By David P. Ball
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The year 2020 was marked by uncountable losses for so many, and the Downtown Eastside was particularly hard hit — mourning the drug poisoning deaths of at least 1,288 in B.C. so far this year, on top of the losses of several treasured DTES community elders and leaders.

One of those being mourned and honoured in 2020 was a legend of punk rock, the frontman of the Canadian band SNFU, Mr. Chi Pig.

Also known as Ken Chinn, the iconoclastic and playfully unpredictable rocker passed away this summer at age 57, from longstanding health concerns. He left behind a community he loved and called home in the heart of Hastings Street and its music venues, bars and SROs.

On this year-in-review episode of The Pulse on CFRO, we hear from some who knew and respected Mr. Chi Pig, play nearly 30 years of his music from his earliest skate punk songs to his own last elegy released the day of his death, "Cement Mixer," and air clips from his documentary 'Open Your Mouth' about his journey from Alberta to the DTES and his struggles with mental illness and substance use.

This feature memorial episode of The Pulse on CFRO originally aired on Vancouver Co-operative Radio on Aug. 10 2020.