ROCK FIGHT 14: This Seems A Bit Premature

Time to fight it out - Stream it HERE!
Rock out with your download out - HERE!
Listen to all my shows by going HERE!
Links to all previous ROCK FIGHTS are below!
Subscribe to my shows via iTunes  

Too much has been written in the annals of mythology about the many Rock Fights which came before, but no one could have prepared any of us for what was about to come on this holiest of holy Rock Fight nights.

Each hour progresses with guests, amazing live tracks, and brilliant banter that will leave you in stitches, and quite possibly paralyzed from the neck down.

John and Ron are in fine form for much of the evening (I repeat MUCH of the evening), the guest interviews are a perfect addition to what is already an institution in radio land. The music selections, mostly focused on Rock, also feature a Black Metal set, and a wonderful Blues set; taking us from the roots of Rock to wear Rock has certainly come.

In the second hour author Linda Kelly joined us at to talk about the upcoming release of the new edition of her 1995 Grateful Dead-themed book: "Deadheads", just in time for the 50th anniversary of my favorite band.

Sound Engineer John Karr joins us in the third hour to talk about all the many bands he's worked with over the years. John has worked regularly as an engineer in many recording studios around San Francisco, and has worked the sound board at pretty much every club in San Francisco for over 20 years. He's got great stories and has brought along excellent, stellar live recordings from shows where he is manning the board.

Metallica fanzine editor Steffan Chirazi joins us for the fourth hour to play us BLACK (metal) Christmas. You know, an anti-christ/mas thing. All Black Metal, with some road stories. Great road stories. Steff is always ready with some of the best stories from the road. He's been doing it for over 25 years so he knows his stuff.

We're doing a blues set the fifth hour. It makes sense. All live versions you've never heard before. Eric McFadden called in this hour. He's in Albuquerque, New Mexico right now, and shared his history of listening to live music, and his own memories of his favorite bands growing up.

Play the game "Where is Ron". Where oh where could he be throughout the program? Is he on Mic? Is he lost in the mission? How many songs did Ron actually play on Rock Fight 14? Tune in and play along with rest of us.

Finally we close the show the way we opened the show: with a tribute to the late great Joe Cocker. Joe died on Monday at the age of 70 years old. Anyone who's listened my show over the years knows that I am huge fan of Joe Cocker, he's always been an absolute inspiration to my growth as a music fan. The Mad Dogs Englishmen Tour from 1970 is by far the greatest series of shows that I have ever heard in my long tenure of collecting live music. It is my dream and aspiration to one day front of band in much the same manner as Joe Cocker did with that tour. It's an understatement to say that you will be missed, Joe. RIP to a man who taught me more about music than most people I have ever known, personally.

Enjoy.

jh

PS: It would appear this is actually Rock Fight 13. This is what I get for not going back and actually looking at the most recent show we did. HA!

To check out previous Rock Fights, go here:
Rock Fight 12
Rock Fight 11
Rock Fight 10
Rock Fight 9
Rock Fight 8
Rock Fight 7
Rock Fight 6
Rock Fight 5
Rock Fight 4 - Playlist only
Rock Fight 3 - Playlist only
Rock Fight 2 - Playlist only
Rock Fight 1 - Playlist only

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

Follow me on Twitter
Follow me on Facebook
Follow Radio Valencia on Twitter
Follow Radio Valencia on Facebook

Hour one:
Something: Joe Cocker (San Francisco, April 26, 1970) - JH
Kick Out The Jams: MC5 (01-01-70 Saginaw, MI) - JH

Guns of Brixton: The Clash (Akron, OH 08-17-82) - JH
Jailhouse Rock/Don't Be Cruel: Elvis Presley (Las Vegas 1969)
Cafe Latte: Limbomaniacs (iBeam - SF 09-01-90)

John The Fisherman: Primus (Haight Street Fair 06-10-90) -JH
Feeling Alright: Joe Cocker (10-19-69 Fillmore West, SF, CA) -JH
Sin City: AC/DC (Oakland, CA 07-21-79) - RD

Hour two:
Songs Remains the Same/Rain Song: Led Zeppelin (01-07-73 - Oxford, England) - JH
Closet Queen: James Gang (07-15-71 Frisa, Holland) - JH

Summertime Blues: Joan Jett (Firemen's Memorial Park, Hempsted NJ, Aug. 8, 1981) - JH
Love Gun: Kiss (Selland Arena, Fresno, California November 27, 1979) - JH
Youth of America: The Melvins (Capitol Theater, Olympia, WA March 9, 2004) - JH

Interview with Linda Kelly

Hour three:
China Cat Sunflower - I Know You Rider: Grateful Dead (Assembly Hall, Umiversity of Illinois,
Champaign-Urbana, IL 73-02-21)

Interview with John Karr - John brought a bunch of recording he made while doing live sound for these bands. He's not certain of the song titles or exact dates. We'll forgive him this one time.

Death Cab For Cutie: Bottom of the Hill, SF, CA 1999
Fucking Champs, Bottom of the Hill, SF, CA 09-13-2000
Rumah Sakit: Bottom of the Hill, SF, CA 03-04-2000

Cosmic Slop: P-Funk, Yoshi's SF, CA 2012
Mastadon, Justice League, SF, CA 2001?
Mirv, Great American Music Hall, SF, CA 12-28-2002

Hour four:
Mermen SF, CA

Interview with Steffan Chirazi
Black Metal Special

In Nomine Satanas/Black Metal: Venom
Gorgorath: Wacken Metal Fest 2012
Confessional Rape: Diecide

Hour five:
Necrolust: Mayhem
Ground: Celtic Frost

Blues set:
Shotgun Blues: Blues Brother (12-31-78 Winterland, SF, CA)
Boom Boom: John Lee Hooker (03-30-85 The Stone, SF, CA)

In Memory of Elizabeth Reed: Allman Brothers Band (07-03-70 Atlanta Pop Fest, Byron, GA)
Blues at Sunrise: Stevie Ray Vaughn and Albert King 12-06-83 CHCN Studios, Hamilton, ON

Interview with Eric McFadden

Hour six:
D's Diner: Eric McFadden, Les Claypool, Paulo Baldi (2007 The Independent, SF, CA)
I'm A Howlin' Wolf: Muddy Waters (11-04-76 Blues & Jazz Festival Geneva, Switzerland)
Trouble No More: Junior Wells and Buddy Guy 12-03-85 Dingwalls, London, England

Waiting For The Bus/Jesus Just Left Chicago: ZZ Top (04-19-80 Grugahalle, Essen, Germany)

I'm Waiting For The Man: Lou Reed (12-26-72 KLIR, Hempstead, NY)
Redondo Beach: Patti Smith (01-30-76 The Roxy, LA, CA)

The Letter: Joe Cocker and The Grease Band (10-19-69 Fillmore West, SF, CA)

A Season in Hell #165: It's Birmingham Bitches!

How many bands can you name from Birmingham England?

What is it about this town? Tonight on A Season in Hell, John Hell and Steffan Chirazi break it down. From this landlocked industrial town, came a myriad of talented groups of many genres, all of whom were a strong influence on bands that followed.

We don't follow a conventional path for the show, and right out of the gate you can tell that we want to bash you over the head. But hold on tight, as we take you down dirty steel town road of early heavy metal, punk, and industrial.

From the Wikipedia page on Birmingham:

"During the 1960s Birmingham was the home of a music scene comparable to that of Liverpool.^[131] Although it produced no single band as big as The Beatles it was a "a seething cauldron of musical activity", and the international success of groups such as The Move, The Spencer Davis Group, The Moody Blues, Traffic and the Electric Light Orchestra had a collective influence that stretched into the 1970s and beyond.^[131] The city was the birthplace of heavy metal music,^[132] with pioneering metal bands from the late 1960s and 1970s such as Black Sabbath, Judas Priest, and half of Led Zeppelin having come from Birmingham. The next decade saw the influential metal bands Napalm Death and Godflesh arise from the city. Birmingham was the birthplace of modern bhangra in the 1960s,^[133] and by the 1980s had established itself as the global centre of bhangra culture,^[134] which has grown into a global phenomenon embraced by members of the Indian diaspora worldwide from Los Angeles to Singapore.^[133] The 1970s also saw the rise of reggae and ska in the city with such bands as Steel Pulse, UB40, Musical Youth, Beshara and The Beat, expounding racial unity with politically leftist lyrics and multiracial line-ups, mirroring social currents in Birmingham at that time.

Other popular bands from Birmingham include Duran Duran, Fine Young Cannibals, Ocean Colour Scene, The Streets, The Twang and Dexys Midnight Runners. Musicians Jeff Lynne, Ozzy Osbourne, Tony Iommi, John Lodge, Roy Wood, Joan Armatrading, Toyah Willcox, Denny Laine, Sukshinder Shinda, Steve Winwood, Jamelia and Fyfe Dangerfield all grew up in the city."

We don't get to all of these find bands, but I think you'll enjoy what we play, as well as the banter, mostly supplied by Steffan, as he waxes poetic about Birmingham and the many stories of its vast musical history.

You're sure to learn something to help round out your musical knowledge tonight on A Season in Hell.

Enjoy.

jh

Click to download this chunk of musical marvel
Stream this industrial and rock powerhouse directly to your ear holes.
Click here to listen to all of my shows, or just scroll down.

A Season in Hell with John Hell
Mondays 8-10PM
Radio Valencia, 87.9FM in SF
http://radiovalencia.fm

Follow me on Twitter
Follow me on Facebook
Follow Radio Valencia on Twitter
Follow Radio Valencia on Facebook

Necessary Evil: Napalm Death
Multinational Corporations/Instinct of Survival: Napalm Death
Knights in White Satin: Moody Blues

Symphony of the Universe: Black Sabbath
Snowblind: Black Sabbath
The Wizard: Black Sabbath

Brontosaurus: The Move
Don't Bring Me Down: ELO
Race Against Time: GBH

Metal Gods: Judas Priest
Victim of Changes: Judas Priest
Steeler: Judas Priest

Cum On Feel the Noize: Slade

***I have just been alerted (November 2, 2025!!!) by none other than Radio Valencia host Malderor (Sundays 2-4pm) that Slade is from Wolverhamton, which is 15 miles from Birmingham and that Wolves are fiercely territorial. 
Circle of Shit: Godflesh
No More Weapons: Steel Pulse
Vanilla: Rufige Kru/Goldie

Black Dog: Led Zeppelin
Whole Lotta Love: Led Zeppelin

Jailbreak: Thin Lizzy

Rock Fight 11

Well we've gone and done it again. Last night Ron Donovan and I hosted ROCK FIGHT 11! At this early hour I'm a bit tired; having hosted a six hour show, interviewed three amazing people, played some of the rip-roaringest rock and roll, put up with Ron, and standing on my feet from about 6:30AM-12midnight.

My neck hurts.

In our previous 10! incarnations of Rock Fight, the format was all about not repeating an artist throughout the night. Though this proved to be a challenge, Ron and I were always up for the challenge. You see, rock poster artist Ron Donovan, and yours truly, John Hell, have what quite possibly will prove to be the LARGEST LIVE BOOTLEG COLLECTION IN THE WEST! Really, I stake my 25+ year radio reputation against that claim. We're junkies for the live rock 'n roll, and we want to share our problem with you.

For Rock Fight 11 we changed up the format a bit. Instead of it being a plethora of fabulous finger picking and hellacious head banging from many, MANY bands, we would do 30 minute blocks of a featured band. The set list below includes the song/artist/date/location and who selected the tune (JH=John Hell, RD=Ron Donovan).

We had some special guests in the studio, as always. I want to thank Bassy Stacy and Amy Ace of the all-female KISS cover band, KISSER for stopping by. I've been a fan of Stacy since she was in the Kinks cover band, The Minks. KISSER is amazing! This is the band we've all been waiting for. Listen to the interview and you can hear for yourself how enthusiastic they are about "their" music and the gigs. You have got to see them live. In the meantime check out their YouTube channel.

Even Steffan Chirazi of "So What" the official Metallica fanzine did a set. And what a set it was! He came by to talk about the recent Metallica show in ANTARCTICA! What the what?! Awesome! Steffan is a talented and experienced journalist, so interviewing him is always a blast. You have got to hear his story about Axel Rose. You may remember Steffan from the show he and I co-hosted back in May, following the passing of Margaret Thatcher. Take a listen.

Last night he brought some tasty tracks from the Antarctica set, as well as a few other juicy tidbits.

The banter was brilliant at times, and other times I was losing track of Ron's technical DJ errors. HA! That, and he talking away from the mic, and I wanted to hit him over the head with the turntable more than once. How I love that hobbit-wizard of the ink pulling world.

We'll do it again in June. Until then...

You can download all the delightful delicacies here.
Feel free to stream this into your noggin here.
You can check out all of my shows by going here, or just scroll down.

To check out previous Rock Fights, go here:
Rock Fight 10
Rock Fight 9
Rock Fight 8
Rock Fight 7
Rock Fight 6
Rock Fight 5
Rock Fight 4 - Playlist only
Rock Fight 3 - Playlist only
Rock Fight 2 - Playlist only
Rock Fight 1 - Playlist only

I'm taking a few weeks off for the holidays and heading to South Island, New Zealand! I can't wait. I'll see you all in January. Have a great holiday season, and get well rested and prepare for a kick ass 2014, with more of A Season in Hell, with John Hell on the greatest radio station west of East Rutherford, NJ, Radio Valencia!

A Season in Hell with John Hell
Mondays 8-10PM
Radio Valencia, 87.9FM in SF
http://radiovalencia.fm

Follow me on Twitter
Follow me on Facebook
Follow Radio Valencia on Twitter
Follow Radio Valencia on Facebook

Enjoy.

jh

Rock Fight: Cheech and Chong
Whipping Post: Allman Brothers (07/03/1970 Atlanta Pop Festival)-JH
In Memory of Elizabeth Reed: Allman Brothers (2/11/1970 Fillmore East, NYC)-JH

Remedy: The Black Crowes (10/28/1998 Paris)-RD

Wiser Time: The Black Crowes (10/28/1998 Paris)-R
Hard to Handle: The Black Crowes (05/26/1995 Greek Theater, Berkeley, CA)-RD

Sin City: AC/DC (10/1979 Australia)-RD

Cold Shot: Stevie Ray Vaughn (12/31/86 Fox Theater, Atlanta, GA)-JH

Texas Flood: Stevie Ray Vaughn (06/17/1985 Red Rocks Amp., Morrison, CO)-JH
Superstition: Stevie Ray Vaughn (04/29/1990 Jazz & Hertiage Festival, New Orleans, LA)-JH

I'm Gonna Move to the Outskirts of Town: Stevie Ray Vaughn & Albert King (12/06/1983 CHCH Studios, Ontario, CN)-JH
Thank You/Jesus Just Left Chicago/Waiting for the Bus: ZZ Top (04/15/1980 Clarkston, MS-RD

I'm Bad, I'm Nationwide: ZZ Top (04/19/1980 Essen, GR)-RD
Beer Drinkers and Hellraisers: ZZ Top (04/15/1980 Clarkston, MS)
The Bomber: James Gang (02/26/2001, Allen Theater, Cleveland, OH)-JH

Interview with Kisser

Detroit Rock Fight City: KISS (09/03/1976 Richfield, OH)-JH
Love Gun, KISSER (07/27/1973 Visalia, CA)-JH

Interview with KISSER

Black Diamond: KISS (11/27/1979 Fresno, CA)-JH

Interview with KISSER

She: Kiss (05/31/1974 Long Beach, CA)-JH
Sitting by the Ocean: Queens of the Stoneage (12/07/13  KROQ)-RD
With the Flow: Queens of the Stoneage (12/07/13  KROQ)-RD

Open Invitation: Santana (04/06/87 East Berlin, Germany-RD
Snowblind: Black Sabbath (08/26/2013 Shoreline, Mountain View, CA)-JH
For Whom the Bell Tolls: Metallica (09/21/2013 Apollo Theater, NYC, NY)-RD

Hit the Lights: Metallica (09/21/2013 Apollo Theater, NYC, NY)-RD
You Are Blessened: Melvins (08/22/2013 Slim's, SF, CA)-JH

Interview with Steffan Chirazi of Metallica fanzine "So What"

Fight Fire With Fire: Metallica (12/20/1984 Lyceum Theater, London, England)-Steffan

Interview with Steffan Chirazi of Metallica fanzine "So What"

Master of Puppets (headphones-mix): Metallica (12/08/2013 Antarctica)-Steffan
Master of Puppets: Metallica (12/08/2013 Antarctica)-JH

Interview with Steffan Chirazi of Metallica fanzine "So What"

Electric Eye: Judas Priest (05/23/983 US Festival)-Steffan
Riding on the Wind: Judas Priest (05/23/1983 US Festival)-Steffan

Lust For Life: Iggy Pop (01/26/1992 Nue Welt, Berlin)-Steffan
Raw Power: Iggy Pop (03/07/1977 Rainbow Theater, London, England)-Steffan

In My Time of Dying: Led Zeppelin (03/20/1975 Vancouver, BC)-JH
We're Gonna Groove: Led Zeppelin (01/01/1971 Canada)-JH

Heartbreaker: Led Zeppelin (06/02/1973 Kezar Stadium, SF, CA)-JH
Astro Boy (outtake 2): Jimi Hendrix (1969 studio outtake)-RD

Power of Soul: Jimi Hendrix (12/23/1969 Studio outtakes)-JH
Red House: Jimi Hendrix (07/30/1970 Honolulu, HI)-JH

Free Ride: Edgar Winter (09/03/1974 New Haven, CT)-RD
A Quick One While He's Away: The Who (04/06/1968 Fillmore East, NYC)-JH

Relax: The Who (04/05/1968 Fillmore East, NYC)-JH

Overture/It's a Boy: The Who (10/22/1969 Fillmore East, NYC)-JH

A Season in Hell #134: Ronnie Loves Maggie

When I was ten years old, Ronald Reagan was elected president. The day he was inaugurated the Iranians immediately released the American prisoners. The reason given to us Americans was that the Iranians were afraid that we would attack. At the age of ten, I knew differently. I knew at that age that the someone had paid the Iranians off. How did I know that? I couldn't tell you. But the truth finally came out in Reagan's second term. I knew at the age of ten that I did not like, nor did I trust Ronald Reagan.

The next eight years would find our economy in a shambles, as we began to privatize and outsource everything. Many jobs were lost, the homeless population more than doubled, worthless wars were fought and the middle class began to shrink.

And this was just in America. Great Britain had Margaret Thatcher. There's was a thousand times worse.

Tonight on my show I welcome Steffan Chirazi, the writer and editor of the official Metallica Fanzine, "So What". He's a Brit, and he's got some glorious stories to tell about life under Maggie. We both play music from the era, that will bring back memories; some good, some bad.

But we can raise a toast, knowing that at least their both together again...in hell.

The last thirty minutes we feature some blistering music from Slayer, featuring the recently departed guitarist Jeff Hanneman, who died on May 2, at the age of 49, from what appears to be liver damage. The metal world lost a legend.

Pay your respects to the dearly departed, and stream the show here.
Download the spirits of the deceased, here.
Take a listen to all of my legendary shows by going here, or just scroll down. 

Enjoy.

jh

Follow me on Twitter
Follow me on Facebook
Follow Radio Valencia on Twitter
Follow Radio Valencia on Facebook 

Ding Dong the Witch is Dead
5 Minutes: Bonzo Goes To Washington
Maggie, You Cunt: The Exploited

We've Got A Bigger Problem Now: Dead Kennedys
Maggie: Chaos UK
Conflict: Conflict
JFA: JFA
Hinckley Had A Vision!: Crucifucks

Rival Leaders: The Exploited
Does This System Work: Discharge
Don't Forget the Chaos: Dehumanized
I Shot the Devil: Suicidal Tendencies
Reagan Bands: Chronic Sick

How Does it Feel?: Crass
Kill The President: Coffin Break
Fascist: Minutemen
Thatcher's Fortress: The Varukers
2 Million Voices: Angelic Voices

Common Man: The Blasters
No Government: Anti-pasti
Nancy Reagan's Head: Mission of Burma
Black Steel in the Hour of Chaos: Public Enemy

Let's Start a War: The Exploited

Chemical Warfare: Slayer
Post Mortem (Demo): Slayer
Raining Blood: Slayer
Angel of Death: Slayer

A Season in Hell #92: ROCK FIGHT 8!!!

Here we go again.

Every June and December Rotten Ronnie Donovan of Firehouse Kustom Posters and I host Rock Fight, a four hour deluge into our bootleg vaults. Ever since Ron was forced to get on the wagon the shows have been superb (I still kick his ass each and every time). Tonight was one of the BEST.

Lot's of guests tonight, including a legendary live music recorder (he who cannot be named), local guitar gunslinger Eric McFadden and his lovely Super D, Metallica official fanzine "So What" editor Steffan Chirazi, and a phone interview with Butthouse of Limbomaniacs. WOW!

This and some amazing live bootleg music too. The fourth hour is the premier of the newly released (unofficial of course) Led Zeppelin "Snowblind" from 03-20-75 Vancouver, which Ron Donovan did the art for.

Listen in and decide for yourself who won this edition of ROCK FIGHT! (it was me).

Stream this Part 1 of this collectible show here.
Stream Part 2 here.
Download Part 1 and illegally share it with the world here.
Download Part 2 here.
Listen to all of my shows by clicking here, or just scroll down.

Enjoy.

jh

Rocky Mountain Way: Joe Walsh (09-24-73 Arlington, Texas) John Hell (JH)
Cat Scratch Fever: Ted Nugent (03-18-78, San Bernardino) Ron Donovan (RD)
Let There Be Rock: AC/DC (12-09-79, Paris, France) JH

If you can't Rock Me: Rolling Stones (07-13-75, Los Angeles, CA) RD
Get off of my Cloud: Rolling Stones (07-13-75, Los Angeles, CA) RD

Rock Block #1 John Hell
Cities on Flame: Blue Oyster Cult (10-12-79, Chicago, IL)
The Warrior: Thin Lizzy (05-14-76, Detroit, MI)

Rock Block #1 Ron Donovan
The Phoenix: The Cult, Waterloo Records, 03-16-12, Austin, TX)
Purple Haze->Red Hot Mama: Bootsy Collins (07-09-11, Zurich, Switzerland)

Hour 2
Somebody Get Me A Doctor: Van Halen (Gene Simmons Demos, May 1976) JH
Time to Get Ill: Beastie Boys (07-05-98 Belgium) JH
Running with the Devil: Van Halen (06-01-78, London, England) RD

King of the Nighttime World: Kiss (09-06-76, Cleveland, OH) JH
I'm Nationwide: ZZ Top (08-30-80, Passaic, NJ) RD
Fairies Wear Boots: Black Sabbath (01-08-99, San Jose, CA) JH

Rock the Nation: Montrose Benefit (04-27-12, Regency Ballroom, SF, CA) Special guest of RD
The Voyger: Gamma (11-13-80, SF, CA) JH
No Tears: Gamma (11-17-79 Denver, CO) RD

Interview with Eric McFadden

Queen Dreamer: Eric McFadden with T.E.N
Fractured Light: Eric McFadden with T.E.N

Interview with Eric McFadden

I'm Losing You: The Faces (04-05-73) JH
Clash City Rockers: The Clash (08-17-82, Akron OH) JH
High Roller: Cheap Trick (03-28-97, The Edge, Palo Alto CA) JH

Interview with Steffan Chirazi of Metallica's "So What" Fanzine

Fight Fire with Fire: Metallica (12-20-84 Lyceum Theater, London, England)

Interview with Steffan Chirazi of Metallica's "So What" Fanzine

Reborn: Slayer (Riff Tapes)
Piece by Piece: Slayer (Riff Tapes)

Hour Four:
Seek and Destory: Metallica (03-15-85, Kabuki, SF, CA) RD
Fish On->Tommy the Cat: Primus (11-17-93, Dallas, Texas) JH

Interview with Butthouse of Limbomaniacs

Free Style: Limbomaniacs (01-02-10, Slims, SF, CA)

Trampled Underfoot: Led Zeppelin (03-20-75, Vancouver, B.C., Canada "Snowblind") JH
Sick Again: Led Zeppelin (03-20-75, Vancouver, B.C., Canada "Snowblind") RD

Mr. Slinky: Blu Chunks (Demos) JH

It's pretty obvious by the looks of who played what that I once again SLAYED Ron. Listen in to the music and the banter, and I'm sure you'll agree.

Better luck next time, Ron.