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The Tom Constanten Chronicles, Part 6: “Don’t You Have Anything to Say for Yourself?”Step back in time as Tom Constanten narrates a series of personal chronicles. Listen to firsthand accounts of life with Pigpen, musical breakthroughs, and unforgettable moments from the heart of the 60s music scene.It was 1962. I’d just arrived in Milano, just starting to know my way around. I was 18 years old, and I was craving a cheeseburger.Happily, I found one! But, like the pizza I experienced years later in Osaka, it wasn’t quite the same.It was at a place called “Biffi.” Cute name, and…

The Tom Constanten Chronicles, Part 5: “Do not attempt these tricks at home!”Step back in time as Tom Constanten narrates a series of personal chronicles. Listen to firsthand accounts of life with Pigpen, musical breakthroughs, and unforgettable moments from the heart of the 60s music scene.In 1963, Phil, Bill Walker, and I were sharing a house on Eureka Street, and one night we went to the San Francisco Opera House to see Die Walküre. We parked on Van Ness across the street, in front of City Hall, and lit up a joint to prepare for the festivities. We got standing-room…

The Tom Constanten Chronicles, Part 4: “How Mad Is He!?”Step back in time as Tom Constanten narrates a series of personal chronicles. Listen to firsthand accounts of life with Pigpen, musical breakthroughs, and unforgettable moments from the heart of the 60s music scene.The first joint I ever smoked was rolled, lit, and put in my mouth by Bobby Petersen. He dropped by the apartment on Durant Avenue in Berkeley that Phil and I shared. He had this way of using his pocket knife to taper the ends that made them easy to open but kept them secure.One afternoon he and I walked…