Posted on 06/30/2022 6:26:58 PM PDT by RummyChick
The 1960s ideal of love and peace died at Altamont, the free festival conceived by the Rolling Stones as California’s answer to Woodstock, in 1969.
But the man who was more responsible than any other for the destruction of that dream didn’t die himself until yesterday.
Sonny Barger, founder member of the Hells Angels Motorcycle Club, has always maintained that the blame for the violence and murder at Altamont should be placed at the feet of Mick Jagger and the Stones.
But the truth is Barger, dubbed the Maximum Leader, was an uncompromising thug whose contempt for the law was matched only by his capacity for brutality. At Altamont, he claimed, Jagger and the band wanted ‘a dark scary environment to play Sympathy For The Devil’, and so they hired his infamous gang of outlaws to stand guard around the stage, which was low enough to make them vulnerable.
The result was carnage. The Angels, who were being paid in beer, became aggressively drunk. Brawls broke out and the bikers started assaulting the support acts, knocking out the lead singer of Jefferson Airplane, Marty Balin.
(Excerpt) Read more at dailymail.co.uk ...
It might explain why Keith was playing on during this song while Mick has to get him to stop. Also explains why the hells angels dude looks at Mick with such disdain a little before the 4 minute mark https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pqK-J9S2GXs
Keith outlives another.
Dude’s George Washington-level unkillable.
[Wonders how many horses has Keef had shot out from underneath him.]
he was knocked across the stage due to electrocution but survived because he was wearing Hush Puppies
This story cracks me up.
Could be, but it really looks like arthritis
so I tried to look up the story about when Keith had a gun put in his side to see what song. Can’t tell but supposedly the dude that was killed happened during Under My Thumb
I met Sonny a few years back. Nice guy. Didn’t seem like “an uncompromising thug whose contempt for the law was matched only by his capacity for brutality.” I guess age tends to mellow stuff like that.
this quote is funny:
‘I could no longer picture the Hells Angels playing the part of bodyguards for a bunch of sissy, marble-mouthed prima donnas.’
i honestly don’t know how he can play long gigs with hands like that. that isnt even a recent picture.
Not a fan of biker thug gangs. Of any kind.
Ha ha! That IS funny!
If one is damaged due to an accident, it is virtually indistinguishable from rheumatoid arthritis. Looks bad..
He sure did. Barger...interesting and brutal character.
I suspect Barger could be tough and brutal. I mean he was head of the Hell’s Angels. It was stupid to hire a biker gang for security at a rock concert. Anyway it’s ancient history now and the Stones are still playing.
Barre on an open tuning, maybe?
I’m not either. Wouldn’t run with any of them. But I’ll tell you what: after the Antifa riots started up in 2020, I saw some Pagans ride into my town in Maryland one day, and I literally felt safer.
Absolutely age mellows people out.
You can’t be the leader of the Hell’s Angels and be known as a nice guy. Especially after that concert. What a cluster ____.
There can only be one.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.