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.
Let John Hell care for the kitchen while the ladies let it all hang out. This is Women's Month, and I love to celebrate all that is women. When it comes to music, there really is no dearth in aural options. I have strived to balance my shows out with quality female fare over the years.
This has been hard, but not for the reasons you think.
Not surprisingly, the music industry has been run by male chauvinist capitalists for over one hundred years. And like the casting couches of Hollywood, along with the color line, getting enough quality female representation in music has been hair raising.
Still, there is so much to continue to choose from in female-fronted artists of many genres. What I have for you tonight is only a small sampling of what has been in rotation in the Hell household (and on this show) over the years.
Enjoy this, and join me Monday, March 18th, when I welcome Northern California singer, songwriter, artist, designer Robin Coomer back into the studio to talk up her new solo release.
Tune in 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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Well 2023 is starting out a bit how 2022 ended: a bit sour. My dad passed in late December, which was a real kick in the gonads, after which I was happy to see 2022 fade away. And now the first few weeks of 2023 have seen the passing of Jeff Beck, David Crosby, Tom Verlaine and more. It's starting to feel a bit how 2016 when so many musical heroes passed starting with David Bowie.
What else does 2023 have in store for us all?
Let the music play!
I invited my buddy, rock photographer Jay Blakesberg into the studio to talk about his history knowing and photographing David Crosby, and to play the music we both grew up on. There's a lot of Crosby-related tunes sprinkled throughout the show, interlaced with our colorful conversation.
Jay is nothing if he isn't a fine conversationalist.
He also was kind enough to bring a copy of his remarkable new coffee table book, RetroBlakesberg, full of photos all taken on film. I love that so many of the shows from the 80s and 90s in the Bay Area I actually attended!!!
Go to his site and check out the book. Pick up a copy. You'll be so happy you did. And if you're on Instagram, be certain to follow him.
Jay gives good radio too. I think we're going to make this a quarterly thing. That is, unless another legendary rock star dies before then. Where's Keith and Iggy? I'm seeing Iggy in a few months, so he better hold on.
Enjoy and please share.
jh
Hell's Kitchen Radio with John Hell Mondays 8-10PM Radio Valencia in SF http://radiovalencia.fm
Listen into all my shows here! Subscribe to my show, via
New year, new, show, new chance to make this even better for you. Have you ever thought about time travel? What do you think about? Where would you go? Why? Who would you want to see? Is this a kill Hitler kind of thing, or more of a see your favorite band before they made it big?
Maybe you just want to see some relatives in their prime? Holiday dinner with the folks? I haven't had dinner with my folks since May of 1984, before they separated when I was 13, two weeks after my very embarrassing bar mitzvah. It's possible we all dined together once or twice following then, but I don't recall. I'm not sad about it. I grew up living with my dad through high school, and it was really quite fabulous. I had no leash. San Francisco in the 80s was a lot of fun when you're a teen with no leash. Thanks dad.
My dad, Harvey Rosenberg, passed away last week at the age of 81, from Parkinson's Disease. He was such a great guy. Monday, January 9th, I'm going to host a two hour tribute to the man who brought music into my life. I wouldn't be who I am today without my father. I'll tell you all about him on Monday night. Tune in, it'll be worth it.
There was lots of rain this week so there's a lot of rain song mixed in tonight, along with a bunch of my faves from 2022. I have a lot of anniversary and remaster releases I threw in as well.
Enjoy and please share.
jh
Hell's Kitchen Radio with John Hell Mondays 8-10PM Radio Valencia in SF http://radiovalencia.fm
Cold, Rain and Snow: Grateful Dead (February 3, 1978) Stormy Monday: Allman Brothers Band (January 30, 1971)
I Think It's Going To Rain Today: Nina Simone Buckets of Rain: Bob Dylan
1983 (A Merman I Should Turn To Be): Jimi Hendrix Illegal Smile: John Prine
Rainy Night House: Joni Mitchell Emotional Weather Report: Tom Waits Wild Child (Demo): Lou Reed
Maison Silk Road: Kikagaku Moyo Do Not Expose to the Burning Sun: Helms Alee Death Train: The Bobby Lees
Know Your Rights: The Clash Cornbread, Peas, Black Molasses: Taj Mahal and Ry Cooder Madman Across the Water (Demo with Mick Ronson): Elton John
The Supermen (Bowie and Ronson for BBC 1971): David Bowie Driva'man: Max Roach with Abbey Lincoln She Said, She Said (John's Demo): The Beatles Rain (Mono Remaster): The Beatles
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Fun show, Fun and eclectic setlist. There are times when I blindly choose my records, and play the "how will this sound together" game. It's hit and miss. Tonight was hit! I really had a lot of fun and I think it shows.
Radio Valencia is promoting a lot of co-presents at Bottom of the Hill these days, and Saturday, January 29th is going to be a real winner. Join us for Dr. Madd Vibe, featuring Angelo Moore of Fishbone. Eric McFadden in in support and local rockers Dizzy Twin is opening. I saw Eric and Angelo on Friday night at Ivy Room, and I could not stop dancing and laughing. What an amazing show!!! Tickets are still available.
I'll be you MC for this show, and rumor has it Angelo is hosting a mask making contest! Or something like this. This is a 20+ only show, vaccine proof required, and you MUST keep your mask on throughout the show (other than while you're drinking).
Now, on with the show.
Enjoy and please share.
jh
Hell's Kitchen Radio with John Hell Mondays 8-10PM Radio Valencia in SF http://radiovalencia.fm
Monday's are a time I really look forward to. I get to dive into my bootleg library and choose something special I think you'll enjoy. I recently had a listener chime in asking what folk I have. I have a ton of folk, by a bunch of great artists. Tonight I have two shows from two artists at the peak of their folk prowess.
First up, Joni Mitchell live at the Mississippi River Festival, Southern Illinois University, July 7, 1969. This is shortly after her award winning, and gold certified album "Clouds" was released. She in fine form here with her songs and banter.
There is some scratchy vinyl sounds on this boot, but well worth sharing with you.
LINEAGE: Boot LP -> Sound Forge 6.0 at 24 bit 96Khz -> click and crackle remover plus lite NR scrubbing ->Bit conversion to 16 bit ->Resampling to 44100hz (Noise shaping was applied to this and the previous process) ->Track Splitup ->FLAC via Flac Frontend Level 6, sectors aligned and verified>WAV>Cool Edit Pro v1.2>FLAC 6
The headliner tonight is the one and only Simon and Garfunkel, live at the Hollywood Bowl, August 23, 1968. This is everything you know it's supposed to be. A stellar soundboard, and performance from a duo that was hard to beat at this point in their career. Performed a few short months following the release of "Bookends", this show is considered one of the finest in a magnificent career. And the recording is incredible.
Lineage: SBD > unknown > CDR > act > FLAC
As usual, following the Monday night show, I will post the link at the top of this page for you to download this show and keep it.
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
Serving up some hot platters for your brain matter.
Seriously though, there are some good eats for your ears on this here show. Give it spin...or a stream. You can download it to go! Who knows, maybe you're listening to this show in the distant future, floating through space, far from our galaxy. Good on ya! Do you still consider yourself human, even if you don't live on planet Earth anymore?
I've been reading the "Three-Body Problem", by Cixin Liu, and that question comes up throughout the trilogy.
As for this here show, it's an interesting one. I'm training a new host, DJ Collin, who's going to be starting his new show Friday's 6-8PM Pacific, "Digging with DJ Collin". The second half of this show features a lot of his selections. I really put him to the test tonight. There were so many tech issues, even I was getting a bit flustered. He was chill the whole way through, and really gave his best. I can't wait to tune in to his show!
Our new home is really attracting some great talent. Please take the time to tune in regularly throughout the week. You never know when your next favorite host will knock you off your feet.
Take a look at the playlist below, click on the link at the top to stream or download this baby, and enjoy your trip through the cosmos.
Enjoy.
jh
Are you in our around San Francisco, Sunday, August 15th? We're having a fundraiser at Make Out Room, our next door neighbor on 22nd street. We would love to see you. We have bands, and yours truly is MCing along with a few other Radio Valencia DJs. Check out the link for all the details.
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.
Guess what, our door broke again. WTF?!?!? More than ever 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 Radio Valencia in SF http://radiovalencia.fm
Listen into all my shows here! Subscribe to my show, via
I'm really feeling this new studio of ours. It's like I've grown wings! I'm giddy, I tell ya! GIDDY! Another diverse show, full of multiple genres that might just give you whiplash. But it's the kind of pain that you like. You like pain, right?
Joni Mitchell released "Blue" 50 years ago, so you know I have to celebrate the genius of Joni. There's new music from Mr. Bungle, and Paul Leary of the Butthole Surfers. I also have a set focused on my new obsession, The Fall. Seriously, what took me so long?
There punk, blues, synth-cumbia, underground hip-hop, stoner metal, and The Beatles! This is why you tune in to Radio Valencia.
Speaking of Radio Valencia, if you live in or near San Francisco, we're looking for a few good show hosts.
Have you ever said to yourself "I can program a better radio show than that idiot". If so, then Radio Valencia may be right for you! We are a freeform internet radio station located in the heart of the Mission District, with a storefront location looking for music lovers like yourself, who want to host a two hour show once a week.
No radio experience is necessary. Hire for personality, train for skill. Take a look at the home page at http://radiovalencia.fm and click on the "Contact Us" link half way down on the right side of the page. Let us know what you want to do and we'll be in touch faster than it takes to segue from one Minutemen song to the next. Enjoy.
Listen into all my shows here! Subscribe to my show, via
It's Memorial Day, so I'm going to honor the troops (of whom I have many as friends and former students) by sticking it to the man! I'm a strong believer in a strong defense. But I am not much for spreading Democracy around the world. I think we ought to practice what we preach, and allow nations to self-actualize as much as possible. We butt our heads (and arms) into other nation's biz a wee bit much over the years. And too many of our men and women in uniform have paid the ultimate price. I have no problem flipping the bird to the politicians who put our sons and daughters into harms way for the prize of land, labor, markets and other resources. I have yet to hear of one war we have been involved in that, at the heart of it, was about caring for human suffering. If we can't reap some reward, we aren't going in. Remember Rwanda?
I believe to the depth of my being, if our nation cared so much about our vets, they wouldn't make up 50% of the nation's homeless population. Let's put as much effort as we do preparing them for battle, into preparing them for coming home.
So here ya go. Two hours of stickin' it to the man.
Enjoy and thank a veteran today.
jh
Hell's Kitchen Radio with John Hell Mondays 8-10PM Radio Valencia in SF http://radiovalencia.fm
The show starts with the final minute from my Live Bootleg Bonanza, 6-8PM. You can check that show out here. It's Stevie Wonder (1974) & The Ramones (1977).
The Ballad of the Green Berets: Sgt. Barry Sidler Rich Man's War: Steve Earle Butcher's Tale: The Zombies
1916: Motorhead Lay Your Weapons Down: Rich Kids on LSD War Pigs (Live 1970 Montreux): Black Sabbath
Masters of War: Bob Dylan Wooden Ships: Jefferson Airplane An Open Letter To My Teenage Son: Victor Lundberg The Unknown Soldiers: The Doors
I Can't Write Left-Handed Anymore: Bill Withers War/No More Trouble: Bob Marley and the Wailers X-Men Doctrine And Declaration/General P. Counterintelligence: General Patton vs The X-Ecutioners Holiday in Cambodia: Dead Kennedys
Run to the Hills: Iron Maiden The Fiddle and the Drum: Joni Mitchell Your Flag Decal Won't Get You Into Heaven Anymore: John Prine
Machine Gun (live 12-31-1969): Jimi Hendrix (Band of Gypsies) The "Fish" Cheer/I Feel Like I'm Fixin' To Die Rag: Country Joe and the Fish
Universal Soldier: Donovan Some Mother's Son: The Kinks I Don't Want To Be A Soldier, Mama: John Lennon Fortunate Son: Creedence Clearwater Revival
(What's So Funny About) Peace, Love and Understanding: Elvis Costello
Oh boy, Memorial Day once again. We really do need to stop having these. Do me a favor, if you really want to thank a veteran, punch a politician in the face. Tell them John Hell said it was OK.
The first hour features my subversive Memorial Day "celebration". I don't think you can make popsicles with them. I'll have to ask Ivanka. That woman can make a popsicle out of any national holiday.
I gave tickets away tonight to go see Dave and Phil Alvin and the Guilty Ones at Great American Music Hall for this Thursday night. This promises to be a great show, so congrats to the winners and I'll see you there. BTW, I give tickets away from time to time, so tune in and WIN!
The second hour of my show was yet another tribute to a fallen musical comrade. Vocalist and keyboardist Gregg Allman of the Allman Brothers Band passed away this past weekend at the age of 69, from complications from liver cancer at his home in Savannah, Georgia. Growing up I was a huge fan of Duane-era Allman Brothers. What a band! Someone asked me once, "if the Grateful Dead were playing at one club, and down the street Duane-era Allman Brothers were playing at another club, which band would you go and see?" That is a damn tough question to answer? Though they are both "jam" bands, the Allman's always were so in a more structured vein. And there jams could really fly. Consummate musical professionals. I think I would have wanted to have seen the Allman's, especially if this were 1971. That band was on FIRE that year. Just take a listen to the Live at the Fillmore East box set. Each note is alive with energy. Well, he's with Duane, Berry, and Butch now, getting the band back together. I can only imagine how much fun that must be. Dreams, indeed.
Full disclosure: I never once saw the Allman Brothers live. Not once. I own quite a few live boots of theirs too. They do not support live taping or trading of their music, so shows, especially soundboards are very hard to come by. I'm lucky enough to know people who know people. I pulled out some tasty treats from my collection to showcase Gregg and the whole band, but I stayed in the Duane-era world that I love so much.
Next Monday night on my show I'm excited to have P-Funk guitarist RonKat Spearman in the studio to share his many road stories and play some music from his own band Katdelic. This ought to be a lot of fun. Tune in Monday, June 5th, 8-10PM on Radio Valencia.
Thanks to everyone who came out to Folio Books in Noe Valley last week to see me interview local music critic Joel Selvin about his book "Altamont". Joel is a great interviewee. I ask him one question and he takes it from there. He almost seemed a little too happy to be there. He sold a few books, and a couple people even asked me to autograph it! Sure, why not?
Check out the playlist below and click the links above to stream or download last night's show. Please share this page with all the music-lovers in your life.
Way Down in the Hole: Maggie Bell
Little Boy Soldiers: The Jam
1916: Motorhead
The Unknown Soldier: The Doors
I Don't Wanna Be A Soldier, Mama: John Lennon
Some Mother's Son: The Kinks
Universal Soldier: Donovan
Fish Cheer/I-Feel-Like-I'm-Fixin-To-Die Rag: Country Joe and the Fish
Masters of War: Bob Dylan
War/No More Trouble: Bob Marley and the Wailers
The Fiddle and the Drum: Joni Mitchell
Eight Miles High: Golden Earring
Jubilee Train/Do Re Mi/Promised Land: Dave Alvin and the Guilty Men
Gregg Allman Tribute:
BB King Medley: The Hourglass (1968)
Dreams: The Allman Brothers Band (Ludlow Garage, Cincinnati, Ohio 1971)
Midnight Rider: The Allman Brothers Band (06-27-1971 Fillmore East, NYC, NY)
Done Somebody Wrong: The Allman Brothers Band (03-12-1971 Fillmore East, NYC, NY)
Every Hungry Woman: The Allman Brothers Band (07-03-1970 Atlanta Pop Festival, Byron, GA)
Ain't Waistin' Time No More: The Allman Brothers Band (04-07-1972 Manley Fieldhouse, Syracuse, NY)
Though I never saw them in person, thank goodness for YouTube. Check out their set from the Fillmore East, 09-23-1970.
Stream the Spectacle, HERE! Download the Love, HERE! Listen into all my shows here. You can subscribe to my show through iTunes here.
Radio should be hosted by people who understand what it takes to create an aural spectacle, leaving you in awe and wanting more. Tonight was about me appreciating radio as such an art form. It's all about the segue. New Savage Republic in the first hour. Tribute to the late Maggie Roche who died January 17th. Also a tribute to the founding bassist of Can, Jaki Liebezeit, who passed on January 22nd.
If you love music, or know someone who does, then why aren't you tuning in every Monday night 8-10 on Radio Valencia? You are? Good on ya! Spread the love and share this post. Thanks in advance.
This coming Monday night I share with you the winner of the 2016 Run For The Lillies contest. And what a list they had. It's possible they cheated. Thanks to all who sent me their list of ten famous people they believe will kick the bucket by 12/31/2017. Since I wasn't on the air this past Monday, I'll give you until this Sunday, February 5th to email me your list. Send it to mrjohnhell@gmail.com
Stream the new year into your ear, HERE! Download positive intentions, HERE! Listen into all my shows here, or just scroll down
Happy New Year to all from Sir Hell. You didn't know that I'm a "Sir" now, did you? Well there ya go. How you like them apples? Did you have a glorious end of year celebration, or do you consider it to be trite and amateur hour? Either way, I hope you have set some positive intentions for 2016, or at the very least you call a friend and go out to see some live music. I plan on doing all of the above, and often in 2016.
For Monday's show I felt I should pay tribute to the recently fallen rock-comrade Lemmy Kilmister of the seminal metal band Motörhead. I remember first hearing the "hit" Ace of Spades in the early 80s, and knowing pretty much immediately that this band was no joke. I enjoyed Motörhead through the hair-raising glam metal years of the 80s and 90s, and loved that they kept true to their nature: raw and in-your-face loud. Monday I played mostly early tracks and a rare live track from my bootleg library.
Did you know Lemmy was a Joni Mitchell fan? Me either.
Monday also saw the 30th anniversary of the passing of legendary frontman Phil Lynott of Thin Lizzy. Damn, where does the time go? I did a little tribute to him as well, including a blistering live version of "The Rocker" live, with six guitarist rocking out on stage!!!
The remainder of the how was a genre grab-bag. Take a look at the playlist below.
I am also excited to introduce my 2016 "Run for the Lilies"! You come up with a list of 10 famous people you believe will be dead by 12-31-2016, and send that list to mrjohnhell@gmail.com by February 01, 2016. The only rule is that you may not participate in the demise of any of the persons on your list. The winner will get a prize to be determined.
This should be a great year for music. Go out and support your local music scene, wherever you live.