Hell's Kitchen Radio #315: Barbie Stole My Donut

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What was your favorite childhood toy? I used to love my Space 1999 spaceship. Loved it! I loved it more than the Star Wars toys I accumulated, probably because I really didn't care so much for the Star Wars franchise. I know, I know, shoot him now! I was more of a Trekkie. Did anyone own a Barbie? Did you own more than one? Did you own a Ken? Did you make them swap clothing? Did you have them make out? Did you take them apart and turn them into grotesqueries? My guest Monday night is all about turning Barbie and her friends into works of contemporary art.

Julie Anderson has curated "Altered Barbie" since 2003, hosting many multi-media artists who use Barbie as their muse, their canvas, their medium. We take the first hour and talk to her and singer Ethel Merman (who is performing at the opening reception this Saturday night) about the history of the event, the history of Barbie, legal issues and great art experiences.

I'm planning on attending the opening reception this Saturday night and I strongly urge you to come down and have a great night. It's absolutely worth every second, and you can walk out with some great art!

The gallery is located at Back to the Picture, 934 Valencia Street in San Francisco
Gallery hours: Monday - Saturday 10AM-6PM, Sunday 12PM-5PM

The remainder of the night focuses on recent live acquisitions that I'm excited to share with you.

Enjoy.

jh

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

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In The Flesh: Pink Floyd
This Year's Kisses: Billie Holiday + Lester Young
Buckets of Rain: Bob Dylan

Stormy Monday: Allman Brothers
I Don't Want to Talk About It: Delaney, Bonnie and Friends

Interview with Julie Anderson and Ethel Merman of Altered Barbie

Barbie Girl: Aqua
Million Dollar Babies/I Love the Dead/Million Dollar Babies: Alice Cooper (June 4, 1980 El Paso)

Stinkfoot: Frank Zappa and the Mother's of Invention (November 9, 1974 Orpheum Theater, Boston, MA)
Into the Groovy: Sonic Youth

You Know You Know: Mahavishnu Orchestra (April 21, 1972 Music Hall, Cleveland, OH)

Lusitanos: Weather Report (May 4, 1975 Berkeley Community Theater, Berkeley, CA)
Dancing in the Streets: Grateful Dead (January 3, 1970 Fillmore East, NYC)

This here is the very first Barbie commercial from 1959. It's also the very first mass marketed toy to kids. Check it out, and thanks to Ethel Merman for sharing this with us on the show.

A Season in Hell #151: Waiting For The Doll That Has It All

On tonight's show I welcome back Julie Anderson, the curator for Altered Barbie, now in its 11th glorious, bedazzled year! What's up with that girl? She isn't anatomically correct, but that's never slowed her down. She's got her own Corvette for gawds sake!

I love having Julie in, she always brings the most colorful characters with her. And this year was no different. Three poets, a saxophonist and  Ethel Mermen of The Ethel Mermen Experience, all of whom are performing in one way or another at either the opening gala or the closing.

The interview is in the first half hour, so check it out, then go check out the gallery of crazy Barbie Alterations at Shotwell 50 Gallery, which is located at 50 Shotwell in the Mission, and is open 1-7PM daily!!!

Get your Barbie on!

I take the rest of the night to pay homage to Lou Reed, who just passed away over the weekend. Depressing. A truly iconic figure, Lou Reed never compromised his sound for anyone, be it his own band, the record label, or even his fans. He knew how to push people away, but was also a central figure in creating the punk, industrial and noise scenes that grew out of his own experimentation with music.

Ah Lou, would you have done it all the same if you knew you would have been gone by the age of 71? I would imagine he would say "yes". And why not? He wrote his life into his music. He was unashamed about writing and singing about his experiences with drugs. He spoke about the yin/yang of those experiences. He spoke about life and death throughout his career. If anything, he may have been excited to see what the next part of the journey is.

God speed, Lou.

Some tracks are pre-VU, which I can be you've never heard before. It's like nothing you would ever expect from Mr. Reed.

The live stuff here is brilliant, but my favorite of all is "Waiting for the Man" from 1972. Even while writing this I see that every track here is brilliant, and I should do a four hour special on Lou some day. If you check out many of the shows from Radio Valencia in the days following his passing, you'll notice that many have a Lou Reed focus.

Enjoy.

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

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Pale Blue Eyes: Velvet Underground
Romeo Had Juliet: Lou Reed

Interview with Julie Anderson of Altered Barbie

Outside: Lou Reed

Tranmaniacon MC: Altamont
Maybe Millions: Pins of Light

Queen Bitch: Lou Reed and David Bowie
I'm Waiting For My Man: Lou Reed (12-26-72 Hempstead, NY)
Vicious: Lou Reed (10-27-74 Dayton, OH)

Cycle Annie: The Beachnuts
Don't Turn My World Upside Down: The J Brothers
Soul City: The Hi-Lifes

Wonderful World Of Love: The Liberty Men
The Gift: The Velvet Underground
All Tomorrow's Parties: The Velvet Underground (April 1966, Scepter Studios, NYC, NY)
Heroin: The Velvet Underground (Andy Warhol's Factory NY, January 1966)

Venus in Furs: The Velvet Underground: (Poor Richard's, Chicago IL, June 23, 1966)
Sweet Jane: Lou Reed (10-27-74 Dayton, OH)