Hell's Kitchen Radio #246: Best of 2015

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Tonight it's my BEST OF 2015 show! I don't really trust these shows. It's really what the DJ enjoyed the most throughout the year. But isn't that the idea? You don't want to hear what the major media publications think was the best of the year. You want a seasoned DJ veteran, who has over 25 years of underground, eclectic radio experience to tell you what's best. Yes you do. And then you're going to go out and purchase all that music and go see those artists live in concert. Yes you are. You're going to share this list with your friends, and tell them how much better you are than them, because you know what's really the best, since you tune into such a hip and happening underground radio station, run by the DJs who are truly in the know. Yes we are!

Really though, this was an excellent year in music. Ty Segall had at least four releases, Wand had two; Dungen came out with their first release in seven years. Sleater Kinney came out with a great new record, their first in eight years. Swervedriver released their first LP in 17 years! There was some tasty local cuts that found room in the record stacks too. Queen Crescent, Shannon and the Clams, and Golden Void all graced the airwaves with new cuts in 2015.

This show nowhere scratches the surface of the best of the year, but it's a start. Tune into Radio Valencia throughout the month of December to hear what our many other fine, and experienced DJs have to offer up as their BEST OF 2015. Put it all together and you may just have the best of the best collection of what music was hot in a year that is quickly fading away.

Next Monday night will be my last show for the year. I'm taking December 28th off to go check out Dead and Co. at the Bill Graham Civic. The tour has sounded great. John Mayer doesn't suck as much as I thought he would. Huh, what do you think of that? I look forward to hearing what they have in store. I saw the Grateful Dead perform at the Civic a few times, between 1987-1988. After that, they got too big to perform in venues of that size. Too bad. So next Monday, being my last show of the year, I thought it wise and apropos to wrap up my celebration of the 50th anniversary of the Grateful Dead by playing two hours of LIVE DEAD!!! I know you want to hear that. and who could blame you, really? I've got plenty to play, so tune in 8-10PM (PDST) next Monday night, December 21st.

Have I told you lately how much I love radio?

Enjoy.

jh

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

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Self Hypnosis in 3 Days: WAND
How Long?: Shannon and the Clams

Pish: The Brian Jonestown Massacre
Feel: Ty Segall
Cool Slut: Chastity Belt

The Night Josh Tillman Came to Our Apartment: Father John Misty
Feel Like: Mikal Cronin
The Mirror: Damaged Bug

Sticky Hulks: Thee Oh Sees
Culture Vulture: Queen Crescent
Snakeskin: Deerhunter

Astral Plane: Golden Void
Sapokanikan: Joanna Newsome
Drug Mugger: Ty Segall
Dimed Out: Titus Andronicus

Autodidact: Servedriver
Acetate: Metz
A New Wave: Sleater Kinney

Double Fine: Honky
Sista Festen: Dungen
Slime: Zig Zags

Pollinate: Fuzz
Wilding: Moon Duo
Half-Life Crisis: Jim O'Rourke

Chinatown: Girlpool

My daughter is a huge fan of Bob's Burgers, and because of me she's also really into Portlandia. This video should make her doubly happy.

Hell's Kitchen Radio #240: A Rainy Night At Radio Valencia

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It's Sunday night, and I realized that I have yet to post my blog from last Monday. What the hell was I thinking?!?!? It's been one busy week, I can assure you. But that is no excuse for not getting the people what they want. And you want quality radio podcasts, don't you? Don't lie to me. I know how much you enjoy my well-considered playlists. I know you wait with baited breath for my mic breaks, where I'll wax poetic about the San Francisco of yore. Or perhaps, I'll bitch and complain about the cost of rents? Last Monday I think I went on a bender about a former student of mine (I'm a local SF public school teacher, but you knew that, because you tune in regularly and listen to me talk about my kids), and how falsely (?) blamed him for stealing my door stop, which just so happened to be a plastic baby's arm.

Now you too can stream or download this show and relive that fabulous story, and many more. This show also featured a tribute to the great jazz engineer, Rudy Van Gelder, on his 91st birthday. I played a few rain songs in celebration of the fact that it rained in SF for the first time in about 6 months, and I played a few songs to get you ready for our crappy election, where our lame "I'm never going to run for mayor" Mayor won a second term. Douchebag.

There's a very slowed down Alvin and the Chipmunks song, some classic rock you may or may not have ever heard before, new music from noteworthy local bands, and more.

Check out the playlist below.

This Monday night I'm excited to have local rockers Happy Fangs in the studio, where I won't ask them one damn question about themselves, their new record, or their tour. No I won't. Nope. Instead, they're guest DJing, which means I get to kick back and let them make the playlist.

Tune in every Monday night from 8-10PM for the finest in the fine sounds going down in the downtown, with me, John Hell. You can also subscribe to my iTunes podcast link and get the show downloaded to your iTunes every week. You can find the link above. Thanks to the over 300 of you who subscribe already!

Enjoy.

jh

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

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Billie's Bounce: Charlie Parker
Status Quo: Cliff Jordan and John Gilmore

Ease Back: Grant Green
Loran's Dance: Idris Muhammad

Rain: Bernadette Seacrest and her Yes Men
See The Sky About To Rain: Neil Young
Make it Rain: Tom Waits

Rainy Night in SOHO: The Pogues
I'll Be Your Lover Too: Van Morrison
Every Mother's Son: Traffic
What Do You Want From Life: The Tubes

Southern Politician: Willie DeVille
Elected: Alice Cooper
Call Me (slowed down): Alvin and the Chipmunks

Paranoid: Golden Void
Headbanger: King Tuff
We Are What You Are: White Hills
Careful With That Axe, Eugene: Pink Floyd

European Son: Thee Oh Sees

Cold, Rain and Snow: The Grateful Dead

Hell's Kitchen Radio #237: Devil Doll

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Every week I knowingly select more music than I will ever play. I do this, because radio is an artform. It's an empty canvas. I need to fill it, and I need to have the appropriate materials to do so. So much good music to share. Take a look at this blistering playlist below. And you can hear it in my voice. There was a lot of hooting and hollering goin' on.

I'm going to start identifying what I feel was "best of set", as each week there's always that set that is just more awesome than the others. For this show it was absolutely justified. See below.

This Sunday at The Chapel, on Valencia, Ty Segall's side project, FUZZ, is opening for one of my top 5 desert island bands, MUDHONEY! If you don't have tickets, too bad for you: it's sold out! I cannot wait to sweat the night away, in what promises to be an amazing show. Fuzz has a new record out too, which you know will be on turntable A in the Radio Valencia studios next Monday night.

In the meantime, check out the playlist below, and click on the Dl or stream above.

Enjoy.

jh

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

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Border Radio: The Blasters
Devil Doll: X
River of Fever The Flesh Eaters

Dismissive: OBN IIIs
Fun House (Take 5): The Stooges (RIP Steve Mackay)

Where Eagles Dare: Bratmobile
Alan's Psychedelic Breakfast: Pink Floyd (for DocBot)
Crimson: Ken Nordine
Jean-Pierre: Miles Davis

***BEST OF SET***

In 'n Out of Grace: Mudhoney
One: Fuzz
There She Goes, My Beautiful World: Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds

In the Cartoon: Clown Alley (for John Law)
Young Man Blues: Altamont

It Hurts Me Too: Grateful Dead with Duane Allman (02/11/70 - Fillmore East, NYC)
Sova: Dungen

Storm and Feather: Golden Void
I Don't Want Nobody To Get Me Nothing: Grant Green

How about some live Mudhoney to get you warmed up for Sunday night?

Hell's Kitchen Radio #235: Birthday Treat

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It's my BIRTHDAY, so that means that I get to play what I want. That's pretty much every week, or so you think. Most weeks I take a few requests, and like to even stretch my own comfort zone. Tonight it's all about what John Hell wants to hear. Just take a gander at that playlist!

There's some amazing new music from Sweden's Dungen, SF's Golden Void, and Austin's OBN IIIs, as well Thee Oh Sees from earlier this year, and even this new band, that you really need to look out for: The Flat Earthers (full disclosure: that's my band).

Still celebrating the 50th anniversary of the Grateful Dead, I played a gem from this date in 1972, from New Jersey. I actually played quite a few live tracks tonight. 

I'm sure you'll find the music and banter worthy of your time. Please share this with your music-loving friends.

Enjoy.

jh

PS: I like chocolate

PPS: With sea salt

PPPS: And caramel

Hell's Kitchen with John Hell
Mondays 8-10PM
Radio Valencia in SF
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Little Red Hen: Taj Mahal

On The Road Again: Canned Heat

I've Been Loving You Too Long: Otis Redding

Feelin' Alright: Joe Cocker Mad Dog's and Englishmen

Basta: Louis Prima and Keely Smith

Howling Wolf: Muddy Waters

Funky Woman: Parliament

Why Does Love Got To Be So Bad: Derek and the Dominoes

Done Somebody Wrong: Allman Brothers Band

Game is my Middle Name: Betty Davis

Me and Baby Brother: War

Franks Kaktus: Dungen

The Beacon: Golden Void

Withered Hand: Thee Oh Sees

4KD: OBN IIIs

Feel: Big Star

Powerman: The Kinks

Only Son of the Ladies Man: Father John Misty

We Don't Quit: The Flat Earthers

NFA/GDTRFB/NFA: Grateful Dead (09/28/72 Stanley Theater, Jersey City, NJ)

Last Goodbye: Jeff Buckley

Here's some live Golden Void for you to enjoy. They're playing Bottom of the Hill in SF, November 13th See you there.

Hell's Kitchen Radio #214: The Return of Lauson Hell

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It's Spring Break, so that could only mean one thing: Little Lauson Hell is back in the studio with me tonight. What will the 10 year old radio phenom choose for her sets? Just see below (marked with an "L"). The music is a bit more mainstream at times, but there was no way I wasn't going to let her play what she likes. You knowathimean? She's a huge Simpson's fan these days, so there are a few treats thrown in there she thinks you'll enjoy. Humor the kid, OK? She'll be back in the summer...if she's good.

Really though, this was her fourth and BEST SHOW YET!!! I really think she has a knack for this radio thing. I wonder where she gets that from? She also has her very own YouTube channel.

Enjoy.

jh

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

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Mr. Plow: The Simpson's
Step Right Up: Tom Waits
Complicated Life: The Kinks
I'm In Your Mindfuzz: King Gizzard

Cave In: Wand
Rapture: Blondie - L
Bang Bang: Nancy Sinatra
Up and Down: Cookie Mongoloid

Uptown Funk: Mick Ronson ft. Bruno Mars - L
1985: Wings - L
Monorail: The Simpsons
25 Minutes To Go: Johnny Cash
You Got Trouble: The Music Man - L

Anyone Else But You: The Moldy Peaches - L
Your Mother Should Know: The Beatles - L
Devil Moon: Eric McFadden

I Get Around: Beach Boys - L
James Brown Ate My Bagpipe: Taxi Chain
Off the Wall: Michael Jackson - L
Darkest Light: Lafayette Afro Rock Band

Bohemian Rhapsody: Queen - L
Virtue: Golden Void
A National Acrobat: Black Sabbath

Lips Are Movin': Meghan Trainor - L

A Season in Hell #195: Looking Through You

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Another one of those nights where I have no guests, so the objective is how can I take a two hour empty canvas and paint and aural picture that will leave the listener in awe of what is and what can be? I think I did a pretty good job. You be the judge.

My first set of features Swedish sister duo First Aid Kit, whom I'm going to see live Thursday night at the Fox theater in Oakland. My wife is very excited about the show. My third set features some rocksteady along with a rare Lee Perry release from 1976. There is a new Pink Floyd record out, so I've decided to play some Pink Floyd, Except it's not what you think it is. Because really, who wants to hear new Pink Floyd?

Monday night is also the 45th anniversary of the release of Live Dead by the Grateful Dead. Instead of playing something off of that record, I've decided to play something from one of the shows featured on that record.

My second to last set of the evening was by far my favorite, because it features some bands that I've really been into lately, In the punk/garage rock genre: Meatbodies (whom I'm seeing this Saturday night at Bottom of the Hill), Fuzz (Ty Segall's louder than normal side project), and OBNIIIs from Austin, who will be playing Brick and Mortar the day after Thanksgiving. See you there.

I close out the show with a bluesy/psychobilly/psychedelic set.

There is a good mix of new music music that's new to you. Check out the set list below, And enjoy.

jh

A Season in Hell with John Hell
Mondays 8-10PM
Radio Valencia
http://radiovalencia.fm

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Way Down in the Hole: Tom Waits
Hard Believer: First Aid Kit
Apathy: Mikal Cronin

Shady Grove: Golden Void
Gimme Shelter: Grand Funk Railroad
Some Velvet Morning: Vanilla Fudge

Home, Home, Home: Ken Boothe
Young, Gifted, and Broke: Lee Perry
My Ambition: Marcia Griffiths

Concert Outlook

Just a Coward: Franco Bixio
Bye Bye Baby: Janis Joplin
Mountains of the Moon: Grateful Dead (02/27/69 Fillmore West)
The Wizard: Black Sabbath

Beyond the Grave: Jerusalem
Astronomy Domine: Pink Floyd

Mountain: Meatbodies
One: Fuzz
So What if we Die?: OBNIIIs

Whiskey and Women: John Lee Hooker and Canned Heat
Love Whip: Reverend Horton Heat
Looking Out: Wooden Shjips

A Season in Hell #181: Art of the Segue

No guests tonight; just you and me. If you tune in regularly to my show, then you know that I don't often stick to one genre. Tonight is especially true. I'm all over the place, but I do believe that I tie it together in a nice tight, well-segued bow. Radio really is the art of the segue.

There's some new music from The People's Temple, Boris, Black Monolith, and Zig Zags. There are some classics that you've never heard before. There's a tribute to the late, great blues guitarist, Johnny Winter to start it off.

Enjoy radio the way it was born to be: a canvas painted with broad strokes by a DJ/artist trained in the art.

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Enjoy.

jh

A Season in Hell with John Hell
Mondays 8-10PM
Radio Valencia, 87.9FM in SF
http://radiovalencia.fm

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Up in Smoke: Cheech and Chong
Manish Boy: Muddy Waters and Johnny Winter
B.B. King Medley: The Hourglass (Duane/Greg Allman

Jubilee Street: Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds
Rokhev: Bar Kokhba
Douche bags on Parade: Mudhoney

Randy: Zig Zags
Ruins: Material
Things Ain't The Way They Used To Be: Mingus
The House on the Hill: The Mummies

If You Wanna Roll: The People's Temple
The Curve: Golden Void
No Bones for the Dogs: Joe Gibbs
Mr. Music: Sly Dunbar

Miles Runs The Voodoo Down: Miles from India
Heavy Rain: Boris

Void: Black Monolith
Cult Leader: Dopethrone

Rollin' Out: Moon Duo

A Season in Hell #179: Joyful Noise

Here's a fine grab bag of joyful noise for your listening pleasure. Other than the amazing Coltrane track, it's all vinyl tonight. Oh, and the opener and the Shakti tracks are off of my iPod. Don't hold it against me. I really do prefer to play all vinyl, but I have so much music is various formats, that you really can't blame me if I slide a digital track in there from time to time.

Tonight's show is a good eclectic mix. Check out the video below regarding the John Coltrane track. I had no idea, but my respect for the master just increased exponentially. There's new music from Feral Ohms, Golden Void, Boris First Aid Kit, and Black Monolith. We've got rock, punk, garage, noise, jazz, and folk. How about that?

Am I meandering? I can't really tell. I haven't slept much in the past few nights, and I drove 450 miles in 8 hours on Sunday. Everything is a bit of a fog. If you see me on the street, go easy, OK? Thanks.

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Enjoy.

jh

A Season in Hell with John Hell
Mondays 8-10PM
Radio Valencia, 87.9FM in SF
http://radiovalencia.fm

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Cuban Pete: Dezi Arnez
Lost Weekend: Wall of Voodoo
Joset of Nazareth's Blues: Titus Andronicus

Living Junkyard: Feral Ohms
Video Violence: Lou Reed

FFF: public image limited
The Secret Life of Arabia: David Bowie
The Bogus Man: Roxy Music

Atlantis: Golden Void
Handsome Nick: The People's Temple
I Stayed Up All Night Long: The Holy Kiss

Pursuance/Psalm: John Coltrane
Lotus Feet: Shakti with John McLaughlin

Quicksilver: Boris
Eris: Black Monolith

Encrypted Bounce: Thee Oh Sees
The Bell: First Aid Kit
John The Fisherman: Primus

See It My Way: Mikal Cronin