Hell's Kitchen Radio #590: 15th annual Annual Annual: 1981

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Hot damn, it's my favorite time of year: the weather is cooler, the leaves are falling, Halloween, Thanksgiving, holiday break from school and my Annual Annual!!!

This is my 15th annual Annual Annual, and I have to admit I was a bit perplexed thinking about what year I wanted to focus on this year. I'm not going to get into why I do this show, or offer a history of the past 15 years of hosting it. There are links below to all the previous specials, so you can go there to learn about it.

I will tell you last October I realized the date of this show was fast approaching and I needed to get on the ball quick, or it was not going to be a pleasant night. So I did what any DJ with 35+ years of underground radio experience, who owns a few thousand records, loves every genre, reads countless books on music, and is always keeping up with the latest sounds: I asked my friends what year I should do.

And 1981 rose to the top.

What a year that was for music. Punk had splintered into many forms: post-punk, industrial, goth, new wave, hardcore, alt, and experimental. Metal had also evolved to include NWOBM, and early thrash, as well as some early glam. Hiphop was still in its infancy, and reggae and international were flourishing.

So I did what any other self-respecting radio host would do with a two hour timeslot: I produced a four hour show.

I broke this up into four one-hour segments that I have posted at the top of every hour below.

I have so much fun hosting this special that I can hardly wait until next year. Then again I have no clue which year to choose. Do me a favor and leave a comment letting me know which year you think I should do. You can see below the other years I've already hosted. I'm not planning on repeating any of those.

There's a lot to dislike about the politics and commercial fare of 1981, but the music I have for you isn't of them.

Enjoy and please share.

jh

2011 - ANNUAL ANNUAL - 1971
2012 - ANNUAL ANNUAL - 1972
2013 - ANNUAL ANNUAL - 1973
2014 - ANNUAL ANNUAL - 1974
2015 - ANNUAL ANNUAL - 1975
2016 - ANNUAL ANNUAL - 2006
2017 - ANNUAL ANNUAL - 1992
2018 - ANNUAL ANNUAL - 1983
2019 - ANNUAL ANNUAL - 1969
2020 - ANNUAL ANNUAL - 1980
2021 - ANNUAL ANNUAL - 1978
2022 - ANNUAL ANNUAL - 1968
2023 - ANNUAL ANNUAL - 1991
2024 - ANNUAL ANNUAL - 1994

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

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HOUR 1 — Hardcore / Punk / Alt-Roots
Straight Edge: Minor Threat (7")
What We Want is Free: Articles of Faith (7")
Lights Out: Angry Samoans (Back From Samoa -1982 (recorded in 1981)
American Wino: The Lewd (7")
Abolish Government/Silent Majority: T.S.O.L. (T.S.O.L.)
Smash the State: DOA (Hardcore '81)

Sex Bomb: Flipper (7")
Youth of America: Wipers (Youth of America)
Academy Fight Song: Mission of Burma (Signals, Calls, and Marches EP)
***Commercials from 1981***
Sex Beat: The Gun Club (Fire of Love)

Sick Boy: G.B.H. (City Baby Attacked By Rats)
Never Again: Discharge (Never Again)
Statues: Husker Du (7")

Marie Marie: The Blasters (S/T)
Radio Free Europe (Hib-Tone): REM (Murmer)
White Sweater: Romeo Void (It's A Condition)
See You In The Boneyard: The Flesh Eaters (A Minute to Pray, A Second to Die)

HOUR 2 — Post-Punk / Goth / Experimental 
Nick the Stripper: The Birthday Party (Prayers on Fire)
Winning: The Sound (From The Lions Mouth)
About the Weather: Magazine (Magic, Murder and the Weather)

Middle Mass: The Fall (Slates)
Come Again: Au Pairs (Playing with a Different Sex)
Only Loved at Night: The Raincoats (Odyshapes) 

Kick in the Eye: Bauhaus (Mask)
Follow the Leaders: Killing Joke (What's THIS For...!)
Dumb Waiters: Psychedelic Furs (Talk Talk Talk)

Makeshift Swahili: This Heat (Deceit) 
HOUR 3 — Metal / NWOBHM / Early Thrash
Welcome to Hell: Venom (Welcome to Hell)
Don't Need Your Money: Raven (Rock Until You Drop)
Purgatory: Iron Maiden (Killers)

Ace of Spades: Motorhead (No Sleep Til Hammersmith)
C'Mon Let's Go: Girlschool (Hit and Run)
Heavy Metal Ears: Picture (Heavy Metal Ears)
Heavy Metal Mania: Holocaust (The Nightcomers)

I'm Alive: Cirith Ungol (Frost and Fire)
Swords and Tequila: Riot (Fire Down Below)
Riding with the Angels: Samson (with future Iron Maiden peeps) (Shock Tactics)

Gangland: Tygers of Pan Tang (Spellbound)
Princess of the Night: Saxon (Denim and Leather)
School Love: Anvil (Hard 'n' Heavy)

HOUR 4 — Reggae / Dub / Hip-Hop / Global 
Youth of Englington: Black Uhuru (Red)
Dance of the Vampires: Scientist (Scientist Rids the World of the Evil Curse of the Vampires)
Brain Damage: Dennis Bovell (Brain Damage)

The Adventures of Grandmaster Flash on the Wheels of Steel: Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five (12" single)
Moody: ESG (ESG EP)
This Bed's Too Big Without You: Sheila Hylton
Tally Ho!: The Clean (7")

Der Mussolini: DAF (Alles ist Gut)
Heartbeat: Chris and Cosey (Heartbeat)
Make Room: Fad Gadget (7")

Bob Hope Takes Risks: Rip, Rig and Panic (7")
Shumba: Thomas Mapfuno (7")

Hell's Kitchen Radio #331: Blow My Cover

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This apparently has become an annual event. If you listen to my show on a regular basis (of course you do!), then you often hear a cover tune or three. There are just too many quality versions to share with you. It's easy with a music collection like mine to play hours and hours of covers. The real test is to find two hours worth to make it worth your while to listen.

I've been inspired to host this show for a few weeks now, but I still didn't get through my long list I had prepared for you. Tune in next Monday night and you may get a few extra treats, including a Pink Floyd cover that will knock you into the next galaxy.

In the meantime enjoy the show. Click on the stream or download links above to access, and please share this with music fans far and wide.

Enjoy.

jh

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

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Eight Miles High (The Byrds): Husker Dü
Boom Boom (John Lee Hooker): Rube Waddell

The Ballad of El Goodo (Big Star): Evan Dando
See No Evil (Television): REM
Sharp Dressed Man: Xiu Xiu

Every 1's A Winner (Hot Chocolate): Ty Segall and the Freedom Band
Satisfaction (Rolling Stones): Bjork and PJ Harvey
I Want You To Want Me (Cheap Trick): Puddles Pity Party

Future's So Bright (Timbuk 3): Adam Mackintosh
Hey Joe (Billy Roberts): Black Uhuru
Je T'Aime, Moi Non Plus (Serge Gainsbourg): Cibo Matto

20th Century Boy (T Rex): Buckethead
Little Green Bag (George Baker Selection): Tom Jones and Barenaked Ladies

Every Grain of Sand (Bob Dylan): Lizz Wright
Black Betty (Leadbelly): The Melvins
Kick Out The Jams (MC5): Henry Rollins and Bad Brains

Heart of Gold (Neil Young): Blitzen Trapper
Rouche Rumble (The Fall): Sonic Youth
Fade Into You (Mazzy Star): Jeff Elgas(Vocals) and Marc Stevens(Guitar)

Maggot Brain (Funkadelic): Mike Watt, J. Mascis, Bernie Worrell
Ramblin' Man (Hank Williams): Isobel Campbell and Mark Lanegan

Hey Bulldog (The Beatles): Eric McFadden
Up and Down (Cookie Monster): Cookie Mongoloid

Hell's Kitchen Radio #281: Two For The Road

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Will this madness of 2016 never end.

Guitarist and singer/songwriter Eric McFadden and his Queen delphine joined me in the studio Monday night to pay tribute to two greats of the music world who recently passed on to the great beyond.

While I was never a big fan of the way Leonard Cohen phrased his own tunes, I was a huge fan of the many covers of his classics. I believe I first was turned onto the brilliant songwriting of Mr. Cohen through the Joe Cocker Mad Dogs and Englishmen version of "Bird on a Wire". I was hooked from that moment on the storytelling and eagerly sought out other covers. Easily my favorite cover of his was "Hallelujah" by the late, great Jeff Buckley. "I'm Your Fan" is a great tribute record to Cohen, which was released in 1991, featuring REM, Nick Cave, The Pixies, and John Cale. Check it out!

Leonard Cohen died November 7th of cancer at the age of 82. I appreciate that he was buried in a simple Jewish ceremony next to his parents in Montreal.

The piano player on the Mad Dogs record was none other than my other featured player for the night: Leon Russell. Russell's stride piano playing and exaggerated vocal style helped him stand out from others during his high profile era of the 1970s. Starting with the Mad Dogs record I spent many hours enjoying his early 70s solo efforts. Though he wasn't as often covered as much as Cohen, Russell made a profound impact on many songwriters that followed him. His birthplace, Tulsa, Oklahoma, named a street after him in 2010. He died this past Sunday after a few years of failing health. He was 74.

Listening to music is supposed to be a joy. Even when the artist we love and respect has passed to the great beyond we have their songs to carry us through to our own old age. I've told my friends and family if I ever get to a point where they have to prop me up in a corner just place some headphones on me and place my iPod on shuffle. Losing Cohen and Russell is indeed sad, but it also will lead to a renaissance of their music. Perhaps your favorite band will cover their songs. Maybe, like after Jerry Garcia died, there will be a huge outpouring of new versions of some of their deeper album cuts that you never knew they wrote. From loss comes inspiration. Through grief comes resilience and vision.

At this writing Mose Allison has passed away at the age of 89. I can't host enough shows to pay tribute to all the musical greats who we have lost this somber year.

Take heart my friends, and hold each other closer. We're going to need all the good love and strength we can muster.

Eric and delphine are performing the next two Fridays and Saturdays for Dark Kabaret at the Great Star Theater in China Town. Tickets and information here.

jh

Girl From North Country: Leon Russell (02-05-1971 - Baarn, NL)
The Partisan: Leonard Cohen
Bird on a Wire: Joe Cocker

This Masquerade: Leon Russell
Hummingbird: B.B. King
Dream a Little Dream of Me: Cass Elliott

Chelsea Hotel No 2: Lana Del Rey
A Song for You: Donny Hathaway
Everybody Knows: Leonard Cohen
Who By Fire: Coil

Avalanche: Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds
Alcatraz: Nazareth
Back to the Island: Toots and the Maytals
First We Take Manhattan: REM

Roll Away the Stone: Leon Russell (11-20-70 Fillmore East, NYC)
I Can't Forget: Pixies
The Partisan: Eric McFadden

Delta Lady: Joe Cocker
Hallelujah: Jeff Buckley

As I said above the Joe Cocker Mad Dog and Englishmen tour and record made a profound impact on me as a youth. Luckily for us YouTube has much of the film to share. Below features a rather fun version of Space Captain. Sing along with all the "oohs" and "ahs".

A Season in Hell #113: Oh Grow Up Already

Here it is the first official show of the holiday season, and other than things like Black Friday and Tech Monday, it's all about the music.

I'm so totally psyched to have former Radio Valencia star DJ, Mikl Em of Can Haz DJ. Mikl, like myself, is a total music nerd. Once you get us started it's hard for us to stop. And like me, he's into every genre imaginable. The idea of doing a two hour show with him, though limiting, was impossible to pass up.

We made this a concept show. We open up with music we're listening to now, followed by music that inspired us as we were children. There's some teenage "angst" in there, as well as music from our college years, breakup songs, and road songs. We feature some musical heroes, female power, and finally a holiday treat for those so inclined. I think you'll like our choices on the latter.

The banter is whimsical, and Mikl even shot video footage of us, live in the studio. We need to do this more than once a year.

You really do need to download this show, here.
I'm sure streaming this show would bring you sweet satisfaction.
Perhaps you need to listen to every show I've every produced. Click here, or scroll down.

As always, enjoy.

jh

Song host is marked accordingly, by initials. 

Music We Love Now:
Master of my Craft: Parquet Courts (Mikl Em)
Fun Times in Babylon: Father John Misty (John Hell)
Pirates in the 9th: Mathew Jonson (M.E.)

Thank God For Sinners: Ty Segal (JH)

Childhood Inspiration:
Goin' Blind: Kiss (JH)
Messin' with the Kid: Blues Brothers (JH)
St. Stephen: Grateful Dead (JH)
Highway 61 Revisited: Bob Dylan (M.E.)

Yer Blues: The Beatles (M.E.)
The Little Fiddle: Danny Kaye (M.E.)
Teenage Years:
Death and Glory: The Clash (JH)

Everybody Wants You: Billy Squire (M.E.)
Silver Rocket: Sonic Youth (JH)
Feeling Gravity's Pull: REM (M.E.)
Road Songs:
Roadrunner: Modern Lovers (M.E.)

(I Live For) Cars And Girls: The Dictators (JH)
Breakup Songs:
Keep it out of my Face: Mudhoney (JH)
Walk Away Renee: Billy Bragg (M.E.)

Felbomlasztott Mentokocsi (Bong-Ra Remix):Venetian Snares (M.E.)

Musical Heroes:
I'm a Greedy Man: James Brown (JH)
The Piano's Been Drinking, Not Me: Tom Waits (M.E.)
Female Vox:
We Are the One: The Avengers (M.E.)
Rebel Girl: Bikini Kill (JH)
Holiday Songs:
Shouldn't Have Given Him a Gun For Christmas: Wall of Voodoo (M.E.)

Mr. Grinch: Mojo Nixon & The Toadliquors (JH)
Stoned, Drunk and Naked: Anders Osborne (M.E.)

Next Monday night, December 3rd, Dan Foley will be in to talk about some upcoming shows at the Dark Room Theater. And set your calendar for Monday, December 17th, 6-10PM for ROCK FIGHT 9! Ron Donovan and I go head-to-head in a bootleg battle royal! It's not to be missed.