It sure enough felt GOOD to be back in the studio Monday night. I haven't taken this much time off since I started Radio Valencia in 2010. This was my first show since early April. I needed the break, but I was itching to get back. There was a moment Monday afternoon, a few hours before my show, when I thought "i could stay in and watch a show". That's when I knew I just had to make it in to do my show.

The longer you sit, the harder it is to get up.

Get up.

Always get up.

So where have I been? That's a difficult question to answer, and not one I'm quite ready to jump into quite yet. My health is great! It has nothing to do with that. My kids are healthy as well. My life is in flux, but I can honestly say I am the happiest and most at peace in quite a long time. As a matter of fact last Friday afternoon I was on the beach near Albany Bulb (yes, there's a great little beach there and the water was warm that day), staring out at the city and the Golden Gate Bridge, playing in the warm water with Bodhi, noting that I was the happier at that moment than I have been in many years.

I'm not often unhappy. I just have been lacking a measure of harmony and peace. Today I have more harmony and peace. And for this I am grateful.

Now, on with the show!

I wasn't certain how rusty I was going to be, but after having hosted a few thousand shows over the years, I figured as long as I had enough music with me, I could figure out the rest.

How right I was!

I've missed a few tributes over the past few months, so I had to make up for that. Harry Belafonte, Blackie Onassis and Tom Verlaine passed over the past few months. Instead of sets for the dearly departed, you get a single tune for each.

I'm starting off with some jazz and folk blues, before getting louder. And I do get louder. New music from Death Valley Girls, Iggy Pop, Mudhoney, Cory Hanson (of WAND), and King Gizzard pepper the broadcast.

I expect to be hosting my show live every other Monday night for a while. You'll hear an encore presentation (read: rerun) on the Monday's I'm not in. Having hosted over 500 shows on Radio Valencia your sure to enjoy what I have served up for you.

Enjoy and please share.

jh

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

White Man's Got A God Complex: Last Poets
Freedom Day: Max Roach

Midnight Special: Harry Belafonte
Terraplane Blues: Robert Johnson

When the Levee Breaks: Memphis Minnie
Write Me A Few Lines: Mississippi Fred McDowell
Walkin' Blues: Muddy Waters
Stagolee: Jesse Fuller

Sugar Magnolia: Joe Pop-O-Pie
St. Stephen: Ty Segall
Filipino Boxsprings Hog: Tom Waits

Magic Powers: Death Valley Girls
Toe Cutter/Thumb Buster: Thee Oh Sees
Snakes Crawl: Shannon and the Clams
(Today is) Blackie's Birthday: Urge Overkill

Strung Out Johnny: Iggy Pop
Flush the Fascists: Mudhoney

Friction: Television
Leave the Capitol: The Fall
Safe European Home: The Clash
Fredrick: Patti Smith
Bulunur Mu: Altin Gun

Gila Monster: King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard
Sunday Morning Comin' Down: Kris Kristofferson

Driving Through Heaven: Cory Hanson