Hell's Kitchen Radio #609: Mitch Polzak Moseys On In To The Show

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When I prepare for an interview with a musician, it's mostly based on their music that I craft the questions. I want to know where the ideas for the stories came from. I want to know how they crafted the song, where the melody came from. Then I start to dig. I need to know their influences, musical and otherwise. 

This is when it gets fun. 

Tell me where you grew up. What was the first music that caught your attention? Who in your life do you credit with turning you on to the music that helped define your own journey? 

Once in a blue moon do I interview someone I've only met a few times but feel a quick kinship with.

Mitch Polzak is one of these people. I've seen Mitch play at the Ivy Room in Albany a few times, and once on his home court in Port Costa, where he once was mayor. 

Mitch will look you right in the eyes when he's playing, and you know he's playing just for you. And he is! He told me this himself last Monday when he was my guest. I told him that he had to guest DJ with me, and he did not disappoint! He brought 33 LPs along with him and everything that aired on Monday night was his choosing, except for my opening set and the single Mitch Polzak tune that I pulled out, and it's thanks to his delightful partner, Amanda, that "Sugrarfoot Rag" was chosen.

We caught each other saying "you too?!?!" a lot during the show, and a lot of laughter throughout. The

music ranges from delta blues, bluegrass, folk, Bakersfield Country, train songs, trucker songs, and honky tonk. 

What a magnificent night this was. 

I hope you take the time to listen into the music and enjoy our banter. Better yet, please take yourself and a loved one out to see Mitch perform live. You'll find Mitch was looking for you all along.

Enjoy and please share.

jh

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

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Honky Tonk Blues: Hank Williams
Wham Bam: Buck Owens
It Wasn't God Who Made Honky Tonk Angels: Kitty Wells
Cannon Ball: Merle Travis

Watch My Fingers: Lightning Hopkins
Cumberland Gap: Flatt and Scruggs
Ballad of 40 Dollars: Tom T Hall
Road Runner: Blackie Forestier

Sugarfoot Rag: Mitch Polzak
Sad Hour: Clarence "Gatemouth" Brown
Randall Collins: Norman Blake
The Longer You Wait: Merle Haggard

Let The Good Times Roll: Buck Owens
Nitro Express: Redd Simpson
Bucking Mule (Piano): Uncle John Patterson
Tombstone Every Mile: Dick Curless
Caffein, Nicotine, Benzedrine: Gary Stewart
For A Few Dollars More: Ennio Morricone

Cause of it All: Howlin' Wolf
I Got Love If You Want It: Slim Harpo
Fire On The Strings: Joe Maphis
Stone Walls and Steel Bars: Jimmy Martin and Ralph Stanley

This Time: Waylon Jennings
Rain: Charlie Feathers
Alabama Jubilee: Roy Clark

Graystone Chapel: Johnny Cash

Hell's Kitchen Radio #432: Not Forever, Just For Now

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There's something about hosting a thematic special that really gets the juices flowing. I don't know if this was really a special, but I stuck with one genre for the most part on this show. My fabulous daughter, Little Lauson Hell tells me she doesn't like Country music. To which I respond, you just haven't really heard good Country music. Like anyone with musical taste, commercial anything is usually crap, that's goes double for Country, but there have been some real treats in the history of this genre. I merely scratched the surface by playing some of my favorite artists. And it's not hit-heavy as you will see.

And I didn't program this show chronologically. So there.

I hope you find some treats in here. That's the plan, right?

Enjoy.

jh

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

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Ring of Fire: June Carter Cash
Satan is Real: Louvin Brothers
Travelin' Prayer: Dolly Parton

Thanks A Lot: Ernest Tubb
Your Cheating Heart: Hank Williams
It Wasn't God Who Made Honky Tonk Angels: Kitty Wells
Bubbles in my Beer: Bob Wills and his Texas Playboys

White Lightning: George Jones
Buckaroo: Buck Owens
Stupid Cupid: Patsy Cline
Mama Tried: Merle Haggard
Will The Circle Be Unbroken: Nitty Gritty Dirt Band

Jubilee Trail/Do Re Mi/Promised Land: Dave Alvin and the Guilty Men
Semi Crazy: Junior Brown

Waltz Across Texas Tonight: Emmylou Harris
In My Hour Of Darkness: Gram Parsons
Your Gentle Way of Loving Me: The Byrds

Wallflower: Bob Dylan
She's A Mover: Sir Douglas Quintet
Wreck of the Old 97: Johnny Cash
Cold Cold Heart: Waylon Jennings

Are You Alright?: Lucinda Williams
Blue Moon Waltz: Jimmy Dale Gilmore
I Am A Man of Constant Sorrow: Soggy Bottom Boys ft. Dan Tyminski

Tiger Mountain Peasant Song: First Aid Kit
Powderfinger: Neil Young
Wrote A Song For Everyone: Creedence Clearwater Revival

Whiskey Bottle: Uncle Tupelo

Hell's Kitchen Radio #258: Back In The Saddle

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Ok, alright, I know that I told you that I was going to die, and you would no longer have dear old John Hell to kick around anymore. Well, it appears that my orthopedic surgeon actually does know his ass from a hole in the ground, and I'm back to tell the tale.

On March 16th I underwent ACL and meniscus reconstruction. That was
fun. Laying on my ass for three weeks was not. My God it was so damn boring. Too much time on the couch. Too much Trailer Park Boys. Actually, there can never be too much Trailer Park Boys. Ricky is such a dick. Bubbles on the other hand is quite brilliant. I watched my share of movies, read a few great books and comics, and caught up on a few records that have been sitting in the stack for too long. But the sitting really took its toll. I have also come to the conclusion that ICE is my best friend.

I have never wanted to get back on the air as much in my life. And let me tell you by the end of my show tonight I was in some serious pain. Look what I do for my art.



There's a good mash up of genres tonight, and a small tribute to the late Merle Haggard, who died last week on his 79th birthday. I've got some new Melvins for you, music from the first Charles Moothart (CFM) solo effort (he's Ty Segall's guitarist in Fuzz and the Ty Segall Band), along with some soon-to-be-released Zig Zags!!! There are some oddball choices tonight, as I've had a few weeks to consider what to play for you. The next few shows ought to be pretty fun too.




Tell you friends and my enemies that John Hell is back on the air.

See you next Monday night at 8.

Enjoy.

jh

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

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Shit Luck: Modest Mouse
Two Headed Dog: Roky Erikson
Strange: Wire

The Bottle Let Me Down: Merle Haggard
The Bell: First Aid Kit
Shot By Both Sides: Magazine

A Friend In Need Is A Friend You Don't Need/Lifestyle Hammer: Mike and the Melvins
Ain't Gonna Rain Anymore: Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds
Set The Controls for the Heart of the Sun: Pink Floyd

***Set of the Week***
Street Car History: Charles Moothart (CFM)
Revolution Part 2: Butthole Surfers
Sweet Loafed: Jad Fair and Daniel Johnston
Highway 61 Revisited: Bob Dylan

Moonlight in Glory: Brian Eno and David Byrne
Dancing Barefoot: Patti Smith
Dollar Days: David Bowie

They Came For Us: Zig Zags
Double-Crossing Time: John Mayall's Blues Breakers
Stop Start: Lee Morgan

Poison Apple: Uncle Acid and the Deadbeats
Out of Touch: Lucinda Williams
I Must Have Been Blind: Eugene Chadbourne

Cold In Effect: Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five

Oh, here's a classic that I enjoyed while laying on the couch: "Heavy Metal Parking Lot". This totally reminds me of hanging out in the Cow Palace or Oakland Coliseum lots before metal shows back in the 90s. Ah, the fucked up memories. It's only about 17 minutes long.

A Season in Hell #139: Bears! Attack!

Want to see some great music this weekend? You should go check out Bears! Bears! Bears! at Cafe duNord this Saturday night. They've been compared to a Pixes-meets-Joy Division, and I think that's OK. They've got some driving rhythms and excellent lyrics. Go have fun. Tell them John Hell sent you.

What is quality community radio if it isn't about interviewing and playing great local music? I love Radio Valencia more and more each day. You should too. Go check out the website and all the other great shows. You can thank me later.

I'm off next week so the boys in Eclectic Dyspepsia can celebrate their one year anniversary by broadcasting from 6-10. But I'll be back on July 1st with my bi-annual special Rock Fight #10!!!

Me and Rotten Ronnie Donovan will be doing the bootleg throw down that you crave. Special guests will be in the studio as well. You do not want to miss this.  July 1st, 6-10PM.

To get yourself warmed up, check out the last few Rock Fight's by going here.

See you in two weeks.

To get yourself all warm and fuzzy inside, stream here.
To find yourself consumed with the love that's all around you, download here.
To keep the feeling with you always, click here, or just scroll down.

Enjoy.

jh

Up in Smoke: Cheech and Chong
The Better Half: Junior Brown
Godspeed: Jenny Lewis

Daddy Frank the Guitar Man: Merle Haggard
Tonight I Think I'm Gonna go Downtown: Jimmy Dale Gilmore

Interview with Bears! Bears! Bears!

I Guess We're Both Lonely: Bears! Bears! Bears!
I Am Hand Drawn: Bears! Bears! Bears!

Interview with Bears! Bears! Bears!

Train To Memphis: Papa John Creach
Hi, I'm Troy McClure
Hot Chocolate: Bears! Bears! Bears!

Interview with Bears! Bears! Bears!

Lost in Space: OP8
Bullshit Summer: Lazy Cowgirls
Delivering the Groceries: Don Caballero

Theme de Yoyo: Art Ensemble of Chicago
Expensive Shit: Fela!

Goodbye Porkpie Hat: John McLaughlin
Rocked By Rape: Evolution Control Committee
Christianity is Stupid: Negativland
Tommy in 7 Minutes: Various Artists
Planet of the Apes: The Mummies

You're My Best Friend: The Melvins
John Wayne was a Nazi: Stains