Altamont

The Rolling Stones, the Hells Angels, and the Inside Story of Rock's Darkest Day

De: Joel Selvin

Narrado por: John Pruden

In this breathtaking cultural history filled with exclusive, never-before-revealed details, celebrated rock journalist Joel Selvin tells the definitive story of the Rolling Stones’ infamous Altamont concert in San Francisco, the disastrous historic event that marked the end of the idealistic 1960s.

In the annals of rock history, the Altamont Speedway Free Festival on December 6, 1969, has long been seen as the distorted twin of Woodstock—the day that shattered the Sixties’ promise of peace and love when a concertgoer was killed by a member of the Hells Angels, the notorious biker club acting as security. While most people know of the events from the film Gimme Shelter, the whole story has remained buried in varied accounts, rumor, and myth—until now.

Altamont explores rock’s darkest day, a fiasco that began well before the climactic death of Meredith Hunter and continued beyond that infamous December night. Joel Selvin probes every aspect of the show—from the Stones’ hastily planned tour preceding the concert to the bad acid that swept through the audience to other deaths that also occurred that evening—to capture the full scope of the tragedy and its aftermath. He also provides an in-depth look at the Grateful Dead’s role in the events leading to Altamont, examining the band’s behind-the-scenes presence in both arranging the show and hiring the Hells Angels as security.

The product of twenty years of exhaustive research and dozens of interviews with many key players, including medical staff, Hells Angels members, the stage crew, and the musicians who were there, Altamont is the ultimate account of the final event in rock’s formative and most turbulent decade.

interesting and sad

The narrator is a little stiff, but still does a good job. it was hard to keep all the names straight at first but then I got it. this is an interesting bit of history that I didn't know about. glad I listened.

Great journalim

Fascinating reporting. His conclusion of responsibility I disagree with. Great stuff, of a now very different era, by someone who lived through it

Hell's Angels off the hook.

Great historical account. It was nice to hear about HAMC not being vilified for once. Just regular guys put in an impossible situation.

Excellent book

Great from start to finish. There is so much more to the story than I realized. I highly recommend this book.

Excellent Book

This was an excellent book, I was too young for Altamont, I heard about all problems at concert. The stones represent capitalist, hells angels were unfortunate foot soldiers and the fans were divided between young future intellectuals and capitalist that build silicon Valley and lost men and woman that will be trapped in economic poverty and working class lifestyle. Great book, that should be a movie.