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 #563: The Eighth Wonder of Hell

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Let me be your (un)healthy distraction. I know Mondays can be heavy, so that's why I'm here to lighten the load. It's kind of like bran for your brain. Think of it as super colon blow for your earholes.

I've got a good amount of tunes you've never heard, and possibly a few you forgot you loved.

I also was training a new DJ, David Fraser, who is going to be hosting a new show on Mondays noon-2pm. He took over the show for about 30 minutes. I labeled his set with "DF". Good music choices all the way!

New music from Alit Gun, Melvins, GOAT, Ty Segall, and Rickshaw Billy's Burger Patrol (who I saw at The Stork Club the previous weekend). Also, there's a new 50th anniversary Rush compilation out. I played an alternate take of The Trees. You're welcome. 

So much good music out there, I'm in tears overjoyed that I get to share all of this with you.

For years now I've listed my playlist the way you see it below. What do you think of it? How can I improve it for you? Leave a comment.

Hell is love.

Enjoy.

jh

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

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Some Velvet Morning: Vanilla Fudge

Two Headed Dog: Margo Price

Badi Sabah Olmadan: Altin Gun

Magool: Sahra Halgan

I Want You (She's So Heavy): Eddie Hazel (Album: Games, Dames and Guitar Thangs 1977 Reissue)

I Don't Wanna Be A Soldier: John Lennon 

King of Rome: Melvins (Album: Thunderball 2025)

The Trees: Rush (50th Anniversary Super Deluxe)

Ugly Truth: Soundgarden - DF

This is Music: Verve - DF

Wires: Voyager One - DF

Set The City On Fire: Here Come The Saviors - DF

Hallowed Out: Ducks Ltd. - DF

War Cry!: Jenny Don't and the Spurs

Dead Babies: Alice Cooper

Wild Love: James Williamson (with Alison Mossheart and Mark Lanegan)

Whoopie Chateau: Sgt. Splendor

Clown Town: Rickshaw Billie's Burger Patrol

The Wizard: Brown Sabbath

Nimerudi (Salmagundi Version): GOAT + Mc Yallah

The Payback Mix: James Brown

Coconut: Ty Segall

I Bid You Goodnight: Joseph Spence

Good Night: Lawrence Welk Singers

Hell's Kitchen Radio #393: Threesome Fantasy - Power Trio Special

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The myth of the Power Trio has made many a young rocker bang their head in tribute throughout the years. Though there are many trios in many genres, the Power Trio is all about ROCK! I have been wanting to host a special on my favorite trios for quite some time, and I figured being holed up in quarantine is the perfect opportunity to throw down.

And of course I wasn't able to fit in everyone I wanted in these two short hours. This is a taste. A tease. My name is Hell, after all.

So pull out those air guitars, basses and drums, let your hair down (or put on a wig if you need to), and let's get rockin' for the next two hours!

Enjoy.

jh

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

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I Love Living in the City: Danko Jones
Bomber: Closet Queen/Cast Your Fate to the Wind: James Gang
Gimme Shelter: Grand Funk Railroad

Here He Comes: Jimi Hendrix Experience
Psychobilly Freakout: Reverend Horton Heat
Hare Krsna: Hüsker Dü

Overkill: Motörhead
Statement: Boris
Heard It On The X: ZZ Top
Harold of the Rocks: Primus

Car Thief: Beastie Boys
Magic: Zig Zags
Lake of Fire: Meat Puppets
School: Nirvana

Deserted Cities of the Heart: Cream
Pull of the Moon: Mermen

Natural Science: Rush
Dragonaut: Sleep

Charmicarmicat: Melvins

Hell's Kitchen Radio #373: Hello London, Hello San Francisco

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This show straight up rocks. My old KFJC buddy FEAST joins me in the studio. He'll fill in for me on nights that I'm unable to make my show. I'd rather have a warm body in the studio than a rerun, and FEAST is just the man to take the helm.

Lots of great music tonight. New music from Kate Vargas, Melvins/ShitKid split, Oh Sees, Ty Segall, Amyl and the Sniffers, and music that's new to you.

Enjoy.

jh

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

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Tattooed Love Boys: Melvins/ShitKid (Pretenders cover)

Chronic Schizophrenia: Wesley Willis

Island Raiders: Thee Oh Sees

Roll Around: Kate Vargas

Love Me, I'm Liberal: Jello Biafra and Mojo Nixon

Merry Christmas From the Family: Robert Earl Keen Jr.

Pharmaceutical Rainbows: Turn Me On Dead Man

Starfire 500: Amyl and the Sniffers

No Way Home: Pins of Light

Until All The Threads Are Stripped: Triclops

Radio: Ty Segall

Thirsty Land: Angel In Heavy Syrup

Nucleus: Anekdoten

*Feast Set*

Spanish Fly: Boss Hog 

She Talks To Rainbows: The Ramones

Waterfall: Richie Hawton

Lessons: Rush

Anvil Dub: Kitchens of Distinction

Fever (Steve Hillage Remix): Stereo MCs

Romeo and the Lonely Girl: Thin Lizzy

Moon: Color Haze

What A Wonderful World: Louis Armstrong

Hell's Kitchen Radio #245: Grab Bag Of Musical Goodness

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The weather is changing in San Francisco. If you live here then you know something is up. If you've only just visited here, or have never been near the city by the bay, then you probably figure that it being near winter, it's bound to be getting chilly in SF. I've lived in the Bay Area since 1982, and though the changing seasons can bring a change in the temp, over the past five years, or so, it's been pretty much 68 degrees, and no chance of rain, 12 months out of the year. Sounds blissful, doesn't it? Tell that to my yard.

Anyway, it's an El Nino year, and the rains have slowly begun to descend upon us folks in the bubble (we know how lucky we've had it, hence: "the bubble"), and I can't really think of anyone who's complaining. I like wearing sweaters. Mine are about five years out of date, but that being said, what was once old is new again!

The same can be said for my playlist. If you haven't heard it, then it's new to you! Lots of genres to choose from tonight, and a second hour full of tasty live cuts, including Ike and Tina Turner on Soul Train, Nina Simone in France, a rare Dead track they only touched upon a few times in their live shows.

Speaking of the Good ol' Grateful Dead, with the year coming to a close I'm considering hosting a full two-hour live Dead show on Monday, December 21st. That would be fun...for me. And I hope for you too. I'll post beforehand if I plan on doing it. There's too much to choose from.

Monday, December 14th will be my BEST OF 2015!!! What a great year for music. Tune in. I'm sure all of the Radio Valencia shows will be doing one form of a Best Of... over the next few weeks. Be sure to check in often.

Enjoy.

jh

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

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I'm Jewish and You Know It: LMFAO
Pasties and a G-String: Tom Waits
Shadrach: Beastie Boys

Earth People: Dr. Octogon
Something Else: Cannonball Adderley
Fear of a Black Planet: Public Enemy
Storming the Death Star: Roots Radics band

Children Crying: The Congos
I Don't Want to be a Soldier, Mama: John Lennon
Every Grain of Sand: Giant Sand
Imagine: George W. Bush

Natbush City Limits: Ike and Tina Turner (Soul Train January 1975)
Long Time Gone: Crosby, Stills, Nash, and Young (Auditorium Theatre, Chicago IL, 12/13/69)

The Mob Rules: Black Sabbath (August 09, 1992 - Boston, MA)
Song Remains the Same/Rain Song: Led Zeppelin (Pacific Coliseum, Vancouver, BC, Canada
March 19, 1975)

Playing In The Band/Stronger Than Dirt Or Milkin' The Turkey: Grateful Dead (7/16/76 Orpheum Theatre, SF, CA)

Working Man: Rush (01/26/80 Mid-Hudson Civic Center. Poughkeepsie, NY)
Black is the Color of my True Loves Hair: Nina Simone (08/09/2000 Jazz In Marciac, France)

For those of you who have no idea what El Nino is, take a look at this short tutorial.

A Season in Hell #176: Loster Than Lost

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Holy Hell it's hot in here. That's what we get for being above a hot yoga studio. DAMN! That must mean a HOT SHOW! And hot it appeared to be. This is one more of those lost shows where I neglected to share it following broadcast. It's like finding some gem at the bottom of the ocean!

And hot damn, check out that playlist. I think I'm going to dive right in right here, right now!

Enjoy.

jh

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

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Up in Smoke: Cheech and Chong
Rebel Girl: Bikini Kill
Heartbreaker: Motorhead

High Roller: Cheap Trick
Spear and Magic Helmet: The Gits
Working Man: Rush (Live 07-14-02)

Iron Swan: The Sword
Statement: Boris
Ragdoll: Glitter Wizard

The Man Who Sold the World: David Bowie
Queen Bitch: Green River
Back of the Car: Big Star
A Quick One (While He's Away): The Who

Chewin' George Lucas' Chocolate/Goofy's Concern: Butthole Surfers
Yoga is as Yoga Does: Elvis Presley
Sister Mary Motorcycle: Girl Trouble
Into the Open: Heartless Bastards
Muswell Hillbilly: The Kinks

El Paso: Marty Robbins
The Knealing Drunkards Plea: Johnny Cash
You Win Again: Jerry Lee Lewis
Run Devil, Run/Big Guns: Jenny Lewis and the Watson Twins

More Than This: Nora Jones and Charlie Hunter
Oh, To Feel Your Arms Around Me: Father John Misty
By The Time I Get to Arizona: Public Enemy/Tijuana Brass