June 9, 4pm
Stream the Funk, HERE!
Download the Jam, HERE!
Listen into all my shows here.
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It’s been a few weeks since I’ve had guests in the studio, and countless months since a live performance. So tonight I think I hit a home run. RonKat Spearman of Katdelic and formerly of George Clinton’s P-Funk graced the studio with vocalist Leslie and guitarist Sasha in tow. I’ve seen RonKat a number of times, solo and sharing a stage with our mutual friend and regular Hell’s Kitchen guest, Eric McFadden, but I have never had the pleasure of hosting him on the air, until tonight.
RonKat has a deep musical history, which he shares with us during the show, including his father taking him around to many musical competitions in Michigan, where little RonKat would blow the room away. He is a left handed guitar player, and plays a right handed guitar like Hendrix did. Unlike Hendrix however, his guitar is still strung the way a a right handed guitar would be strung! That means for RonKat the high E string is on the top instead of the bottom. I would not have believed it had I not seen and heard it with my own two eyes and ears.
Most of the first hour consists of interview and live performance. You are going to want to crank this up and put on your dancing shoes! RonKat shares some hilarious stories about his time in P-Funk, including the night George Clinton introduced him to Prince! You want to hear this story.
Katdelic is appearing Friday, June 7th at the Boom Boom Room on Fillmore around 11PM, and this Sunday, June 11th, at the 40th annual Haight Ashbury Street Fair, on the Love Stage around 3PM.
GO SEE THIS BAND!!!
The second hour I just had to continue in the funk vein. See the playlist below for your funky edification.
Enjoy.
jh
Hell’s Kitchen with John Hell
Mondays 8-10PM
Radio Valencia in SF
http://www.radiovalencia.fm
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Common People: William Shatner
Shoo-B-Doop and Cop Him: Betty Davis
Beautiful: Katdelic (live in the studio)
Stay on the Up: Katdelic
Katdelic performs live in the Radio Valencia studio
I Call My Baby Pussycat: Parliament
Give It Up Or Turn It Loose: James Brown
Kung Fu: Curtis Mayfield
Just Kissed My Baby: The Meters
Darkest Light: Lafayette Afro Rock Band
The Hands of Time: Perfect Circle
Home Affairs: Osibisa
RonKat tells the story that when ‘Pops’ is in the house, regardless of the band on the stage, he has carte blanche to join in. Here he is joining KatDelic on stage at the Boom Boom Room back in 2011. Who knows, maybe he’ll join in on June 9th.
May 30, 7pm
Stream Yet Another Tribute, HERE!
Download the Memories, HERE!
Listen into all my shows here.
You can subscribe to my show through iTunes here.
Oh boy, Memorial Day once again. We really do need to stop having these. Do me a favor, if you really want to thank a veteran, punch a politician in the face. Tell them John Hell said it was OK.
The first hour features my subversive Memorial Day “celebration”. I don’t think you can make popsicles with them. I’ll have to ask Ivanka. That woman can make a popsicle out of any national holiday.
I gave tickets away tonight to go see Dave and Phil Alvin and the Guilty Ones at Great American Music Hall for this Thursday night. This promises to be a great show, so congrats to the winners and I’ll see you there. BTW, I give tickets away from time to time, so tune in and WIN!
The second hour of my show was yet another tribute to a fallen musical comrade. Vocalist and keyboardist Gregg Allman of the Allman Brothers Band passed away this past weekend at the age of 69, from complications from liver cancer at his home in Savannah, Georgia. Growing up I was a huge fan of Duane-era Allman Brothers. What a band! Someone asked me once, “if the Grateful Dead were playing at one club, and down the street Duane-era Allman Brothers were playing at another club, which band would you go and see?” That is a damn tough question to answer? Though they are both “jam” bands, the Allman’s always were so in a more structured vein. And there jams could really fly. Consummate musical professionals. I think I would have wanted to have seen the Allman’s, especially if this were 1971. That band was on FIRE that year. Just take a listen to the Live at the Fillmore East box set. Each note is alive with energy. Well, he’s with Duane, Berry, and Butch now, getting the band back together. I can only imagine how much fun that must be. Dreams, indeed.
Full disclosure: I never once saw the Allman Brothers live. Not once. I own quite a few live boots of theirs too. They do not support live taping or trading of their music, so shows, especially soundboards are very hard to come by. I’m lucky enough to know people who know people. I pulled out some tasty treats from my collection to showcase Gregg and the whole band, but I stayed in the Duane-era world that I love so much.
Next Monday night on my show I’m excited to have P-Funk guitarist RonKat Spearman in the studio to share his many road stories and play some music from his own band Katdelic. This ought to be a lot of fun. Tune in Monday, June 5th, 8-10PM on Radio Valencia.
Thanks to everyone who came out to Folio Books in Noe Valley last week to see me interview local music critic Joel Selvin about his book “Altamont”. Joel is a great interviewee. I ask him one question and he takes it from there. He almost seemed a little too happy to be there. He sold a few books, and a couple people even asked me to autograph it! Sure, why not?
Check out the playlist below and click the links above to stream or download last night’s show. Please share this page with all the music-lovers in your life.
Enjoy.
jh
Hell’s Kitchen with John Hell
Mondays 8-10PM
Radio Valencia in SF
http://www.radiovalencia.fm
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Way Down in the Hole: Maggie Bell
Little Boy Soldiers: The Jam
1916: Motorhead
The Unknown Soldier: The Doors
I Don’t Wanna Be A Soldier, Mama: John Lennon
Some Mother’s Son: The Kinks
Universal Soldier: Donovan
Fish Cheer/I-Feel-Like-I’m-Fixin-To-Die Rag: Country Joe and the Fish
Masters of War: Bob Dylan
War/No More Trouble: Bob Marley and the Wailers
The Fiddle and the Drum: Joni Mitchell
Eight Miles High: Golden Earring
Jubilee Train/Do Re Mi/Promised Land: Dave Alvin and the Guilty Men
Gregg Allman Tribute:
BB King Medley: The Hourglass (1968)
Dreams: The Allman Brothers Band (Ludlow Garage, Cincinnati, Ohio 1971)
Midnight Rider: The Allman Brothers Band (06-27-1971 Fillmore East, NYC, NY)
Done Somebody Wrong: The Allman Brothers Band (03-12-1971 Fillmore East, NYC, NY)
Every Hungry Woman: The Allman Brothers Band (07-03-1970 Atlanta Pop Festival, Byron, GA)
Ain’t Waistin’ Time No More: The Allman Brothers Band (04-07-1972 Manley Fieldhouse, Syracuse, NY)
Though I never saw them in person, thank goodness for YouTube. Check out their set from the Fillmore East, 09-23-1970.
May 23, 3pm
Stream the Darkness, HERE!
Download the Deep Deep Despair (not really), HERE!
Listen into all my shows here.
You can subscribe to my show through iTunes here.
I think I play it a little too safe on my show from time to time. There are nights that I bring a lot of black metal, or speed metal, or, well, anything darker than I usually play for you, but I hold off thinking “they don’t want to hear this stuff”. I think I’ve been insulting you, and for that I am sorry. I just didn’t want to ostracize my audience. I fell into the “lowest-common-denominator” style of programming. Damn, what is wrong with me?
To make up for my radio shortcomings I decided to get fairly dark tonight. There’s some metal, punk and garage thrown in, as well as some pretty choice hard rock cuts. It’s loud, it’s fun, and from the feedback I received during the show, well-considered.
Radio is supposed to be about the art of the segue. I choose music that I believe will move you. That doesn’t mean it will always be a pleasant movement. It does mean that I have thought hard about why I want to play this song, and hope that you will take the time to consume it. I’m painting a two hour audio picture just for you. Isn’t that great?! Just another in the many reasons that I love Radio Valencia.
Next week I’ll probably play two hours of Americana and Bakersfield Country. Also, I have tickets to see Dave and Phil Alvin to give away. Tune in!
This Thursday night at Folio Books on 24th Street in Noe Valley, I’m interviewing music critic and author Joel Selvin about his latest book “Altamont, The Rolling Stones, The Hells Angels, and the Inside Story of Rock’s Darkest Day”. It should make for a great hour. It starts at 7PM. Come on down and meet me and Joel, and get a copy of this great read. I flew through it. I thought I knew everything there was to know about Altamont. Well I do now.
Enjoy.
jh
Hell’s Kitchen with John Hell
Mondays 8-10PM
Radio Valencia in SF
http://www.radiovalencia.fm
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Way Down in the Hole: DoMaJe
The Horned Goddess: The Sword
New Flesh: Fuzz
Flies: Red Fang
No Time For The Blues: OBN IIIs
Let’s Get Killed: The Immortal Lee County Killers
Interstellar Overdrive: The Melvins
Touch Me I’m Sick: Mudhoney
Aquarian: Sleep
Cult Leader: Dopethrone
Farewell: Boris
Magic: Zig Zags
Honky Time: James Hall
Teenage Phase: Adam Mackintosh
Kicking a Can of Worms: Metz
Epoch of the Tyrant: Hot Fog
Squeeze Me Macaroni: Mr. Bungle (01-10-1991 Club Lingerie, Los Angeles, CA)
Suicide: Thin Lizzy (09-25-1980 Sun Plaza, Nakano, Japan)
Uncle Son: The Kinks
May 11, 6pm
Stream the Celebration, HERE!
Download the Funkyness, HERE!
Listen into all my shows here.
You can subscribe to my show through iTunes here.
I was out of town last week, so I have a lot to make up for. I think I did a fairly good job doing so. You be the judge. I have a good excuse though. I was down in the Big Easy, New Orleans, performing a marriage ceremony for Hell’s Kitchen Radio friends Eric McFadden and his bride, Delphine De St Paër. And what a party it was! Five days and four nights during Jazz Fest in NOLA cannot be beat.
The wedding was on the fourth day, featuring what was probably the greatest wedding band ever assembled: Angelo Moore on vocals/theremin, Doug Wimbish on bass, RonKat Spearman on guitar, Wally Ingram on drums, CR Gruver on keys, with Corey Glover joining in on vocals, Lantz Lazwell on guitar. Leo Nocentelli of The Meters performed “Just Kissed My Baby” to the lovely couple, as well as James Hall singing the most beautiful song of his own, and the groom leading the backing band into a 25 minute Maggot Brain while the 66 members of the bridal party made their way down the aisle before the three ring bearers, four flower girls, three junior bridesmaids, parents and finally the bride herself made it to the altar. Whew! There was too much more, including the backing band leading the entire wedding party and guests out into the street for a Second Line to end all Second Lines. The after party was a who’s who of amazing musicians all night long.
I tell much of the story during the second hour of this here show.
Having been gone I missed the KFJC annual James Brown birthday celebration “Doin’ to Death”. The first show features JB in all his funky glory. Get your dance shoes on for this one.
The second hour starts with my feature on NOLA. I bought some local music while I was in town. Would you blame me? I actually start the hour off with Chicago rocker, and old friend of Eric McFadden’s, and my new bestie, Adam Mackintosh‘s “Teenage Phase”. I can’t stop playing this song. I’m playing it now as I’m writing this. Listen to it and you’ll understand why. I hope he writes a song about the Roach Motel we both shared. That was fun.
I close out the night with my tribute to what many consider to be the greatest Grateful Dead show o
f all time, May 8, 1977. This being the 40th anniversary of said show, I would be remiss if I didn’t pay homage. I don’t consider it the best show they ever played. I do think it deserves to be in anyone’s collection. I would also place it in the top 5 or 10. It was probably their best show of the Spring 77 tour, and the recording itself is pristine. The playing is spot on and the jams are tight. A bit too tight at times. What makes it so highly considered is that this bootleg, which first made an appearance in trading circle back in the mid-80s, was the first high quality recording and show of it’s kind from that era to make the trading scene. Everyone loved it, and deservedly so. But to call it the BEST EVER? I can think of at least five other shows throughout their career that beat it. But that’s for another post at another time.
In the meantime, feast your eyes on the playlist below, and click the links above to stream or download this sparkly delight.
Next week I have so much more music wonders to share with you all.
Enjoy.
jh
Hell’s Kitchen with John Hell
Mondays 8-10PM
Radio Valencia in SF
http://www.radiovalencia.fm
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Drug PSA: James Brown
I Feel Good: James Brown
My Thang: James Brown
Stagger Lee: James Brown
It’s A Man’s World: James Brown
Get on the Good Foot: James Brown
Bodyheat: James Brown
Since You Been Gone: James Brown
People Who Criticize: James Brown
Funky Drummer: James Brown
The Grunt: The JBs
Hour two:
Teenage Phase: Adam Mackintosh
Big Chief: Professor Longhair
Gator Bait: The Gaturs
Love Lots of Lovin’: Lee Dorsey and Betty Harris
Gospel Bird: Sam and the Soul Machine
Scarlet Begonias/Fire on the Mountain: Grateful Dead (05-08-1977 Barton Hall, Cornell U, Ithaca, NY)
Ace of Spades: Motorhead —- It’s the Eight of May. Get it?
I Got the Feeling: James Brown
For those who aren’t in the know, Eric McFadden played guitar for George Clinton and P-Funk at one time. Check out this Maggot Brain below.
April 25, 10am
Stream the Collectibles, HERE!
Download this Aural Wonder, HERE!
Listen into all my shows here.
You can subscribe to my show through iTunes here.
Say what you will about Record Store Day, my friend Dan shared some arguments against it, but I’m just fine with my obsession. I spent an hour in line at 1-2-3-4 Go! Records on Valencia last Saturday morning before being able to enter and peruse the annual selection. I also stepped across the street to Stranded Records to pick up a few more. I did not find parking by Thrillhouse Records and my wallet really ended the conversation for me by that point.
I’m not in it for the reissues of some major label dreck. I have no need for the Stevie Nicks rarities LP. As much as I love Prince, I really see no reason why to purchase the 1999 reissue. This is supposed to be about getting people to visit independent record stores to see what they’ve been missing by choosing to download or stream music, only. And there is a lot that you have been missing. You can see the full list of 2017 Record Store Day releases here.
The first hour of this show features my purchases. The second hour starts with a Prince “Deliverance” EP that a judge recently ruled won’t be allowed for release until a hearing in May. You get first listen. Lots of live treats follow, including a rare Os Mutantes soundboard, and the night that Ziggy Stardust died on stage.
Enjoy.
jh
Hell’s Kitchen with John Hell
Mondays 8-10PM
Radio Valencia in SF
http://www.radiovalencia.fm
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Way Down in the Hole: Steve Earle
Thank You Friends: Big Star
Better Off Dead: The Wipers
Wild One: Pure Hell
Johnny Adams: Spanish Harlem
I Won The Big Deal: Arnold Blair
Le Jeu Telephone: Caroline
Interstellar Overdrive: Pink Floyd
Sitting on Top of the World: Grateful Dead (07-29-66 Vancouver, CN)
Hard Time Killin’ Floor Blues: Skip James
A Bigger Paper Bag: Father John Misty
Deliverance EP: Prince
Wild Eyed Boy From Freecloud-All The Young Dudes-Oh! You Pretty Things: David Bowie (07-03-1973 Hammersmith Odeon, London, England)
Frutificar: Os Mutantes (06-06-1978 Teatro de Arena, Ribeirao Preto, Sao Paulo, Brazil)
Mercy Seat: Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds (07-05-1998 Werchter, Belgium)
Death Valley 69: Sonic Youth (07-04-1998 Werchter, Belgium)
Paraphernalia: Miles Davis Quintet (11-05-1969 Stockholm, Sweden)
Pinch the Dream: CFM
Banker’s Blues: Rory Gallagher (01-1972 Apropop)
April 18, 11am
Stream the Celebration, HERE!
Download this Collectible Program, HERE!
Listen into all my shows here.
You can subscribe to my show through iTunes here.
I’ve been hosting a radio show on and off since about 1990 when I was at KFJC. I never counted the number of shows I hosted there, but between 1990-1997, probably over 1000 weekly shows. Those were great times, and by far the best education I could have dreamed of. When I started Radio Valencia back in 2010 I had no idea how it might grow and how long we would be around. Monday night I hosted my 300th show, not counting the many specials I’ve done. What a fun milestone this is.
I started off the night with 15 minutes of Facebook Live, which I’m still not totally comfortable doing, but at least it’s a way for my family to see me in action. HA! My guest, managing editor of local magazine “Haight Street Voice“, Linda Kelly spent the rest of the evening with me talking about the importance of having a regular publication in the city that supports local voice, whether they be citizens, homeless, merchants, artists, musicians, or whomever. Linda knows her history of the area like the back of her hand, and wants to use HSV as a medium to bring people together of various backgrounds, all of whom share their love of the city, and the Haight specifically. I concur. It was a fabulous interview. She turned the mic on me in the second hour, asking about my thoughts on show 300 and where I’d like to see Radio Valencia go in the future.
The music is just a continuation of all things John Hell is into. There’s some brand spanking new Father John Misty, new Boss Hog, new CFM, new Crystal Fairy, live Thin Lizzy, and of course some live Grateful Dead. Check out the playlist below.
I don’t really feel that this blog is for me to ramble on and on. I think the radio show itself should be the focus. So, click on the links above to stream or download this show, and then you too can take the two hour journey that I’ve prepared for you, 300 shows in the making…give or take.
This May 25th I’ll be interviewing music critic and author Joel Selvin about his new book “Altamont
Enjoy.
jh
Hell’s Kitchen with John Hell
Mondays 8-10PM
Radio Valencia in SF
http://www.radiovalencia.fm
Follow me on Twitter
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Follow Radio Valencia on Twitter
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Way Down in the Hole: Blind Boys of Alabama
Tunic: Sonic Youth
Sunday Routine: Boss Hog
N.I.B.: Brown Sabbath
I Call My Baby Pussycat: Parliament
Real Love Baby: Father John Misty
Love Song: Bongwater
Lethal Look: CFM
When Doves Cry: Patti Smith
Temple Beautiful: Chuck Prophet
Moth Tongue: Crystal Fairy
Wiggle Stick: Reverend Horton Heat
Sway: Rolling Stones
A Change is Gonna Come: The Gits
Suicide: Thin Lizzy (09-25-80 Sun Plaza, Nakano, Japan)No Blues: Miles Davis
Loser: Grateful Dead (03-19-1977 Winterland, SF, CA)
Il Teatrino Delle Suore: Sex Mob
Below is the FB Live video from Monday’s show, if you’re into that kind of thing.
April 12, 9am
Stream the Originality, HERE!
Download the Diversity, HERE!
Listen into all my shows here.
You can subscribe to my show through iTunes here.
There’s free-form radio and then there’s FREE-FORM RADIO! I’ve been doing this too long to stop now. There are times when I’m driving late at night, pushing the buttons on my FM radio, thinking to myself “why am I hearing the same songs at this late hour that I would hear in the middle of the day? Shouldn’t the late hours be the time when radio stations stretch out, try something new, or perhaps even a deeper album cut? Isn’t this the time when they can play a 20 minute track? Isn’t this the perfect opportunity for them to try out a new, local artist who deserves the airplay? WHY AREN’T THEY DOING THIS? And why haven’t I written a letter? Tweeted? Made a call? ”
If I was given a chance to program KSAN (aka:107.7 The Bone) I would make “Big Daddy” Tom Donahue proud. That man must be seriously spinning in his grave to see what has happened with his love child. Some say Steven Seaweed is an institution. I say that he’s been phoning it in for about two decades now. No offense, Steven. You’ve made a great career out of being super excited to be playing another AMAZING Van Hagar track, and having people call out the WEEDMAN! I’ve worked in commercial radio. They hand you the playlist and tell you what you are and are not allowed to say and play. Any deviation from the norm and you’re out the door. All to please the listeners. Yeah right. It’s all about the sponsors. There is no longer any art or risk-taking in the land of mainstream radio. And it’s been this way for a good 25 years now; perhaps longer.
Tonights show is all over the aural spectrum. Brand new music from Boss Hog, and CFM has a new LP out as well. There’s some sizzling rock, toe-tappin’ country, Japanese Psych, nouveau Americana, Seattle Grunge (I hate that term), and American Punk. I’m sure I left out something. Take a look at the playlist below and click on the stream or download above to enjoy this program, sure to please even the finickiest music lovers in your home.
Next Monday night is my 300th show on Radio Valencia. That’s a lot of shows. I have no clue what I have planned, but it promises to be worth your time. Tune in 8-10PM at http://www.radiovalencia.fm
See you on the radio.
jh
Hell’s Kitchen with John Hell
Mondays 8-10PM
Radio Valencia in SF
http://www.radiovalencia.fm
Follow me on Twitter
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Follow Radio Valencia on Twitter
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Way Down In The Hole: Tom Waits
The Deep: Red Fang
Ashes to Ashes: Eric McFadden
White Bird: It’s A Beautiful Day
Volunteers: Jefferson Airplane
Sleep Drifter: King Gizzard and the Lizard Gizzard
I’m Sure to Meet You: Angel in Heavy Syrup
Rubber Lips: Damaged Bug
Pretty Bird: Jenny Lewis
Young, Gifted, and Broke: Aura Lewis and Lee “Scratch” Perry
I Fall to Pieces: Patsy Cline
Hey Hey, My My: Neil Young (June 13, 2003 Bonnaroo Music Festival)
Ground Control: Boss Hog
Make it Now: Mudhoney (September 26, 1993 Hollywood Palace)
Let It Bleed: Rolling Stones (November 1, 1981 Cotton Bowl, Dallas, TX)
Dead Weight/Message: CFM
Barn Burning: Dave Alvin
Frankie and Albert: Taj Mahal
Ice Water: Ray Condo
Diddy Wah Diddy: Thee Headcoats
American Heavy Metal Weekend: Circle Jerks (February 14-1986 Fender’s Ballroom Long Beach, CA)
April 6, 6pm
Stream the Hell Water, HERE!
Download the Egotistical Smarminess, HERE!
Listen into all my shows here.
You can subscribe to my show through iTunes here.
Monday night I filmed my show on FB live. A few weeks back my guest, and talented chartreuse, Phat Man Dee did this and we had over 100 people tuned in. Why not tonight? Then again, why the hell would anyone want to watch a radio show? Really, there is nothing exciting about this. OK, I do a bit of a song and dance during my show when I’m off mic, that’s for sure. Other than that???
Lots of rockin’ about on this night. New music spread throughout, including new Zig Zags, Crystal Fairy (Melvins side project), Ty Segall, Blind Shake, Meatbodies, King Gizzard, and Red Fang. Also, it’s the 50th anniversary of the release of the first Doors record (feel old yet?).
I throw in some covers from Thee Headcoats (did you know Billy Childish was a renowned book translator?), Bob Seger (there’s a good story I tell in there), Nicki Bluhm, Minutemen, and Bonnie “Prince” Billy.
I’m like a walking music encyclopedia for this show. Check it out and share it far and wide. I probably won’t make it a habit of doing the FB live thing, because who wants to watch a DJ stand around picking their nose trying to decide what to play next?
Enjoy.
jh
Hell’s Kitchen with John Hell
Mondays 8-10PM
Radio Valencia in SF
http://www.radiovalencia.fm
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Ripping Death: Zig Zags
Chiseler: Crystal Fairy
The Only One: Ty Segall
The Crystal Ship: The Doors
Broken Racehorse: The Blind Shake
Ain’t Talkin’ ‘Bout Love: Minutemen
Haunted History: Meatbodies
Steppin’ In Her I Miller Shoes: Betty Davis
Let it Rock: Bob Seger
Superstar: Sonic Youth
Love Comes in Spurts: Thee Heacoats
By the Time I Get to Arizona: Public Enemy/Herb Alpert – Evolution Control Committee
Melting: King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard
I Can’t Go for That: Nicki Bluhm and the Gramblers
Brazil: Frank Sinatra
Jesus Didn’t Die For Me: Rube Waddell
Shadows: Red Fang
Elanore, Put Your Boots On: Franz Ferdinand
Here Comes Sunshine: Grateful Dead (04-02-1973 Boston Garden, Boston, MA)
Don’t Come Home a-Drinking With Lovin’ On Your Mind: Loretta Lynn
Thunder Road: Bonnie “Prince”Billy and Tortoise
Rebel Girl: Bikini Kill
Run, Devil Run/The Big Guns: Jenny Lewis and the Watson Twins
Everything I Do Gonna Be Funky: Lou Donaldson
New Resolution: Heartless Bastards
March 31, 6pm
Stream the Jubilation, HERE!
Download the Contraband, HERE!
Listen into all my shows here.
You can subscribe to my show through iTunes here.
I purchased my first bootleg, via cassette from a street vender on Telegraph Avenue in Berkeley, way back in 198
3. It was a Grateful Dead show (obviously) from their 1981 European tour. Specifically, it was the Copenhagen, Denmark show from October 8, 1981. It was the second set only, and an audience recording. I didn’t care. I was so excited. I was just shy of 13 years old, and I knew that I was in possession of some serious contraband. It thrilled me. My heart was racing. I had to hide it away. I didn’t want to get busted holding something that I knew I wasn’t supposed to have.
Looking back on that, it’s so sweet I thought that way.
Shortly after that I began to hear tales of a store near my San Mateo home, in Burlingame, “The Record Man”, who had a three ring binder full of shows, called “the bible”, that he would pull out to show you if you asked nicely. I can picture him to this very day. I bought the brilliant June 18, 1975 Pink Floyd show from Boston Garden. This is an audience copy as well, but the quality far surpassed the 81 Dead show I had. This Floyd show had early versions of Sheep and Dogs, with their original titles “You’ve Got to be Crazy”, and “Raving and Drooling”, respectively. I was floored. By now I was totally and completely obsessed. I knew that I couldn’t keep spending money on boots, since I didn’t have a lot to begin with, having no job at 14. I had to think of other ways to find this golden booty.
I go into much better detail about my obvious addiction in a previous post, which you can find here.
I download an average of 12 shows a week these days. This year I’ve taken to featuring many of these shows during my second hour, but tonight I thought I’d take both hours to share what I’ve found recently. Sometimes two hours just is not enough! It’s a mix from rock and blues, to jazz and reggae. There’s some Americana and psych thrown in for good measure. As always I put the date and location for your edification.
In a few months I’m hoping to host another Rock Fight, where I go up against another bootleg collector 
and beat them to a pulp (aurally speaking that is) for about four hours. This time around, sound engineer John Karr will be joining me. Look towards the month of June for this show. I’ll keep you posted.
In the meantime, sit back, put on the headphones, close your eyes, and let me take you to many venues and many nights of live musical magic.
Enjoy.
jh
Hell’s Kitchen with John Hell
Mondays 8-10PM
Radio Valencia in SF
http://www.radiovalencia.fm
Follow me on Twitter
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Follow Radio Valencia on Twitter
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Rastaman Chant: Bob Marley and the Wailers (The Paris Theatre, London, May 24, 1973)
When the Music’s Over: The Doors (09-18-68 Television-Byen, Gladsaxe, Copenhagen, Denmark)
No Speak, No Slave: The Black Crowes (06-11-92 Tokyo, Japan, Nakano Sun Plaza)
Incident and Neshabur: Santana (09-23-74 University Arena, Albuquerque NM)
Orange Was the Color of Her Dress, Then Blue Silk: Charles Mingus Sextet (64-04-14 Store Sal, Odd Fellow Palet, Copenhagen, Denmark)
Judy is a Punk: The Ramones (02-11-80 Paradiso, Amsterdam, The Netherlands)
I Know You Rider: Janis Joplin (07-28-66 California Hall, San Francisco, CA)
Hunt For Grandpa: Goober and the Peas
No Expectations: The Rolling Stones (alternate take)
Round and Round: OP8
Gloria: Patti Smith (06-25-2005 Royal Festival Hall, London, England)
Graveyard Shift: Uncle Tupelo (08-15-90 Off Broadway, St. Louis, MO)
I’m Losing You: The Faces (05-13-71 John Peel Sunday Concert, Paris Cinema, London, England)
Careful With That Axe, Eugene: Pink Floyd (05-09-77 Oakland Coliseum, Oakland, CA)
Salty Dog: Procol Harum (05-05-77 Hofstra University Playhouse, Hempstead, New York)
Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere: Neil Young and Crazy Horse: (02-25-70, Music Hall, Cincinnati, Ohio)
Black Diamond: Kiss (09-05-77 Tarrant County Convention Center, Ft. Worth, TX)
Johnny B. Goode: Chuck Berry (09-1967 Fillmore Auditorium, SF, CA)
March 30, 1pm
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Well damn, Chuck Berry died. Now what are we
supposed to do? It’s like when you lose a parent and now you just know that you’re all on your own. You knew this day would eventually arrive, but you never put too much though into it, because well, you knew it would just bum you out. He wasn’t the nicest guy in the world, but I learned pretty much everything I needed to learn about music, through him. He didn’t write autobiographical songs. No. He wrote about life as a young, fresh-faced kid, not trying to get into trouble, but just realizing that life is for the living, and if you’re not busy living, then you’re busy dying. Chuck Berry most likely did not go quiet into his dark night.
When I was a little bitty boy, my father used to often sing “My Ding-a-Ling” to me, much to my mother’s chagrin. I swear it’s the first song I ever memorized so I could sing it on the playground. I knew at a young age what my father and Mr. Berry were singing about and it made me laugh out loud that a song that sounded so damn innocent, was indeed as lecherous as they come. HA!
I got to see Chuck Berry live, once, at the Circle Star Theater in San Carlos, California. It was a small theater half way between San Fransisco and San Jose. It’s torn down now, and in its place tech companies that could care less for the old theater and its colorful history. The stage sat in the center of the room and rotated so the audience could see all sides of the performer. I saw a number of shows there, but it was Chuck Berry that absolutely stood out the most.
Chuck had a long history of showing up to a venue with only guitar and amp in hand. It was up to the promoter to hire the backing band, all of whom one would hope, were well-versed in Chuck Berry tuneage. And why wouldn’t they? Chuck would take the stage only after he had counted the cash, handed to him in a briefcase by said promoter. Who knows if he had even met the band yet. I’m pretty certain there was no soundcheck; or perhaps only a brief one. He would call out the song and key, count it out, and away they flew. It would take a bar or three before the band would gel, but then they would really rock!
On this particular night, the crowd was calling out songs and Chuck was playing them! I could believe it, an all-request show! WOW! This was November 1987, and I had turned 17 at the end of September. I attended the show on my own, and sat in the third row. All around me were 40-somethings, all of whom looked ancient to me. I’m 46 now, so that’s hilarious to even consider. I shouted out for him to play “Promised Land”, a song the Grateful Dead had performed for many years, and perhaps my favorite cover of theirs. A very large, very gruff and very 40-something man, sitting directly in front of me turned around and barked “HE ALREADY PLAYED THAT SONG, KID!”. Chuck was RIGHT THERE, and proclaimed in a very animated voice “No I didn’t. Here it goes!”. HA! I laughed my ass off, while flipping this guy off (in my mind), and rocked out. Thanks Chuck. Thanks for everything. I don’t care about any of the stories about your personal life. It’s the music I came for, and it’s for the music that I’ll forever stick around for. RIP Johnny B. Goode.
On this particular night I was also thrilled to have in the studio, all the way from Pittsburgh, PA, the one and only, viva
cious vocalist who puts the Phat in PHATASTIC, Phat Man Dee! What an absolute delight she is. Her vocals will mesmerize you, who eyes will tantalize you. She’s a lot or woman. Man Dee was here in support of a dear friend, Robert, who is suffering from the affects of MS. We had a great fundraiser for him the previous weekend, and she stuck around to hang with old friends and play some tunes on the radio. We play a bunch of her tunes throughout the show. I promise that you will be searching for her music once you hear it. And luckily for you I have the link right HERE to go find it. Lucky you.
There’s a lot of CB covers thrown into the mix as well, as so many great artists performed the master’s classics. Enjoy them all.
jh
Hell’s Kitchen with John Hell
Mondays 8-10PM
Radio Valencia in SF
http://www.radiovalencia.fm
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Back to Memphis: The Band
Back in the USA: MC5
C’est la Vie: Emmylou Harris
Hey Phat Chick: Phat Man Dee
Pepe: Phat Man Dee
Neverwaus is Forevermore: Phat Man Dee
Promised Land: Chuck Berry
Let It Rock: Chuck Berry
Too Much Monkey Business: Elvis Presley
No Particular Place to Go: Chuck Berry
Around and Around: The Animals
Fourth Reich Arising: Phat Man Dee
O Sinnerman/Shalom Chaverim: Phat Man Dee
My Ding-a-Ling: Chuck Berry
Brown-Eyed Handsome Man: Nina Simone
No Money Down: Duane Allman
Two Tone Tattoo: Phat Man Dee
Oh Louisiana: Chuck Berry
Johnny B. Goode: Grateful Dead (12-31-1978 Winterland, SF, CA)
Back in the USA: Rick Derringer/Edgar Winter
RonKat has a deep musical history, which he shares with us during the show, including his father taking him around to many musical competitions in Michigan, where little RonKat would blow the room away. He is a left handed guitar player, and plays a right handed guitar like Hendrix did. Unlike Hendrix however, his guitar is still strung the way a a right handed guitar would be strung! That means for RonKat the high E string is on the top instead of the bottom. I would not have believed it had I not seen and heard it with my own two eyes and ears.
