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.
Radio is seduction. I like seduction. it just feels good. And who doesn't like to feel good. And this here show just keeps getting hotter and hotter until it climaxes in just the perfect way at just the perfect moment. And like any good seduction, there are twists and turns, a pull back here and there, a tease, a touch, a tickle. And throughout there are hints at what's to come.
Not go give anything away, but I should have worn gloves.
Every time I have Daniel from the FabMab into the studio I'm afraid the turntables are going to catch on fire. The banter, the wit, the inside jokes! All of it is worth it when you get to hear what we both brought in for your pleasure to night.
The anticipation is just killing me.
Enjoy and please share.
jh
Hell's Kitchen Radio with John Hell Mondays 8-10PM Pacific Radio Valencia in SF http://radiovalencia.fm
Tattoo Love Boys: Melvins and ShitKid (EP - 2021) Hey Hey What Can I Do: Led Zeppelin (7" - 1970...but I slooooooooowed it down)
TV Is From Outer Space: Butch Willis and the Rocks (Forthcoming - 1986) Lexicon Devil: Germs (7" - 1978) Deuce: Redd Kross (Teenage Babes from Monsanto - 1984)
Requiem of Confusion: Shinki Chen (And His Friends - 1971) I Don't Want It: Montrose (S/T - 1973) Algo Ha Cambiado: Pappo (Pappo's Blues, Vol. 1 - 1970) Fighting Cock: Rotomagus (7" - 1971) Anti-Love Song: Betty Davis (S/T - 1973)
Hypodermic Needle: Novak's Kapelle (7" - 1968) Babydoll: Eric McFadden Trio with Robin Coomer (Diamonds to Coal - 2010) Chocolate Piano: Orang-Utan (S/T - 1971) She Shook Me Cold: David Bowie (The Man Who Sold The World - 1971)
Satan: Freshwater (7" - 1970) Mohawk Town: Paul Leary (Born Stupid - 2021) Come On Over (Turn Me On): Isobel Campbell and Mark Lanegan (Sunday At Devil Dirt - 2008)
The Fire of Love: The Gun Club (Miami - 1982) Broke My Own: Shannon Shaw (In Nashville - 2018) You Got It: Pearl Harbor and the Explosions (S/T - 1980) Only Son of a Ladies Man: Father John Misty (Fear Fun - 2012)
Nervous Breakdown: Black Flag (7" - 1978) Rise: PIL (Album - 1978)
I missed you all last week when I saw Melvins and Napalm Death at Great American Music Hall. How much fun was that? I think we both know the answer to that one. And to top it off, Jello Biafra joined in the fun singing Nazi Punks Fuck Off and ended the song with a stage dive. Good God, Man, people had to carry you. You practically took someone's head off.
Great show though.
This was an inspired show. There's a flow in the musical sets. Just take a look for yourself. Do you see it? You see it, right? You see it?
Paying some love to Amyl and the Sniffers to start out. I took the fabulous Lauson Hell to see them last week at The Fox Theater. There's some new Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds. You do have your tickets to the show at the Bill Graham Civic in May, right?
Can I confide in you? I'll have to wait until you leave a comment or something.
I'll wait.
In the meantime, there's some spaghetti westers, jazz flute, misogynist funk, obscure SF punk, not-so-obscure SF punk. Then I moved the punk down the coast and eventually across the pond. Do we still say that? I end with some Linda Lindas because they ROCK!
Monday, April 21st I'm hosting an Iggy Pop birthday special, part one. I can't wait to celebrate Papa Stooge. Tune in and be my dog.
Enjoy and please share.
jh
Hell's Kitchen Radio with John Hell Mondays 8-10PM Radio Valencia in SF http://radiovalencia.fm
I was asked recently which genre of music defined me the best. This is an almost impossible question to answer. We used to play this game during the weekly KFJC meetings, during the new music run-through, where the person who reviewed the record had to tell us what the genre was. The unspoken role was to come up with the most creative genre to describe the music. Let's just say a lot of hyphens were used during these discussions. Considering the audience I was in front of when I was asked this question, I kept it simple: punk. As much as I love funk, soul, jazz, Grateful Dead (yes, they are their own genre, IMHO), prog, psych, Japanese-ambient-psych-noise, Mississippi Records compilations, electro-kraut-Appalachian-new-wave, punk seems to be my default.
Looking at my live music collection I noticed I haven't shared that many punk shows during this slot, so tonight I have three great west coast punk bands squeezed into two hours.
First up, SST champions: Black Flag. There would be no SST without Greg Ginn. He founded the label to put out Black Flag records, and the records of his friend's bands. And good for us! This show is a real treat. It's the Henry Rollins era from April 6, 1984, in his own Washington DC backyard. I love the energy of an east coast punk audience. You will too.
The second hour features two Mike Watt bands. First up is the legendary Minutemen from The Stone in San Francisco, March 1, 1985. I often wonder what would have happened to this band, and to D Boon specifically, if he hadn't passed away. So much talent there. This is such a great show. Every song played to its best, in front of a crowd of Minutemen enthusiasts.
If you miss seeing live music as much as I have, then I think you're really going to enjoy my Monday night Live Bootleg Bonanza on Radio Valencia. I have thousands of shows from hundreds of artists and bands, spanning many genres. Every Monday is a chance for me to share some treats with you. I hope you enjoy and share the music. MAKE A REQUEST!!!
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.
Stick around Monday's 8-10PM Pacific for my weekly music mix, Hell's Kitchen Radio. Lots of new music to share with you every week.
Enjoy and pay it forward.
jh
Hell's Kitchen Radio with John Hell Mondays 8-10PM Pacific Radio Valencia in SF
Listen into all my shows here! Subscribe to my show, via Subscribe to my Spotify Podcast HERE!
Sometimes I just need the music to do the talking. I. Am. Pissed. Aren't you? What fresh kind of hell are we living in today? Unprecedented, unhinged, fragile masculinity, a show of strength, phony religious grandstanding, narcissistic mind fuck, controlling the news cycle. He thinks this is all a TV show and he's the star, and WHY DON'T YOU LOVE ME??????MOMMY??????DADDY????????
Someone needs a hug.
This show is all about protests and revolution. I have been to my share. There is so much I could have played, and isn't that telling? I also chose some important speeches I hope you'll find interesting and important during this time of struggle. Malcolm X, Angela Davis, MLK Jr. Mumia Abu Jamal all have something to say about protest and revolution.
And we thought the pandemic alone was going to define 2020? We're not even half way through the year, and there's an election in November, if we can keep it.
Fight the good fight, and all power to the people, always.
Your brother,
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
I do love training a future great DJ. Tonight I had Ruffin the Love Muffin in the studio with me. He's getting ready to take on his own slot, and I get the extreme pleasure to take him through all the paces.
Janis Joplin passed 49 years ago last week, so I felt the need to bring out the goods: a classic live Ball and Chain from 68. This is a Big Mama Thornton cover, so I had to throw in some original Big Mama Mae, doing her dripping hot Hound Dog. Elvis never did it this good.
New music from Kim Gordon, and some other classics that are new to you.
I'm a wee bit behind on posting my shows over the past few months, so I'll be getting those up sporadically over the next few weeks...I hope.
Thanks for the love.
Enjoy.
jh
Hell's Kitchen Radio with John Hell Mondays 8-10PM Radio Valencia in SF http://radiovalencia.fm
Bottle Up And Go: The Monkeywrench
Hound Dog: Big Mama Thornton
Ball and Chain: Big Brother and the Holding Company (May 4, 1968, Shrine Expo, LA, CA)
White Bird: It's A Beautiful Day
Stir It Up (In the Pot): Lee "Scratch" Perry
Heaven Knows I'm Miserable Now: The Smiths
Scream: Black Flag
I Am The Walrus: Pop-O-Pies
Viscous: Lou Reed
World In My Eyes: Depeche Mode
Clash City Rockers: The Clash
Shrinking Moon For You: Wooden Shjips
By The Time I Get To Phoenix: New York Underground Funk Band
It Ain't Me Babe: Bryan Ferry
Let The Boy Rock and Roll: Flamin' Groovies
The White Man's Got A God Complex: Last Poets
Louie Louie: Richard Berry
Safe in Hell: Sonic Youth
Cookie Butter: Kim Gordon
Vortex of Lies: Mudhoney
I'm Not The One: The Cars
Control: Amyl and the Sniffers
What A Wonderful World: Louie Armstrong
Download 45 Revolutions Per Magic HERE! Listen into all my shows here! Subscribe to my show, via
Sometimes I giggle when I look at my 7" collection. It's true. And when I have to purchase another 7" box to hold them in, I get all silly, thinking about how I'm going to organize them. True story.
You may recall a year ago when I moved out of SF to Berkeley I misplaced my entire 7" collection along with a few important books of mine. I found the mis-labeled box a few months later, but not until I had already re-purchased a few of the missing 45s. I was so frustrated thinking that someone would have had the balls to snatch and grab a very heavy box full of my babies. Thankfully I found it buried in my storage shed behind my home, safe and sound, and ready to be played full blast once again.
On my most recent show it's all about the 7"s (with a few 10"s thrown in, because who doesn't appreciate a quality 10"?). And it's not all rock either. Take a look at the playlist below. Rap, soul, garage, punk, Bowie, rock, psych. I've got it all covered.
I close out the show with a tribute to the Grateful Dead's longest tenured keyboardist, Brent Mydland, who's last show was on this day in 1990 (June 26). I was never a fan of his voice, but he had the Hammond B3 sound down. He just couldn't battle his demons anymore. I have a memory of walking in the lot during a show during the summer of 1989, reading a copy of Dupree's Diamond News (a Dead zine/sheet written for and distributed to Heads in the parking lot before shows). DDN made a statement that the "rumors" of Brent being back on heroin were false; he was clean and sober. He would be dead of a vicious overdose. Too bad Jerry wasn't scared straight from the experience.
I'm out of the office this coming Monday night, and I'm really hoping that our premier fill-in DJ Dial-A-Shot will be taking over. The man ROCKS! I'll have a classic Hell's Kitchen Radio show lined up if he doesn't make it in, and I look forward to manning the helm again the following Monday at 8PM.
Radio Valencia is turning 8 years old on August 11. Be sure to wish us a happy birthday! We like dark chocolate and garage rock.
Enjoy.
jh
Hell's Kitchen Radio with John Hell Mondays 8-10PM Radio Valencia in SF http://radiovalencia.fm
Don't Forget to Breathe: The Melvins
Notes and Chords Mean Nothing to Me: Redd Kross
Goin' Back to Cali: LL Cool J
Emma: Hot Chocolate
Girl, You'll Be A Woman Soon: Urge Overkill
People Get Ready: The Chambers Brothers
Fantastic Voyage: David Bowie
***San Mateo Set***
Lieutenant Uhuru: Three Stoned Men
Legend of Sleepy Hollow: The Mummies
Andalusia: The Phantom Surfers
Hey Hey What Can I Do: Led Zeppelin (You have never heard it played like this before)
Deezy: Honky (Jeff Pinkus of Butthole Surfers ROCK band. Think ZZ Top on meth!)
Brainded Warrior: Zig Zags
Kick Out The Jams: Afrika Bambaatta
Rock Box: Run DMC
Macho Man: Artless
Louie Louie: Black Flag
You Stupid Asshole: Mudhoney
Another Way: Mono Men
Let's Get Funky: Jack O'Fire
Lights Out: Wooden Shjips
Observatory: Carlton Melton
Drone: Here Are The Facts You Requested
Bloody Hammer: Roky Erickson
Download Your Destiny HERE! Listen into all my shows here, or just scroll down Subscribe to my show, via
Sometimes a show just hits right away. Tonight was one of those nights. I have never made it a habit of preparing much for my show. I usually have an idea for a theme, but there are many shows, including this one, where I had a few songs I knew I wanted to share, but other than that I go by feel.
I believe this was a standout show, and I hope you agree. Take a look at the playlist below, and stream or download to your heart's content.
Join me on Thursday, February 1st at the SF Eagle for a memorial for our late friend, and horniest horn man, Ralph Carney. Ralph-A-Palooza promises to be a great show, with some brilliant and talented performers.
Enjoy.
jh
Hell's Kitchen Radio with John Hell Mondays 8-10PM Radio Valencia in SF http://radiovalencia.fm
Stream the spontaneity, HERE! Download blind luck, HERE! Listen into all my shows here, or just scroll down
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Spontaneity is the name of the game sometimes, in radio. I often stare at my immense record collection, and think to myself "self, why don't you just blindly choose a bunch of LPs to take to the studio with you, and whatever strikes your fancy, go with it?". This is pretty much what I did Monday night. And boy howdy if it didn't pay off, too!
A few tributes (PF Sloan passed away, as did Mitch Mitchell (who actually died in 2008, but I believe everything I read on Facebook, obviously)); some tasty live treats, some local tunes, and a speech as relevant today as it was when it was delivered over 70 years ago.
I was training a new Radio Valencia DJ tonight, and later in the show, the banter gets pretty hilarious.
Take a look at the playlist below. You can download and stream this show by clicking on the links above. Please share this with all of your music-loving friends.
Next Monday, November 23, from 8-10PM on Radio Valencia is my 5th annual ANNUAL ANNUAL! It's all about 1975 for two whole hours! And this isn't your old man's 10 at 10, either. Guitar hero, Eric McFadden may drop by. He knows a thing or two about good music.
Eve of Destruction: PF Sloan
Voodoo Chile: Jimi Hendrix Experience (Live 1969)
The Midnight Special: Harry Belafonte
Wooden Ships: Crosby, Nash (March 26, 1972 - Winterland, SF, CA)
Just Like Tom Thumbs Blues: Bob Dylan (July 5, 1965 Manchester, UK)
Can Halen mashup
Fangsgiving: Happy Fangs
Sunless Saturday: Fishbone
Broken Sun: Wand
Bombay Calling: It's A Beautiful Day
Cantor de Mambo: Os Mutantes
En Gang Om Aret: Dungen
***Set of the night***
I Swallowed A Dragonfly: Heartless Bastards
I Wish A Mothafucka Would: Queen Crescent
Charlie Chaplin Incredible Speech
Move On Up: Curtis Mayfield
Sugaree: Grateful Dead (May 22, 1977 Hollywood Sportatorium, Pembroke, FL)
The Mercy Seat: Johnny Cash
Stream Punk Sensibilities, HERE! Download History in the Making, HERE! Listen into all my shows here, or just scroll down Subscribe to my show, via
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.
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.
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
Stream 7 amazing inches, HERE! Download rare musical genius HERE! Listen into all my shows here, or just scroll down Subscribe to my show, via
Time to delve back into my 7" collection. Yes, I own 7" 45s and 33s. You don't What the hell is wrong with you? There's something here for everyone. Take a gander at the playlist. And please share this among your friends.
Next Monday night, Labor Day, local rockers Happy Fangs will be in the studio, talking up their upcoming show. Also, there's a Punk Renaissance happening September 20-27, and I'll be talking to the organizers in the second hour. Hell's Kitchen Radio, Monday, 8-10PM on Radio Valencia.
Stream this hellishness, HERE! Download your destiny, HERE! Listen into all my shows here, or just scroll down
Baron Scott Levkoff makes his second appearance on A Season in Hell, talking up his Spooktacular upcoming show: Mr. Nobody's Spookeasy.
If there is one holiday show to see, it's this one. I'm not kidding, this guy has put in way too much of his life into this performance, and it pays off in spades. Spooky, thrilling, spades!
Great Green Gobs of Greasy Grimy Gopher Guts: Penn Jillette
King Sandbox: Mudhoney
The House on the Hill: The Mummies
Ain't Talkin' About Love: Minutemen
Interview with Baron Scott Levkoff
Powerhouse: Raymond Scott
Interview with Baron Scott Levkoff
There They Go Go Go: Carl Stalling
Salt Peanuts: Charlie Parker
Interview with Baron Scott Levkoff
And The Address: Deep Purple
Lost in My World: Dug Dugs
Beijo Exagerado/Todo Mundo Pastou: Os Mutantes
Familj: Dungen
The Bunk Up: The Melvins
Hey: Butthole Surfers
Southern California: Flipper
Police Story: Black Flag
Seasick: Free Kitten
Coup de Grace: Motorhead
Secret Phantasies of the Dragon Sun: Hot Fog
Adhere: Black Monolith
Check out all of my shows by going here, or just scroll down.
It's all about 7 inches tonight. 45s people! Traditionally the 45 RPM single was the hallmark of the bands current release. It was the song they wanted to feature. Unless of course you were The Beatles, whose American label: Capitol Records, would take the 14 song LP they released in Europe, take two songs off and release those as singles on their own. Record labels suck!
Over time, bands who only had a few songs to share would press them on 45. There were even ads in the back of magazines in the 1960s and 1970s that would turn you into a recording star. All you had to do was send a cassette of your song to them and they would press it on 45! There are some real winners there. And when I say "winners" I'm sure you realize how subjective that term is.
In my own youth, we had dozens of 45s in the homestead. I relate this story during the second hour of the broadcast. It was New Years 1974 I believe, and my father was late coming home from work. We were living in Toledo, Ohio, my birthplace, and my father owned a small jewelry store, Phillips Jewelers, that also sold trinkets along with fine jewelery. As he was locking up to come home and take my very patient mother out for a New Years celebration, he stopped into the store next to his own, to wish a Happy New Year to the owner of the shop that sold billiard tables, and jukeboxes.
The story goes, the owner asked my dad to come in and have a drink to celebrate the new year. My father obliged. Many drinks, and a few hours later, may father realizes that he's very late, and needs to get home. He also realizes that he better not go home empty handed.
Meanwhile my mother is dressed and ready to go out to celebrate. I'm about 4 years old at the time. My sisters are 10 and 11 years old. I'm certain we had a babysitter there too. My father is late. Very late. Mother is not pleased.
Here comes dad.
Mom opens the door. There stands my father, looking much the worse for wear. He beacons "I bought a BIG record player", and proceeds to fall flat on his face.
My father told his friend to throw a bunch of 45s into a jukebox and follow him home. It was mostly the hits of the day: R&B, Soul, Rock, and many, many Dr. Demento-type favorites, some of which I played on the show tonight.
Whatever happened to that jukebox? It lived in four of our homes, between New Years 74/75 and 1979. It even lived in my bedroom in Greensboro, North Carolina for a year, because that's the only place it would fit. It scared the hell out of me at night; it looked to me like a robot. It was huge.
But I played that thing all of the time. Every record on the machine became my friend. I understood growing up what it meant to be a "hit". Perhaps that's why I've stayed so far away from commercial radio. I think it made me allergic to hit singles! Wow, that's a serious revelation I've just had.
So tonight it's all about the "hits"! How many of these do you recall? There are some real doozies on this playlist. Listen to the podcast. I tell some fun stories, including the one you just read about. Thanks dad, for going out for that drink...or three. I'm sure it really pissed my mother off, but unbeknownst to you, that night had a profound effect upon my life.
Enjoy.
jh
A Season in Hell with John Hell
Mondays 8-10PM
Radio Valencia, 87.9FM in SF http://radiovalencia.fm
Earache My Eye: Alice Bowie
Mary Mary: Run DMC
Unknown Museum Stomp: Phantom Surfers
I've Been Everywhere: Hank Snow
Why Can't We Live Together: Timmy Thomas
Along Came Jones: The Coasters
People Get Ready: The Chambers Brothers
Can I Get A Witness: Rod Stewart
Ruby Tuesday: The Rolling Stones
I Need You: The Kinks
The Kids Are Alright: The Who
Immigrant Song: Led Zeppelin
Peter Gunn Theme: Art of Noise
Going Back to Cali: LL Cool J
Rise Above: Black Flag
Kick Out The Jams: MC5
You Got It: Mudhoney
Gary Gilmore's Eyes: The Adverts
Major Tom (German): Peter Schilling
Fantastic Voyage: David Bowie
Me and My Arrow: Harry Nilsson
Glad All Over: The Dave Clark Five
Interplanet Janet: Man or Astroman?
Please, Please, Please: James Brown
Rubber Biscuit: Chips
My Ding-a-Ling: Chuck Berry
Shaving Cream: Benny Bill
Fish Heads: Barnes and Barnes
The Curly Shuffle: Jump 'N The Saddle
Lumberjack Song: Monty Python
Smoke Two Joints: The Toyes
17 Days: Prince
Down On The Corner: Creedence Clearwater Revival
Listen to this show right here!!!
