Altamont: The Rolling Stones, the Hells Angels, and the Inside Story of Rock's Darkest Day
New York Times Bestseller“Meticulous research, evocative detail, and a brave conclusion—exactly what a history book should be.” —Lee Child, author of the #1 New York Times bestselling Jack Reacher series“Equal parts rock journalism and true crime . . . bringing the famous concert and its various backstories into sharp, vivid focus.” —San Francisco Chronicle
The Rolling Stones’ free concert at Altamont Speedway on December 6, 1969, captured in the documentary Gimme Shelter, has long been seen as the distorted twin of Woodstock—the day that shattered the sixties’ promise of peace and love when concertgoer Meredith Hunter was killed by a member of the Hells Angels biker club working as security. As he explores rock’s darkest day, Joel Selvin probes every aspect of the show—and the many forces working against it—to capture the full scope of the tragedy and its aftermath. Moving beyond easy explanations, Selvin also delves into the powerful musical and cultural forces that left Altamont poised for calamity even before the first performer took the stage. Exploring the two bands at the center—the Rolling Stones and the Grateful Dead—Selvin recounts the largely forgotten but crucial role that the Dead played in orchestrating the concert, offering a fresh look at how, in an era remembered for musical idealism, English and American rock worlds collided with devastating consequences. The product of thirty years of research, Altamont is the definitive account of the final event in rock?s formative and most turbulent decade.
New York Times Bestseller“Meticulous research, evocative detail, and a brave conclusion—exactly what a history book should be.” —Lee Child, author of the #1 New York Times bestselling Jack Reacher series“Equal parts rock journalism and true crime . . . bringing the famous concert and its various backstories into sharp, vivid focus.” —San Francisco Chronicle
The Rolling Stones’ free concert at Altamont Speedway on December 6, 1969, captured in the documentary Gimme Shelter, has long been seen as the distorted twin of Woodstock—the day that shattered the sixties’ promise of peace and love when concertgoer Meredith Hunter was killed by a member of the Hells Angels biker club working as security. As he explores rock’s darkest day, Joel Selvin probes every aspect of the show—and the many forces working against it—to capture the full scope of the tragedy and its aftermath. Moving beyond easy explanations, Selvin also delves into the powerful musical and cultural forces that left Altamont poised for calamity even before the first performer took the stage. Exploring the two bands at the center—the Rolling Stones and the Grateful Dead—Selvin recounts the largely forgotten but crucial role that the Dead played in orchestrating the concert, offering a fresh look at how, in an era remembered for musical idealism, English and American rock worlds collided with devastating consequences. The product of thirty years of research, Altamont is the definitive account of the final event in rock?s formative and most turbulent decade.
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New York Times Bestseller“Meticulous research, evocative detail, and a brave conclusion—exactly what a history book should be.” —Lee Child, author of the #1 New York Times bestselling Jack Reacher series“Equal parts rock journalism and true crime . . . bringing the famous concert and its various backstories into sharp, vivid focus.” —San Francisco Chronicle
The Rolling Stones’ free concert at Altamont Speedway on December 6, 1969, captured in the documentary Gimme Shelter, has long been seen as the distorted twin of Woodstock—the day that shattered the sixties’ promise of peace and love when concertgoer Meredith Hunter was killed by a member of the Hells Angels biker club working as security. As he explores rock’s darkest day, Joel Selvin probes every aspect of the show—and the many forces working against it—to capture the full scope of the tragedy and its aftermath. Moving beyond easy explanations, Selvin also delves into the powerful musical and cultural forces that left Altamont poised for calamity even before the first performer took the stage. Exploring the two bands at the center—the Rolling Stones and the Grateful Dead—Selvin recounts the largely forgotten but crucial role that the Dead played in orchestrating the concert, offering a fresh look at how, in an era remembered for musical idealism, English and American rock worlds collided with devastating consequences. The product of thirty years of research, Altamont is the definitive account of the final event in rock?s formative and most turbulent decade.
