January 9, 7pm
The first hour tonight was a lot of fun. Check out the Marvin Pontiac and Michael Kiwanuka tracks. There is so much good music out there.
If you like drum solos then you’re going to LOVE Deep Purple’s live version of Paint it Black. If you don’t then I promise that you will absolutely HATE it. ’nuff said.
I did a bit of a birthday set for John Paul Jones, Jimmy Page, David Bowie, Syd Barrett and others.
Download it here.
Stream it here.
Enjoy.
It’s Hard to be Humble: Mac Davis
She’s Not There: Neko Case and Nick Cave
Bring Me Rocks: Marvin Pontiac
They Say I’m Doing Just Fine: Michael Kiwanuka
BABYS WEARIN BLUE JEANS: Mac DeMarco
Love Me Tender: James Brown
Come Rain Or Come Shine: James Brown
These Arms of Mine: Drive By Truckers
Ca Plane Pour Moi (Plastic Bertrand cover): Sonic Youth
Clowns and Jugglers: Syd Barrett
She Shook Me Cold: David Bowie
Shapes of Things: Jeff Beck
Hyacinth House: The Doors
Masters of War: Mark Arm
Jailhouse Rock/Don’t Be Cruel: Elvis (Vegas 1969)
Trampled Underfoot: Led Zeppelin (03-19-75 Vancouver, BC)
Paint it Black: Deep Purple (08-24-69 Paradiso, Amsterdam, Holland )
Heroin: Velvet Underground (01-03-66 The Factory, NY, NY)
So What: Miles Davis (10-03-64 Stockholm, Sweden)
Mack the Knife/Alabama Song: The Doors (09-20-68 Sweden)
She Caught the Katy: Taj Mahal (05-23-71, Fillmore East, NY, NY)
Everybody Loves Somebody: Dean Martin
January 2, 7pm
First show of the new year, and I figure with the end only twelve short months away I’ve got nothing to lose, so I’m going for broke. Each week I’ll playing exactly what I want to hear. Hopefully it’s what you want to hear too.
This week some great music from 2011, some odds and ends, and great live stuff from Zappa, Primus, Zeppelin as well as a loving dedication to my fiancee at the top of the second hour.
Download it here.
Stream it here.
Enjoy.
Hour one:
It’s Hard to be Humble: Mac Davis
Griot: Anthony Joseph & The Spasm Band
New Years Eve: Tom Waits
I Wanna Be Sedated: Allo, Darlin’
Sprawl II: Arcade Fire
The Plague: Gardenella Dingledart
20 Miles: Con Brio
Rockefeller Druglaw Blues: The Felice Brothers
Window Shopping: Boris
Too Many Rappers: Beastie Boys
Truth: Alexander
Hour two:
The Way Young Lovers Do: Jeff Buckley
In My Time of Dying: Led Zeppelin (04-27-77)
Leave It (A Capella Version): Yes
My Brother Esau: Grateful Dead
Born on the Bayou: Creedence Clearwater Revival (07-04-71 – Closing of the Fillmore West)
Tommy the Cat->Tom Sawyer->Master of Puppets->Tommy the Cat: Primus (02-17-90 Full Moon Saloon, SF, CA)
King Kong: Frank Zappa (11-03-84 Stonybrook, NY)
Everybody Loves Somebody: Dean Martin
December 12, 5pm
It’s on! John Hell and Rotten Ronnie Donovan go toe to toe, head to head, mano a mano for the 7th installment of the bootleg matchup to end all bootleg matchups: ROCK FIGHT 7!!!
What a great show tonight. And once again, I kicked Ron’s ass. Seriously Ron, you really can’t play crappy audience recordings and actually think you’re going to win?
We were blessed with some special guests in the studio tonight. In the 7 o’clock hour Ralph Spight of Victim’s Family and Jello Biafra’s Guantanamo School of Medicine came by to talk about this Sunday’s San Francisco Rock Project benefit at Rickshaw Shop. Zeda, a ten year old bassist, and Cody a fifteen year old guitarist joined him to talk about the show. Check out their website for more info. This is a really excellent cause.
Around 9:30 the greatest guitarist you’ve never heard of, Eric McFadden came in to talk about his new sauce he’s been cooking up. Actually, he was talking about a lot of things, including waffles and an apple pie that one first place at a Thanksgiving dinner. It’s always such a pleasure to see Eric and Super D. They’re on the road so often that one wonders how they feel when they actually have time to relax.
As for the show, you can download it and listen to it at your leisure here for part one, and here for part two.
Rock Fight: Cheech and Chong
Let There Be Rock: AC/DC 12-09-79 JH
Lick it Up: Mindzone 12-17-93 RD
King of the Nighttime World: Kiss 09-03-76 JH
Life in the Fastlane: The Eagles 03-04-80 RD
Ron Donovan Rock Block 1
Voodoo Chile: Stevie Ray Vaughn 12-03-89
Cocaine: Eric Clapton 12-09-77
Reefer Headed Woman: Aerosmith 01-04-83
Get Off My Cloud: Rolling Stones 07-28-66
Everyday I Have the Blues: BB King 12-23-72
John Hell Rock Block 1
Rock the Nation: Montrose 04-21-73
Jailbreak: Thin Lizzy 09-25-80
Interview with Ralph Spight
Rosalita: Bruce Springsteen 08-09-78 JH
Occupy Set
Holiday in Cambodia: Dead Kennedy’s 10-15-80 JH
Know Your Enemy: Rage Against the Machine 06-15-95 RD
Guns of Brixton: The Clash 08-17-82 JH
School’s Out: Alice Cooper 10-31-11 RD
Free Ride: Edgar Winter 12-17-74 RD
Click here to listen to part two of the show.
John Hell’s Rock Block 2
Cocaine Blues: George Thorogood 1989
The Man in Black: Johnny Cash 12-08-94
Come Together: Butthole Surfers 10-24-85
Search and Destroy: Dictators 08-17-91
Ramblin’ Rose: Gang War 05-31-80
Led Zeppelin Medley: Beat Farmers 12-07-85
Hey Hey What Can I Do: Black Crowes with Jimmy Page 10-19-99
Muswell Hillbilly: The Kinks 11-11-72
Ron Donovan’s Rock Block 2
Riding the Storm Out: REO Speedwagon 05-11-78
Too Much, Too Young, Too Fast: Airbourne 07-10-11
You’re All I Got Tonight: The Cars 11-22-78
Death By Misadventure: Ted Nugent 06-04-77
Running with the Devil: Van Halen 09-13-79
Purple Haze: Bootsie Collins 07-09-11
I Wanna Be Your Dog: Iggy and the Stooges 09-03-10 JH
Hour four: Big Four
Antisocial: Anthrax 07-03-11 JH
Indian: Anthrax 07-03-11 RD
Interview with Eric McFadden
Hanging Moon: Eric McFadden 06-26-11
Hanger18: Megadeth 07-03-11 JH
Harvester of Sorrow: Metallica 12-05-11 JH
December 1, 3pm
December 12th features John Hell and the return of Rotten Ronnie Donovan to the RV studios, as he and I host ROCK FIGHT 7!!! From 6-10PM we’ll be throwing down in an all-out BOOTLEG battle royal! Ronnie and I are diehard live bootleg collectors, and twice a year we go mano-a-mano to prove who has the best collection of them all. (we all know it’s me).
The theme this time is “Lucky 7”. Help us out. Are there any bands or songs that we should play that night? Remember, we’re playing live versions. We both have huge collections, so chances are we’ve got the music.
Tune in, Monday December 12th, 6-10PM on Radio Valencia, 87.9FM in SF, http://www.radiovalencia.fm
To see previous setlists as well as links to the podcasts of Rock Fight 6 click around on this site.
October 3, 7pm
What a great birthday weekend! I spent a fabulous evening with my lady and my darling daughter, then off to Chicken John’s book release party. That’s always a family reunion. Saturday and Sunday found me dancing it up at Hardly Strictly Bluegrass in Golden Gate Park. I love this town. Some great music. Dr. John, Irma Thomas, The Flatlanders, Merle Haggard and Kris Kristofferson, The Mother Hips, Hot Buttered Rum, and Dark Star Orchestra, to name abut a few great acts.
In the midst of enjoying the opening Help->Slip->Music from DSO, I jumped in the air just to come down oddly on my left leg and hyperextend my knee. I’ve done this before, but this time I saw stars. Dang. I kept on dancing though. Thanks to alcohol, I didn’t feel a thing. Today is another story.
I almost didn’t do my show, but I was too amped to stay away. A great set follows.
Here’s the link to archived podcast of the entire show.
Enjoy.
Do It: Rollins Band
The World (Is Going Up In Flames): Charles Bradley & The Menahan Street Band
I Need Your Company: Michael Kiwanuka
Cheap Sunglasses (ZZ Top cover): Deer Tick
God Bless the Child: Kenny Burrell
Bedroom Eyes: Dum Dum Girls
Lazy Bones: Wooden Shjips
To Ohio: The Low Anthem
Atheist Funeral: Dan Sartain
When it Comes to You: Dead Ghosts
I’m Bored: Big Kids
Summer Nights : Chalk And Numbers
Ophelia: Luke Temple
Eloise: Royal Headache
Hour Two:
Gallows Pole: Robert Plant and Band of Joy (09-30-11)
King Soloman’s Marbles: Grateful Dead (09-28-75)
Where the Streets Have No Name: Hot Buttered Rum (04-02-11)
Big Chief: Dr. John (02-08-75)
Pass the Peas: The Meters with the JB Horns (12/1991)
Get on the Goodfoot: James Brown 07-16-78)
Higher Ground: Stevie Wonder (Toronto 1975)
Savor/Jingo: Santana (06-13-70)
54-46 Was My Number: Toots and the Maytals (10-01-75)
Everybody Loves Somebody Sometime: Dean Martin
September 5, 6pm
It’s election time once again in the city by the bay, which means lots of posturing for the many candidates. It’s funny, in this town the Republican party has to endorse the most right-leaning Democrat. Ha! Tonight I have District 11 SF Supervisor, and mayoral candidate John Avalos. John is THE progressive candidate this time around. His background is in education and grass roots work with local non-profits. I didn’t hold back. Enjoy the interview.
Do It: Rollins Band
Lonesome Train Whistle: Reverend Horton Heat
Human Fly: The Cramps
Interview with John Avalos
Transmission: Girl in a Coma
Interview with John Avalos
Bossa Cubana: Los Zafiros
Interview with John Avalos
Sicilian Clan: Naked City
Clubfoot Orchestra (02-09-94-KFJC)
Don’t Eat The Yellow Snow->Nanook Rubs It->St Alfonzo’s Pancake Breakfast->Father O’Blivion: Frank Zappa (09-21-78)
China Cat Sunflower -> Jam ->I Know You Rider -> High Time tease: Grateful Dead (01-03-70)
Out On The Tiles: The Black Crowes with Jimmy Page (10-19-99)
Don’t Believe the Hype: Public Enemy (06-27-92)
YYZ – John the Fisherman: Primus (05-03-89)
Tom Sawyer: Rush (11-07-91)
Fat Bottom Girls: Queen (03-01-79)
Cross-Eyed Mary: Jethro Tull (07-25-75)
August 22, 7pm
Fun nights often happen when you least expect it. Tonight I was pleased to have singer/guitarist Pamela Parker in the studio, along with sousaphone player Ed Ivey. They’re playing a big show with Eric McFadden this Thursday night at the Mystic Theater in Petaluma. See the above flyer for info. There are lots of fine musicians on the bill.
We tried to call Eric McFadden and Robin Coomer…er, I mean Patsy MacDonald of Shake Well. Neither were around, so you’ll have to listen to the message I left on their phone. Funny stuff there.
Second hour features some tasty live material. Check it out.
Enjoy.
Do It: Rollins Band
Happy Boy: Beat Farmers
Caring Is Creepy: The Shins
Peeping Tomboy: Kurt Vile
Interview with Carl Grubbs and Pamela Parker
Carnival: Pamela Parker and the Subterraneans, featuring Eric McFadden
Interview with Carl Grubbs and Pamela Parker
Hangin’ Moon: Eric McFadden
Interview with Carl Grubbs and Pamela Parker and Ed Ivey
Rise and Shine: Eric McFadden
Chocolate Jesus: Tom Waits
When My Baby Comes: Grinderman
Window Shopping: Boris
Unemployed Black Astronaut: Busdriver
Jigsaw Puzzle: The Rolling Stones
Superstition: Stevie Ray Vaughan (04-29-90)
54-46 Was My Number: Toots and the Maytals (10-01-75)
Scarlet Begonias->Fire on the Mountain (09-14-78)
Sweat Loaf: Butthole Surfers (05-10-86)
Badge: Cream (05-05-05)
June 13, 4pm
Once again it’s the night that I show little Rotten Ronnie Donovan of Firehouse Kustom Posters who the real Rock Star is. Me!
Rock Fight 6 runs twice a year: December and June. For four hours Ron and I bombast each other with glorious live bootleg material, both of are avid collectors of. We’re a bit obsessed.
I’ve destroyed Ron the last five times. The show starts at 6, and at the moment it’s 5:55 and he’s not even here yet. He’s been late before; up to an hour, once. It’s a sure bet that Ron won’t be in his groove until the third hour. Unless of course, if he’s drunk, which is what happened in Rock Fight 5. You can hear Rock Fight 5 by going here. Listen to the second half of the show the get an idea of what I mean.
Ok, he showed up at 6:04. Let’s get it on!
The plan for tonight is for each of us to play a live cut, one after the other. We try to one-up the other. We’re also going to do “Rock Blocks”, which will consist of each co-host to do a 20 minute block of music of his choice. We do two blocks each.
To know who played what, note the JH (John Hell) or RD (Ron Donovan) at the end of each track. Also, not only are the tracks and artists listed, but the date of each performance. If you would like more info on the shows we played, please visit http://db.etree.org.
Update: Ron did not get drunk tonight. I have to admit, he may have actually tied me tonight. I’m 5-0-1 after 6 Rock Fights.
You can see playlists of all Rock Fight’s on this blog. Scroll back.
Visit my Radio Valencia archive page to download or stream this show. Go there now!
Or, you can download the first two hours here.
And the second two hours here.
Hour one:
Rock Fight: Cheech & Chong
Beer Drinkers and Hell Raisers: ZZ Top (04-19-80) JH
Feeling Alright: Joe Cocker and the Grease Band (10-19-69) JH
Stuck in the Middle with You: Gerry Rafferty (02-12-93) RD
War Pigs: Black Sabbath (Ozzy and RJD mash-up) RD
Snowblind: Black Sabbath (06-19-78) JH
A little Bit of Sympathy: Robin Trower (08-06-73) JH
Driving Wheel: Foghat (07-18-80) RD
Stay with Me: The Faces (04-05-73) JH
Cat Scratch Fever: Ted Nugent (01-11-77)
Hour two: Rock Block #1 JH
Say it Loud: James Brown (08-26-68)
Dance to the Music: Sly and the Family Stone (10-09-70)
River Deep, Mountain High: Ike and Tina Turner (01-19-75)
Pusherman: Curtis Mayfield (06-06-72)
Rock block #2 RD
Dance Music Sex Romance: Prince (05-13-11)
Erotic City: Prince (06-07-84)
Little Red Corvette: Prince (05-05-11)
Interactive: Prince (05-04-94)
King of the Nighttime World: Kiss (09-03-76) JH
Running with the Devil: Van Halen (06-01-78) RD
Thin Lizzy: Jailbreak (09-25-80)
Hour three:
Sick Again: Led Zeppelin (06-23-77) RD
Whole Lotta Love: Led Zeppelin (03-17-75) JH
Rock Block #3 RD
Voodoo Child: Jimi Hendrix (10-12-68)
Super Freak: Rick James (11-27-82)
Outta Space: Rolling Stones (Billy Preston solo) (06-09-76)
Jumping Jack Flash: Rolling Stones (06-09-76)
Voyager: Gamma (11-23-80)
Rock Block #4 JH
54-46 Was My Number: Toots and the Maytals (04-22-78)
Running Away->Crazy Baldheads: Bob Marley (04-27-79)
Vicious: Lou Reed (12-26-72)
Harold of the Rocks: Primus (11-21-90)
Shake It: Limbomaniacs (01-02-10) RD
Lizzy: The Melvins (05-16-11) JH
Ralphael Hollins of Hood$k8$ Board Company
Ralphael took the pics you see at the top.
Poppy: Frank Marino & Mahogany Rush (01-26-83) RD
40,000 Headmen: Traffic (02-01-72) JH
December 27, 7pm
I missed my show last week, because I was up in the snow. A lot of snow too. I didn’t move my car for two full days, and it had about three feet of snow covering it when I left. Lots of snow. Went sledding too, with the little one.
Anyway, I thought a great way to make up for my absence would be to do a three hour Best of… show. So I did a five hour show. Feast from FCCFreeRadio came over for a little while, as did KROB. We played a lot of fine 2010 music in the first two hours, before jumping to some great live shows from 2010. The last two hours included some fine ditties I picked up this year; all of them live. The show ends with two amazing live cuts: Zeppelin and the Dead.
As always these shows are available to download. Just click on the “hour” links.
If you haven’t checked out Radio Valencia yet, what are you waiting for? Really, if you’re anything like me, then you get tired of your own music collection and need some serious inspiration. Radio Valencia is the cure to this ill. It’s a great radio station. Tune in between 4 and midnight, and you’re sure to hear something you’ve NEVER heard before. Some you’ll dislike, much you’ll LOVE!!!
Hour One:
Roustabout: Elvis Presley
40 Day Dream: Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros
Truth: Alexander (of Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros)
Out of the Blue: Julian Casablancas
Fuck You: Cee-Lo Green
Lost Daughter: The Dry Spells
SNS Radio Smacks Down for Homeless Relief
Bugs Bunny PSA against drugs
Beat The Devil’s Tattoo: Black Rebel Motorcycle Club
A Minor Altercation: Nice Face
Jail La La: Dum Dum Girls
Frost Hammer: High On Fire
Pig House: The Melvins
Hour Two:
Feast Comes By
Hate Worldwide: Slayer
Immigraniada: Gogol Bordello
Rain: BxI
Skit I Allt: Dungen
Detroit: The Bright Light Social Hour
Still Alive: Three Mile Pilot
Post Acid: Wavves
Caesar: Ty Segall
Mama’s Mad Cos I Fried My Brain: TURBO FRUITS
Hour Three:
Come on over, Turn me on: Isobel Campbell and Mark Lanegan (09-15-10)
Acid Tongue: Jenny and Johnny (12-10-10)
Hate the Police: Mudhoney (09-03-10)
Search and Destroy (09-03-10)
Fortune Has Its Cookies To Give Out: Tom Waits (10-02-10)
Done Got Old: Heartless Bastards (05-04-10)
Blue Christmas: Elvis Presley (07-05-76)
Car Thief: Beastie Boys (Paul’s Boutique Demos)
Powderfinger: Beat Farmers (12-07-85)
Dancin’ Fool: Frank Zappa (09-21-78)
Marie, Marie: Dave Alvin (02-18-05)
Hour Four:
Hurdy Gurdy Man: Butthole Surfers (09-21-85)
Beat on the Brat: The Ramones (07-20-82)
The Continental: SNL with phone calls and KROB
Straight to Hell: The Clash (08-17-82)
High Roller: Cheap Trick (03-28-97)
Do You Want New Wave or Do You Want the Truth: Minutemen (05-12-84)
Polk Salad Annie: Meat Puppets (09-21-84)
Hour Five:
Toys Go Winding Down > Pudding Time: Primus (11-17-93)
Fat Bottom Girls: Queen (03-01-79)
Dirty Boots: Sonic Youth (08-17-90)
Cortez the Killer: Neil Young (02-07-84)
The Rover Introduction / Sick Again: Led Zeppelin (05-26-77)
Eyes of the World: Grateful Dead (03-19-73)
