How is it possible that Radio Valencia is no 15 years old? I swear it was just yesterday that I was asked to start this station as a point of interest in a performance warehouse in the Mission. By the time I put the station together, along with Alec Bennett, Trademark Gunderson and Naomi Most, I had already been involved in about a half dozen other Bay Area community stations.

I was willing to start Radio Valencia as long as I wasn't the one in charge. My goal was to have it operate as a cooperative. My hope was staff would work together in committees to make our station sound incredible and be active in the community.

I wish it has worked out that way.

Someone along the way came up with the concept of the "do-ocracy": if there is something you want to do at the station, then do it!

This looks good on paper, but it can also mean if you only want to do your show and nothing else, that's fine too.

This has been our undoing. We have had a number of really incredible people on staff over the years who have taken on a lot of work: scheduling, programming, engineering, but most of the staff we have had are only interested in hosting their shows.

I really hate the "do-ocracy"

I'm glad to report that the music programming is some of the best I have heard on radio.

Today we have a steering committee, of which I sit on. We direct the actions of the station. We keep the lights on and the turntables spinning.

Soon we are launching a new website (thanks to those who contributed to our fundraiser last winter), and a possible move to save overhead. Our current rent in our storefront location is too damn high! We also want to add more shows. Before COVID we had over 50 shows. Today we have 23. More shows = more money = more opportunities for RV to engage in the community. Cut down the rent overhead and we can bring in more staff who will pay less in dues, which will lead to a more robust on-air schedule, etc, etc, etc.

You get the idea.

I love having the station to play music and interview great people. I have loved being in our storefront on 22nd street since 2020. And these past 15 years have been mostly a real joy. If you read this far, what the hell is wrong with you?

As for the music, I was thinking about playing music from each year we've been on the air, but then I figured why would do that? So, instead, I just did what I do and play great music that I think you need to hear. New music from Wet Leg, Ty Segall, LA Witch, Mark Growden, King Gizzard, and OSees. The rest of the night is me painting the aural landscape with sounds that will please your ears.

Enjoy and please share. And support your local San Francisco community radio station that continues to defy the odds.

jh

Hell's Kitchen Radio with John Hell
Mondays 8-10PM
Radio Valencia in SF
https://radiovalencia.fm

IIBS: Charles Mingus (Mingus Mingus Mingus Mingus Mingus 1964)
Dirt: Iggy and the Stooges (Fun House 1970)

Black Grease: The Black Angels (Passover 2006)
Slip Inside This House: 13th Floor Elevators (Easter Everywhere 1967)

Mangetout: Wet Leg (Moisturizer 2025)
Fun Times in Babylon: Father John Misty (Fear Fun 2012)
Venus: The Shocking Blue (s/t 1970)
Dear Prudence: Siouxsie and the Banshees (Hyena 1983)

Another California Love Song: Ty Segall (Possession 2025)
Queen of the Underground: GOAT (Levitation Sessions 2023)
S.O.S.: LA Witch (Doggod 2025)

Legend of the Creation of Middle World: (Kyrgyzstan Session ft. Mark Growden 2025)
Volunteered Slavery: Roland Kirk (Volunteered Slavery 1969)
Ballad of the Soldiers Wife: Marianne Faithful and Chris Spedding (Lost in the Stars...Music of Kurt Weill 1985)

Sea of Doubt: King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard (Phantom Island 2025)
Space Drugs: Spanish Moss (Kelp 2012)

Infected Chrome: OSees (Abomination Revealed At Last 2025)
Suzanne: Nina Simone (To Love Somebody 1969)

Puddin' A'Tain: The Alley Cats
From The First Hello To The Last Goodbye: Jane Morgan