Hell's Kitchen Radio #574: Now Dig This

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Another Monday night and the world isn't completely burning yet. 

We all need an escape from time to time. I take Monday nights seriously. This is like taking a shower: don't bother me while I'm doing this. 

I don't paint or sculpt, but I do consider hosting a radio show like creating an art piece. I have an empty two hour aural canvas that I use to weave music through, hoping to be pleased with the final result. And this is a real challenge. I hope you enjoy what I bring you, but is that my responsibility? I choose music that I think you need to hear. I've been doing this long enough to know that too many people are still only  listening to the music they listened to in high school, as if that was the best music ever produced?!?!?

Many of you don't have the time to do the deep digging that I, and the other Radio Valencia DJs take to find the tastiest of musical treats for you. That's one of the reasons I love to do this show. I eat, drink, and breathe music. It's on right now, as I'm writing this. I read music blogs, artist biographies and memoirs. You need a music nerd like me in your life. 

And let's look at what I offer you on Monday night, shall we? I started with some early folk blues, move to a Bob Dylan outtake that may be one of his greatest songs ever written! You have a brilliant Roland (pre-Rahssan) Kirk cover of a Duke classic. Some brand new Public Enemy that will kick your ass! Then we jump back for a Janis-loving seasonal classic, before I give you two jazz treats you didn't know you needed (but you do). There's some brand new Osees, live Hawkwind, local luminary The Space Lady, new A/lpaca (I have no clue why they spell their name that way?), Japan's Kikagaku Moyo (including a story I share following this about my Sunday motorcycle ride...blissful). Following this I pull out a 20th anniversary release of Japan's Boris (how the Hell has it been 20 years?!?!?!), Texas' Psychic Ills, and Mott the Hoople (a brilliant segue, btw), and local lass Barbara Manning, who all of you must listen to all of the time. I close out the show with new King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard, featuring an orchestra (what will they think of next?), Tom Waits covering Kurt Weill, and complete the show with some new Ty Segall (I still have a boy crush on him).

Whew.

That's a lot to throw at any canvas. 

I don't normally go into such detail in these posts, but I wanted to give you an idea of the many cups I'm pulling from when I host a show. I'm not a specialty show, where a host focuses on one genre, week-to-week. I like it all. I love playing new releases for you, and I also enjoy scouring my library at home to pull music I haven't played in a while. There's always an itch that needs to be scratched. 

Take this. Make it yours. Share it. Dig the artists? Go buy their music. See them live. Share it with your friends. 

I think this is what makes Radio Valencia a truly special radio station.

Enjoy.

jh

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

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How Do You Want Your Rollin' Done: Louie Lasky
Got Me Religion: Scott H. Biram

Blind Willie McTell: Bob Dylan

Creole Love Call: Roland Kirk

Siick: Public Enemy

Summertime: Big Brother and the Holding Company

China: The Visitors

Super Bad: Idris Muhammad

Fight Simulator: Osees

Seven By Seven: Hawkwind

Radar Love: The Space Lady

Laughter, Us Us: A/lpaca
Meu Mar: Kikagaku Moyu

Pink: Boris

Back To You: Psychic Ills

All The Young Dudes: Mott The Hoople

Twilight: Barbara Manning

Phantom Island: King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard

What Keeps Mankind Alive: Tom Waits

Fantastic Tomb: Ty Segall

Hell's Kitchen Radio #491: I'm In Your Hell Fuzz

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What in the world is going to take for you to get it through that thick skull of yours that you are worth so much more than you give yourself credit for, Why do you keep listening to that dreck on the commercial radio knowing as you do that they only deliver content to the lowest common denominator? You are more special than this. They do not deserve your ears!

Radio Valencia on the other had prides itself on pushing the limit of acceptable audio. Yeah, yeah, we'll play tunes you'll recognize from time to time, from artists you love. But we're also going to play you artists that you're going to really fall in love with, leaving all others in the dust. 

And isn't that why you tune in to radio? I mean really. You're not the same person you were in high school, so why should your musical choice be the same?

Check out last Monday's show. So much to make you go "hmmmmmm". 

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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Nick the Dick: Three Day Stubble
Hey Brother, Roll A Joint: Three Stoned Men

Low Spark of High Heeled Boys: The Space Lady

Heavy Road: Slift
Brainded Warrior: Zig Zags

Reaper Invert: WAND

Mirror of Illusion: Hawkwind

California Love: Sly5thAve

There Is A Mountain: Jo Jones

You Are Beautiful: Helen Money
In Every Dream Home A Heartache: Roxy Music

Mind Daze: Psychic Ills

Gaia: King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard

Ruins: Wooden Shjips

Harold of the Rocks: Primus

Do You Like To Eat A Cow: Paul Leary

Perm Act: Osees
St. James Infirmary: Cab Calloway

Travelin' Riverside Blues: Robert Johnson

Three Women Blues: Blind Willie McTell
Mr. Soul: Neil Young + The Promise of the Real

In That Great Getting Up In The Morning: The New Gospel Keys

Hell's Kitchen Radio #465: We Love You EB

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Well my dear friend Eric "EB" Brown passed away on Monday morning. What a dear man he was. Always ready with a smile and a quick retort. I appreciated him in more ways than I can count. I'll miss you, dear friend. My heart goes out to your wonderful wife, Cat, and your entire family. My heart also goes out to our large circle of friends, who have lost countless lives over the past decade. 

Fuck cancer. 

Do you ever think about how you're going to die? I think I'm going to be stabbed to death. Isn't that a lovely thought? I've thought about this more times than I care to admit; almost always when I'm walking in a compromised neighborhood, late at night. "Will I make it out of here alive" is usually the question I ask myself. So far, so good. 

Don't be so nihilistic, Mr. Hell.

I have no death wish. I would love to be happy and healthy deep into my senior years. I want to see my kids grow up, reaching their dreams, or at least finding stability. That would be nice. And there's too much music to enjoy. I need to be spinning records for a few more decades, thank you very much.

But when I think about who we've lost, I fairly confident these very active and creative people also wanted to keep engaging and producing for many more years. They didn't ask for this. And they fought against it, tooth and nail. 

Fuck cancer.

I think about what Jerry Garcia said about how he was going to live this life: "I choose fun". He died young, only 53. And he died with a smile on his face. Of course it was the drugs and diabetes that did him in. Luckily I have no drug addiction, and I'm healthier than I've been in many many years. 

I'm reminded what Miles Davis said about drugs: "When you're rich, cocaine ain't a habit." Thanks Miles. 

This show wasn't meant to turn into a memorial, but many of the songs have that flavor. New music from Eric McFadden, Death Valley Girls, Le Butcherettes, Brigid Dawson, JD Pinkus, Pedro Connect, and red Fang.

Thanks as always for your support. We honestly couldn't do what we do if it wasn't for the monthly dues from our station volunteers, and it's not enough to keep us afloat. We're going to start an online fundraiser soon, letting you know what we need and how much it's going to cost. Anything you can send our way is appreciated. Click on the PayPal link below to help out your favorite San Francisco community radio station.

Enjoy and please share.

Oh, and fuck cancer.

jh

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

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Eagles Over America: ShitKit
Ballad of Dwight Fry: Eric McFadden

Sun Goddess: Earth Wind and Fire (For EB)

Dread Lion: The Upsetters

When I'm Free: Death Valley Girls

Alone and Stoned: King Tuff

Ra Wah Wah: Psychic Ills

Heartbreak Jazz: Brigid Dawson and the Mother's Network

Hummingbird: Bob Seger

Fungus Shui: JD Pinkus
Across the Universe: The Space Lady

The Universe: Le Butcherettes

Pedro: The Toulon - Pedro Connect

Last Of His Kind: Neil Young

Parchman Farm: John Mayall with Eric Clapton

Kicked Out: Dead Moon

Unreal Estate: Red Fang

Hell's Kitchen Radio #437: I'm Your DJ

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There are times that I really want to send a sternly written letter to some commercial radio station, reminding them of the disservice they are doing to their listeners. It's almost as if they are some junkie pushing tainted drugs. The user doesn't even know there are quality drugs down to the left end of town (or in most cases left end of the dial). In this case on the left end of the internet. 

But why write a letter when I can just share this show, right? Should I send this show off to the program directors of the top commercial stations so they can see how much better they can be (that sounds pretty egotistical, and I didn't even need to reread it), or shall I just go to where their listeners hang out and offer them a better bang for the buck. 

Allow me to bang you. Bang you all.

It was tax day on Monday, so there are a few tunes that fit some kind of money theme, but other than that, I'm all over the place in a good way. I even improvise a bit more than usual and through in the 23 minute epic, "Echoes", by Pink Floyd. It's the greatest version you have ever heard. Tune in to find out why. I'm also falling in love with Mike Krol. This guy...sheesh!

I've been pulling out a number of anniversary box sets lately. CSN&Y, Ray Charles, The Who. I have new Ty Segall later in the show that will kick your ass. And that's what you want in a radio station, shows that will kick your ass in ways you didn't know you needed. 

Radio Valencia is here to kick your ass in all the best ways.

Enjoy.

jh

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

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Taxman: The Beatles
Snow Day: Mike Krol
Kill The Poor: Dead Kennedys
Life Is Cheap: Flipper

Free Money: Patti Smith
Mason's Children: Henry Kaiser
Millionaires Blues: Hip Lankchan

Nobody Knows You When You're Down and Out: Derek and the Dominos
Greenbacks: Ray Charles
Hours of Wealth: Opeth
Echoes: Pink Floyd

I'm Your Man: Mark Growden
Untitled: Mike Krol
I Wish I Was In New Orleans: Tom Waits
Tattoo Zero: Tomahawk

Sleeper: Ty Segall and the Freedom Band
If I'm In Luck I Might Get Picked Up: Betty Davis

Almost Cut My Hair [demo]: Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young
Never Learn To Love: Psychic Ills

Mary Anne With The Shaky Hand [Take 1 and Take 9]: The Who

Hell's Kitchen Radio #408: Take Me Home

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None of this makes sense. We should have been so over prepared for this pandemic that the course the government took would have been ballyhooed as overblown! But nope, not us. We're like a comic book that no one wanted to read anymore. I blame the TV show 24. Remember that show? That's the show that made torturing to get the confession OK. I am not OK with that. I think ever since that show (which was on FOX by the way), our nation started deeper on a path nationalism.

The terrorists have won.

We are a nation ripped apart and polarized like never before in modern history.

We need music now more than ever. We need music to ground us, and to lift us up. We need music to remind us that it's ok to cry and it's ok to laugh. We need to get lost in the music. It's lustful, and it's spiritual. Music can be your lover or your god. It can be both at once. Allow yourself to fall into it.

We need things to look forward to. I look forward to Monday nights at 8pm when I can share a couple of hours with you away from this sick, sad, crazy world. It won't be this way forever, but while it is, look towards the music and remember that you are alive.

Johnny Cash died 17 years ago. Where has the time gone? I open up show with two sets of the Man in Black. He deserves many hours of celebration. I actually hosted a Cash/Cave show a few years ago that you might enjoy. Check it out here.

I close out the show with a tribute to Toots Hibbert of Toots and the Maytals who passed away this past weekend. Thanks for all the love, Toots.

See you Monday at 8.

Enjoy.

jh

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

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Run Softly, Blue River: Johnny Cash
Busted: Johnny Cash
Dirty Old Egg Sucking Dog: Johnny Cash
If I Were A Carpenter: Johnny Cash

Cocaine Carolina: Johnny Cash with David Allen Coe
Ain't Gonna Hobo Nomore: Johnny Cash
Hurt: Johnny Cash
Tomorrow Is Already Here: Stereolab

Coca-Cola Blues: Psychic Ills
Levitation: 13th Floor Elevators
Hurry On Sundown: Hawkwind
Cymbaline: Pink Floyd

The Weeping Song: Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds
Memory of a Free Festival: David Bowie
Retribution: Abbey Lincoln

Lilin: Electric Masada
Cost of Living: Keithis
Freedom of Choice: Devo

Fire: Mikal Cronin
Ode To Billie Joe: Mercury Rev featuring Lucinda Williams
King of California: Dave Alvin

Country Roads: Toots and the Maytals (1976 The Longbranch Saloon, Berkeley, CA)

Hell's Kitchen Radio #399: Keep With The Program

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How did we get here so fast? Well, it's been just about ten years, so not exactly fast, but 399 is a pretty big number. To be honest, I've hosted more than 400 shows on Radio Valencia since our inception in August 2010. Many of my specials like Rock Fight and the Annual Annual don't get a show number. So I'm closer to 420 than 400, but let's not let semantics get in the way of a good time. 

There's always an excuse to party, and in days like these we don't need many excuses. 

I don't know about you but I've been spending a lot of my days with the music flowing. Right now as I sit and write this I'm listening to a Sonic Youth show from November 26, 1992. What a fabulous soundboard!!! Maybe I'll feature it on my Wednesday afternoon show. Oh wait, I didn't tell you about my other show on Radio Valencia? I decided to commandeer Wednesday noon-2pm to feature my vast live bootleg library. I've hosted two shows so far, the first featuring a Pink Floyd show from 1970, and the second, a Led Zeppelin show from 1975. There's so much goodness to share, I just can't keep all of this great music to myself.

You should "like" my Facebook page and see what music I'm listening to, and take a poll to help me choose which bands/shows to play on my Wednesday slot.

As for my Monday show, and show #399, I start with a brand spankin' new Public Enemy track, showing that we haven't gotten very far in the past 31 years, let alone 401. There are covers as usual, some funk, some jazz, some punk, everything you have come to love and enjoy after 399 shows in Hell's Kitchen. 

Every set is the set of the night!

I don't know what I have in store for my official #400 show next Monday night. I'm not very good at planning my shows. Really, I'm not. I try to go with what feels good, so I may need to keep to that formula. 

Enjoy.

jh

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

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Fight the Power 2020: Public Enemy

Swampland: Melvins with Mark Arm

Black Mountain: Isobel Campbell and Mark Lanegan

Set It On Fire: The Scientists

Retribution: Abbey Lincoln

Farewell to Ibusa: Afro Funk

Banned in DC: Bad Brains

Baby: Psychic Ills

Cornflower Suite: Suni McGrath

Funeral For A Great Drunken Bird: All Them Witches 

Tiger Mountain Peasant Song: First Aid Kit

Let's Go Hunt For Grandpa: Goober and the Peas

Space Rinse: Gøggs

Immigrant Punk: Gogol Bordello

Earth People: Dr. Octogon

Do You Realize?: Flaming Lips

Biological Speculation: Funkadelic

Make It NY: Ghostface Killah

Lady Day and John Coltrane: Gil Scott-Heron

Susperia: Goblin

You Gotta Move: RL Burnside

Mistreating Queen: Radio Moscow

Bales of Cocaine: Reverend Horton Heat

Food Sickles and Girls: The Mummies

Ricky: Butthole Surfers

What A Wonderful World: Louis Armstrong

Check out that great new Public Enemy video for the updated "Fight the Power" right here!!!

Hell's Kitchen Radio #396: I Am Not Your DJ

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My listeners inspire me. Truly, you do. Last week was cathartic, and I'm not done with the protest/revolutionary sounds; I just needed a week off to refresh. A few 10+ minute tunes tonight will do.

Lots of new music and music that's new to you. Last Friday was Bandcamp's revenue-free day, where all of the proceeds go to the artist and/or a charity supporting #BLM-related organizations.

I have a lot to say on the topic of inequity and inequality in America. I have been a high school social studies teacher, teaching law, civics and economics for 17 years. I'm not going to use this space today to pour my thoughts out, though I may do so soon. Watch this space.

In the meantime, take a look at the playlist below and then click the link above to give it a listen. There are a few long jams, but I think that's one of the reasons you tune.

And big thanks go out to my old, dear friend. Michael, who is one of the very few who can throw me a tune in the middle of my show, that I have never heard, and get me to play it. That's a lot of trust right there. And Michael knows his music. That guy ought to have a radio show of his own. Hmmmmm?

New music right out of the gate from the duo that promises to be dynamic, and I do hope they produce more music together: Ty Segall, and WAND frontman, Cory Hanson. Also a tribute to the late George Floyd by rocker-turned-folkie, Jim McHugh. There's some new music in the Hell library that makes its way in throughout the show, including Psychic Ills, Bratmobile (had it on vinyl, and now digitally), Sleater-Kinney, Death Valley Girls, Fela Kuti, Oh Sees (HOLY HELL I cannot believe I missed this one in late 2017!!!), local prog-kraut-metal-rockers Glitter Wizard, The Scientists (from their golden era), Flesh Eaters, Mike Watt, Peter Laughner, and more!!! 

Whew!

I hope you take more risks in your music selection. I enjoy curating these two hours for you every week. The kindest response I have ever received from a listener was when they told me they listen to me show every week with a pen and paper in hand. Damn, but that feels good.

Enjoy.

jh

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

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She's A Beam: Ty Segall and Cory Hanson

I Don't Mind: Psychic Ills

Vigilante Man/George Floyd: Jim McHugh

Cherry Bomb: Bratmobile

Abre Camino: Death Valley Girls

Go Slow: Fela Kuti

Dig Me Out: Sleater-Kinney

Dead Medic: Oh Sees

Hall of the Oyster King: Glitter Wizard

In God We Trust: Bent Knee

When Fate Deals Its Mortal Blow: The Scientists

House Among the Thickets: The Flesh Eaters

No One: Mike Watt and the Secondmen

Acid Nightmare: Xarhanga

The Wedge: The JBs

It's A Mean Old World: Reverend Pearly Brown

Earthquake: Butthole Surfers

The Flip: Cleveland Freckleton

Mean Old Frisco: Peter Laughner

What A Wonderful World: Louis Armstrong

Hell's Kitchen Radio #338: Facial Recognition Radio

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Another winner of a broadcast for this week. I think I'm finally getting the hang of this. Lots of tasty library choices on this night. For you not used to the library lingo, "library" means older releases. Some older tunes, some afro-funk, stoner-rock, alt-country, live Iggy and live Dead! What else could you ask for? A few long jams? Sure, I've got that in the show as well. Some jazz and blues? Why not?! Some prog-rock and English punk? Ok, if you say so.

Happy Forfa to all of you. Please celebrate responsibly as you blow up a little bit of our nation, and perhaps a small part of your body.

See you Monday night at 8.

Also, Flint still has no clean drinking water, and Puerto Rico is mostly out of power.

Enjoy.

jh

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

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Status People: Groundhogs
I Knew My Name: Psychic Ills

Reaper Invert: WAND
Giving Up The Ghost: Zig Zags
Temporarily Like Bob Dylan: Bongos, Bass and Bob

Dirty Robber: The Mummies
Mona Lisa: Sam Cooke
God Bless the Child: Kenny Burrell

They Ain't Making Jews Like Jesus Anymore: Kinky Friedman
Summer Wages: David Bromberg

Linda Goes To Mars: John Prine
Hikky Burr: Quincy Jones

Tei Egwu:Afro Funk
Mr. Time: Koes Barat
Watcher the Skies: Genesis

Our Darling: Altamont
Untitled: Dead Meadow

Ex-Lion Tamer: Wire
The Passenger: Iggy Pop (August 18, 1996 Bizarre Festival, Cologne, Germany)

Loser: Grateful Dead (May, 08, 1981 Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum, Uniondale, NY)

A Season in Hell #69: Radio Valencia: Best of 2011, Part 2

So much good music in 2011 that I had to do two Best of shows this year.

Here's the link to download the archived show.
Here's the link to the stream of the archived show.

Easy: Deer Tick
Pobre Mary: Guadalupe Plata
Chinese Weed: FIDLAR

You Were There: The Ettes
Ophelia: Luke Temple
Christmas in a Chinese Restaurant: John McCauley of Deer Tick

Can We Get Together: Hunx and his Punx
Velvet Itch: Bass Drum of Death
Jesus Came to my Birthday Party: The Middle East
County Line: Cass McCombs

Mayday: Pujol
Be your Bro: Those Darlins
Man Who Lives Forever: Lord Huron
You Make the Sun Fry: Ty Segall

Hour two:
Bad as Me: Tom Waits
Benediction: Thurston Moore

Holocene: Bon Iver
Several Shades of Why: J Mascis

Stick Figures in Love: Stephen Malkmus & the Jicks
I'm So Vain: Sun Raaa
Breaking the Law: The Babies
Oh Woman, John Wesley Coleman III

Filling A Hole: Eric McFadden
Mind Daze: Psychic Ills
Die: Girls

San Pedro: Mogwai