Download The Prophet HERE! Listen into all my shows here! Subscribe to my Spotify Podcast HERE!
So it’s the middle of September, what do you have to show about it? Will another month go by before you get your ass up and finish all those projects you said months ago you would get to? What’s your deal?!?!?
September is supposed to feel crisp; the smell of fall in the air. I think it’s getting warmer? I also have to remember that I live in the Bay Area and our summer doesn’t arrive until now anyway. Here come the warm jets! Let’s hope they leave the orange sky out of it.
I celebrate my birthday month during the first hour with songs of September. Some are even hits!!! Don’t tell my boss or they’ll take my cool underground radio card away. Check out the live cuts in the first hour: Buster Poindexter??? Big Star???
The second hour is all about the late, great Jimi Hendrix, who passed away 50 years ago on September 18th. I was to pop out of my momma 12 days later on the 30th. That’s right, I’m about to hit the big 5-0!!!
It’s all good. I’m having too much fun to stop now.
Check out the all-live Jimi Hendrix hour. Sheeeeeeeeeit, you have never heard this stuff, is my guess. I have dozens of amazing Jimi bootlegs. I didn’t even scratch the surface. But you knew that already.
Get your guitar God headphones on and enjoy this second hour.
Tomorrow, September 22, is my wedding anniversary. Saucy Hell and I have hit the magical seventh year of matrimony. Where has the time gone. I performed “Kathy’s Song” on acoustic guitar, at my wedding reception (making certain not be nervous in front of all the amazing musicians in the room like Eric McFadden and Mark Growden). What a wonderful day and long night that was. I share a story about that night during my show. Be sure to take a listen.
Keep music in your life, it’ll help see us through.
Enjoy.
jh
Hell’s Kitchen Radio with John Hell Mondays 8-10PM Radio Valencia in SF http://radiovalencia.fm
Good Morning, Judge: Buster Poindexter and his Banshees of Blue (1985.11.06 Bottom Line, NYC) September Song: Frank Sinatra One September Day: Nina Simone
September: Earth, Wind and Fire Papa Was A Rolling Stone: The Temptations Maggie May: Rod Stewart
September Gurls: Big Star (1996-11-16 Tramps, NYC) What Keeps Mankind Alive: William S. Burroughs September Song: Lou Reed Groupie (Superstar): Delaney and Bonnie
Kathy’s Song: Simon and Garfunkel Speedy Gonzales: David Dante
Intro/Foxy Lady (1967-03-18 Studio 1 / NDR Radiohouse, Hamburg)
Morrison’s Lament: Jimi Hendrix, Jim Morrison (drunk) Johnny Winter (maybe), Randy Hobbs, Randy Z (1968-03-07 The Scene Club, NYC) Here My Train A’Comin’: Jimi Hendrix and All-star cast (69-06-22 San Fernando Valley State College, Devonshire Downs) Red House: Jimi Hendrix Experience (69-02-24 Live at the Royal Albert Hall, London)
Machine Gun: Band of Gypsies (70-01-01 Fillmore East, NYC) News Of Hendrix’s Death – Veronica Dutch Radio (70-09-18)
Dig Jimi at the Newport Pop Festival, June 22, 1969
Download The Torture HERE! Listen into all my shows here! Subscribe to my Spotify Podcast HERE!
None of this makes sense. We should have been so over prepared for this pandemic that the course the government took would have been ballyhooed as overblown! But nope, not us. We’re like a comic book that no one wanted to read anymore. I blame the TV show 24. Remember that show? That’s the show that made torturing to get the confession OK. I am not OK with that. I think ever since that show (which was on FOX by the way), our nation started deeper on a path nationalism.
The terrorists have won.
We are a nation ripped apart and polarized like never before in modern history.
We need music now more than ever. We need music to ground us, and to lift us up. We need music to remind us that it’s ok to cry and it’s ok to laugh. We need to get lost in the music. It’s lustful, and it’s spiritual. Music can be your lover or your god. It can be both at once. Allow yourself to fall into it.
We need things to look forward to. I look forward to Monday nights at 8pm when I can share a couple of hours with you away from this sick, sad, crazy world. It won’t be this way forever, but while it is, look towards the music and remember that you are alive.
Johnny Cash died 17 years ago. Where has the time gone? I open up show with two sets of the Man in Black. He deserves many hours of celebration. I actually hosted a Cash/Cave show a few years ago that you might enjoy. Check it out here.
I close out the show with a tribute to Toots Hibbert of Toots and the Maytals who passed away this past weekend. Thanks for all the love, Toots.
See you Monday at 8.
Enjoy.
jh
Hell’s Kitchen Radio with John Hell Mondays 8-10PM Radio Valencia in SF
Download Your Ticket To A Goodnight Groove HERE! Listen into all my shows here! Subscribe to my Spotify Podcast HERE!
This heat is just too much. Plague, fires, and now the heat? What the hell is this about?!?!?! If I believed in God I would think that it’s just one huge cosmic joke. And by Wednesday the sky was the color of blood. Where are the frogs?
I wanted to host my annual labor day show, and I was thinking that now with so many office workers working from home, what are they going to do with all of those empty office buildings, like the Salesforce lingham that penetrates the San Francisco sky? I wonder how many homeless people it could house?
And what about all those frontline workers in the grocery stores? Now that we have the world’s richest douchebag, Jeff Bezos owning Whole Paycheck, don’t you think he can afford to pay them a living wage? I mean, thanks for the banner hanging on the store front telling us how much you care for your workers, but seriously dude, put your money where your mouth is.
And so goes this show. I mix some Labor Day-themed tunes in with few other treats to keep your toes tapping.
Just take a listen to the first daughter, Tiffany Trump (the one Heir Donny-britches forgot he had) singing her autotuned heart out on the dance number “Like A Bird”. And then there’s our former Attorney General, John Ashcroft, who lost his Missouri governor’s bid to a dead guy. True story. He sings a live version of “Let Eagles Soar”. To his credit, he didn’t need autotune. Watch out Tiffany.
There’s some new music from legendary punk vocalist, Alice Bag; something new from the latest acoustic King Buzzo/Trevor Dunn release; new from Japanese power trio Boris, and a whole heap of music that I’m excited to share with you.
I have come to the realization that I have a lot of music. More than I really know what to do with. I guess this is why I host a radio show. I may need two more hours a week though. I’m just getting warmed up after two.
See you this Monday night, 8-10PM (PDST), where I’ll be paying tribute to the late, great Toots Hibbert, of Toots and the Maytals, who passed away Saturday, September 11, 2020, from complications with COVID-19. RIP Toots and thanks for the musical memories.
Enjoy,
jh
Hell’s Kitchen Radio with John Hell Mondays 8-10PM Radio Valencia in SF
Take This Job And Shove It: Johnny Paycheck TV-Glotzer: Nina Hagen Let Eagles Soar: Attorney General John Ashcroft
Career Opportunities: The Clash Fried Grease: Greyboy Allstars ft. Fred Wesley Fire In The Hole: General Patton vs The X-Ecutioners Old Mary: Dead Weather I Am A Union Woman: Rosalie Sorrels Get Back In Line: The Kinks
Gate Crasher: Alice Bag Like A Bird: Tiffany Trump Wild Mountain: Itchy-O San Francisco Bay Blues: Jesse Fuller
I’m Glad I Could Help Out: King Buzzo and Trevor Dunn Kolbasti: Altin Gün Rope Burn: Damaged Bug All Out of Catastrophes: Marissa Nadler
There Is Power In The Union: Utah Phillips Loveless: Boris Indian Summer: The Doors Rolling Thunder/Shoshone Invocation: Mickey Hart
Ace of Spades: Link Wray Woodstock: Joni Mitchell Gonna Die With A Hammer In My Hand: The Williamson Brothers and Curry Working Class Hero: John Lennon
More Than A Paycheck: Sweet Honey In The Rock Get Behind The Mule: Tom Waits Mean Old Frisco: John Hammond
Work Song: Nina Simone What A Wonderful World: Louis Armstrong.
Download My Tribute To Mikl Em HERE! Listen into all my shows here! Subscribe to my Spotify Podcast HERE!
I’ve been dreading writing this post. If you’re reading this, it means my dear dear friend Michael McElligot aka: Mikl-em has kicked this mortal coil.
He passed away from brain cancer on Sunday, August 30th. 2020. This has hit our community hard. I’ve known Mikl since 1996 or so, through our mutual admiration of everything SF Cacaphony Society had to offer. We hit every event we could find. It didn’t take long until Mikl began producing as many events as he attended.
Mikl was deeply involved in many stage performances at Dark Room Theater on Mission in SF, as well as SF Fringe Fest, Laughing Squid’s Tentacle Sessions, Popcorn Anti-Theater, attended many Burning Man events, produced Speechless-SF, and the regular salons featured at Long Now Foundation at Fort Mason in SF.
So many of the best events I attended or were associated with over the past 25 years were partly or
mostly colored by Mikl Em. He was the epitome of inclusion. He was the essence of “let’s put on a show”. He was love and light.
As a teacher I have been told that I teach to infinity, since I don’t know where or when my teachings will end. Mikl entertained to infinity. He inspired so many of his friends, and even more who were in the audience.
We were super lucky Mikl chose to join Radio Valencia in our infancy. He started Can Haz DJ the second week we were on the air. He produced 50 shows, and I’m excited that we are currently re-running these shows Saturday’s 8-10PM. Please tune in. Mikl was an exceptional DJ, who modeled himself after the legendary BBC-1 DJ, John Peel.
This show before you is a tribute to great musical mind. These are artists that Mikl loved, many of whom he turned me onto. We used to talk music in the most rambling and sensational way, often meandering in a tangential way across genres, and eras, always ending long before we wanted to. Our conversations were always ones for the ages. And now I guess they’ll have to be.
He leaves behind his magnificent life-partner, Danielle, who I’ve known even longer than he. She’s a vision of strength in life that has seen her share of challenges. If ever there is a person who is the model character, it is she. We love you, Danielle.
I miss you my dear friend. Thank you for shining such a beautiful light on all of us. I hope wherever you may be that there are songs to fill the air.
KQED offered a beautiful memorial for him following his passing last week.
Your friend always,
jh
Hell’s Kitchen Radio with John Hell Mondays 8-10PM Radio Valencia in SF
Download the Show of Your Life HERE! Listen into all my shows here! Subscribe to my show, via Subscribe to my Spotify Podcast HERE!
Now that the RNC is over we all need a really good cleanse. That’s where I come in. Hell is good for what ails ya. Really though, what can I say that the pundits haven’t already said about the shit-show that was the RNC week long mouth diarrhea? Blech!
And now comes the race to the finish line. I picture Trump and Biden running through a grocery store, Trump ahead, and throwing items off a shelf to block Biden from catching up. He throws down old ladies, and shopping carts to move farther ahead of Biden. And Biden finds some way to keep the pace. He’s not leaping over any of this though. Biden is pushing the old lady aside so he can catch up to Trump. Biden grabs a chilled salmon and slaps Trump in the face before shoving him into the salad bar.
Who will make it to the finish line first? And in what shape will they be in when they arrive there? How many condiments will their pressed suits be covered in? And will Dr. Jill and Melania be wrestling nearby? What about Mamala and Mothers-Little-Boy?
And what about the rest of us? November 3rd is only a little over nine weeks away. Are you registered? Get registered! Get your ballot, fill it out, and get it in the mail, ASAP! Or maybe drop it off at city hall? Anyway you choose, VOTE as if your life depends on it, because voting is not only patriotic, it’s how we remind those who govern, that they only get to do so because we allow them to. Don’t let them take that from us.
Back to the music.
Brand new song from my favorite local post-metal-power-trio, KnightressM1. I thought the last release was good (and it is), but “Lock and Key” is blowing my mind!!! These are three amazing musicians playing at the top of their game. The musicianship is professional, the sound is driving and pulsating, and the production is second to none. Damn, I want to see them live!
I was sent a track by my buddy, musician and producer Travis Kaperbauer, featuring himself and a few friends over at Lucky Recording, with a delightful little diddy: “I Fucked A Republican”. I’m sure you’ll enjoy it.
There are lots of treats throughout this show, I’m certain you’ll find a way to enjoy.
Mongoloid: Devo Can’t Get It Out Of My Head: Telekinesis Funkier Than A Mosquita’s Tweeter: Nikka Costa I’m Losing You: Rare Earth
Song For The Bearded Lady: Nucleus Yarrow: Bert Jansch You Hit The Spot, Baby: Gloria Walker Soul Brother’s Testify: Charles Randle’s Soul Senders Bonnacons of Doom: Argenta
The Majesty of Rock: Vertacyn Arc Materializer Prayer Difficulty: National Hardwood Floor Association Elected: Alice Cooper
Lock and Key: KnightressM1 I’m Not There: Sonic Youth
Movin’ On: Douglas Nelson Michigan Girls: Califone I Fucked A Republican: Travis Kasperbauer, Jane Wiedlin, Joe Gore
Para Elisa: Los Destillos El Guapo: Los Diablos Rojos Beware: BLO Miss Pamela and Miss Sparky discuss STUFFED BRAS and some of their early gym class experiences: GTO’s Montana: Frank Zappa and the Mother’s of Invention
What A Wonderful World: Louis Armstrong
If you want to take a look at what Travis and team put together to show their love for the GOP, click below and enjoy.
Download the Mind Meld HERE! Listen into all my shows here! Subscribe to my show, via Subscribe to my Spotify Podcast HERE!
A little bit of this, a little bit of that. I’m not one to really reminisce much, but when it comes to music, it’s all about reaching deep to connect the rich past with the progressive future. What does it matter what genre is played, as long as it gets played up against something that just feels right, right? Right.
In my early days of radio, when I was just a green newbie at KFJC, I recall the debate: play nothing but the newest of the new, and the edgiest of the edge, versus the need to add a taste of “accessible” sounds to hold the new music together like glue. I subscribe the view of the latter. If you tune in regularly, than you know that I always enjoy finding something new to share with you. You also know that my library runs deep. I can’t wait to play that “classic” you never knew existed, or haven’t heard in so many years, you forgot that you loved it.
That’s how I roll.
In my most recent show it is indeed about going deep to blend genres and emotions, to take you on an aural journey into the night (I am on 8-10pm after all). New music from Oh Sees and Mikal Cronin, along with some covers that you’ll be searching for as soon as you hear it from me.
As always thank you for your support. I really love being able to do this for you, week after week.
On tonight’s show, I feature some new music from Bay Area power trio KnightressM1, along with some psychedelic cumbia, some funky jams, and whatever strikes my fancy along the way.
Enjoy.
jh
Hell’s Kitchen Radio with John Hell Mondays 8-10PM Radio Valencia in SF
This Land Is Your Land: Sharon Jones and the Dap Kings
Every Day I Have The Blues: Fleetwood Mac
Rollin’ and Tumblin’: RL Burnside Mona: Bo Diddley Dreary Nonsense: Oh Sees Guardian Well: Mikal Cronin
Dead Cowboy: Lightning Bolt Runnin’: The Pharcyde Ambush In The Night: Bob Marley
Anti-Love Song: Betty Davis
Sweet Leaf: Brownout Dirt: Iggy and the Stooges SOC MED Digital Heroin: Public Enemy
Rise Up With Fists: Jenny Lewis and the Watson Twins Tennessee Stud: Nitty Gritty Dirt Band with Doc Watson Anesthetize Pt. 1: Porcupine Tree Space Conquest: Angel In Heavy Syrup
All I Want Is Out Of Here: Daevid Allen Welfare City: Eugene McDaniels Oh I Long To Feel Your Arms Around Me: Father John Misty Satori Pt. 1: Flower Travelin’ Band
The Revolution Will Not Be Televised: Gil Scott-Heron We Don’t Quit: Flat Eathers What A Wonderful World: Louis Armstrong
Download the Catharsis HERE! Listen into all my shows here! Subscribe to my show, via Subscribe to my Spotify Podcast HERE!
I hate being late getting my shows up. It’s not that I’m lazy, it’s that I have to make the time to fit this in. And I really want to give you quality, always. How am I doing? Can you give me a grade? I can take the criticism. I have to. We all have to. What kind of world would this be if we never made ourselves available to constructive criticism? Can you imagine if our government and corporate leaders never listened to quality advice, that may or may not counter their own ideas? Seriously, can you even imagine??? I’m waiting for an old fashioned video screen wipe that makes it appear that we’re entering a dream sequence, where we see some fictionalized TV character showing us the many tropes of what it’s like when they fail to listen to good advice. You may be doing this too.
Maybe I should just stick to my lane? In this case my lane is music. This show it got sweet and loud. Sometimes loud is cathartic. We need to purge some energy time and again. I was reading recently when you can’t get your child to focus, get them to be physically active; it allows them to get the distractions out, so they can focus on the task at hand, with minimal negative emotion. Let’s look at this two hour show as a good sprint around the block.
I’m back on Monday night after a rolling blackout took out the station last week. New music coming your way with KnightressM1 and others. Tune in.
Enjoy.
jh
Hell’s Kitchen Radio with John Hell Mondays 8-10PM Radio Valencia in SF
Blind For All To See: Shrinebuilder Magic: Zig Zags Last Caress/Green Hell: Metallica
Beer Drinkers and Hell Raisers: Motorhead Amputation Song: Frisco Ghosts of Karlelia: Mastodon
Some Mutts (Can’t Be Muzzled): Amyl and the Sniffers White Riot: The Clash Burned Enterance: Goggs Night Goat: Hepa/Titus
The Kicking Machine: Melvins The Green Manalishi: The Flesh Eaters Children of the Grave: Brown Sabbath The Wizard: Black Sabbath
Winter’s Wolves: The Sword Technically Electrified: Big Business When Fate Deals its Mighty Blow: The Scientists Death Valley Boogie: Death Valley Girls Acetate: METZ
Download the Stench of My Love HERE! Listen into all my shows here! Subscribe to my Spotify Podcast HERE!
This is a “keep you on your toes” kind of show. And you think you know me? That’s cute. You’re cute. You live alone? That must suck in the time of COVID-19 to live alone. I hope you at least have a cat and Netflix.
The first hour of this here show is some funk, some metal, some psych, and a few other trinkets thrown in for good measure. The second hour is mostly new music, featuring brand spankin’ new music from Oakland’s KnightressM1. Violinist Emily Palen’s power trio has a powerful new release that I am super excited to share with you all, “Polarity Integrate”. What this woman does with a violin should be featured in the most hallowed halls rock and metal! I can’t wait to hear more. Two hours is never enough. I’m always just getting warmed up. And I don’t even dive into my live bootleg stash. I’ve been saving that for Wednesday’s noon-2. John Hell’s Live Bootleg Bonanza is my effort to take the sting of missing live shows off of your shoulders, even if it’s in the middle of your work day. You’re all working from home anyway, aren’t you? Take a look at these tasty slices below, and dive in with gusto.
Enjoy.
jh
Hell’s Kitchen Radio with John Hell Mondays 8-10PM Radio Valencia in SF http://radiovalencia.fm
Download the misgivings HERE! Listen into all my shows here! Subscribe to my Spotify Podcast HERE!
Another round number show in the books. 400 shows is nothing to sneeze at, and looking back at my 30+ years in radio it’s more like 1200 I’m guessing. That’s something to be proud of, and I am. I love having this platform to share my love of music with you all. Thanks for tuning in when you do. You do tune in, don’t you?
I was looking back at shows 100, 200, and 300 to get an idea if I did anything “special” for those shows, and what I found didn’t surprise me at all. They were just ordinary shows, with my playing new music and music that’s new to you. Therefore I present you my most recent show that just happens to have a nice large round number associated with it.
Also, looking at my actual show count on Radio Valencia I see that I have hosted over 400, because I don’t number the many specials I host. It’s all good. Who’s counting?
Tune in Wednesday noon-2PM (PDST) for my next Live Bootleg Bonanza show. This is my third week hosting this. I dive deep into my vast live bootleg library to share a treat with you. And this week I have two shows to share: Allman Brothers from 1970 and a Peel Session featuring T Rex also from 1970. This is going to be great!
Enjoy.
jh
Hell’s Kitchen Radio with John Hell Mondays 8-10PM Radio Valencia in SF http://radiovalencia.fm
Fairies Wear Boots: Brown Sabbath This Is Not A Song, It’s An Outburst_ Or, The Establishment Blues: Rodriguez For My Crimes: Marissa Nadler
Parchman Farm: Mercury Rev ft. Carise van Houton I Don’t Wanna Grow Up: Tom Waits I’m A Man: Ty Segall Something In The Air: Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers
I Don’t Mind: Psychic Ills ft. Hope Sandoval Mellow My Mind: Josh Tillman Fourth of July: Negativland Teenage Kicks: The Undertones
Black Temptation: Flesh Eaters Buy Her Candy: Sleater-Kinney Southern Girls: Cheap Trick (Steve Albini mix)
Fourth of July: Dave Alvin Back in the USA: Chuck Berry The Big Gundown: Ennio Morricone I’m So Bored with the USA: The Clash
The Sicilian Clan: John Zorn Cross the Breeze: Sonic Youth The Boss: James Brown Are You Glad To Be In America: James “Blood” Ulmer
Wild America: Iggy Pop Gimme Shelter: Grand Funk Railroad
White Punks On Dope: The Tubes What A Wonderful World: Louis Armstrong
Download the misgivings HERE! Listen into all my shows here! Subscribe to my Spotify Podcast HERE!
How did we get here so fast? Well, it’s been just about ten years, so not exactly fast, but 399 is a pretty big number. To be honest, I’ve hosted more than 400 shows on Radio Valencia since our inception in August 2010. Many of my specials like Rock Fight and the Annual Annual don’t get a show number. So I’m closer to 420 than 400, but let’s not let semantics get in the way of a good time.
There’s always an excuse to party, and in days like these we don’t need many excuses.
I don’t know about you but I’ve been spending a lot of my days with the music flowing. Right now as I sit and write this I’m listening to a Sonic Youth show from November 26, 1992. What a fabulous soundboard!!! Maybe I’ll feature it on my Wednesday afternoon show. Oh wait, I didn’t tell you about my other show on Radio Valencia? I decided to commandeer Wednesday noon-2pm to feature my vast live bootleg library. I’ve hosted two shows so far, the first featuring a Pink Floyd show from 1970, and the second, a Led Zeppelin show from 1975. There’s so much goodness to share, I just can’t keep all of this great music to myself.
You should “like” my Facebook page and see what music I’m listening to, and take a poll to help me choose which bands/shows to play on my Wednesday slot.
As for my Monday show, and show #399, I start with a brand spankin’ new Public Enemy track, showing that we haven’t gotten very far in the past 31 years, let alone 401. There are covers as usual, some funk, some jazz, some punk, everything you have come to love and enjoy after 399 shows in Hell’s Kitchen.
Every set is the set of the night!
I don’t know what I have in store for my official #400 show next Monday night. I’m not very good at planning my shows. Really, I’m not. I try to go with what feels good, so I may need to keep to that formula.
Enjoy.
jh
Hell’s Kitchen Radio with John Hell Mondays 8-10PM Radio Valencia in SF http://radiovalencia.fm
Fight the Power 2020: Public Enemy Swampland: Melvins with Mark Arm Black Mountain: Isobel Campbell and Mark Lanegan
Set It On Fire: The Scientists Retribution: Abbey Lincoln Farewell to Ibusa: Afro Funk Banned in DC: Bad Brains
Baby: Psychic Ills Cornflower Suite: Suni McGrath
Funeral For A Great Drunken Bird: All Them Witches Tiger Mountain Peasant Song: First Aid Kit Let’s Go Hunt For Grandpa: Goober and the Peas Space Rinse: Gøggs
Immigrant Punk: Gogol Bordello Earth People: Dr. Octogon Do You Realize?: Flaming Lips Biological Speculation: Funkadelic
Make It NY: Ghostface Killah Lady Day and John Coltrane: Gil Scott-Heron Susperia: Goblin You Gotta Move: RL Burnside
Mistreating Queen: Radio Moscow Bales of Cocaine: Reverend Horton Heat Food Sickles and Girls: The Mummies Ricky: Butthole Surfers
What A Wonderful World: Louis Armstrong
Check out that great new Public Enemy video for the updated “Fight the Power” right here!!!
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