Following Demon's previous post, but this another topic.

What was Meredith Hunters purpose? This is somthing hardly disscused.

We know nothing about this boy : 18-years old, a couple of white friends in the Altamont concert (maybe he had just met them a couple of hours before to be stabbed), maybe a white girlfriend, the fact he actually fired for good (according to the semi-reliable Sonny Barger's autobiographic book) and that Hunter's mother later sue the Stones in court. Period.

Why did had a gun and what was his aim?

What kind of boy in was during his short life?

Did he want to be famous by killing a rock star on stage?

Was he stoned to death?

Sorry, I just realized that no nervous breakdowns had post 10 minutes ago somethimg about Meredith Hunter. Continuing the story...

Ya know this is a great question. It would really be interesting to see some info on him considering what was going on at that time.

I dunno seems to me like the Hells Angels were pretty bad
news and maybe he was just trying to protect himself from
getting hit by a beer bottle or pool cue like alot of other
folks stuck in the crush at the front of the stage.

I wouldn't take a gun to a show to protect myself from a beer bottle or a pool cue. I thought about this all day and it would be interesting to see if he was "associated" with anything or anyone.

more'n likely he was an east bay kid from a tough neighborhood who packed

I read somewhere that he only pulled the gun to protect his girlfriend (the one in the crotcheted dress) from some of the Angels who were hassling her. If so, it was a pretty dumb but tragic move.
It is surprising that Rolling Stone magazine or Ramparts magazine didn't interview his friends and family at the time to try and glean his motivation in taking a gun.

There must be someone still alive that knew Meredith. The follow up was horrible and the Angels want us all to believe they were protecting the Stones from a crazed fan. It could very well be true that the Angels were after his girlfriend or being @#$%&, as they had been all that day! I would bet he was protecting himself or the girl and it was unfortunate that he gave the Angels a reason to kill him.

I'd agree with Debra.
US can be a gun crazed
culture, bet Meredith wasn't
hardly the only guy packing heat
that day. Black guy at a predominantly
white concert with a white chick
attended by lotsa bikers? Might
have crossed his mind he could
be singled out, didn't feel
he should have to stay at
home, wanted some protection................?

Black guy at a predominantly white concert with a white chick attended by lotsa bikers.....Ooow Yeah! that's a bad recipe.

ROCKMAN

Observing the film clips leading up to the stabbing, it is apparent that there was some hostility directed at Hunter immediately preceding images cast by the film. At earlier times during the concert, there are several other altercations which occur right in front of Mr. Hunter - who is seen just chillin'. Then, moments later the film jumps to the point showing Mr. Hunter suddenly brandishing a firearm. Actually, Mr. Hunter appeared to be recovering from a fallen position - as if he had been shoved. There was a clearing already present in the crowd which usually only exists after a scuffle has already ensued. The 'Angels' were in the foreground already fixated on the point where Hunter is shown emerging from. Still, others in the crowd already had their attention directed toward the 'Angels' in anticipation of their continued actions. If Hunter had just appeared out of nowhere with the gun, the onlookers wouldn't have already appeared so apprehensive. At least three 'Angels' immediately follow in urgent pursuit to assist Passaro as he tussles with Hunter off into the crowd - the 'Angels' weren't just following to spectate.

At the onset, that day's events seemed to be destined for a very peaceful experience. But, as the crowd inevitably wanted to converge onto the 'low' stage, tensions between the stage crew, the crowd, and ultimately the 'Angels' grew and eventually ran amuck leading to this very tragic moment in history.

Autopsy reports say MR Hunter was intoxicated on methamphetamines. I don't know if he went into a drug rage and decided to shoot a Hells Angel or he decided to take matters into his own hands because of the abuse they had been done by the fans. Many of them were on methamphetamines and alcohol. The issue with the gun is I don't know if he carried it on a regular basis. Not much is discussed about his life.

htttp://www.last.fm/user/rocknrollcola

I thought from the court case it was clear that the gun wasn't loaded, but as the angel could not know this, stabbing Hunter 28 times is self defense.

Mathijs

Sad ending to a terrible day - that said, one doesn't need to be pulling guns at concerts.

I prefer to imagine he was on a mission to assassinate the white devil who had gotten rich stealing the blues, and was now leading the white youth of America down a path that could only lead to drug addiction and sexual depravity.

I know that isn't true. I just like to imagine it.

To become the answer to a trivia question!

ya know if the dead would have played theyre set instead of chicken shitting maybe things would not have turned out as bad, yes the fights and beatings would have still happened but maybe not the murder of the young man, the crowd was restless and angry

Quote
melillo
ya know if the dead would have played theyre set instead of chicken shitting maybe things would not have turned out as bad

WTF??
If that ignorant SOB had not drawn a concealed firearm there may not have been a killing regardless of what band was playing.

You carry a piece to a show, you're looking for trouble. And he found it. Better him dead than one of the boys.

Quote
Edith Grove

Quote
melillo
ya know if the dead would have played theyre set instead of chicken shitting maybe things would not have turned out as bad

WTF??
If that ignorant SOB had not drawn a concealed firearm there may not have been a killing regardless of what band was playing.

A performance by the Dead wouldn't have changed anything. As a matter of fact, Crosby, Stills, Nash, and Young went on right before the Stones, and you'd think that if anyone could have mellowed out the crowd, it would have been them. If you're in an ugly mood, pretty music won't mellow you out. It might just have the opposite effect. It might just make you uglier.

Quote
Mathijs
I thought from the court case it was clear that the gun wasn't loaded, but as the angel could not know this, stabbing Hunter 28 times is self defense.

Mathijs

Is this a fact? Was Hunter stabbed 28 times?

>> A performance by the Dead wouldn't have changed anything. <<

i think the point is not that it matters who played, just that no one at all was playing for a while there -
the Dead backing out left a lengthy gap in the show, which does cause restlessness.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2008-03-08 22:29 by with sssoul.

I can't believe what I'm reading on this thread.
Are we actually coming up with reasons, more like excuses, for why there was a killing?
Hunter pulled a concealed, and highly deadly weapon.
I am not a fan of the Angels, but I think in this case, they did the right thing.
I suppose in this day and age, if the same thing happened, we would all be standing around figuring out what the politically correct thing to do would be, all while this person would be shooting the place up.
Hunter was not a murdered young man, as someone else posted above.
Hunter was felonious before he even stepped foot onto the grounds of Altamont.
There is nothing manly about packing a gun with the obvious intent to use it, and I fail to understand why some have sympathy for this anti-social person.

It was not my intent to direct my frustration at anyone in particular here, rather to express the view of someone, myself, who at one time in his life had a gun stuck in his face.
An event like that is a life changing experience, and (I believe) it is an extremely rare individual who can truly sympathize with a person such as Hunter.

Now, on a slightly lighter note, I found this site a little while ago.
Worth a look, but doesn't really say much that most of us don't already know.

[www.morethings.com]

>>i think the point is not that it matters who played, just that no one at all was playing for a while there - the Dead backing out left a lengthy gap in the show, which does cause restlessness.<<


Exactly, with Sssoul



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2008-03-08 23:34 by Erik_Snow.

If the Dead had played, the energy would have become totally peaceful. Jerry's and Phil's meandering during Dark Star would have been so inspired that it would caused every man, woman, and child there to turn to his neighbor and say "dude." Then, instead of violence and mayhem, the entire audience would have embraced in the world's largest group hug and sang Kumbaya in spontaneous but perfect four-part harmony. And Meredith Hunter would have lived and gone on to become a world-leading physicist who reinvented the wheel and built a better mousetrap.

Daaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaark star crashes,
pooooooooouring its light into ashes.

[thepowergoats.com]

His girlfriend's name was Patty Bredahoff btw.

Has anyone seen the film 'Lot 63, Grave C'? It's a film about Hunter's last days supposedly.

Quote
The Joker
what was his purpose?

To attend a concert, just like the hundreds of thousand other folks. Things went down that no one here will know, unless you were right in the middle of it.


Speaking of The Grateful Dead, they wrote this song after Altamont.

New Speedway Boogie

Lyrics: Robert Hunter
Music: Jerry Garcia

Please don't dominate the rap, Jack
If you got nothing new to say
If you please, don't back up the track
This train's got to run today

I spent a little time in the mountain
Spent a little time on the hill
I heard some say "better run away"
Others say "better stand still"

Now I don't know but I've been told
It's hard to run with the weight of gold
Other hand I heard it said
It's just as hard with the weight of lead

Who can deny? Who can deny?
It's not just a change in style
One step done and another begun
In I wonder how many miles?

I spent a little time on the mountain
Spent a little time on the hill
Things went down we don't understand
But I think in time we will

Now I don't know but I was told
In the heat of the sun a man died of cold
Do we keep on coming or stand and wait
With the sun so dark and the hour so late?

You can't overlook the lack Jack
Of any other highway to ride
It's got no signs or dividing lines
And very few rules to guide

I spent a little time on the mountain
Spent a little time on the hill
I saw things getting out of hand
I guess they always will

Now, I don't know but I've been told
If the horse don't pull, you got to carry the load
I don't know whose back's that strong
Maybe find out before too long

One way or another
One way or another
One way or another
This darkness got to give

>> can't believe what I'm reading on this thread.
Are we actually coming up with reasons, more like excuses <<

Edith Grove, are you addressing that to me?
i simply explained what i believe was meant by the statement about the Dead not playing:
it did leave a gap in the show. long waits do make crowds more restless, not less restless.

meanwhile: yeah, people have differing points of view about this, like everything else, and that's okay too.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2008-03-09 00:46 by with sssoul.

and btw , crosby stills nash and young did not go on right before the stones , it was hours before the stones came on, thats why the dead left such a gap, and lets face it, they didnt have to stab him 28 times, the angels were badgering hunter all day because he was with a white women, the angels started screwing with him , thats why he took out the gun, and yes i agree he should not have had a gun with him and he was not an alter boy either but cmon man, 28 times, thats a disgrace



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2008-03-09 01:35 by melillo.