another take on the end of the Sixties...

[Laurence Horn]

I happened to be watching "Gimme Shelter", the classic Maysles'
Brothers documentary of the Rolling Stones concert that was moved at
the last minute from San Francisco to the Altamont Speedway in the
East Bay.  The Hell's Angels, working as security guards, were
involved in various violent incidents with audience members and at
least one musician (Marty Balin of the Jefferson Airplane), one of
those incidents resulting in a death caught on screen.  This was
supposed to be Woodstock West, but didn't end up being quite as
peaceful and loving, and I recall that some did in fact characterize
Altamont as "the end of the Sixties" or "when the Sixties died".  And
when did the concert take place?  December 1969.  Hmmm.


LH

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