|
|
| Toast960 |
I'm doing a very big research paper on the sixties and I want to mention Altamont in my report. I know the basics about it: that The Rolling Stones were setting it up, it was a free concert, and the Hell's Angels were the hired security. Any and all help on this is greatly appreciated. I just need a few questions answered so I can answer them myself if any of the students ask them.
Why were the Hell's Angels hired?
When was it held?
What other bands were on the venue? |
|
|
| parmeda |
Go to your local video store and purchase GIMME SHELTER. It's a documentary of the entire event. Should answer most of your questions.
(I can't believe you haven't seen that yet, or possibly know of it...hmmmm.) |
|
|
| MrJimmy |
The Angels were hired because of Gerry Garcia, that was his idea. |
|
|
| stonedinaustralia |
check out these books for important info re altamont (both background and on point)particularly if your paper is a "big" one on "the '60's"
"the true adventures of the rolling stones" - stanley booth
""hells angels" & "fear and loathing in las vegas"- hunter s. thompson (both are particularly useful when looking at the "politics" of the angels and their place in the '60's counter-culture) |
|
|
| gypsy |
Definitely read the Stanley Booth book "Dancing with the Devil." He was there...and gives so much information and details of the event. Rent "Gimme Shelter" too. Too bad you didn't catch "Gimme Shelter" a couple of months ago on AMC...they had a 'rockumentary' month.
|
|
|
| tumblingdice |
Yes that was a very good book, video is better. See the sex, drugs and rock-n-roll . |
|
|
| gypsymofo60 |
Just avoid looking at it all from a hippie, Utopian perspective. That, "Oh, God! a kid was killed in front of the stage, and so ended the golden dawn," and all that over the top crap. Another thing many observers like to throw into the mix is , "Oh, it was The Stones fault", was Cincinatti ten years later blamed on The Who to such an extent, or are Limp Bizkit gonna be dogged by what happened here in OZ at The Big Day Out? No! On both counts. Just take what you read with a healthy grain or two of salt. |
|
|
| stonedinaustralia |
well the thing is altamont was the point in u.s.(western)history (in the long view) and the history of "rock n roll" (in the short) where it all came to a muderous climax and after that the money men - the 10%ers - the west coast promotion men - the "professional" security men - (the insurance industry basically), soon to be followed by media gurus and public relations experts moved in and took over for real - sadly perhaps, in retrospect, it all seems rather inevitable
the stones were as all the other players in the drama; the angels, the dead, meredith hunter, the san franciso municipal government (or whatever its called), the owners of the speedway, the hippies (god what a motley crue)- they were all to blame but at the same time they were all way out of their depth
nobody really knew what the f$%ck was going on - sometimes you'd think melvin belli was the only dude that kept his head while everybody around him was losing (or out of) theirs - i bet he got paid! - and that reminds me - there is a point in the movie where he refers to insurance - "Which I'm sure you will want"
as stanley b. put it so finely - no apologies for a straight lift - i hope you dig it
"Much remains untold, but at least you got to hear the band play(...)
I spent time with the Stones on later tours and they were always good, but there never seemed to be so much at stake. There was, though, just as much at stake, but it was harder to see.For one thing, we were never again in the desert, beyond all laws."
[Edited by stonedinaustralia] |
|
|
| Toast960 |
Thanx a million to everyone whose offered their help. I'm surprised that there's so much material on the event. I never even knew about it until a weeks ago when I saw a little bit about it on VH1. I'll look into those books. Again, thanks again everyone  . |
|
|
| gypsy |
Good luck with your project! You seem like a real nice 'kid.'
We'll make a Stones fan out of you yet! |
|
|
| Mother baby |
quote:
Toast960 wrote:
Why were the Hell's Angels hired?
Has anyone ever stepped forward and admitted to actaully doing the "hiring"? Anyway I think the Angels career of providing security at concerts came to an abrupt halt after that. |
|
|
| Gazza |
>Has anyone ever stepped forward and admitted to actually doing the "hiring"? Anyway I think the Angels career of providing security at concerts came to an abrupt halt after that.
Another thing to remember is that the Stones used the Hell's Angels as security when they played a free concert of a similar size at London's Hyde Park 5 months earlier. The event had taken place without any incidents of note, although the Stones weren't the first band to play live at Hyde Park that summer (Jagger had got the idea after attending a Blind Faith free concert there..)
When the idea of a similar event in San Francisco was mooted, the Stones and/or their advisers reckoned a similar arrangement could work with the local chapter of the Angels. From what I've read,the SF chapter had a good relationship with the Grateful Dead and so it was believed they'd be perfect for security at the free concert. I think they
I'm sure someone out there who's more into this stuff than I am will also mention that those who were into astrology at the time advised the Stones and their organisers that December 6th was going to be a disastrous date to hold a concert due to the way the planets were aligned (the organisers of Woodstock had actually consulted astrologers when settling on a date for that festival to take place..)
- maybe theres something in it after all,come to think of it as that time of year has a history of violent events which have created an impact worldwide to some degree.
Dec 6, 1969 - Altamont. Dec 7,1941 - Pearl Harbour Dec 8, 1980 - John Lennon's assassination....(cue 'twilight Zone' theme....) |
|
|
| Mother baby |
[quote]Gazza wrote:
>Has anyone ever stepped forward and admitted to actually doing the "hiring"? Anyway I think the Angels career of providing security at concerts came to an abrupt halt after that.
I'm sure someone out there who's more into this stuff than I am will also mention that those who were into astrology at the time advised the Stones and their organisers that December 6th was going to be a disastrous date to hold a concert due to the way the planets were aligned (the organisers of Woodstock had actually consulted astrologers ....
/quote]
Oh yeah...they Actually consulted asrologers? Which ones?
I always had a feeling someone was trying to set up the Stones.
Well it figures. Fuck em....who's laughing now?
|
|
|
| CousinCocaine |
Even in70 and as late as 73 there were Mc gangs (Angels and others) hired in Europe as security. I saw it here in Germany and Holland and Scandinavia,too.That was commen practice at those times. There were no professional securities like today and often people tried to get in free into concerts and there often occured fights at the doors.
At the 76 Den Haag gig was quite some Angels trouble,too. I've been there on that day(nicely stoned).But great gig!
CC |
|
|
| Mother baby |
quote:
CousinCocaine wrote:
...often people tried to get in free into concerts
Goddam them people.
Try it again and we'll lay a pool cue on your skull. There!
[Edited by Mother baby] |
|
|
| parmeda |
Toast...here's something else to look into.
HELL'S ANGELS: THE LIFE & TIMES OF SONNY BARGER & THE HELL'S ANGELS MOTORCYCLE CLUB
Written By: Ralph "Sonny" Barger
(The following...Taken from EDITORIAL REVIEW - From BOOKLIST)
"As president of the Oakland chapter of the Hell's Angels, he has seen and survived hassles with the police, peaceniks, and the Rolling Stones, with their "prissy clothes and makeup" --all of which he recounts. He notes fine points, such as the fact that it was Emmett Grogan, of the radical egalitarian Diggers, who suggested that the Angels work security at the Stones' ill-fated free show at Altamont, California. He nonchalantly admits to criminal acts, such as pulling a gun on Keith Richards onstage."
This is yet another account of what supposedly happened as well as an interesting read. 'Ole Sonny was one crazy son-of-a-bitch...
|
|
|
| Keefness |
Stanley Booth's book..
The true Adventures With The Rolling Stones
Dancin' With The Devil
are the same book..there was a title change with a new pressing. It is, under no matter what title, a great read
& accurate says everyone with the credibility to say so. |
|
|
| stonedinaustralia |
quote:
Mother baby wrote:
Goddam them people.
Try it again and we'll lay a pool cue on your skull. There!
MB i don't agree but it's the first comment you've made all day that i actually understand
cheers!?!?
|
|
|
| Mother baby |
[quote]parmeda wrote:
HELL'S ANGELS: THE LIFE & TIMES OF SONNY BARGER & THE HELL'S ANGELS MOTORCYCLE CLUB
Written By: Ralph "Sonny" Barger
From whence it comes. as they say.
( |
|
|
| stonedinaustralia |
sonny claims he stuck a piece in k's ribs when keith said they "ain't gonna play no more..." - i don't believe it
who does?? |
|
|
| CousinCocaine |
Of course not !
Barger just wanted to make some headlines.
Funnily enough I read the in-depth Altamont book Let it bleed and there are quotes from musicians as D. Crosby, J. Garcia, etc. and they say: I could have talked to people like Barger( to stop the violence) but he was not there !?!
CC |
|
|
| gypsymofo60 |
Believe Barger pulled a gun on Keith? Not with Funches around on security, not unless he had a real deathwish. Barger's book, as I've said before was crap, and for the record so was Grogan's, I can't believe Grogan's was part of some lunatic lefty art course I did, it was shit! Just glorifying that unwashed, squalor that passes for THE GREAT REBEL WITH A CAUSE lifestyle those twits proselytize, puleeeeeeeeeeeze. |
CHAT ROOM aka THE FUN HOUSE] [
RESTROOMS]