Hell's Kitchen Radio #617: Is This Thing On?

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I was feeling in the grove...er, groove tonight. In the groove. Yeah, that's it. Hmmmmmmm

A Monday without a guest is a rare thing these days, so I took the opportunity to go deeper into my library, which included a few CDs. I know, I know. this is not my normal thing, but there were a few songs that have been going through my mind that I only own on CD. You have to understand, the 90s and 00s it was hard to find your favorite artists releasing anything new on vinyl. CD was King there for a wee bit.

I remember working at Tower Records in San Mateo (88-91), and they were making the transition away from vinyl. The staff was in an uproar about this, as we all knew CDs were a fad, like the 8-track tape. Since production costs for CDs were so low, it was attractive to the company to go in this direction. And for too many years it played this way. Unless an artist was with a vinyl-friendly label, or self-releasing, they had to go with CDs. 

I collected a lot of CDs during these years. Thousands. For a number of years I had quite an impressive CD shelving setup that I built myself. Floor to ceiling, twelve feet across, 12 shelves. Thousands of CDs, all organized by genre. And then I moved to a smaller home and away went the shelves, as I had to place them all into binders. And the binders sit in my closet. Since then I don't spend much time playing them. But there they sit. And there's some good stuff in those binders! 

So tonight I had a few songs in my head that were laying low in my closet. Eight of the songs I played tonight are on CD. Not that you're keeping count. I may need to pull more from there, or at least not hde the binders away in my closet.

New music from Earth Tongue (produced by Ty Segall), Angine de Poitrine, Surprise Privilege, and OSees tonight. There's a remaster/reissue from Aretha Franklin in there, an NWA edit you didn't know you needed too. 

Daniel Haver from the FabMab was in...and is quickly becoming my foil in the best sense. He brought some truly "great" 7"s that'll leave you as stumped as we were trying to figure out just exactly how old Sheila Raye is...or was. 24? 57? Who knows? 

If this isn't a show that's chock full of punk, funk and junk, then I'll throw my CD collection away.

Take a look at the playlist below and click the link that's somewhere in here to listen back to the show.

I'm going to have legendary photographer Jim Jocoy, known for his profiles on SF punk in the 70s and 80s on my show soon. I can't wait to talk to him about his years serving and showcasing this incredible history. 

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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In Frisco: Pop O Pies (7"- 1983)
Jesus Was Way Cool: King Missile (CD Single - 1991)
Don't Cry Baby: Aretha Franklin (Forever Young - 2026)

Stuck Inside of Mobile with the Memphis Blues Again: Bob Dylan (Blonde on Blonde - 1966)
Every Grain of Sand: Giant Sand (Swerve - 1990)

Funka Billy Groove: Sheila Raye and the Great Highway Funka Billy Band (7" - 1977?)
Dust My Broom: Hound Dog Taylor (Beware of the Dog - 1976)
Anything Goes: Michael John and Kimberly (7" - 1983)

Dungeon Vision: Earth Tongue (Dungeon Vision - 2026)
Emmaline: Urge Overkill (Supersonic Storybook - 1991)
N.E.S.T.A.: Antibalas (Liberation Afrobeat, Vol. 1 - 2000)
Monkey Man: Rolling Stones (Let It Bleed - 1969)

Sherpa: Angine de Poitrine (Volume 1 - 2026)
Fuck the Police (Fuck Edit): NWA
T for Texas: Toshio Hirano 

Lady in Red: Surprise Privilege (Hard Listen - 2026)
Sunset on the Alamo: Jenny Don't and the Spurs (Call of the Road - 2017)
Buenos Tardes Amigo: Ween (Chocolate and Cheese - 1994)
The First Vietnamese War: The Black Angels (Passover - 2006)

Almost in the Hole: Seompi (7" - 1970)
N.I.B.: Brownout (Brown Sabbath Vol 1 - 2014)
Joro: OSees (Cara Maluco - 2026)
The Way We Were: Wild Man Fischer and Mark Mothersbaugh)

Hell's Kitchen Radio #611: Bang The Bay!

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How is it I just can come to getting these shows up any sooner than almost a week after broadcast these days? What the ever loving fuck?!?!?!?

Could it be I'm short on bandwidth? 

Ummmmm, I don't know. 

Full time teacher, heading into the final weeks of the school year, where I need to get my seniors across the line, produce an annual show for 1400 in attendance; grade essays, final draft for the final exams, run student elections, raise an eight year old, guide a 21 year old, co-produce a few live shows this summer, help run a community radio station. 

Yeah, I don't know.

The best part about my show last Monday, atcually there were a few great things; was hosting musician and sound engineer Chris Greacen from Elegant Trash. He brought some incredible live tracks with him and lively conversation. And to top it off we share the same birthday!!! Chris was in talking up the Bang The Bay series of shows that happen at the Mabuhay Gardens, Ivy Room, and Point Emery. Check them out when they come to your town.

It was not like looking in a mirror, but you know. 

And then the Common Sense Advisory Committee showed up! 

It was like putting on your favorite sweater. Full disclosure: I don't wear sweaters, but if I did you know I'd be wearing this group all day every day. Katrina, Daniel, Ignacio and Molly showed up (don't even ask where John was....HA!!!) to be my live studio audience. They are distracting in all the ways I truly appreciate being distracted. It's like a game of test the DJ. Can they distract me enough for there to be dead air? Tune in and find out.

I'm hilarious...and delirious. Seriously, I have no bandwidth. 

Great music throughout the night. Live music from recent Mabuhay Gardens shows as recorded by my guest, Chris. New release from local faves, False Flag. I also have new music from Sprints and Primitive Ring.

Daniel brought some classic treats from Filth and Skip Spence, as well as a huge surprise for me, which I'll bring in this Monday night. 

OK, I'm falling down now, so you go ahead and click that link at the top and listen to two hours of the best music you didn't know you needed.

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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Do It: Rollins Band (Do It - 1987)
City Kids: Pink Fairies (Kings of Oblivion - 1973)

Interview with Chris Greacen

G20 - > Solar Van Saturdays: Elegant Trash (Live at Fab Mab - 03/11/2026)

Interview with Chris Greacen

Fresno: Lost Cosmos (Live at Fab Mab - 03/11/2026)

Interview with Chris Greacen

Clencher (Live at Fab Mab - 02/11/2026)

Swtichcrooks (Live at Fab Mab - 03/11/2026)

Interview with Chris Greacen

Sleepers A.D. (Live at Fab Mab - 04/08/2026)
Don't Hide Your Hate: Filth (7" - 1978)

In Frisco: Pop-o_Pies (7" - 1993)

Little Hands: Skip Spence (Oar - 1968)

Never Gonna Be: False Flag (7" - 2026)

Moth Tongue: Crystal Fairy (S/T - 2017)

I Wanna Lose: LA Witch (Play with Fire - 2020)

Coming Alive: Sprints (All That is Over - 2026)

Empires Falling: Black Angels (Wilderness of Mirrors 2022)

Ouroboros: GOAT (s/t - 2025)

TV City: Primitive Ring (7" - 2026)

Swampland: The Scientists (A Place Called Bad - 2016)

Bottle Up and Go: The Monkeywrench (S/T - 1992)

Victoria: The Kinks (Arthur (Or the Decline and Fall of the British Empire) - 1969)

Hell's Kitchen Radio #601: What You Leave Behind

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And the hits just keep on rolling.

Following our exciting Saturday at the FabMab and On Broadway, celebrating the 50th anniversary of punk rock in San Francisco, booker of the Mabuhay Gardens (and General Manager???) Daniel Haver, who was kind enough to bring down a bunch of delightfully rare 45s.

I ended up having the legendary Connie Champagne in the studio, who was meeting Daniel there to pick up her music stand.

Connie spent many great years singing with The Mutants, along with her own solo career, and singing alongside other luminaries such as Michael Belfer, Debora Iyall, Cyndi Lauper, and Jim Carroll.

She won the SF Weekly Wammie Award for Outstanding Cabaret Performer, and is known for portraying Judy Garland in productions including Christmas With the Crawfords in 2001 and Imagine Judy Garland: An Evening With Connie Champagne in 2003. She won a 2007 San Francisco Bay Area Theater Critics Circle Award (BACTC) for her role in Goodbye Yellow Brick Road.

She's funny, irreverent, an excellent storyteller, and ready with a well-timed quip. It was a real pleasure - albeit a surprising one - hosting her tonight. 

Really, she was just swinging by to pick up her music stand. 

Much of the music tonight was a mix of what I brought down, mixed with what Daniel wanted to feature on 45". And then Connie made a bunch of requests, including a song of David Johnasen's that she covered! This woman has a story for every song. And I'm sure a song for every story.

You do not want to miss this one.

I may get to a formal write up about the FabMab/On Broadway show, including a bunch of pics I took. I have to thank Jess Lynn Goss of Mission Local for the wonderful write up on the show, which includes a bunch of great picture from the night, including one of my dear sweet daughter, Lauson Hell!!!!

Monday night I'm hosting Ramon from the band P.O.S. (Product and Society) and son of a member of Death Angel)), who is having his birthday party at the Fab Mab on March 13th. Come on down!

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

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I Don't Wanna Be A Soldier: John Lennon (Imagine - 1971)
Nuclear War: Sun Ra (A Fireside Chat With Lucifer - 1982)

Bend Me, Shape Me: The Models (7" - 1966)
Black Grease: The Black Angles (Passover - 2006)

Mind Your Business: Delta 5 (7" - 1979)
Death Train: The Bobby Lees (Bellevue - 2024)
Ça Plane Pour Moi: Plastic Bertrand (Ça Plane Pour Moi - 1978)
Toxic Revenge: Shannon and the Clams (Sleep Talk - 2011)

Interview with Connie Champagne

Slash Your Face: The Dogs (7" - 1978)
Gacy's Place: The Mentally Ill (7" - 1979)
Instant Coffee Land: Bruce Chowning (7" - 1979)
Motorcycle Boy: LA Witch (Play with Fire - 2020)
Everything's Gonna Be Alright: Big Mama Mae Thornton (With Muddy Waters Band - 1966)

Frenchette: Connie Champagne (La Strada - 1991)
So Hard: Some Japanese Band
Don't Talk About My Music: Dickens (7" - 1971)
I'm Bored: Iggy Pop (New Values - 1979)

Demolicion: Los Saicos (7" - 1965)
A Donde Van Los Muertos: Kinky (Reina - 2006)

Linda: Sleepers (7" - 1978)

Hell's Kitchen Radio #593: Bodhi Comes A Knockin'

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It took eight years, but my son Bodhi finally popped his radio cherry. Ew, that didn't sound right. That being said, he was really excited to come into the Radio Valencia studios Monday night to play his favorite K-Pop tunes for you all. 

I was thinking back to Lauson's first show when she played songs I wouldn't normally play for you all. Who cares?!?!? The joy of having this little guy in the studio outstripped any esoteric, dissonant tune I could have made you sit through. Then again, I think you know what I think about pop music.

I wasn't about to yuck his yum.

Bodhi and I listen to a lot of music and home, so he's already used to dad's taste. I encouraged him to play the songs that he likes, so you get a few tracks from the K-Pop Demon Hunters soundtrack. He loves the idea of this movie, but it's still a little scary fo him to
sit through. You have no idea how thrilled I am that he's not desensitized to scary films yet. He'll hide behind the couch sometimes. Considering what I accidentally did to Lauson when she was 5 or 6, I couldn't be happier that Bodhi will still cover his eyes.

It's all about the music for this little guy. He also pulled out a track from the Minecraft movie. 

Mom (Sgt. Sauce) was also in the studio, showing full support for our offspring. It's been many moons since she stepped behind the mic, and as always brought some great music along. 

I've marked their selections with "B" and "SS". 

I do what I do throughout, including interviewing our shrewd eight year old on all things of interest. 

Take a listen to the next generation of music aficionados here, and enjoy the banter along with the pop!

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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When The Levee Breaks: Led Zeppelin (IV - 1971)

Soda Pop: Saja Boys (K-Pop Demon Hunters - 2025) - B
Nancy From Now On: Father John Misty (Fear Fun - 2012)

Surf Rider: Il Est Vilaine (Surf Rider - 2015) - SS
Here and Now: The Black Angels (Wilderness of Mirrors - 2022)
The Wizard: Brownout (Brown Sabbath Vol. 1 - 2014)

Your Idol: Saja Boys (K-Pop Demon Hunters - 2025) - B
Motorcycle Boy: LA Witch (Play with Fire - 2020)
Ghouls: Wooden Shjips (Back To Land - 2013)

I Got Heaven: Mannequin Pussy (Live at KEXP - 2024) - SS
Memories of a Cut Off Head: OCS (Memories of a Cut Off Head - 2017)
The Waitress Song: First Aid Kit (Stay Gold - 2014)

Takedown: Huntrix (K-Pop Demon Hunters - 2025) - B
The Vow: Shannon and the Clams (The Moon is in the Wrong Place - 2024)
Jesus Christ: Big Star (Complete Third - Vol 3: Final Masters - 2017)

If System of a Down were from India: Nooran Sisters and SOAD - SS
Nimerudi (Salmagundi Version): GOAT + MC Yallah
Vay Dunya: Altin Gun (Gece - 2019)

How It's Done: Huntrix (K-Pop Demon Hunters - 2025) - B
Steve's Lava Chicken: Jack Black (Minecraft Movie - 2025) - B
Creep: Cover by mom and son - SS
What A Wonderful World: Louis Armstrong

Hell's Kitchen Radio #589: Rolling Through The Wax

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I've got local music writer Dave "Sasquatch Borracho" Pehling in the studio spinning tunes and talking up the record swap happening this Saturday, 11/22, at Makeout Room in SF, where I'll be spinning the records the vendors throw my way.

Dave is a local music writer and critic. If you're at a show in SF then you've seen Dave there. Dave may have the best ear for music for someone who doesn't host a radio show. Hmmmmm....

We traded sets throughout the night, with Dave sharing tracks from records he'll have up for sale at the swap. We talked a lot about the Bay Area music scene and how it continues to thrive.

Check out the playlist below, click on the link to hear the banter, and pull up to the record swap on Saturday. It's FREE! And there are drink specials to boot!

See you there.

jh

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

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Control: Amyl and the Sniffers (s/t - 2019)
Meet Your God: OFF! (Live From the BBC - 2015)
Immigrant Song: Dread Zeppelin (7" - 1990)
Bird Like Monkey: Melt Banana (7" - 1997)

Train Train: Blackfoot (Strikes - 1979)
Detroit Breakdown: J. Giles Band (Nightmares...and Other Tales from the Vinyl Jungle - 1974)
Snake: Jade Warrior (Last Autumn's Dread - 1972)

Broadcast Solutions: Terry Gross (Shameless Imposters 10" - 2017)
Empires Falling: Black Angels (Wilderness of Mirrors - 2022)
Just Dropped In: Mickey Newbury (Harlequin Melodies - 1968)

Season of the Witch: Lou Rawls (The Way It Was, The Way It Is - 1969)
For What It's Worth: Sergio Mendes (Stillness - 1970)
Suzuki 75: Carol and the Boston Garden (Knuckle Girls Comp - 2020)
Interplanet Janet: Man or Astroman (7" Schoolhouse Rock - 1996)

All I Want For Christmas is Halloween: Happy Fangs (7" - 2014)
Frankenstein's Alive: Middle Aged Queers (Too Fag For Love - 2020)
(Doin') The Kirk: The Mummies (Fuck You Spaceman! - 1996)
One More Time (Part 2): Bowlegs (Las Vegas Grind Vol. 6 - 2000)

I'd Rather Be The Devil: John Martin (So Far So Good - 1977)
Constant Elevation: Gravediggaz (6 Feet Deep - 1994)
Cosmic Sea: The Mystic Blues Orchestra (Awakening - 1973)

Fried Neckbones and Homefries: Giantes (s/t - 1976)

Hell's Kitchen Radio #586: Frolic In Hell

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Spooky times are heating up at Radio Valencia. This is a good thing.

We had a really great fundraiser last Sunday. Huge thanks to GRHNS Gallery and Bernadette for hosting us. And thanks to the three great bands: Janky Band, Rustangs, and Fantasy for rockin' out hard for everyone. We couldn't have pulled this off without the incredible skill of San Francisco sound man extraordinaire John Karr and his assistant Ethan. And thanks to Sully and 21st Amendment Brewery for throwing us some suds to serve. And thanks to everyone who came out and those who donated online.

All in all it was a really fine day.

As for this show it's mighty extraordinary in its own right. I pulled out some spooky tracks and my trainee, Annika, has a bunch of 50s and 60s-era treats to share. Annika is going to be hosting her own show Fridays 6-8pm. Tune in. She has excellent taste in music, that fits in mighty well at Radio Valencia.

I also paid tribute to Ace Frehley of KISS, who passed away last week. KISS was my first favorite band. I tell the story in the show. Check it out!

We have a number of new shows starting right now. Are you interested in hosting a show with us? Send us a show proposal to station@radiovalencia.fm

What are your plans for Halloween? I'm headed to New Orleans with Spawn of Hell for a weekend of fun and frolics!

In the meantime, check out the playlist below, click the link at the top and enjoy.

jh 

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

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I Walk With A Zombie: Roky Erickson (The Evil One - 1981)
Levitation: Groovie Ghoolies (Born in the Basement - 1994)
I See You In The Boneyard: Flesh Eaters (A Minute to Pray, A Second to Die - 1981)

Human Fly: The Cramps (Bad Music For Bad People - 1984)
A Touch of Evil: Man or Astroman (Shot in the Dark - 1996)
Ghouls Night Out: Misfits (S/T - 1983)

Exquisite Corpse: Bauhaus (The Sky's Gone Out - 1982)
What's He Building?: Tom Waits (Mule Variations - 1999) 
Mars - The Bringer of War: Tomita (Planets - 1976)

Working For A Dead Man: Eric McFadden Trio (Diamonds To Coal - 2010)
Linda Blair: Redd Kross (Born Innocent - 1982)

Black Grease: Black Angels (Passover - 2006)
Stranded in the Jungle: The Cadets (Stranded in the Jungle - 1957) - AD
You're Dead: Norma Tanega (Walkin' My Cat Named Dog - 1966) - AD
Just Me and You: Dreamliners (Just Me and You b/w Best Things In Life - 1961) - AD

I'm Shakin': Little Willie John (Sure Things - 1961) - AD
Ain't Got No Home: Clarence "Frogman" Henry (Ain't Got No Home - The Best of Clarence "Frogman" Henry (Reissue) - 1956) - AD
Whirlpool: Wanda Jackson (The Capitol Singles 1962-1963) - AD
Going Back To Where I Belong: Sugar Pie DeSanto (In The Basement: The Chess Recordings - 1962) - AD

Little Demon: Screamin' Jay Hawkins (Cow Fingers and Mosquito Pie - 1991) - AD
Love Potion No. 9 - Remastered / Single Version: The Clovers (The Best Of The Clovers (Love Potion No. 9) - 1959) - AD
Big Chief: Professor Longhair (New Orleans Funk: The Original Sound of Funk 1960 - 1975)
Mama Roux: Dr. John (New Orleans Funk: The Original Sound of Funk 1960 - 1975)

Parasite: KISS (Hotter Than Hell - 1975)
Cold Gin: KISS (Live - 1975)
Shock Me: KISS (Love Gun - 1977)

Rocket Ride: KISS (Alive II - 1977)
Tattoo Love Boys: Melvins and ShitKid (Bangers EP - 2019)

San Ber'dino: Frank Zappa and the Mothers of Invention (One Size Fits All - 1975)

Hell's Kitchen Radio #584: Does This Smell Right To You?

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How about another radio show where I play music that you never knew you needed? I like that idea. In a world where AI is telling you what to wear, watch, vote for, battle, digest, laugh at, point at, throw away, be disgusted towards, why not allow yourself a little freedom to listen to music curated by someone who digs in the crates to bring you something NOT generated by an algorithm?

At least while it's still legal to.  

Don't you get the feeling that we're going to come to a point where we'll decide on the ballot to allow our tech overlords to determine what we think?

Personally I don't believe in free will. True. I don't. I get to make my choices based on what's sitting in front of me. Not making a choice is still a choice. Isn't that a lyric somewhere? Thank you, Rush. 

So, all this being what it is, why not listen to some music that I had the "choice" to play for you tonight.

Highly inspired by Hardly Strictly Bluegrass, my first hour is chock full of Americana nuts, and other aural legumes. Nothing spectacularly new tonight, which is a rarity for me. You may have noticed I've taken to adding the album and release year on my playlist. Eventually I may even get to linking to wear you can buy it! I think I used to do that back in the day...when I used that choice to do so.

In the meantime, use your choice and listen to two hours using your own free will and I'll see you on the other side.

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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Magic: Zig Zags (Strange Masters Vol. 1 - 2024)
Mohawk Town: Paul Leary (Born Stupid - 2021)

King of California: Dave Alvin (King of California - 1994)

Every Grain of Sand: Emmylou Harris (Wrecking Ball - 1995)

The Devil's Chasing Me: Reverend Horton Heat (Full Custom Gospel Sounds of... - 1993)

Midnight Wine: Shannon and the Clams (Year of the Spider - 2021)
Don't Fall Down: The Black Angels (May The Circle Be Unbroken - 2021)

Delia's Gone: Johnny Cash (Murder - 2000)

Tonight, I Think I'm Gonna Go Downtown: Jimmy Dale Gilmore (After Awhile - 1991)

Jack the Ripper: Susan and the Surf Tones (Thunderbeach - 1996)

She Rode Me Down: Tindersticks (Falling Down on a Mountain - 2010)

Graveyard Shift: Uncle Tupelo (No Depression - 1990)

Crazy Fingers: Grateful Dead (Blues for Allah - 1975)

The Road Goes On Forever: Robert Earl Keen (No. 2 Live Dinner - 1996)

Kill the Badger: William S. Burroughs (Dead City Radio - 1990)

Dread Locks Corner: Prince Jazzbo (Ital Corner - 1976)

Home Affairs: Osibisa (Osibirock - 1974)

California Dreaming: Eddie Hazel (Game, Dames and Guitar Thangs  - 1977)

Azeta: Lafayette Afro Rock Band (Soul Makossa - 1973)

Black: Ken Nordine (Colors - 1995)

Potholderz: MF Doom (Mmm Food - 2007)

Ya Habibti: Mdou Moctar (Afrique Victime - 2021)

Three Hours: Nick Drake (Five Leaves Left - 1969)

Resolution/Revolution: Linda Lindas (No Obligation - 2024)

In The Great Gettin' Up Morning: The New Gospel Keys

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 #581: Last Goodbye

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I'm not really going anywhere. How could I? Monday nights just wouldn't be the same. Did you know I have been hosting a show on Monday nights since 2000, with only a brief break in there between radio stations? 

I was at San Francisco Liberation Radio from 2000-2003, then at Pirate Cat Radio and the FCCFree from 2006-2009, before starting Radio Valencia in 2010. And for each station I hosted the Monday 8pm show. It's like I'm some kind of institution. I don't care much for institutions, and I'm a teacher!

My years at KFJC (1989 - 1997) saw me hosting numerous slots during my tenure. When I was down at the "Wave of the West" one was required to host a graveyard shift (2am-6am) for a number of months and be signed off by the Program Director before you could take another shift. Graves are a good place to take risks. I took many, including once hosting my dear friend, Noa "The Watermonk of Dah", who, along with myself, played loud music and took calls of people making their "confessions" to myself, the Reverend Dah Wave, and Noa. That ridiculous show from 1990 almost got me kicked off the station, when my PD Les Scurry, confronted me in his very Napoleonic way, telling me what an embarrassing ass I was for that show, and since we didn't have a delay system, any one of the callers could have sworn live on the air and there would have been no way to cancel it out!

I have a cassette of the night and have only (partially) listened to it one time while I was driving over the San Mateo Bridge. This was probably in 1996 or so. I was driving alone and so embarrassed that I pulled the tape out and threw it in my backseat. I should have thrown it in the Bay. This means I still have it somewhere. 

oooh boy.

I have learned it's ok to embarrass yourself at least once a day. I tend to reach my quota by 9am. 

Tonight was all about me bringing a stack of music and figuring out just what to do with it. It came out pretty damn good!

I'm putting in some effort to list the album and year of song release. Let's see how long I keep this up. 

I won't be in this Monday night. I'm headed to The Chapel to see OSees! Never miss an OSees show! I return September 8th with local legend Scott Amendola, the drummer with the perpetual smile. We'll talk about his years playing for so many remarkable musicians, as well as promote his upcoming show at the Back Room on September 11th with SticklerPhonics.

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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Drug Train: The Cramps (Bad Music for Bad People
Riding By: Majestics

The Wriggle: Jack Hammer

My Heart is a Graveyard: The Darts (s/t 2017)

White Girl: X (Wild Gift 1980)

Catch These Fists: Wet Leg (Moisturizer 2025)

Beautiful World: DEVO (New Traditionalists 1981)

I Have A Radio: David Lynch (10" split with Dumb Numbers)

In Every Dream Home A Heartache: Roxy Music 

Sneaker: OSees (Abomination Revealed At Last 2025)

Riot Squad: The Hellflowers (7" split with Eastbay)

Icon: Black Angels (Wilderness of Mirrors 2022)

Titoli: Ennio Morricone (A Fistful of Film Music 1995)

I Had A Talk With My Woman: Tim Buckley (Lorca 1970)

Mighty Mighty (Spade and Whitey): Curtis Mayfield (Live 1971)

Get Out For #1: Janky Band

Death Train: Bobby Lees (Bellevue 2022)

Do You Take This Man? Diamanda Galas with John Paul Jones (The Sporting Life 1994)

Company Culture: Lambrini Girls (Who Let The Dogs Out 2025)

Caaqil: Sahra Halgan (Waa Dardaaran 2019)

It's A Shame: First Aid Kit (Ruins 2018)

Your Mother Should Know: The Beatles (Magical Mystery Tour 1967)

Messy Hens: Public Enemy (Black Sky Over The Projects- Apartment 2025)

Centrate: Podium (Podium 2020)

Seaweed Head: WAND (Vertigo 2024)

Celluloid Heroes: The Kinks (The Kinks Greatest Celluloid Heroes 1976)

John Hell's Live Bootleg Bonanza - Tuesdays 8-10PM Pacific - King Buffalo and The Black Angels

 

John Hell's Live Bootleg Bonanza

Tuesdays 8-10PM Pacific

http://radiovalencia.fm

DOWNLOAD THIS SHOW RIGHT HERE!!! 

Powerful stuff in this weeks show. Two bands with driving rhythms and hypnotic beats. 

I'm going to start off with a power trio out of Rochester, New York: King Buffalo. They have a smattering of full length LPs and some EPs, each one building on the previous. They have toured with legendary bands such as Uncle Acid and the Deadbeats, All Them Witches, The Sword, Clutch and Elder. If you know what those bands sound like, then you have a good idea of what you're in for here. Buckle up.

This show is from the Freak Valley Festival 2023 in Netphen, Germany, June 09, 2023

Lineage: LIVE Webcast -> Streamlink -> ffmpeg (edit) -> uncompressed .ts

Video: MPEG4 Video (H264) 1920x1080 16:9 5162 Kbps 50.00 fps

Audio: AAC (LC) 128 Kbps 48000 KHz stereo

Our headliners tonight are a band that I saw back up Roky Erickson at The Chapel in 2008. I loved what they brought to his music and have been following them peripherally up until recently when I took a deeper dive. And I'm happy I did.

The Black Angels out of Austin, Texas truly are connoisseurs of the Texas Psych sound. I can't help but get lost in what I'm hearing. I'm particularly excited about their first release, "Passover". And their most recent "Wilderness of Mirrors" has made me stop what I'm doing to listen more closely. I'm excited to see them at The Chapel on September 6th.

For tonight's show I chose Art Rock Festival, Saint-Brieuc, France on June 4, 2017. This is during the Death Song tour. 

Lineage: Codec: AAC

Channels:    Stereo

Bitrate:     16000 Bps / 128 kbps

Frequency:    48000 Hz

I know you're going to dig this!

Next week tune in for Billy Strings "opening" for Robert Plant and Allison Krauss.

Enjoy and please share.

jh

Hell's Kitchen Radio #431: The Right String But The Wrong Yoyo

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How has time changed for you over the past year? Some days, when I'm busy teaching, grading, cleaning up the Hellhole, and caring for the Hell spawn, it seems to fly right by, leaving me wonder where the Hell all this free time is? Then there are days when I fell it drag right along, as if the seconds are actually ticking backwards. What are we going to remember about this time a decade from now? Is there anything you have been putting off that you really need to get to before we all head back out into the world we think we knew? How do you want to approach the post-pandemic world? Will you rush back in, jumping at the chance to go everywhere and see everyone? Or are you going to slowly ease in, keeping your mask on deep into 2021, and quietly judging anyone who has the gall to walk around without a mask?

What's it going to be?

I received my two Pfizer vaccinations a few weeks back, with no side effect besides a minor soreness at the injection site, and I'm keeping my mask on until we're given the go ahead to take it off. I don't want to be the guy who can't get sick, but carries the virus and gets others sick. Not on my watch!

Since San Francisco is moving closer to the yellow tier, this means that Radio Valencia is getting closer to opening our new studio at 3227 22nd Street. This is a storefront location, and I cannot wait to start broadcasting my show live from there. I hunger for the energy of our own studio once again, interviewing people, getting loud, and letting my hair down. Don't get me wrong, the concept of doing my show from my bedroom is oh so much fun, but being reminded that it's Bodhi's bedtime, and not to talk so loudly is really putting a crimp in my style. KnowWhatIMean?

That being said, I'm really excited about this recent show of mine. I was off last week, so I had a lot of music saved up to share with you all. I think I painted the scene nicely. You let me know what you think. Feel free to leave a comment, and thanks for all those who chatted me up this past Monday night. Keep it comin'.

Enjoy.

jh

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

Follow Radio Valencia on Twitter
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Sunshine, Lollipops and Rainbows: Leslie Gore
Beverly Hills: Circle Jerks
House Rent Blues: John Lee Hooker
China Doll: Joe Craven and the Sometimers

Fig Tree: Bunny Wailer
Rowche Rumble: The Fall
Hurricane: The Coathangers

Personified: Optic Sink
UZI (Pinky Ring): Wu Tang Clan
A Shot in the Dark: Naked City
Soul Kitchen: The Black Angels

Oh It's Such A Shame: Jay Reatard
We Had Love: Mudhoney
Housewife From Hillsdale: The Guttersluts
I'm A Man: Muddy Waters and Bo Diddley

Fuck You: Melvins
Pretty Good: John Prine
Highway Cafe: Tom Waits
Don't Fence Me In: Roy Rogers

Funky Broadway: Delroy Wilson
Freak Out: My Brightest Diamond
Mark of Vaccination: Slim Cessna's Auto Club
Paradiso: Konono No. 1

Makin' Woopie: Ella Fitzgerald (Ellis Larkins - Piano)
Lord of Lightning: King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard
Earthquake: 13th Floor Elevators

The Nile Song: Pink Floyd
Good Night, Sleep Tight: Lawrence Welk Singers

A Season in Hell #91: Where'd I Put That Deodorant?

It's been a while since I've had two full hours to play music with no feature. Though I really did enjoy the Europe 72 eight week special. Thanks for all of your comments.

Tonight I have a lot of new music, and some real classics you've probably never heard.

You can stream this show here.
You can download this show and enjoy it at the beach, here.
You can hear all of my previous shows by scrolling down or clicking here. 

Enjoy.

Inner Ear Rupture: Melvins Lite
Baby, Won't You Weird Me Out: Melvins Lite

Mayla: Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros
Everyday: Thee Vicars
Sovereignty: Japandroids

I Wanna Go Out: Teen Mom
Tom Dula (Neil Young Cover): Indian Wars
Young Men Dead: The Black Angels
Here Comes The Light: Coves

I See the Void: Sonny and the Sunsets
Two Lovers: Delicate Steve
Satisfied: Tom Waits

Born To Die: King Khan & The Gris Gris
Dimes for Nickles: JD McPherson
Love Whip: Reverend Horton Heat
Games of Fear: The Resonars

Interview with Rotten Ronnie Donovan

The Earnest Of Being George [Mono]: Bee Gees
To Love Somebody: James Carr

Red House: Jimi Hendrix (live in Hawaii)
Gor Det Nu: Dungen
Rising: Wooden Shjips
Bang Bang: Nancy Sinatra
Looking Out My Window: Tom Jones
Fuck the Police (Edit): NWA

Funky Kingston: Toots and the Maytals
Jesus was way Cool: King Missile