Cautionary Tales with Tim Harford The Angels, The Stones and The Dead
74 snips
Feb 6, 2026 A retelling of the Altamont free concert disaster and the risky decision to hire motorcycle club members for security. Stories of chaotic planning, a low stage and dangerous crowd layout. Vivid scenes of escalating violence culminating in a fatal confrontation and the fallout that followed.
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Beatles' Christmas Party Hijacked
- George Harrison hosted Hells Angels in the Beatles' Apple offices and they quickly took over the Christmas party.
- The bikers got drunk, scared guests, and even put a child in a biker's lap drinking beer.
Fake Angels At Hyde Park
- The Rolling Stones hired 50 local bikers to act as heavy men at a free Hyde Park gig.
- These were fake Hells Angels—cosplayers in leather—and caused no major trouble that day.
Angels' Violent Politics Confused Allies
- Hells Angels combined drug-dealing, violence, and far-right symbolism, confusing the 60s counterculture.
- Their actions at events like the Berkeley march showed they opposed some protesters and embraced fascistic tendencies.
