My deepest thanks to all the people who answered my questions, and to those who fielded my innumerable follow-up queries. I would particularly like to offer my thanks to John Burks, George Christie, Evelyn and George Walker, Adele Kubein, Randy McBee, Jay Siegel, Denise Kaufman, Sam Cutler, Ronnie Schneider, Louie Kalaveras, Dorothy Kalaveras, Judy Maysles, Johanna Demetrakas, Peter Smokler, Nelson Stoll, Stephen Lighthill, Chip Monck, Joanne Burke, Michael Lang, Todd Gitlin, Langdon Winner, the late John Morthland, Sol Stern, Joan Churchill, Mirra Bank, Sergeant Ken Gemmell of the Alameda County Sheriff’s Office, Insha Rahman, and Greil Marcus. Any mistakes that remain are, of course, my own.
Dixie Ward and Taammi Parker graciously invited me into their homes and agreed to speak to me about some of the hardest and saddest moments in their lives, and their candor and emotional forthrightness were absolutely essential to my understanding of what this story was about. David James Smith of the Times of London and Kevin Fagan of the San Francisco Chronicle were kind enough to share some of their research materials, and their insights into the story of Altamont, with me.
Much of this book was written in the Kensington branch of the Brooklyn Public Library. My thanks to all the staff and patrons there.
My deepest thanks go to the friends and family who supported me through this project: Carla Silber, Dan Silber, Abby Silber, Jason Seiden, Zack Seiden, Josh Olken, EB Kelly, Mark Fenig, Dan Smokler, Erin Leib Smokler, Eli Segal, Shana Segal, Choomy Castle, Ari Holtzblatt, Marina Hirsch, Olia Toporovsky, Jeremy Blank, Menachem Tannen, Jeff Abergel and Brooklyn ReSisters, Jennifer Keishin Armstrong, Sarah Rose, Aaron Zamost, Zev Wexler, Adi Weinberg, Jesse Kellerman, Ari Vanderwalde, Joanne Gentile, Helane Naiman, and Daniel Mizrahi. Reuben Silberman and Ali Austerlitz read draft versions of some of the chapters of this book, and their insights were invaluable. My agent, Laurie Abkemeier, believed in this project from the very outset, and her guidance and perceptiveness made all the difference. I would also like to thank the remarkable team at Thomas Dunne, including Stephen Power, Samantha Zukergood, Bill Warhop, Gabrielle Gantz, Jason Prince, and Ryan Jenkins.
My parents bought me a Discman for my bar mitzvah, perhaps inadvertently kicking off a life obsessed with music. They have always been my fiercest supporters, and I owe them everything. My children, Nate and Gabriel, are not yet old enough to read this book (nor, regrettably, is it about fire trucks or dinosaurs), but this is for them anyway. And none of this could ever have happened without the love and support of my wife, Becky. She is my most trusted editor, my voice of reason, my compatriot, my love.
Index
The index that appeared in the print version of this title does not match the pages in your eBook. Please use the search function on your eReading device to search for terms of interest. For your reference, the terms that appear in the print index are listed below.
abuse (physical)
of Anderson, A.
by Jones
Ace of Cups
acid. See LSD
Adams, Carolyn (“Mountain Girl”)
African-Americans
assaults on
boundaries for
exiting of
life value of
rights for
in society
struggles of
as targeted
After Dark
alcohol
Altamont festival
balloons rising at
band responses to
counterculture presented at
as counterculture roadblock
Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young at
cultural impact of
elements of
end of
excitement surrounding
failures of
fan experience at
fans arriving to
Flying Burrito Brothers at
Grateful Dead arrival to
Hells Angels remaining at
Hunter, M., arrival at
inner circle at
intention of
Jefferson Airplane concert at
Altamont festival
Jefferson Airplane participation in
media coverage on
memories created from
miniature society
outer circle at
police presence at
preparation concerns for
responsibility for
Rolling Stone story of
Rolling Stones arrival to
Rolling Stones avoiding subject of
Rolling Stones footage after
sound quality at
story of, as incomplete
symbolism of
terror at
uneasiness at
venue change for
Altamont Speedway
closing of
Monck at
as new venue
size of
tribute denied by
American Motorcyclist Association
American tour (of the Rolling Stones)
band responsibilities for
crucial reasons for
Cutler invited on
as grueling
Anderson, Altha
boyfriends of
Bredehoft visiting
damage from
education belief of
Holiness church and
initiative of
physical abuse of
response to dog
revival desired by
schizophrenia of
Anderson, Claudia
Anderson, Tommie
Army (U.S.)
arrests
of Hells Angels
of Hunter, M.
of Passaro
of Roberts
authoritarianism
Baby Boomers
Balin, Marty
assault on
band initiation by
Hells Angels argument with
Bangs, Lester
Bank, Mirra
film studied by
Jagger observed by
Maysles brothers hiring
Barger, Sonny
background of
critique from
Hells Angels branded by
Johnson, L., letter from
observations by
swastikas defended by
threat from
as unsettled
The Beatles
Beggars Banquet
Bell, Denice
Belli, Melvin
as legal celebrity
transition managed by
Walker working with
Bergman, Jo
Berne, Eric
Berry, Chuck
Berry, Leonard
Bettencourt, Vic
Bibb, Porter
film project developed by
money priority of
Bible salesmen
Black Panthers
Booth, Stanley
experience of
Jagger opinion of
as journalist
Brando, Marlon
Bredehoft, Patti
as afraid
aftermath experience of
Anderson, A., visited by
assassin identified by
Hunter, M., meeting
Hunter, M., separated from
reassurance given to
reflections of
rescue effort of
as scarred
as shocked by gun
testimony of
British Invasion
Brown, Ronnie (Blood)
Brown Berets
Bryant, Baird
crews recruited by
film footage shot by
footage as evidence from
name of, kept secret
Buckley Jr., William F.
Burke, Joanne
Burks, John
Marcus found by
Ponek interview by
radio listened to by
results of journalism by
Cammell,
Donald
Canby, Vincent
Capote, Truman
Carter, Dick
Chisholm, James
Christie, George
Churchill, Joan
accidental LSD dose of
footage acquired by
as neglected
as terrified
civil rights movement
Clark, Mark
clothing
cocaine
Cocker, Joe
Cocks, Jay
Coleman, Kate
conservatism
control
of audience
desire to lose
of film distribution rights
Hells Angels seizing
Hunter, M., as beyond
lack of
screams as out of
counterculture
abrupt change in
admiration for
Altamont as roadblock to
Altamont presenting
antipathy towards
as ascendant
celebration of
clothing of
contradictions in
dark side of
depiction of
failings of
fracturing of
Grateful Dead as heroes of
Hells Angels and
Hells Angels as apart from
heroes of
limitations of
in media
optimism within
raw power of
rot spreading through
wreckage of hopes of
Cox, Paul
as eyewitness
story told by
testimony of
tracking down
Coyote, Peter
crank
crisis
Crist, Judith
critical distance
Crosby, David
Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young. See also specific members
on Altamont bill
Altamont festival concert of
background of
performance by
Crow, Jim
Cutler, Sam
as accommodating
audience prepared by
failures of
Garcia comforting
mood preserved by
observations by
planning by
as representative
security opinion of
speaking from stage
venue scouting by
Davis, Jordan
Democratic National Convention (1968)
Dickstein, Morris
direct cinema
broadening of
error in
honesty in
as invisible
limitations to
rules for
documentary filmmaking
Donovan, Robert J.
Drew, Robert
the Drinking Gourd
drugs. See also cocaine; crank; LSD; marijuana; methamphetamine
clashing of
distribution of
as pleasure
as tempting
trust in
Dudek, Scott
Dunn, Michael
Ellis, Stephen
Ertegun, Ahmet
Exile on Main Street
experimentalism
the Fillmore
Kantner at
fire
The Flying Burrito Brothers
Altamont festival concert of
stylings of
freedom
Funches, Tony
Games People Play (Berne)
Garcia, Jerry
as chastised
Cutler comforted by
Hells Angels relationship with
Hibbits argument with
opinions of
records opinion of
Scully talking with
violence reaction of
at Woodstock
Gates of Eden: American Culture in the Sixties (Dickstein)
Gelmis, Joseph
gender roles
Genovese, Kitty
The Gilded Palace of Sin
Gimme Shelter
creation of
description of
evenhandedness in
as evidence
grief triggered from
Hunter, M., in
Jagger in
message of
moral failings in
premiere of
structure of
Ginsberg, Allen
Gitlin, Todd
Gleason, Ralph J.
Golden Gate Park
Goldstein, Stan
Goldwater, Barry
Goodwin, Michael
Graham, Bill
The Grateful Dead. See also specific members
as afraid
Altamont arrival of
audience surprised by
as counterculture heroes
departure of
ethos of
free shows by
ignorance of
as invisible
judgment of
as mismatched
Scully as manager of
as servants
show canceled by
Green, Sam
The Green Berets
Grey Gardens
Grogan, Emmett
Grogan, Scully
groupies
Gypsy Jokers
Hampton, Fred
Harley-Davidson
Hayes, William J.
Healy, Dan
Hells Angels
accessories of
apart from counterculture
arrests of
Balin argument with
Barger branding
belligerence of
control seized by
counterculture and
creation of
as criminal enterprise
culpability of
defense of
departure of
employing of
ethics of
as exclusionary
fear of
filming of
Garcia relationship with
Hunter, M., stabbing by
identity of
image of
justification from
Kantner blaming
Kaukonen arguing with
marijuana liked by
as merciless
methamphetamine use of
murder accusation of
overreaction of
Passaro as prospect for
pecking order of
as performers
police fought by
police preferred to
political stance of
Ponek critique of
population of
pressure campaign of
racism of
remaining at Altamont
respect demanded by
responsibility of
Richards opinion on
Rolling Stones paying
rules of
as security
as terrifying
Thompson writing about
threats from
views of
violence from
Hells Angels Forever
Hell’s Angels: The Strange and Terrible Saga of the Outlaw Motorcycle Gangs (Thompson)
Hendrix, Jimi
Hiatt, Robert
Hibbits, Paul (Animal)
background of
Garcia argument with
as grisly
nickname creation for
as ringleader
Hillman, Chris
hippies
as cowards
culture of
intentions of
Marcus shouted at by
protests attended by
stereotype of
success for
unruliness of
Hoffman, Abbie
Holiness church
Howlin’ Wolf
Human Be-
In
Hunter, Curley
Hunter, Meredith (Murdock)
acceptance desired by
Altamont arrival of
arrest of
assault on
body of, abandoned
Bredehoft separated from
as caring
case of, reopened
as child
compensation for family of
as beyond control
coroners report of
description of
evacuation of
family remembering
fault of
footage of death of
in Gimme Shelter
grave of
gun of
humor of
intentions of
Jagger murder intent of
life value of
methamphetamine use of
Monck visiting family of
as sacrifice
stabbing of
testimony against
witnesses supporting
Hyde Park (London)
idealism
individualism
inner circle
intimidation
Jagger, Mick
assassination attempt on
audience addressed by
background of
Bank observing
Booth opinion of
camera presence of
character of
culpability of
darkness of
departure to France
filmmaker observation of
in Gimme Shelter
help called for by
Hunter, M., intent to murder
lack of emotion from
reflections of
reputation of
Richards and
Schneider traveling with
symbolism of
transitions of
tribute by
James, Etta
Jaymes, John
Jefferson Airplane
Altamont concert by
Altamont participation desired by
Hells Angels ties cut with
Hyde Park free show by
legendary shows of
musical expression of
popularity of
violence fought by
Jewkes, Denise
Johnson, Lyndon
Jones, Brian
death of
physical abuse from
Joplin, Janis
Kael, Pauline
Kantner, Paul
audience addressed by
at Drinking Gourd
at Fillmore
Hells Angels blamed by
Kaufman, Noel
Kaukonen, Jorma
attitude of
Hells Angels arguing with
name creation by
Keats, John
Kennedy, Robert F.
Kesey, Ken
Kirk, Claude
Klein, Allen
Schneider communication with
Knell, Pete
Kreutzmann, Bill
Lang, Michael
Scully calling
Last, Martin
Leary, Timothy
Leonetti, Frank
Lesh, Phil
Let It Bleed
Lighthill, Stephen
lighting towers
Just a Shot Away_Peace, Love, and Tragedy With the Rolling Stones at Altamont Page 30
