10 Outrageous Hard Rock Stories
2. A Member Of The Hells Angels Killed A Man At A Rolling Stones Concert.
One of the more tragic incidents that hangs over rock 'n' roll's legacy is the death of music fan, Meredith Hunter, on 6 December 1969.
The Altamont Free Festival was advertised as an alternative to Woodstock, but became an embodiment of everything Woodstock was not. From the outset there was poor planning and co-ordination, and the location wasn't even determined until two days beforehand.
The most controversial factor was the hiring of the Hells Angels. Over the years there has been much denial and speculation over what purpose the Hells Angels were supposed to serve at the event. Some have claimed they were hired as security, others said they were merely there to give directions, but what has been agreed by multiple sources was that the Angels were to be paid in $500 worth of beer.
Chaos throughout the day had resulted in fights between the Angels, the crowd, and the performers. With members of both Jefferson Airplane and Crosby Stills and Nash being injured, the Grateful Dead pulled out moments before they were due to appear.
By the time The Stones took to the stage, the crowd was surging with violence. Footage from the evening shows groups of Angels brandishing pool queues, and moments later 19-year-old Meredith Hunter can be seen waving a gun before he is stabbed by an Angel and dragged out of view. Hunter would be pronounced dead at the scene.