Ron "Pigpen" McKernan Episode 5: Biting the Hand that Feeds You, Fired from the Band, and Drinking the Dosed Coffee
As Haight-Ashbury devolved from a counterculture mecca to a commodified tourist haven, and the Grateful Dead searched for the perfect sound to complement their continued evolution, Ron "Pigpen" McKernan found that his musical contributions were becoming obsolete. It wasn't long before he had to face the fact that the he was finally losing control of the group he had created.
Sources:
A Long Strange Trip: The Inside Story of the Grateful Dead, by Dennis McNally
Searching for the Sound, by Phil Lesh
Grateful Dead Close Down Haight Street For Free Concert, On This Day In 1968 (Live for Live Music)
Haight-Ashbury “Hippie Hop” bus
Grateful Dead: Anthem of the Sun and American Beauty (Classic Albums)
1967: Grateful Dead visit the Warnecke Ranch (Chalkhill Residency)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q0iULSnZUkg
Grateful Dead's 'Anthem of the Sun': 10 Things You Didn't Know (Rolling Stone)
The 1967 letter from a record executive that said The Grateful Dead had "many problems" (Far Out)
Internet Archive Forums: 1968 - The Firing (part I)
Grateful Dead Guide: 1968 - The Firing (Dead Essays)
The moment when The Grateful Dead dosed the 'Playboy After Dark' crew (Far Out)
For behind the scenes info and news on this episode, follow:
Instagram: @DoubleElvis @Disgracelandpod
Twitter: @DoubleElvisFm @Disgracelandpod
Tik Tok: @Disgracelandpod
Pinterest: @doubleelvisfm
Facebook: Double Elvis Productions
Jim Morrison, Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin, Amy Winehouse and many more musical icons all died at the age of 27. Scandalous, tortured, dramatic, and incredibly talented, these artists torched a wild path to their early graves and shifted and shaped our culture along the way. 27 Club tells their stories. 27 Club is hosted and created by Jake Brennan, host and creator of the award-winning music and true crime podcast DISGRACELAND. 27 Club is not a journalistic podcast. It is an entertainment podcast inspired by true events. For more shows like 27 Club, check out www.doubleelvis.com.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
More episodes from 27 Club
Introducing: Amplify Color
Charlamagne Tha God. Wendy Williams. Robin Quivers. The names are familiar, but the stories of their trials and triumphs in the radio industry may …
Ron “Pigpen” McKernan” Episode 10: Good, Old, Grateful, and Dead
Ron “Pigpen” McKernan’s lifelong devotion to drinking wasn’t the cause of his medical issues – chalk those up to a genetic disease. But no matter how …
Ron “Pigpen” McKernan” Episode 9: Conquering Europe, Wasting Away, and Making a Last Stand
Against doctor’s orders, Ron “Pigpen” McKernan hit the road one more time with the Grateful Dead. The band’s 1972 tour of Europe is legendary. But at …
Ron “Pigpen” McKernan Episode 8: Turning off the Love Light, Long-Awaited Redemption, and a Deadly Diagnosis
A dark cloud of death hung over the Grateful Dead as they went into the studio to make what is arguably their masterpiece, American Beauty. Janis …
Ron “Pigpen” McKernan” Episode 7: Busted Down on Bourbon Street, Workingman’s Dead, and Riding that Train
Busted down on Bourbon Street. Fleeced by a member of the family. Plastered on a runaway train barreling through the Canadian countryside. As the …
Ron “Pigpen” McKernan (Episode 6): Coming Down from One Long Strange Trip, Awakening to a New Nightmare, and Shooting up a Led Zep Photo Shoot
Though Ron “Pigpen” McKernan continued to feel like he was being pushed out of the Grateful Dead’s creative circle, he could still make an …
How you can listen to this podcast
You can listen to episodes right here on the website, or if you prefer, in a podcast app. Listening in an app makes it easier to keep track of what you’ve already heard, listen without using your data plan and many other conveniences.