Hell's Kitchen Radio #597: Best of 2025

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What music caught your attention last year? Did you even pay attention? Of course you did. You have discerning taste. Only the best of the best attracts you. Nothing worth your time will slip past. 

Great minds...

I present to you my favorites from 2025. It's hard to conceive that we're a quarter of the way through this century. I remember the 80s and 90s, when 2000 seemed so close we could touch it. I was DJing at midnight on Y2K at Anon Salon for the monthly Burning Man parties in San Francisco. That was a great party we used to have. That night was off the hook. 

The host of those parties always wanted to pay me in coke. I don't do coke. I've never done coke. I've done many other things; never coke. I used to tell him that my landlord didn't take coke in payment. Someone ought to write about those parties. They were epic. A true who's-who in the early Burning Man scene, long before the term "burner" was ever used. Back then we were just a bunch of pranksters who liked to build big art, put on huge parties, and burn it all down. 

Good times. Then again there are always good times to be had. 

This show is nothing but good times too. Most of the show are releases from 2025, and I throw in some epic anniversary remastered reissues in the final hour. 

Are you coming to our SantaCon after party this Thursday night at Kilowatt? Talk about a good time! Radio Valencia DJs will be spinning throughout the night. Bring your piggy bank, this is also a fundraiser for the station. 

Go out and make some good times of your own.

jh

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

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Lonely Cosmos: King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard (Phantom Island)
Company Culture: Lambrini Girls (Who Let The Dogs Out?)

Paranoid: Freckle (Freckle)
I Hunt, You Prey: LA Witch (DOGGOD)

Rakiya Su Katamam: Altin Gun (Ask)
Nimerudi: GOAT + MC Yallah (Single)
Sister of the Moon: Death Valley Girls (Single)

Total Reset: Frankie and the Witch Fingers (Trash Classic)

King of Rome: Melvins 1983 (Thunderball)

Mangetout: Wet Leg (Moisturizer)

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

I Once Was A Contender: Kate Vargas (Golden Hour In The House of Lugosi)

First of the Gang To Die: Chrissie Hynde and Cat Power (Duets Special)

Evil People: MIEN (MIIEN)

Glue: OSees (Abomination Revealed At Last)

An L.A. Funeral: Orcutt, Shelly, Miller (S/T)
Albuquerque: Neil Young and Crazy Horse (Tonight's The Night 50th Anniversary Remaster)

Castles Made Of Sand: Jimi Hendrix (Axis: Bold As Love - 2025 Remaster)

Wish You Were Here (Take 1): Pink Floyd (Wish You Were Here 50th Anniversary)

The Real Contra Band: Psychedelic Porn Crumpets (Pogo Rodeo)

Not of This World: Zig Zags (Deadbeat at Dawn)

Working Man (Vault Edition): Rush (Rush 50)

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)

Hell's Kitchen Radio #573: John Avalos Takes The Gloves Off

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Nobody hates John Avalos. At least that's the way he puts it. There may be some who dislike him, but he's proven himself to be a steady left-leaning voice in the tumultuous political sea that is San Francisco for twenty years now. Avalos represented District 11 on the San Francisco Board of Supervisors from 2008-2016, ran a very powerful mayoral campaign where he came in second to Ed Lee, and now sits on the Democratic County Central Committee where he sees the party continuing to drift to the right, as big money continues to influence the party.

We spoke for the first hour, and yes, it got testy at times, but John and I are on the same side of the political fence, so we just kept agreeing with one another. I really was trying to be objective.

Not really.

The big takeaway is that we cannot give up, ever. We must be kind to our neighbors, be open and inclusive whenever and wherever we can, and take the fight to the streets.

As for the music, there's new LA Witch, Death Valley Girls, King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard, Frankie and the Witch Fingers, Lambrini Girls, and Jon Anderson.

Do you have an exceptional ear for music? Do you ever get angry listening to a radio station and shout "I COULD DO BETTER THAN THIS!"? Do you ever send messages to your local radio station program director asking them to allow you just one hour of time on the air so you can show them all the great music they've been missing out on? 

If you answered yes to any of the above, then you too can be a Radio Valencia DJ! We're taking applications now for weekly two-hour shows. Send your query to station@radiovalencia.fm Give us a description of the show you want to host and we'll be in touch soon.

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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The Rain: Eddie Gale
Congo Call: Prince Lasha Quintet

Interview with John Avalos

Sisters of the Moon: Death Valley Girls
SOS: LA Witch

Interview with John Avalos

Down By The River (demo): Neil Young and Crazy Horse
Celebration Day: Led Zeppelin

Aerodynamic: King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard
High Plains Drifter: Beastie Boys
Ballad of the Soldiers Wife: Marianne Faithful and Chris Spedding

Eggs Laid Brain: Frankie and the Witch Fingers
I've Heard That One Before/Watch Your Step: Faust
Gut Feeling (Slap Your Mammy): DEVO
Filthy Rich Nepo Baby: Lambrini Girls

Perpetual Change: Jon Anderson

Hell's Kitchen Radio #561: Set The Knight On Fire

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I think I'm finally getting a handle on this radio thing. I mean how hard can it be? 

I had a recurring dream about dead air. And what DJ hasn't had that dream? It's the worst! A song is quickly ending and I have nothing cued up. In reality I am the king of the last second cue. It's happened too many times to count.

That being said, 90% of the time I have many songs cued and ready to go. In my earliest days of radio I was trained to have a safety track ready just in case a song ends and I have nothing else set. At Radio Valencia we have two turntable, two CD players, and two aux cords, which most hosts use for their laptops. I use the Mixxx app with four channels. This means at any one time I can have eight songs ready to play.

There really is no excuse for dead air. 

I spent a couple years at KALX leading up to COVID. I recall heading into the studio one night. I had a graveyard shift that I thought was running 1-3am. I was told to arrive at midnight to cover a pre-recorded show, just to be told by a staffer who was there when I arrived that my show actually starts at midnight and not 1am. It was about 11:57 at that time. I calmly seated myself, cued up a song and started the show. 

The young staffer was anxious about me not being able to start on time. When I did she noted how calm I was about the whole thing. This is what experience gets you. Just chill out and drop the needle. 

As for this show I dropped the needle on some killer tracks by amazing artists. 

I quickly pay tribute to the late David Johansen of the New York Dolls who passed away last week. I was lucky to see a late version of the NY Dolls in Washington DC in 2008. It was Johansen and Sylvain Sylvain backed by a young rhythm section, but they were incredible!

I saw some incredible modern country/western at The Ivy Room last week with local guitarist and singer Mitch Polzak, and Portland's Jenny Don't and the Spurs were in town. That was one helluva show! I spoke to Mitch after his set and he listens to Radio Valencia! Thanks Mitch. What a pleasure. I'm going to have him on my show soon. I also got to speak to Jenny Don't after her set. She was kind enough to record a station promo for me as well. What a doll! Both bands are incredible. I strongly encourage you to check them out when they hit your town.

As always there's lots of new music tonight. Check out Ty Segall's new side project Freckle. Ambrose Kenny-Smith of King Gizzard also has a new side project that I was happy to get recently. New Population 11, Lambrini Girls (I'm really loving this band), and KnightressM1 featuring metal violinist Emily Palen now living in Paris. I miss my friend, but luckily she's continuing to record incredible music to share with the world.

I bought a bunch of records over the past week so tune in Monday to hear where John Hell's paycheck goes.

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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Trash: New York Dolls
Hate The Police: The Dicks
Twilight (Elliot Smith cover): Barbara Manning

Lonesome, On'ry and Mean: Mitch Polzak

Judgement Day: Jack O'Fire

Gimme A Penny: Big Mama Thornton

Swordfishtrombones: Tom Waits

Sun Rise: Rolf Harris
Steal Softly Through The Snow: Captain Beefheart and the Magic Band

Chinese New Year: Mulatu Astatke and The Heliocentrics

One More Night: Jenny Don't and the Spurs

Louie Louie: Thee Headcoats

Dark Horse: LA Witch
Shameless Imposter: Terry Gross
Anlatmam Derdimi: Altin Gün
Let Me Be Your Ragdoll: Barbara Dane

Who's Sitting on the Moon: Freckle

TV Glotzer (White Punks on Dope): Nina Hagen

Axis: KnightressM1

1970: Boris

No Home: Lambrini Girls

The Gloater: GUM, Ambrose Kenny-Smith

The Wheel: King Tuff

Le The Est Pret: Population II

From The First Hello To The Last Goodbye: Jane Morgan and the 450 Collegians

Hell's Kitchen Radio #560: Hell Gone Wrong

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Well hot damn that was a fun show to host. If you know me, then you know I don't much planning more than bringing a stack of vinyl that's calling my name, along with a ear worm or three I've had throughout the week. There's also that strong desire to play something that may be brand new to you.

You get all of the above for this show. I start out with some funk and soul, having just viewed that latest documentary about Sly Stone, brought to you by Questlove. Highly recommended. I get into some dub and jazz, before going the 60s strip/bachelor pad music. This takes us into some garage punk, and then we get even louder!

I travel two at least four continents on this show. I wasn't close to done when the two hour mark hit. Maybe you should tune in this coming Monday night to see what I have in store? What a fine idea. See you then.

Enjoy and please share.

jh

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

Follow me on Blue Sky
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I Ain't Got Nothing: Sly and the Family Stone
Full Experience: Aura with Lee Perry

Dread Lion: The Upsetters
Seconds Away: The Scientist

Congo Call: Princa Lasha Quintet
Hot Cha: Roland Kirk
Wowsville: Bob Taylor
Give Her The Axe, Max: Art Roberts
Rosie: The Mummies
Bring Her The Mirror: Shannon Shaw

I Wanna Lose: LA Witch
Magic Powers: Death Valley Girls

Taraval: Freckle (Ty Segall side project)
GFY: Amyl and the Sniffers
Company Culture: Lambrini Girls
Mad Moth: The Bobby Lees
Sister Dynamite: Alice Bag
Acetone: Mudhoney

Sharaf: Sahra Halgan
Ouroboros: GOAT

Area 51: Dead Moon
Danny: Heavy Blanket
Sweet Jane (live): Lou Reed

Whiskey In The Jar (acoustic): Thin Lizzy
Back In Judy's Jungle: Brian Eno
I Am Damo Suzuki: The Fall