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Hell’s Kitchen Radio #339: Teenage Angstdream

July 11, 2pm

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There once was a time when my daughter looked at me like I was a hero. Now she’s 13. Oh well, at least she allowed me to drag her kicking and screaming out of her lair (read: bedroom) to join me in the studio on this fine night. It only took me bribing her with a burrito to make this happen. There was a time when she couldn’t wait to co-host a radio show with me. I guess we all grow up eventually, right? RIGHT?

To my credit, she did acknowledge all on her own, that it’s pretty cool that she’s had this opportunity to be on the radio with me over the years None of her other friends have ever done this before. So there!

Lauson’s musical tastes have grown beyond my tastes, as I’m sure mine did when I was her age. If I recall 13 correctly, I was starting to purchase music on my own on a monthly basis; much of which my father hadn’t ever listened to. So it comes as no surprise that she’s delving deeper into her own interests. And it’s those interests that I encouraged her to share on the show tonight.

Interestingly enough, not only is she into hiphop, but she loves Sinatra and Stevie Wonder, and is discovering more classic soul and funk based on the samples used in contemporary hiphop. We talk about this on the air. It reminds me of how I got deeper into blues, using 60s bands like the Rolling Stones and Eric Clapton as a springboard to discover the originals, which I ended up enjoying more than the covers.

The banter is witty, the music is groovy. The talk about attending concerts, in the second hour, is classic! Much of the music is vocalist-centered as you can see by the playlist below. New music by Ty Segall and White Fence.

If you care to check out the previous shows featuring Little Lauson Hell check out the links below:

First show in 2012
Second show in 2014
Third show also in 2014
Fourth show in spring of 2015
Fifth show in the summer of 2015
Sixth show in summer 2016 along with Saucy!
Seventh show was also during summer 2016
Eight show was December 2016
Ninth show was July 2017
Tenth show was in August 2017

Enjoy.

jh

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

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It’s Hard To Be Humble: Mac Davis
I Get A Kick Out Of You: Tony Bennett

Fireworks: First Aid Kit
Fourth of July: Dave Alvin
A Change is Gonna Come: The Gits

Lauson’s Set
Chicago: Frank Sinatra
I Just Called To Say I Love You: Stevie Wonder
Shadowboxer: Fiona Apple

Only Son Of A Ladies Man: Father John Misty
Drown In My Own Tears: Ray Charles
Ain’t No Sunshine: Bill Withers
Starman: David Bowie

In Every Dream Home A Heartache: Roxy Music
Pray For Me: G-Eazy
Lilac Wine: Nina Simone
Hallelujah: Jeff Buckley

Business: Eminem
Hello Goodbye: The Beatles
Senorita: Ovarian Trolley

Body Behavior: Ty Segall and White Fence
Girls: Beastie Boys

My Thang: James Brown
Happy Boy: Beat Farmers

Hell’s Kitchen Radio #322: Crazy As It Seems

November 30, 10am

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Having spent almost 30 years in community radio, I’ve seen plenty of fresh young faces cross into the medium, where I have been asked to train them in the technical aspects of running the board, as well as how to announce during a mic break. There is an art to this. There is a flow. More often than not I am in the flow. I certainly know when I’m not. I tell the new DJ when it comes to the mic break, just do the business (back announce what you played, read a PSA, front announce and get off mic). Once you have more time in the studio under your belt, then you can wax poetic about the artist you just played and the label they are on, and connect it to some current issue, or talk about the band that’s coming to town and the place they’re playing and some history connected to the label you’re about to play. All of this takes time and experience.

I trained a new DJ on my recent show: Johnny Fuzz; no relation. His set is labeled below. Great guy, great choices. He’ll be getting a show soon, so please show him some love and tune in.

My next show is pretty timely. I call it “Statutory Rock”! You can only guess what I’ll be playing.

Finally, send some healing thoughts to Hell’s Kitchen Radio alum, and legendary rock poster artist, Ron “Rotten Ronnie” Donovan. He’s in the hospital with lived failure after living the life of a rock start, too hard, for too long. We love you Rotten Ronnie. Don’t make me host a tribute to you any time soon.

Check out the playlist below and click the stream or download button above to enjoy this great show. There’s some kind of tribute??? to Charles Manson at the beginning.

Enjoy.

jh

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

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Never Learn to Love: Beach Boys
Cease to Exist: Charles Manson
Mayla: Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeroes

20th Century Boy: Ty Segall
Destination Unknown: Missing Persons

Kings Lead Hat: Brian Eno
The Eureka Garbage Lady: GTO’s

***Johnny Fuzz Set***
Caroline: Chrome
Allas Sak: Dungen

Vitamin D: Can
We Are Time: The Pop Group
I Don’t Like Linoleum: The Dancing Cigarettes
Creature That I Am: Cool Ghouls

Lucid I Would Dream: Miranda Lee Richardson
***John Hell***
Raw Optics: Oh Sees

Timid Scripts: HRVRD
Warm Piston: Monomen
She’s Got Balls: AC/DC
The Bomber: Joe Walsh and Barnstorm (09-24-73 Arlington, TX)

The Beacon: Golden Void
Being For The Benefit of Mr. Kite (Take 4): The Beatles
Bad As Me: Tom Waits

Jesus Didn’t Die For Me: Rube Waddell
Sugaree: Grateful Dead (May 6, 1978 Patrick Gym, U of Vermont)

Hell’s Kitchen Radio #310: Summer of Love Special

July 27, 11am

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I grew up wishing I had graduated from a San Francisco high school in 1964 so that by the Summer of Love in 1967 I would 21 years old and able to fully immerse myself in everything that era had to offer. It’s the music of that time that influenced me the most during my adolescent years, when I was moving past what played on the home hi-fi and more into discovering my own likes. It was that swirling psychedelic music and it was that message of change and opportunity that grabbed me most.

My family moved to the Bay Area in late 1982 when I was 12 years  and I knew right away what a special place San Francisco was. In our first excursion into the city my parents wanted to tour Fisherman’s Wharf, I wanted to go to the Haight. Of course by 1982 the Haight was long past its hippy prime and deep in its lost years of heroin and speed and closed storefronts. That didn’t stop me from searching this great city and colorful neighborhoods for any crumb that remained from the vibe that the Summer of Love hoped to propagate following 1967. Today the area is inundated by boutiques and way too many Tibetan importers and head shops; not to mention countless tourists, who, like me, are looking for a shred of evidence that there was once an energy of love that attempted to take our nation to a higher level, overcoming war and grief and capitalism. And let’s not forget the number of homeless teens and 20-somethings who have been termed out of foster care, who call the doorways of Haight Street their home.

It was the swirling music, colorful fashion, and risk-taking youth that took precedence at that time. It was the music industry that bastardized it and made way for the punk movement of the 70s/80s. But before

that all came to pass we have to appreciate what the bands of the time were doing. San Fransisco was one hell of a great scene. Great clubs, like the Avalon BallroomCarouselFillmoreFamily Dog at the Great Highway had the bestbands playing their stages night after night. And promoters like Chet Helms and Bill Graham were pairing local rock bands with legendary blues and jazz artists, opening the ears of the audience to sights and sounds they may never have taken the time to check out on their own.

We are all better for 1967 and San Francisco.

Two books I’d like to recommend that will shed much better light on that era include Joel Selvin’s

“Summer of Love”, and David Talbot’s “Season of the Witch”. The latter starts in 67 and works its way up through the first 49er Super Bowl win in early 1982. Both are definitely worth your time, especially if you hold a place in your heart for San Francisco.

As for the music I chose for this show, it’s all from 1967, and most are west coast American bands. in retrospect I could have chosen more obscure acts from that year, or other, more current bands, covering these songs, below. Instead I played music that really moved me as I was growing up. And isn’t that the job of the DJ, to move you the way they have been?

My friend Linda Kelly, managing editor of the local rag Haight Street Voice was hanging out in the studio with me too. She was interviewing me for the August issue. It’s a free paper, so pick it up when you see it, or go online to check it out. I hope she doesn’t make me sound too bitter. It’s been a challenging year when it comes to my love for SF. But isn’t that like all relationships? We’ll see it through to the end.

Wednesday I had the chance to take in the Summer of Love exhibition at the deYoung Museum in Golden Gate Park. It was more than I could have hoped for. If you live in the Bay Area make sure you get to this show before it closes, August 20th.

Next Monday night is lots of new music and the return of Little Lauson Hell!!!

Enjoy.

jh

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

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Time Has Come Today: The Chambers Brothers
Bass Strings: Country Joe and the Fish

Omaha: Moby Grape
Season of the Witch: Donovan
Down on Me: Big Brother and the Holding Company

Plastic Fantastic Lover: Jefferson Airplane
The Golden Road: Grateful Dead
San Francisco Nights: The Animals
You Keep Me Hanging On: Vanilla Fudge

Astronome Domine: Pink Floyd
Being For The Benefit of Mr. Kite: The Beatles
Stroll On: Yardbirds
I Feel Free: Cream

Waterloo Sunset: Kinks
Pleasant Valley Sunrise: The Monkees
Dear Landlord: Bob Dylan

I Was Made To Love Her: Stevie Wonder
Cold Sweat: James Brown
Before You Accuse Me: 13th Floor Elevators
Heroes and Villians: The Beach Boys

It’s A Happening Thing: Peanut Butter Conspiracy
Friday on my Mind: The Easybeats
I’m Waiting For The Man: Velvet Underground

Foxy Lady: Jimi Hendrix
Paint It Black: Rolling Stones
I’ll Never Fall In Love Again: Tom Jones

San Francisco (Flowers in your Hair): Scott McKenzie

What a way to start of the Summer of Love but with the quintessential Monterey Pop!!!