Hell's Kitchen Radio #571: Que Sera SerHell

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Walking into the studio tonight I was met with at least three blocks of protesters, out in the street making their voices heard in opposition of ICE policies happening right now across the state and across the nation. As of this writing 47 is actively having National Guard and Marines(!!!!) in the streets of Los Angeles putting down peaceful demonstrations, and calling the protestors insurrectionists,  justifying his use of the posse comitatus act, which forbids the president of using active duty military in the streets of our nation.

There goes our democracy.

But you knew that already. 

The hardest part is separating the "truth" from the propaganda. I have a degree in media literacy, and I can tell you this shit is really exhausting to digest. This is one of the main reasons I quit social media. I dropped Facebook in 2020, and Instagram on Inauguration Day 2025. I just can't.

Even listening to NPR (leans left) or reading the NY Times (leans left and omits far too much) is getting unbearable. I often have to read the Guardian UK and al Jazeera to get a better idea of what is happening in our own country.

That being said, I have a platform all my own with Radio Valencia.

We have told our staff that we aren't going to censor their voices, but Radio Valencia doesn't take any political stance as a radio station. Therefore, our hosts need to state their opinions are their own, and not the stance of the station. 

Yadda, yadda, yadda.

I'm hosting former San Francisco Board of Supervisors member John Avalos on my show Monday, June 23rd to talk about the current state of affairs. John always brings good conversation. Tune in.

For tonights show I was training a new RV staffer: Max! Great guy. He's going to be hosting a Black Metal show on Mondays 4-6pm soon. I got him playing some music he brought along (marked below "- Max") and talking with me about music and his own radio history. 

I also went record shopping last week (of course I did), so there's that to look forward to. New music from Frankie and the Witch Fingers, Zig Zags, Chime Oblivion (John Dwyer of OCS side project), Teri Gender Bender (of Le Butcherettes) and too much more jazz, punk, blues, and a tribute to Sly Stone who passed at age 82 Monday morning.

Enjoy and know your rights.

jh

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

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Hate the Police: The Dicks
Goat Cheese: Mudhoney

Fucksake: Frankie and the Witch Fingers
There is the Bomb: Don Cherry

Kiss Her Or Be Her: Chime Oblivion
Fallout: Moon Duo
Beer Drinkin' Woman: Memphis Slim
Hey Hey My My (Into the Black): Neil Young and DEVO

21:32: Cluster
Outsider: Teri Gender Bender
Liquified Organs: Rawhead - Max
Cinnamon Girl (Extended Depression Mix): Type O Negative - Max
Watcher of the Skies: Genesis - Max
In Torment in Hell: Deiside - Max

Crying for Death: Morbid Saint - Max
Laid to Rest: Rotting - Max

At War With Hell: Zig Zags
Killer: Alice Cooper

Don't Call Me Nigger, Whitey: Sly and the Family Stone
Runnin' Away: Sly and the Family Stone

Thank You (Falettinme Be Mice Self Again): Sly and the Family Stone
Que Sera Sera: Sly and the Family Stone

Hell's Kitchen Radio #430: It's A Ripoff

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I'm taking too much time thinking about how to describe this show. It shouldn't take this long. It should just flow, you know? The show flowed well. I had been listening to a lot of compilations during the week leading up to the show, so a lot of what you hear are from a few that stood out. 

I don't look at compilations for songs that have been previously released. Sometimes the joy of a good comp is that rare track, the alternative take (some of which is obvious why it was never released in the first place), guest musicians, and the such. 

I enjoy covers a lot, and if you tune in regularly you're aware of this. There are times when I dig deep for the original; much of the time it's an old blues take. 

There are no fewer than ten covers tonight, and a few alternate and rare takes thrown in too. Check out the Richard Hell set, featuring his early days with Tom Verlaine (Neon Boys and Television). He also recorded a record with Steve Shelley and Thurston Moore of Sonic Youth: Dim Stars. 

Check out the birthday tribute to Phil Lesh, who turned 81 on Monday, featuring a cavalcade of "stars" covering a rarely played Grateful Dead tune, "Unbroken Chain". I posted the video from this session at the bottom of this post. It's well worth the listen and the viewing. 

There's also a birthday tribute to Sly Stone who turned 78 on Monday.

I could go on and on about the sets I played, but I think you're here for the music. In a rare twist, there aren't any new releases in this show. Next week I'll throw down some new music for you dig.

Enjoy.

jh

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

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Fuck You, Let's Rodeo: FEAR
I Don't Know: Willie Mabon
Little Red Rooster: Big Mama Thornton

Beyond and Back: X
Silver Wings: The Knitters
Gold and Silver: Quicksilver Messenger Service

Brand New Day: The Staple Singers
Mack the Knife: Nick Cave
Dedication: Casey Kasem
Blank Generation (Live 1974): Television
Love Comes In Spurts: Neon Boys

Rip Off: Dim Stars
Stairway to Royalty Payments: Evolution Control Committee
The Crystal Ship: Dead Meadow

Pablo Picasso: Catholic Discipline (Live January 19, 1980 KPFK)
Jamie's Cryin': John Jorgenson Band ft. David Lee Roth
I'm Shakin': The Blasters

Unbroken Chain: The Terrapin Family Band with special guests for Phil Lesh's 81st birthday
Que Sera Sera: Sly and the Family Stone

Love Is Something: Brides of Funkenstein
The Revolution Will Not Be Televised (alt take): Gil Scott-Heron
Ballad of the Soldier's Wife: PJ Harvey
What Keeps Mankind Alive: WS Burroughs - Anthony Coleman, Selfhaters Orchestra
Why Don't We Do It In The Road: Lydia Lunch

Swampland: Monomen
Good Night, Sleep Tight: Lawrence Welk Singers

Enjoy the Phil Lesh birthday celebration from the Terrapin Family Band and friends!

Hell's Kitchen Radio #284: No One Ever Listens

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Thanks for tuning in every Monday night at 8. I never mention this on the blog, but it's always fun to chat folks up during my show, so please if you're listening take a second to say hi on the Radio Valencia Chatterbox, or if you're a FB friend, then on there.

Another show, another tribute. What's up with this friggin' year? I have done more tributes in this single solitary year than in my first 25+ years in radio, combined! Greg Lake of King Crimson and Emerson, Lake and Palmer fame passed from cancer at the age of 69 last weekend. Best known for his days as bassist/vocalist for ELP, he was also a co-founder of the seminal prog-rock band King Crimson, where he performed on the first record and toured for their first two LPs before going on to start ELP alongside the late great Keith Emerson, who died in March of this year, and Carl Palmer who still has a few weeks left before something horrible happens to him. ugh

Much of the first hour is actually down right danceable. There are some seriously funky-ass tracks in here. Do me a favor and get your groove on until it's too late.

The second hour features a dive into my live music vault. And what a vault it is. You know, when I started doing the community radio thing a while back I committed to playing an hour of live music each week. I've sort of slacked off on that one, and for good reason. There are so many great releases I want to play with you week in and week out that the live music thing has had to take a back seat. Well not tonight. Take a look at the second half of the playlist and you can see that it's all over the damn place, and worth every second of your precious time.

I know the world has totally sucked this year. Who will it take next? Alan Thicke? Meredith Baxter (formerly Meredith Baxter-Bernie)? The election will still be with us. Syria will still be with us. Your job will still be with us...er, you. Maybe we just need to put some of this aside and enjoy the music for a little while.

enjoy.

jh

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

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Winter in America: Gil Scott-Heron and Brian Jackson
Power to the People: Curtis Mayfield

I'm So Bored with the USA: The Clash
The Candidate: Urge Overkill
Smokin' Cheeba Cheeba: George Benson

The Court of the Crimson King: King Crimson
Black Enough: The Pharaohs
Home Affairs: Osibisa
Since You've Been Gone: James Brown

Dip Stick: The Perfect Circle
Tidal Wave: Thee Oh Sees (Live at The Chapel, SF, CA - 2015)
She's On Fire: King Tuff (Live at Pickathon - 2013)
You Got It: Mudhoney (2001-01-13, Knitting Factory, LA, CA)

I've Been Loving You Too Long: Otis Redding (1966-04-10 Whiskey A-Go-Go, Hollywood, CA)
Toussaint L'Overture: Santana (1973-02-26, The Spectrum, Philadelphia, PA)

Dance to the Music: Sly and the Family Stone (1970-10-09, Piknik Kasteel Groeneveld Baarn)
In Memory of Elizabeth Reed: The Allman Brothers Band (1971-03-13 Fillmore East, NYC)

Waiting for the Bus/Jesus Just Left Chicago: ZZ Top (1980-04-15 Pine Knob, Clarkston, MI)
Big Chief: The Meters (1976-10-01 The Kingfish Lounge, Baton Rouge, LA)

A Season in Hell #74: Radio Valencia: ADD Got Ya Down?

"Nobody ever says "that's enough songs, don't play me anymore". There's always room for more songs". -Tom Waits.

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It's Hard to be Humble: Mac Davis
Talking at the Same Time: Tom Waits
Whole Lotta Love: Michael Kiwanuka

Spoon: Boris
Out of Whack: Woollen Kits
Bite My Tongue: King Khan and the Shrines
Pigs: Black Dice

Don't Take Ecstacy: Mindless Drug Hoover
Titus Andronicus: Titus Andronicus
God's Hotel: Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
Shit Luck: Modest Mouse

Museum of Flight: Damien Jurado
Great Waves: Dirty Three With Cat Power
1922 Blues: Charlie Parr

Bobby, King of Boys Town: Cass McCombs
Release Is in the Eye: Bill Fay
Amazing Journey->Sparks: The Who

Love Interruption: Jack White
Mandrake Root: Deep Purple (08-24-69)
Thank You: Sly and the Family Stone (10-09-70)

Squib Cakes: Tower of Power (05-14-74)

Buck Whylin': Terminator X