Download My Wild Love HERE! Listen into all my shows here!
I brought so much fabulous vinyl into the studio tonight, just to find the turntables were out of service. Ugh. No bueno. luckily I also brought a handful of CDs and a packed hard drive. Not to worry, I’m always prepared.
I’m reminded of my earliest days in radio, starting at KFJC in late 1988. I was trained by the magnificent and wacky Hell ‘n’ Hairspray. She alerted me to the need to always be prepared. Have a few CDs cued up, just in case what you want to play doesn’t. Good advice.
On Monday night I still found a way to share lots of new music, including Iggy Pop, Death Valley Girls, Psi-Psonics, and Brigid Dawson. I also pay tribute to the Funk Goddess, Betty Davis, who passed away last week at the tender age of 77. Did you know she wrote a new tune back in 2019? This was news to me. Listen to it in the second hour.
I was also excited to find some music I haven’t listened to in quite a while, as I was hunting through my CD collection for a few items. You’ll really get a kick out of “Tommy In Seven Seconds” by the Vital Records gang. Thanks to Jim Fourniadis who ran the label and was also guitarist/singer for the New Jersey punk outfit Rats of Unusual Size. What a mench!
There’s something here for everybody. You really do need Radio Valencia in your life. Turn off that commercial radio dreck. It’ll take years off your life.
Radio Valencia gives tickets away to shows at Bottom of the Hill every week. Tune into my show and many others to get a chance to go see some great music at a great venue.
We’re also hosting a live fundraiser at next door neighbor’s place, Make Out Room on Sunday, March 27th. Details coming soon. We need your funds to keep up the fun.
Enjoy and please share.
jh
Radio Valencia is a self-funded endeavor. If you are enjoying our shows, I’d like to ask you to donate a few dollars our way. This link will take you to our PayPal, which is hosted by SFIndyMedia, our non-profit benefactor. All donations go to Radio Valencia. Thank you in advance.
Stream the Celebration HERE! Download the Jams HERE! Listen into all my shows here!
John Perry Barlow was a maverick in the ways of songwriting and internet freedom. Called “the uncrowned poet laureate of cyberspace,” and “equal parts beat poet and P.T. Barnum”, co-founder of the Electronic Frontier Foundation, Barlow understood the importance of a free and accessible internet, open to all. As songwriting partner of the Grateful Dead‘s Bob Weir, he collaborated on some of the band’s most beloved tunes. He was a gentleman, a showman, a rowdy conspirator, and jack-of-all trades. The world is a better place because of him.
We’ll carry on the fight from here, John. RIP.
The tunes below are some of the absolute best versions performed. Links are provided for each show.
John Perry Barlow wrote the Principle of Adult Behavioras standard code of conduct when he was 30 years old.
1. Be patient. No matter what. 2. Don’t badmouth: Assign responsibility, not blame. Say nothing of another you wouldn’t say to him. 3. Never assume the motives of others are, to them, less noble than yours are to you. 4. Expand your sense of the possible. 5. Don’t trouble yourself with matters you truly cannot change. 6. Expect no more of anyone than you can deliver yourself. 7. Tolerate ambiguity. 8. Laugh at yourself frequently. 9. Concern yourself with what is right rather than who is right. 10. Never forget that, no matter how certain, you might be wrong. 11. Give up blood sports. 12. Remember that your life belongs to others as well. Don’t risk it frivolously. 13. Never lie to anyone for any reason. (Lies of omission are sometimes exempt.) 14. Learn the needs of those around you and respect them. 15. Avoid the pursuit of happiness. Seek to define your mission and pursue that. 16. Reduce your use of the first personal pronoun. 17. Praise at least as often as you disparage. 18. Admit your errors freely and soon. 19. Become less suspicious of joy. 20. Understand humility. 21. Remember that love forgives everything. 22. Foster dignity. 23. Live memorably. 24. Love yourself. 25. Endure.
Download the Love to an Amazing Man HERE! Listen into all my shows here!
Well my dear friend Eric “EB” Brown passed away on Monday morning. What a dear man he was. Always ready with a smile and a quick retort. I appreciated him in more ways than I can count. I’ll miss you, dear friend. My heart goes out to your wonderful wife, Cat, and your entire family. My heart also goes out to our large circle of friends, who have lost countless lives over the past decade.
Fuck cancer.
Do you ever think about how you’re going to die? I think I’m going to be stabbed to death. Isn’t that a lovely thought? I’ve thought about this more times than I care to admit; almost always when I’m walking in a compromised neighborhood, late at night. “Will I make it out of here alive” is usually the question I ask myself. So far, so good.
Don’t be so nihilistic, Mr. Hell.
I have no death wish. I would love to be happy and healthy deep into my senior years. I want to see my kids grow up, reaching their dreams, or at least finding stability. That would be nice. And there’s too much music to enjoy. I need to be spinning records for a few more decades, thank you very much. But when I think about who we’ve lost, I fairly confident these very active and creative people also wanted to keep engaging and producing for many more years. They didn’t ask for this. And they fought against it, tooth and nail.
Fuck cancer.
I think about what Jerry Garcia said about how he was going to live this life: “I choose fun”. He died young, only 53. And he died with a smile on his face. Of course it was the drugs and diabetes that did him in. Luckily I have no drug addiction, and I’m healthier than I’ve been in many many years. I’m reminded what Miles Davis said about drugs: “When you’re rich, cocaine ain’t a habit.” Thanks Miles. This show wasn’t meant to turn into a memorial, but many of the songs have that flavor. New music from Eric McFadden, Death Valley Girls, Le Butcherettes, Brigid Dawson, JD Pinkus, Pedro Connect, and red Fang. Thanks as always for your support. We honestly couldn’t do what we do if it wasn’t for the monthly dues from our station volunteers, and it’s not enough to keep us afloat. We’re going to start an online fundraiser soon, letting you know what we need and how much it’s going to cost. Anything you can send our way is appreciated. Click on the PayPal link below to help out your favorite San Francisco community radio station.
Download the Family Fun HERE! Listen into all my shows here!
Nothing brings me greater joy than to share my love of music and radio with my wonderful daughter, Lauson. She’s my dream girl, literally. She came to me in a dream a few years before she was conceived and told me her name. She even spelled it for me. It was a seven year old version of her, all with the curly hair she was graced with. I woke up, looked at her mother and said “we’re going to have a daughter named Lauson. L.A.U.S.O.N.”. She replied “we’re having kids?”. We chose not to know the sex of the baby before she was born, but I already knew it was Lauson headed our way.
Lauson first joined me on Radio Valencia when she was 10 years old, ten years ago! I think this was Lauson’s 15th time on with me. Links to her previous episodes are below. I’ve marked all of her song choices. It’s really interesting to see where my influence started and where hers took off. She’s got an excellent ear for many genres. I couldn’t be more proud. How is she a senior in high school already?
Do I dream of her walking into her college radio station and blowing them all away? Of course I do. I also refuse to live vicariously through my children. She does have a pretty good airname though. And really, can you imagine what her peers would think when they hear she’s been involved in community radio since she was 7? HA! Ok ok ok, I’ll stop now.
Dholak Gheet: The Family of Apostolic Somebody To Love: Kalyanji Anandji Cold Sweat: Bernard Purdie
Why? (The King of Love is Dead): Nina Simone River Deep Mountain High: Ike and Tina – L The Sky Is Crying: Sonny Boy Williamson
Lady Grinning Soul: David Bowie – L Wake Up Alone: Amy Winehouse – L Listening to Music: A Child’s Garden of Grass Basically Frightened: Col. Bruce Hampton and Animal Rescue Unit
Be Ever Wonderful: Ted Taylor – L Duckworth: Kendrick Lamar – L Run Run Run: White Fence
Late Nights and Heartbreak: Hannah Williams and the Affirmations – L Savoy Truffle: The Beatles – L Hypocrisy: Millie Jackson
I Gotta Find Peace of Mind: Lauren Hill – L Whisper to Me: Cecile Campbell High and Lonesome: Robert Plant and Alison Krause
Working for the Knife: Mitzky – L When I Paint My Masterpiece: The Band
We Gotta Get Outta This Place: The Animals What A Wonderful World: Louis Armstrong
Download the Mistakes HERE! Listen into all my shows here!
Way back in my college radio days (even before that when I was taking announcing classes at College of San Mateo (CSM), from KKHI announcer, and father of the deepest radio voice I have ever heard, Daniel Odom), I was told to never draw attention to the mistakes. No one really ever pays attention, and if one makes mention of it, then the listener is apt to start to judge the announcer and hence, the station itself.
I took that to heart.
Once at KFJC, when I was know at the Reverend Dah Wave, I couldn’t help but trip over my inexperienced tongue from time to time; especially in the middle of the night, where the new DJs are expected to host shows for six months before moving onto a non-graveyard shift. Those graves were used to learn more about the vast musical library KFJC has, and learn my voice.
Mistakes were made.
I started taking the approach of drawing attention to them if the moment warranted it. More often than not the moment did not warrant it. I’m pretty deft when it comes to reading and enunciation. My dear friend Amacker “Rocket J. Squirrel” Bullwinkle, who hosted Friday’s 6-10am would often co-host our transition when I came on for the 10-2pm Jazz/Soul/Funk show I hosted “Temple of the Bird”. She would throw a PSA at me (that’s public service announcement to those who do not know), testing to see how well I could read it live on air, without a pre-read. You cannot fool good Reverend.
As for the moments where I slipped up in a miserable manner, often not taking the time to thoroughly check the music I had just played to back announce properly, I would run a lot of names and titles together, and forget something vital, leading a handful of “ums” and “ahs”. I would then purposely stumble and bumble in an even more animated way, to show that I am above nothing.
Monday night was a lot like this. Our new studio has a lot of needs, including a new turntable and a new router. And my beloved 5TB WD hard drive is starting to crap out. I purchased a 12TB backup this week, and am backing everything up as I write. Back it up, folks.
Monday night my hard drive crapped out a few times, and only when I was about to move into a song. And the server was being a real bore. And the damnable turntable was mocking me! This led to more than one mic break being something akin to a disaster movie, sans the soundtrack; which is sad, because I have an impressive soundtrack collection.
We got the server working, I have a new hard drive, and my fingers are crossed someone got turntable one working properly, leading up to my next show, this Monday 8-10PM PST, featuring the return of my delightful daughter, Little Lauson Hell to the Radio Valencia studio.
Download the Fish Bait HERE! Listen into all my shows here!
What an honor it was to host the drummer of one of the most influential bands in a generation (or three), Stephen DePace of Flipper! I’ve interviewed Ted Falcone and Rachel Thoele back in 2019, in preparation for Flipper’s 40th anniversary, and this time around Stephen came in to talk up the Radio Valencia co-presents at Bottom of the Hill on December 30th and New Year’s Eve!
What started as an interview, quickly became a Flipper retrospective, as Stephen brought all of their releases with him (of which I had all of them of course), and told some brilliant stories about each track.
Really, this is a must listen show for all of you aging punk rockers, and Flipper fans. Even you youngsters should check this out to add to your punk street cred. Ha!
Radio Valencia will have a merch table with brand new RV t-shirts for sale, $15-$20 sliding scale donation.
Bottom of the Hill has a strict COVID protocol. You must show your vaccination card upon entry, and anyone seen with their mask off (other than for drink or food), will be told to leave. No exceptions!
Go to Bottom of the Hill for tickets and info. We can’t wait to ring in the new year with Flipper and YOU!
Enjoy.
jh
Hell’s Kitchen Radio with John Hell Mondays 8-10PM Radio Valencia in SF Hell’s Kitchen Radio
Download the Mistletoe HERE! Listen into all my shows here!
I was just in a mood, I guess. It is the holiday I suppose. I don’t have seasonal affective disorder, or any disorder I care to blather on about, as far as I or my therapist knows. I will say that I am daddy-daycare for the next two weeks, since my bride be working, and that is enough to make someone run to the hills, regardless of how much you love the little tyke.
I don’t think I was paying attention to the upcoming holiday until the morning of this show. I did not plan on doing anything special for this particular program, yet I do have a collection of music set for just such an occasion. I wasn’t going to leave you hanging.
If you listen to me talk, it sounds like I’m blathering (there’s that word again?) on and on about something that sounds important…to me. And you know what, it was…at the time. Feel free to comment on whatever floats your boat. Flies your kite. Walks your dog. Jerks your chain. You keep it going now.
There are some delightful alternate takes from box sets and deluxe editions thrown in, as usual. I went record shopping last week, so there are some items thrown in I was excited to get. “New” music from Art Blakey, The Bobby Lees, EXEK, Mike Krol, and new John Dwyer. I also shared a real treat that my buddy, singer/songwriter/multi-instrumentalist and all around fine fella, Mark Growden, shared with me from French singer/songwriter Alain Bashung. There are very few people that I trust to offer a tune that I know I can blindly throw into a set. This one worked just fine. Welcome to this very exclusive club, Mark.
That being said, my father raised me to be extremely inclusive. His advice: invite everyone to the party. Allow them to decline.
I will always invite you all to this Monday night party.
Next Monday, December 27th, I’m excited to have Flipper drummer, Steve Depace in the studio talking up the December 30 and New Years Eve shows, Radio Valencia is co-presenting at Bottom of the Hill. Make sure to get your tickets fast. They are going to sell out, and it’s going to be a blast!
Enjoy and please share.
jh
The holidays are upon us and your friendly local radio station could sure use some love. Radio Valencia is a self-funded endeavor. If you are enjoying our shows, I’d like to ask you to donate a few dollars our way. This link will take you to our PayPal, which is hosted by SFIndyMedia, our non-profit benefactor. All donations go to Radio Valencia. Thank you in advance.
Download The Best Year of Your Life HERE! Listen into all my shows here!
Every year leading up to my Annual Annual, I suffer and strain to decide on a year I want to focus on. This year was no different. Do I want to reach back pre-1970? How about something a little more recent, like the lost year of 2020? I asked for suggestions, and a bunch flew my way, but the one that really stuck came from my buddy, and teaching colleague, Eric, who suggested 1978. The emergence of English post-punk, metal was evolving, funk was redefining itself against a backdrop of too much disco. There is a lot to choose from when it comes to 1978.
I took at least a week to pour over my options. In the end I sat with approximately four hours of music to fit into about an hour forty minutes, mixed with talk and highlights from the year. I tried to mix it up, and keep you on your toes. I really appreciate all of the many comments that kept coming during the show, and I’m sorry I didn’t take any requests. Shows like these are pretty well mapped out by the time I flip the switch.
Take a look at the playlist below, and click the link up above to stream or download this bad boy.
If you’re interested in the previous 10 editions of my Annual Annual, take a look below.
Radio Valencia is a self-funded endeavor. If you are enjoying our shows, I’d like to ask you to donate a few dollars our way. This link will take you to our PayPal, which is hosted by SFIndyMedia, our non-profit benefactor. All donations go to Radio Valencia. Thank you in advance.
The Finkelstein Shit Kid/Up In Smoke: Cheech and Chong
On Top Of The World: Cheap Trick This Year’s Girl: Elvis Costello and the Attractions
B-Movie Box Car Blues/Flip, Flop and Fly: Blues Brothers Every 1’s A Winner: Hot Chocolate Baltimore: Nina Simone
Annalisa: PIL You Drive Me Ape (You Big Gorilla): The Dickies What Do I Get? Buzzcocks Teenage Kicks: The Undertones Warrior in Woolworths: X-Ray Spex
Big Bad Bill is Sweet William Now: Ry Cooder That’s The Way The World Goes ‘Round: John Prine Snake Song: Townes Van Zandt Christmas Card From A Hooker in Minneapolis: Tom Waits
Radebe: Johnny Dyani Lanquidity: Sun Ra Hong Kong Garden: Siouxsie and the Banshees
One Nation Under A Groove: Funkadelic The Robots: Kraftwerk Ca Plane Pour Moi: Plastic Bertrand
The Green Manalishi: Judas Priest (My Baby Does) Good Sculptures: The Rezillos Time Will Tell: Bob Marley and the Wailers
Radio Valencia is co-presenting Flipper, December 30th and 31st at Bottom of the Hill. This is going to be two incredible shows. Yours truly is MCing December 30th, featuring comedian Neil Hamburger, and Mike Watt and the Missingmen. New Years Eve has Neil Hamburger and SF punk luminaries VKTMS!!! Go to the Bottom of the Hill website for tickets and more information. Radio Valencia will be in house with lots of freshly printed t-shirts just for you!
Download The Wishbone HERE! Listen into all my shows here!
What a pleasure it is to have talented artists in the studio. Monday night I was lucky to have my old buddy Joe Mangrum in town doing some work on a public art piece of his that the city asked him to come care for. It was either that or the city was going to tear it out and throw it away. Stay classy, San Francisco.
Joe is what we can a hyphenated artist. He’s done it all. Since moving to New York a bit over a decade ago, he has been best known as the sand mandala artist of Washington Square Park. Since COVID he’s been working on a couple of books on his history as an artist. These will be self published, so please look for them coming in 2022. These will make an excellent addition to any art book collection. He’s also working on turning his work in NFTs, something that I am a true novice in. Joe believes NFTs are the future. Might want to jump on this while it’s still young.
Musically, tonight has a lot to offer: “new” Nick Cave, King Gizzard, and Amyl. There’s punk, some funk, and lots of junk. Take a look at the playlist below and jump right in.
Radio Valencia is co-presenting Flipper, December 30th and 31st at Bottom of the Hill. This is going to be
two incredible shows. Yours truly is MCing December 30th, featuring comedian Neil Hamburger, and Mike Watt and the Missingmen. New Years Eve has Neil Hamburger and SF punk luminaries VKTMS!!! Go to the Bottom of the Hill website for tickets and more information. Radio Valencia will be in house with lots of freshly printed t-shirts just for you!
Happy Thankstaking to you and yours. Let’s not forget who’s non-seceded land we are all living on. And give thanks to all the farm laborers who work it took to get this food to our tables.
Next Monday, November 29th is my eleventh annual Annual Annual. Two hours featuring one year in music. What year will I choose? Tune in and find out!
Enjoy and please share.
jhRadio Valencia is a self-funded endeavor. If you are enjoying our shows, I’d like to ask you to donate a few dollars our way. This link will take you to our PayPal, which is hosted by SFIndyMedia, our non-profit benefactor. All donations go to Radio Valencia. Thank you in advance.
Animal X: Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds Alaska: Artanker Convoy
Interview with Joe Mangrum
Butterfly 3000: King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard Rua Augusta: Os Mutantes
Interview with Joe Mangrum
There Was An Old Lady Who Swallowed A Fly: Flipper New York Is Alright If You Like Saxophones: FEAR Waiting Room: Fugazi Egg Man: Beastie Boys
Interview with Joe Mangrum
Killing A Little Time: David Bowie Don’t Fence Me In: Amyl and the Sniffers Comin’ Round My Way: The Cynics
Hypnogogia: Death Valley Girls Lucifer Sam: Pink Floyd Bring The Noise: Brownout Take Your Medicine/Meddle with Metal: Czarface and MF Doom Black Sabbath: Flower Travelin’ Band
Theme de Yoyo: Art Ensemble of Chicago God Bless The Child: Kenny Burrell
Download The Musical Challenge HERE! Listen into all my shows here!
You have distinguished taste in music. You only want the best. So why are you here? Just joking; I got what you need.
Often times I pull my music shortly before I leave for the station, looking for albums that I either recently purchased, or something I haven’t listened to in a long time. There are also times I pull records that I haven’t listen to quite enough, and figure I’ll try out a track on you. That being said, these records rarely get played on my show. I don’t really want to experiment on you that much. That wouldn’t be fair. You want to tune into a show where the host actually has done the work for you.
I’ve trained countless DJs over the years. Though I impart upon them my style of programming, it’s important that they find their own voice, as I did. Starting my radio life at the great KFJC (88-97), I was trained by Hell’n Hairspray, who shared her own wisdom about mixing accessible tunes with more challenging tracks. There were two school’s of thought at the Fine 89: Mix it up so as not to alienate the listener, and push the limits 100% of the time, listeners-be-damned! I come from the former school. I like to push the limits from time to time, but I also don’t want you all running for the hills, or to Dave-FM. HA!
On this show you get a mixed bag of sonic goodness. It’s the 50th anniversary of Led Zeppelin’s fourth release (untitled), I throw in a version of Pink Floyd’s “Wish You Were Here” that you have never heard before, some folk blues from the deep south, Japanese psych, Detroit proto-punk, West Kenyan Guitar, Aussie garage rock, Detroit blues, and The Residents, along with many other tasty treats, fresh from Hell’s Kitchen Radio.
Take a moment and glance at the playlist, and then click on the link at the top to stream or download this episode.
Enjoy and please share.
jh
Radio Valencia is a self-funded endeavor. If you are enjoying our shows, I’d like to ask you to donate a few dollars our way. This link will take you to our PayPal, which is hosted by SFIndyMedia, our non-profit benefactor. All donations go to Radio Valencia. Thank you in advance.
