Hell's Kitchen Radio #423: Is It Safe To Come Out Yet?

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Sometimes I have to forgive myself if I'm just not feeling it. You know what I mean? We've been home for over ten months now, and the COVID wall is real, people. It's real! My day starts with my three old son climbing into bed with my wife and me. I'm the one who has the elbows in the face, the knee in the gut, the hot breath up my nose. Most weekdays I get him up, dressed, pack his food, and off to daycare (with very strict protocols for COVID, thank you very much). 

Then I come home and get ready to teach. You know I'm a high school teacher, right? Don't even get me started about that. I love my work; it's never dull, but COVID has really put a damper on things. Poor kids. I also have a high school junior in the house: Little Lauson Hell, who you have met on this show many times over the years. I'm actually really proud of her. Her academics remain high, but it's her emotional fortitude that I'm more proud of. She keeps it together better than most adults I know.

As a teacher my work day doesn't really end, but since Mrs. Hell's job is more demanding (corporate work often is, if only because of the threat of the big boss man), I have to go pick up young Mr. Hell from daycare, bring him home, cook for him, and prepare him for bed. The fabulous Mrs and I alternate bedtimes with him, but by the time he lays down I'm spent.

This leaves little space for any downtime. 

This is why I look forward to Monday nights with you. It's my only true creative outlet these days. So when I get a late start like I did on this show, it takes the winds out of my sails a wee bit. I brought it back up pretty quickly however, as we setlist below will show. It's the banter that'll keep you coming back (or drive you away in droves). 

Dissonance, punk, metal, glam, hip hop, funk, Afro-funk, and more to whet your whistle. Tell 'em John Hell sent you.

Enjoy.

jh

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

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Ball and Chain: Big Mama Thornton (February 23, 1973, Cambridge, MA)

Boots: Destroy All Monsters
The Blessing of the Dawn Source: Sproton Layer
Car Crash: The Avengers

Deuce: Redd Kross
Goin' Blind: KISS
Station To Station: Melvins

TVC15: David Bowie
The Cactus: 3rd Bass
Godfather of Funk: Schoolly D
Telephone Girl: Assagai

I'm A Greedy Man: James Brown
Night Time Is The Right Time: Aretha Franklin
Knock Yourself Out: Tower of Power

No Lies: Peruvatwinz
Emma: Hot Chocolate
Alta: Ty Segall and the Freedom Band
Small Man, Big Mouth: Minor Threat

I Shot All The Birds: Blind Shake
American Flag: Cat Power
Van Occupanther: Midlake

Sweat Leaf: Brownout
I Bid You Goodnight: Joseph Spence and the Pinder Family

Hell's Kitchen Radio #346: Why I Do What I Do

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How old were you when you fell in love with music? Do you remember your first love? Who was it? The Beatles? Sinatra? Led Zeppelin? Patsy Cline? Who spoke to you? What did they say? Why did it resonate so deeply?

When I was eight years old in 1978, my aunt bought me four KISS LPs: Rock and Roll Over, Love Gun, Alive 2, and Double Platinum. I was hooked from the first grunt. I couldn't get enough of the imagery and the riffs. And yes, I fantasized that I was Peter Criss singing "Beth" to my imaginary girlfriend. I joined the KISS Army, dressed as either Gene Simmons or Paul Stanley for consecutive Halloween's, and overjoyed when I found a discarded copy of Destroyer laying on the street, still in playable condition (playable for a ten year old, anyway). I had posters that covered my walls, and like all of my friends, strongly anticipated the broadcast of "KISS Meets the Phantom Of The Park".

They are the first band that I wanted to know everything about. Where they were from? What they did before they were a band (Gene Simmons was a school teacher!!!)? Why they chose KISS as a band name? Why they didn't stick with Wicked Lester? Of course everyone wanted to catch a glimpse of them out of makeup. But I could not hide my disappointment when they decided to ditch the makeup altogether in 1983. What the hell was that all about? Even before the unmasking, the band had moved so far away from their riff-centric rock, full of stories about partying down and getting the girl, and I had discovered another band that would hold my attention, and continues to do so.

When I was 8 or 9, around 1978 or 1979, I was introduced to The Beatles. I was floored. I jumped ship a year or two later from KISS to the Fab Four, and honestly I felt like I was breaking up with someone. I didn't know at that tender age that I was allowed to have more than one favorite band. Shortly thereafter I added Led Zeppelin and the Grateful Dead to my ever-growing list of faves. After that the flood gates were open. I started buying my own records when I was 13, and my collection grew by leaps and bounds.

Though much of my record library consisted of what would be "classic rock" by today's standards, I was really proud of what I had amassed in just a few short years. It wasn't just quantity in my mind, it was quality too. I joined KFJC in late 1988 and tired very quickly of what was sitting, collecting dust, in my own library. I hungered for more. More genres, more obscure artists, more "classics" waiting to be discovered. In 2010 I purged about 5000 LPs that were taking up too much space in my home and my psyche. Most of this music could be heard on any commercial radio station anyway, so why would I hold onto it all? What I kept (about 1000 LPs) and what I continue to purchase is inspired by my time in non-commercial radio and local artists.

There are too many musical gems waiting to be encountered by the masses. I continue to be involved in radio to share my discoveries with you. Take a look at the playlist below, and all of my playlists. Much of what you see, you have never heard before. Give it a listen. If I play it that means I like it enough to want to share it with you. Hopefully you will like it enough to support that artist. Buy their music. See them live.

Enjoy...I know I do.

jh

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

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When You Get It Grunt If You Can: The JBs

Researching the Blues: Redd Kross

Chicken A La King/Bad Move: Dale Crover

Love How In Love With Love You Are: Adam Mackintosh with Storm Large

I Shot All The Birds: Blind Shake

Apache: Link Wray

Come On Over, Turn Me On: Isobel Campbell and Mark Lanegan

Psycho Star: King Tuff

You Are What You Love: Jenny Lewis and the Watson Twins

Feel: Ty Segall

Otis Rush Tribute (1935-2018)

I Can't Quit You, Babe: Otis Rush

Double Trouble: Otis Rush

Little Red Rooster: Otis Rush

Southern Politician: Willy Deville

Am I Black Enough For Ya: Schoolly-D

Round and Round: OP8

Lord of Lightening: King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard

Revolution Blues: Neil Young and Crazy Horse

Please Mr. Gunman: Mudhoney

Some Velvet Morning: Lee Hazlewood and Nancy Sinatra

Roscoe: Midlake

Pent Juri Hati: Koes Barat

This is my favorite scene from Kiss Meets the Phantom of the Park. That Paul Stanley is a real thespian.

Hell's Kitchen Radio #317: Take A Knee

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I promised I wasn't going to go on a rant tonight. I almost got through the entire show too. It was worth it. But it's all about the music, right? That's why you tune in. You want to hear what I'm going to play, and in what order I'll be playing it. I get it. That's why I listen to quality radio programs, and often with a pen and paper at hand. I want to get excited about a tune I haven't heard before so I can run on out and purchase it, and perhaps get turned on to an artist that has deftly escaped my attention until now.

Recently, a friend of mine was telling me that I should contact a commercial radio station and ask for the opportunity to be their music director for one day. Yes, the music heard on most commercial stations, most of the time, makes me want to puke. Much of what I'm perplexed about is the order of their songs. They can hand me the list of all artists/songs they want played for that day and allow me to place it in an order that actually makes sense. Don't hold your breath for me to do this anytime soon, but I do like the idea.

If you have been enjoying the second hour live sets I've been doing then I believe you're really going to enjoy what I have in store for you on this show. Check out the playlist below, and click the stream/download links above.

Enjoy.

jh

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

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Some Context/The Acrid Corpse: King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard

Powerman: The Kinks
Time of your Live: Daevid Allen
Repo Man: Iggy Pop

Rodeo Chica: Boss Hog
That's Not My Name: Ting Tings
Let It Bleed: Goat

Plastic Plant: Thee Oh Sees
Death Sound Blues: Country Joe and the Fish
The Same Thing: Muddy Waters

Jeun Ko Ku: Fela Kuti

Keep on the Sunny Side: Nitty Gritty Dirt Band
Roadrunnre: Jerry Garcia Band (August 1, 1974 - Keystone, Berkeley, CA)

Head Home: Midlake
Visions of Johanna: Bob Dylan (May 26, 1966 Royal Albert Hall, London, England)

Sweet Jane: Lou Reed (October 27, 1974 Palace Theater, Dayton, OH)
Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere: Neil Young (February 19, 1970 KQED TV, San Francisco, CA)

Messin' With the Kid: Rory Gallagher (July 10, 1972 Bob Harris Show, BBC)

Hell's Kitchen Radio #283: We Don't Quit

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It's far past the time to start talking about affordable event space in the Bay Area. Tonight on the program Ann Atomic joins me in the studio to talk about the devastating fire at the Ghost Ship in Oakland last Friday night. 33 souls have perished in the worst fire in Oakland history. Yes, this was a space that was not up to code. Yes, this was a space not zoned for housing. Yes, the leaseholder will probably be charged with 2nd degree murder. But beyond all of this, we need to take a deeper look at the housing challenges faced by artists in the Bay Area today.

The investigation is just beginning, but we can't just throw around the blame. As the tech boom contiunes it's important that we focus on who is not thriving here: the art community. Imagine if you will a working artist paying $2000 a month on a 1 bedroom apartment, while also having to pay for an artists studio, because if they made their art at home they would be in violation of their lease and could get kicked out. It then makes sense for them to move into their art studio space with other artists even if that violates the lease on the art space. This is close to what happened at Ghost Ship, and what has happened at other art studio spaces in the Bay Area over the past 20 years, while local jurisdictions make it more and more impossible for artists to survive in a nation that no longer prioritizes art at all.

Ann Atomic and I attempt to tackle all this and more on tonight's program.

New music from Ty Segall, Dumb Punts, Mind Rays, Faux Ferocious, Nick Cave, and The Flat Earthers. And the rareist of rare music from Pink Floyd. You have NEVER heard the Floyd like this before, I promise you.

Did you hear my 6th annual ANNUAL ANNUAL? If not, you can check it out by going here.

My Best of 2016 is coming up in just a few weeks.

See you on the radio.

jh

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

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Hallelujah: Jeff Buckley
Rainy Day in June: The Kinks

Orange Color Queen: Ty Segall
Cherry Bomb: GIRLS
Space Waster: Dumb Punts

It Covers the Hillside: Midlake
Still and All: Mind Rays
Viola Lee: Jim Kweskin
Feeding Frenzy: Faux Ferocious

Walk With Me Sydney: Pink Floyd
Vegetable Man: Pink Floyd
Every Little Twist: Red Fang

Web: Thee Oh Sees
N.I.B.: Black Sabbath (08-31-70 Montreux, Switzerland)

I Need You: Nick Cave

We Don't Quit: The Flat Earthers

Hell's Kitchen Radio #275: Hot Doesn't Really Explain It

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It's hot in the studio again, so it's NAKED RADIO NIGHT. I was so dizzy with sweat that I just blindly pulled most of the songs here. But just take a look at that playlist! Sometimes you just have to take a risk. One day I think I'll just show up with no plan at all and no music in hand, and grab music from the mysterious Radio Valencia record library. That should be a hoot...or a miserable failure. Either way I'll make it fun.

Where else on the radio can you hear the entire Atom Heart Mother Suite, I ask you? Where?!?!?!

Enjoy.

jh

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

Follow me on Twitter
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Follow Radio Valencia on Twitter
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I Love Living in the City: Danko Jones
Blues X Man: John Spencer Blues Explosion
Silent Sits the Dust Bowl: Fuzz

Televisionary: World Entertainment War
By The Time I Get To Phoenix: Dean Martin

Catfish Blues: Jimi Hendrix
Atom Heart Mother: Pink Floyd
Dead Man's Gun: Thee Oh Sees

Youth of America: Wipers
Batman Theme - Happy Birthday Adam West
John Barleycorn: Traffic
Bandits: Midlake

Celestial Crown/Barael's Blade: The Sword
Bing Bong: Three Day Stubble
Misery is the River of the World: Tom Waits

Backdoor Medley: ZZ Top
Frankie and Albert: Taj Mahal
Cry Baby Cry: The Beatles

Dreaming: Cherubs

A Season in Hell #77: Radio Valencia: A Good Dub Night To You

Looking at my vast collection of music tonight, I noticed that it's been a while since I've gone the Dub route. Mik-em on Can Haz DJ, Tuesdays 10-midnight, hosted a month of Dub this February. Perhaps I've been inspired? Sure, whatever.

As usual, lots of great new music, and closed out with some live treats, including brand spanking new Heartless Bastards.

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Enjoy.

jh

It's Hard to be Humble: Mac Davis

The War on Wisdom: The Melvins
Mary Lou: Black Mountain

Black Smoke Rise: Wooden Shjips
Casino El Camino (parte 1): Guadalupe Plata
Tu. la la: Boris

Faithful Man: Lee Fields & The Expressions

No Bones for the Dogs: Joe Gibbs & the Professionals
Spliff's B-Sides
Fire Dub: Israel Vibration
I Am Not Ashamed: The Mighty Two
Kung Fu: Lee Perry

Bankrobber/Robber Dub: The Clash
Spliff's B-Sides
Jab: The Scientist

Cortez the Killer: Neil Young (11/22/76 late show)
Sway: Heartless Bastards (02/24/12)

Roscoe: Midlake (11/01/06)
I Wish I Were in New Orleans: Tom Waits (11/12/85)

I Left my Heart in San Francisco: Tony Bennett