Tune into Hell's Kitchen Radio, with John Hell, every Monday night 8-10PM (Pacific), on Radio Valencia (https://radiovalencia.fm) in San Francisco. You can find my playlists and links to the podcasts right here.
If you listen to Hell's Kitchen Radio, Monday's 8-10pm Pacific, then you know that when it comes to music, Black history emanates from each of my shows. I know it's Black History Month, but popular music wouldn't exist if it weren't for the talents of amazing Black artists, too many to list here.
Tonight I want to showcase three amazing artists who have made an indelible mark on my soul: Tina Turner, Curtis Mayfield, and Aretha Franklin. Each have made huge contributions to music, fashion and culture in our second half of the 20th century, and into today.
The first show I'm going to share are actually made up from two Soul Train appearances of Ike and Tina Turner. Dayyyyyyyyyum, they can get down. The first is from my second birthday, September 30, 1972, and the second is a few year later, when they were the biggest act on tour, January 19, 1975.
Following Ike and Tina, I have a composite of some of the best live performances from the late, great Curtis Mayfield. Enjoy these thirteen tracks from various live shows and some studio outtakes between 1972-1974.
The final show I have for you this evening features the Queen of Soul herself, Aretha Franklin, live at Montreux, Switzerland, June 12, 1971. There is a reason she is called the Queen of Soul. Tune in to find out.
Stick around 8-10PM Pacific Monday night for my two hour music mix, Hell's Kitchen Radio, where I mix up the platters that matter.
Listen into all my shows here! Subscribe to my show, via Subscribe to my Spotify Podcast HERE!
WOW, this show sucked. And let me tell you why.
I had this grand idea to stream from my backyard, where we have new patio furniture. I thought, how fun is this? I get to chill out in Hell's Lounge and play my favorite music just for you. But it didn't take into consideration a few things:
My neighbors can hear everything I'm saying on my show, and they think I'm talking to them and keep asking me what I'm doing.
The mosquitoes want to be in on the act. OUCH!
It got dark and I have poor lighting out there.
It took me 10 minutes and three tries to connect to our server and it dropped me about 30 minutes into the show, the moment I went inside to grab an extension cord.
My external hard drive was on its last legs and any sudden micro-movements would disconnect it, leaving me with dead air.
It turns out that it was a combination of a dying hard drive AND a dying USB port.
I sure wanted to enjoy this show. The playlist is diverse and dynamic, but alas the mic breaks are lame.
Seriously though take a look at that playlist. Damn.
My upcoming show is all about revolution. You really should tune in wearing all black.
Try to enjoy.
jh
PS: I purchased a new WD 5TB hard drive last week. Everything is transferred over and ready to rock!
Hell's Kitchen Radio with John Hell Mondays 8-10PM Radio Valencia in SF http://radiovalencia.fm
Let's Start: Fela Ransome-Kuti And The Africa '70 With Ginger Baker *Not on the broadcast
Zombi: Fela Kuti *Not on the broadcast
Always Flying: Thee Oh Sees
Fucked Up Motherfucker: Ty Segall
Fell In Love With A Girl: White Stripes with Steven McDonald
Paint It Black: The Avengers
If I'm In Luck I Might Get Picked Up: Betty Davis
Jack the Stipper/Fairies Wear Boots: Black Sabbath
Something I Learned Today: Husker Du
River Deep Mountain High: Tina Turner
Get Down Moses: Joe Strummer and the Mescaleros
I'm Free: King Tuff
El Fugitivo: Grupo Fantasma
Black Heath: Melvins
Their Helicopters Sing: Godspeed You, Black Emperor!
Run Run Run: Velvet Underground
Terraplane Blues: Robert Johnson
Nowadays A Woman Gotta Hit A Man: Captain Beefheart
Earache My Eye: Alice Bowie
I Ain't Marchin' Anymore: Phil Ochs
The Fish Cheer: Country Joe and the Fish
Keep On Keepin' On: Curtis Mayfield
Aliens: Dr. Octogon
I Ain't New To This: Ice T
Rapp Snitch Knishes: MF Doom
Stream yet another TRIBUTE, HERE! Download the essence of PRINCE HERE! Listen into all my shows here, or just scroll down
Aw man, really? Not cool, universe. Not cool. This has been one shitty year for music legends. I can kind of understand how Lemmy went. Bowie? That one hurt, but OK, fuck cancer and all that. But Prince? 57 years old. And now we're hearing that it may be a "Michael-Jackson's-doctor-kinda-thing". Do the JWs have something against meds? He was raised a Seventh-Day Adventist. We're they against meds? Or is it the other way around, and he was on too many meds? DAMN!
This one hurts, because he didn't stop being so damn prolific throughout the years. I read a great article about six months ago about how he could and would often record entire records in a matter of hours; overdubs and all. He has a vault of nearly complete releases that he just wasn't ready to release. I have to wonder when, if ever, those recordings will be released.
I first listened to Prince when Purple Rain came out in the summer of 1984. I was just shy of 14, and it was huge almost immediately upon release. The film came out a few months later, and that quickly changed the attire of many of my high school classmates. I was not into the fashion, but his guitar work quickly caught my attention. So many of my friends were metal-heads, and Deadheads, who wouldn't give him the time of day, but when I would play the guitar solo from "When Doves Cry" even they had to admit this guy was on his own level. Though Jimi has been dubbed the number 1 guitar GOD by too many critics (and who am I to disagree?), Prince is a very close second, in my opinion.
My father actually sold a ring to him during Prince's visit to SF in 1985, when he played a sold out Cow Palace. My father was the manager for Granat Brothers Jewelers on Grant and Geary in downtown San Francisco at the time. Prince walked in with his bodyguard, "Big Chick" who was this HUGE white former wrestler with long white hair. Prince sat down in a chair, and the bodyguard asked for the manager. My father approached, and the bodyguard looked at my dad, pointed to Prince and growled "Do you know who that is?". My dad said "no". The bodyguard replied "that's Prince. He's going to be the biggest music star in the world!". He then asked to see a number of rings. My father presented them to Prince, who chose a beautiful diamond, ruby, sapphire ring. They paid in cash and walked out. True story.
Now Prince is dead. Prince is dead, and my father ended up going to see him perform at the Cow Palace for that show, which was the Purple Rain tour. I wonder where that ring is today?
I was a mobile and club DJ for many years between 1988-2002. Prince was always in the mix. ALWAYS. How couldn't he be? Prince made the cut in every club DJs set. And if you're a wedding DJ then you have no choice either.
One good thing that may come from his passing, is this may have kicked MTV into actually playing music videos again!
Prince, I hope wherever you are it bathed in purple, with your pick of lovers and guitars. I can imagine a very long receiving line for you, and you not disappointing anyone in attendance.
So for tonight I offer you a showcase of some of my favorite Prince from over the years, as well as a few favorite covers; many of which you would never expect.
You may fade from the scene, but you will never fade from our soul.
RIP Prince Rogers Nelson. You left us all way too soon, but not without plenty to keep your memory alive.
(The image above was created by my friend Joe Mangrum, a sand artist, who you can see almost daily in Washington Square Park, in NYC. The original photo came from Theo Wargo)
Creep: Prince (Live 2008 Coachella)
Get On The Good Foot/Rockhard In A Funky Place: TJ Kirk
When Doves Cry: Patti Smith
How Come you Don't Call Me: Alicia Keys
Erotic City: George Clinton and P-Funk All Stars
I Would Die For You: Prince
1999: Gary Numan
If I Was Your Girlfriend: TLC
Little Red Corvette: Prince (Orange Bowl - April 7, 1985 - Miami, FL)
Track 5: Nelson (Prince) - Cymone - Rivkin
While My Guitar Gently Weeps: Petty, Lynn, Winwood, Prince (RRHOF 2004)
Let's Go Crazy: Prince (Saturday Night Live - 40th Anniversary After Party)
Let's Pretend We're Married: Tina Turner
Raspberry Beret: Warren Zevon (Live November 20, 1990)
Movie Star: Miles Davis (Live at Montreux July 7, 1988)
Can I Play With U? Prince and Miles Davis
Kiss: Richard Thompson
Whenever anyone asks me about the greatest guitar solo, I always show them this video. It's the all-star jam following the posthumous induction of George Harrison into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, featuring Jeff Lynne, Tom Petty, Steve Winwood, and Prince. You have to watch the solo all the way to the end. Really, do not miss what he does at the end. DAMN!
Stream this storm of sonic thunder, HERE! Download end of the drought, HERE! Listen into all my shows here, or just scroll down
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.
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 couple of years ago I hit on the idea that it would be fun to host a show from 1971. It was an amazing year for rock and roll. Led Zeppelin IV, Sticky Fingers, Who's Next; the rock rolls on and on. Since doing that show in November 2011, I was encouraged to repeat the challenge for 1972 last year. Again, what an amazing year! So it looks like I've hit upon a regular annual feature for A Season in Hell. Last night was all about 1973!!!
When I started the research I was afraid it was going to be wimp rock. I'll be honest, I wasn't as into this one as I was 71 or 72. But upon careful research, from my very large, and very deep library of awesome-ness, I found that indeed, there are some unbelievable tunes coming from this year!
My Best of 2013 is coming up in a few weeks, and on Monday, December 16th, Rotten Ronnie Donovan and I are hosting Rock Fight 11!!!! This time it's all about the Rock Block!
This show is an epic journey. I think you're really going to enjoy this one.
Have fun.
Get into the time machine and stream this show here.
Download this trip down memory lane, here.
Check out my shows from 1971 and 1972, and all of my shows by going here, or just scroll down.
A Season in Hell with John Hell
Mondays 8-10PM
Radio Valencia, 87.9FM in SF http://radiovalencia.fm
In tribute to Don Cornelius, I'm playing nothing but funk and soul tonight. I've got a lot of each.
Click here to stream. Click here to download. Click here to see all of my shows, or just keep scrolling down. You know you want to go down. I don't blame you.
Enjoy.
It's Hard to Be Humble: Mac Davis I Feel Good: James Brown Down on my luck: Wardell Howard
The Hands of Time: The Perfect Circle I Call My Pussycat: Parliament
Memphis Soul Stew: Funkgus Darkest Light: Lafayette Afro Rock Band The First Thing I Do In The Morning: Joyce Williams The Rockin' Judge: Judge Suds & The Soul Detergents
Pass the Peas: JBs Can't Fight The Feeling: Norwich Street Extension Kick the Habit: Prophet Soul I Who Have Nothing: Ray Frazier & The Shades Of Man Going Down For The Last Time: Ronnie Keaton
Here I Am Baby: Al Green live on Soul Train 1974 Stone Junkie: Curtis Mayfield 07-06-72 Proud Mary: Ike and Tine Turner (Soul Train)
Handclapping Song: The Meters Who's Gonna Help Brother Get Further: Lee Dorsey Big Chief: Professor Longhair Free, Single & Disengaged: Huey 'Piano' Smith & His Clowns
Get Out Of My Life Woman: Allen Toussant Dap Walk: Ernie & The Top Notes The Twitch: Danny White Mama Roux: Dr. John
Use Me: Bill Withers Superstition: Stevie Wonder (03-04-73)
