Black Mountain: Isobel Campbell and Mark Lanegan
Wasted: The Runaways

If You Don't Give Me What I Want: Vicki Anderson
Theme de Yoyo: Art Ensemble of Chicago

Fine and Mellow: Billie Holliday and Lester Young
Man's Ruin: Bernadette Seacrest and Her Yes Men
Voodoo Love: Liv Mueller

Butterfly: KnightressM1
Blow Up: Aoife Nessa Frances
Suburban Home: Alice Bag
Big Boss Man: Mercury Rev (ft. Hope Sandoval)

Woodstock: Joni Mitchell
Voyage: Angel in Heavy Syrup
Some Velvet Morning: Nancy Sinatra and Lee Hazlewood

Tomorrow is Forever: Dolly Parton and Porter Wagoner
I Can See For Miles: Petra Haden

Hell's Kitchen Radio #423: Is It Safe To Come Out Yet?

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Sometimes I have to forgive myself if I'm just not feeling it. You know what I mean? We've been home for over ten months now, and the COVID wall is real, people. It's real! My day starts with my three old son climbing into bed with my wife and me. I'm the one who has the elbows in the face, the knee in the gut, the hot breath up my nose. Most weekdays I get him up, dressed, pack his food, and off to daycare (with very strict protocols for COVID, thank you very much). 

Then I come home and get ready to teach. You know I'm a high school teacher, right? Don't even get me started about that. I love my work; it's never dull, but COVID has really put a damper on things. Poor kids. I also have a high school junior in the house: Little Lauson Hell, who you have met on this show many times over the years. I'm actually really proud of her. Her academics remain high, but it's her emotional fortitude that I'm more proud of. She keeps it together better than most adults I know.

As a teacher my work day doesn't really end, but since Mrs. Hell's job is more demanding (corporate work often is, if only because of the threat of the big boss man), I have to go pick up young Mr. Hell from daycare, bring him home, cook for him, and prepare him for bed. The fabulous Mrs and I alternate bedtimes with him, but by the time he lays down I'm spent.

This leaves little space for any downtime. 

This is why I look forward to Monday nights with you. It's my only true creative outlet these days. So when I get a late start like I did on this show, it takes the winds out of my sails a wee bit. I brought it back up pretty quickly however, as we setlist below will show. It's the banter that'll keep you coming back (or drive you away in droves). 

Dissonance, punk, metal, glam, hip hop, funk, Afro-funk, and more to whet your whistle. Tell 'em John Hell sent you.

Enjoy.

jh

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

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Ball and Chain: Big Mama Thornton (February 23, 1973, Cambridge, MA)

Boots: Destroy All Monsters
The Blessing of the Dawn Source: Sproton Layer
Car Crash: The Avengers

Deuce: Redd Kross
Goin' Blind: KISS
Station To Station: Melvins

TVC15: David Bowie
The Cactus: 3rd Bass
Godfather of Funk: Schoolly D
Telephone Girl: Assagai

I'm A Greedy Man: James Brown
Night Time Is The Right Time: Aretha Franklin
Knock Yourself Out: Tower of Power

No Lies: Peruvatwinz
Emma: Hot Chocolate
Alta: Ty Segall and the Freedom Band
Small Man, Big Mouth: Minor Threat

I Shot All The Birds: Blind Shake
American Flag: Cat Power
Van Occupanther: Midlake

Sweat Leaf: Brownout
I Bid You Goodnight: Joseph Spence and the Pinder Family

Hell's Kitchen Radio #397: Seemed Like A Good Idea At The Time

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I'll admit it, I have been guilty of purchasing an LP from time to time because of the cover. This doesn't mean I didn't want it for the music, it was the cover that pushed me into making the purchase. Recently, my daughter Little Lauson Hell asked me to show her my favorite LP covers. Talk about making her daddy proud! I took my time to consider the criteria: a great cover isn't just the art, it can also be the story behind the music, the artist, that time, etc. It can be a stark, minimalist cover, such as "Something Else", by Cannonball Adderley, or a robust cover like "Bitches Brew", by Miles Davis. 

As I was taking her through the journey, I had to pause and remember this wasn't about showing her my favorite albums, some of which have crap covers. This was about the covers themselves. I spoke to her about growing up buying vinyl, laying on my bed staring at the cover, and reading the liner notes. I get as excited today as I ever have purchasing new vinyl. 

So far her favorite covers were the three picture discs for Altamont (Dale Crover side project).

Which reminds me, even if we can't patronize our favorite local record shop, we can still purchase straight from the labels and the bands. And a reminder that Bandcamp will be hosting their first Friday again, July 3rd, when all proceeds go straight to the artist. They are also having a fundraiser on June 19th (Juneteenth), where all proceeds go to the NAACP. Buy great music, support the artists, and support a great cause. I know I will.

Many of you know that I am a social studies teacher in San Francisco. Specifically I teach Pre-Law, American Democracy, and Economics in a thematic pathway for the past 16 years. I have read and studied the US Constitution for longer than that, and I can attest that it is a comprehensive social contract, that cannot be mastered in one, two, or twenty readings. Before you read a political headline and think you know what the Constitution has to say on the matter, please take the time to do your research, including what the US Supreme Court has to say on the issue. 

In the meantime, take a gander at the playlist below. New music from my dream team Melvins/Mudhoney, a Ty Segall/Cory Hanson collaboration, some Afro-Funk, avant-Jazz, and many local bands. 

Click the link above, sit back, relax, and as always, enjoy.

jh

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

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My War: Mudhoney/Melvins

A.D.D.: System of a Down

All You Fascists: Billy Bragg and Wilco

The Mask (Part 2): Miles Davis

Get Up, Stand Up (Alternate Take): Bob Marley and the Wailers

Milk Bird Flyer: Ty Segall and Cory Hanson

Eggs at Night: Damaged Bug

Theme de Yoyo: Art Ensemble of Chicago

Live at PJs: Beastie Boys

The Great Conspirator: Illogistical Resources Dept.

Telephone Girl: Assagai

The American in Me: The Avengers

American Cars: Useless Eaters

Here She Comes Now: Curtis Harding

Everything I Say Just Goes Right Through Her Heart: Peter Laughner

Complicated Life: The Kinks

7 Inches: Kate Vargas

Mr. Slick: Ken Nordine

Devil Moon: Eric McFadden

Jesus Didn't Die For Me: Rube Waddell

House Hunter: Le Butcherettes

Yes We Can: Lee Dorsey

Supergirl: The Fugs

What A Wonderful World: Louis Armstrong

Hell's Kitchen Radio #394: Live From Hell's Lounge

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WOW, this show sucked. And let me tell you why.

I had this grand idea to stream from my backyard, where we have new patio furniture. I thought, how fun is this? I get to chill out in Hell's Lounge and play my favorite music just for you. But it didn't take into consideration a few things:

1. My neighbors can hear everything I'm saying on my show, and they think I'm talking to them and keep asking me what I'm doing.
2. The mosquitoes want to be in on the act. OUCH!
3. It got dark and I have poor lighting out there.
4. It took me 10 minutes and three tries to connect to our server and it dropped me about 30 minutes into the show, the moment I went inside to grab an extension cord.
5. My external hard drive was on its last legs and any sudden micro-movements would disconnect it, leaving me with dead air. 
1. It turns out that it was a combination of a dying hard drive AND a dying USB port.

I sure wanted to enjoy this show. The playlist is diverse and dynamic, but alas the mic breaks are lame. 

Seriously though take a look at that playlist. Damn. 

My upcoming show is all about revolution. You really should tune in wearing all black.

Try to enjoy.

jh

PS: I purchased a new WD 5TB hard drive last week. Everything is transferred over and ready to rock! 

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

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Let's Start: Fela Ransome-Kuti And The Africa '70 With Ginger Baker *Not on the broadcast
Zombi: Fela Kuti *Not on the broadcast

Always Flying: Thee Oh Sees
Fucked Up Motherfucker: Ty Segall
Fell In Love With A Girl: White Stripes with Steven McDonald

Paint It Black: The Avengers
If I'm In Luck I Might Get Picked Up: Betty Davis
Jack the Stipper/Fairies Wear Boots: Black Sabbath

Something I Learned Today: Husker Du
River Deep Mountain High: Tina Turner
Get Down Moses: Joe Strummer and the Mescaleros

I'm Free: King Tuff
El Fugitivo: Grupo Fantasma
Black Heath: Melvins
Their Helicopters Sing: Godspeed You, Black Emperor!
Run Run Run: Velvet Underground

Terraplane Blues: Robert Johnson
Nowadays A Woman Gotta Hit A Man: Captain Beefheart
Earache My Eye: Alice Bowie

I Ain't Marchin' Anymore: Phil Ochs
The Fish Cheer: Country Joe and the Fish
Keep On Keepin' On: Curtis Mayfield

Aliens: Dr. Octogon
I Ain't New To This: Ice T
Rapp Snitch Knishes: MF Doom

Hell's Kitchen Radio #233: Punk As F@#$ Renaissance

Stream Punk Sensibilities, HERE!
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Sometimes I interview heroes of mine, and sometimes there are musical heroes in the room and I have no idea I'm talking to them. That happened once, back in 1993, while I was standing in Waterloo Records in Austin, while I was thumbing through a record stack and came upon the "Sid and Nancy" soundtrack. A woman standing next to me saw the record and commented about a movie she saw the previous night on her hotel room TV, staring the woman who co-starred in "Sid and Nancy", Chloe Webb. Coincidentally I was watching the same movie in my hotel room. The conversation moved on to other great films, then music, then authors. Then she said goodbye. This was about a 10 minute conversation, at the most. Pleasant. Short-lived. Soon after she walked away, the store manager, or owner announces to the room "ladies and gentleman, we're so lucky to have with us, reading from her new book of poetry, the seminal punk goddess, Exene Cervenka. Give me a break. Really? That's who I was talking to? One of my musical heroes, form one of my favorite bands of my youth? Really? Yeah, I'm sure she was thrilled that I wasn't being all eye-lash-batty to her, and fawning over her every word, and agreeing about how amazing some director and author is, but COME ONE.

If you tune into my show on any semi-regular basis, and I have a guest on with me, you've probably noticed that I have some clue as to who they are. I do my homework, after all. On last Monday's show, I had a lot of homework to do, and it would appear, that I missed some assignment. D'oh indeed.

The 40th Anniversary Punk Renaissance showcase begins tonight, and runs for the next week, so I had some old-time punk-rockers from the Punk Rock Sewing Circle in the studio to talk up the onslaught that is about to be hoisted upon us.

Raymond Ernest Andre III (Flame); Ripper Sisters Linda Walker ("Gale Force" of Ripper Magazine), and Verna Wilson ("Violet Vamp"); Michael Reid (booker of the Mabuhay Gardens, and co-founder of Reckless Records); Bob Clic (from The Lewd); Ethan Port (from Savage Republic); Eugene (from Oxbow (who I had no idea was going to be in the studio, and therefore had no clue who the hell he was, EVEN THOUGH I am not only a fan of Oxbow, but I had the good fortune to MC a show at least 20 years ago at the Cubberley Community Theater in Palo Alto, where they headlined. That may have been the last time I saw them too)).

I can't do this as much justice as my friend Silke Tudor can, so I'm just going to let her words describe the mayhem that starts tonight and runs for the next week.

We don’t know how they pulled this off, but we love Punk Rock Sewing Circle. What began as a string of remembrances on the Mabuhay Gardens Facebook page has transformed into a 40-year anniversary celebration. SF Punk Renaissance: Final Warning! is a weeklong festival that draw doyennes of the underground back to this city where punks could pogo with the deaf, live in a treehouse, perform with live chickens, and survive on SSI. The festival kicks off with an all-ages East Bay sonic survey including members of the seminal Psychotic Pineapple and Dr. Frank. The rest unfolds with must-see photography exhibits; a swap meet for records, ‘zines, flyers, and other memorabilia; panel discussions on early zines, the queer/punk node, and where it all went wrong; educational walking tours of the Mission, North Beach, and SOMA; and of course more music than you can shake your trick leg at: Avengers, The Lewd, The Mutants, Frightwig, Toiling Midgets, and Negative Trend, to name a few.

— Silke Tudor

All the information you could ever want about the upcoming shows, performances, films, readings, etc. can be found here, on the Punk Rock Sewing Circle website.

Get your punk on, but don't forget to take your Midol first.

Enjoy.

jh

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

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Jezebel: The Controlers
Life is Cheap: Flipper
No Time: UXA
Religion: PIL

Meathouse: Negative Trend
This Could Be Anywhere:  Dead Kennedy's
She's Fun: The Sleepers

Uh-Oh: The Avengers
Two-Tub Man: The Dictators
The Virgin Bride: Oxbow
Running with the Boss Sound: Generation X

Glorious: Polkacide
Ain't Talking About Love: The Minutemen
I Can See You: Black Flag
Communist Eyes: Germs
Just Like Me/Put A Little Love in Your Heart: Circle Jerks

Human Fly: The Cramps
Sleeper: Ty Segall
Supertheory of Supereverything: Gogol Bordello
You Let Me Rust: Shannon and the Clams

1970: The Stooges