I was motivated to seek this one out after watching the documentary ‘Gimme Shelter’ last year and feeling it lacked context. I wondered if the Rolling Stones are really as blameless as the film made it seem. The book is better, though it’s a bit all over the place — appropriate, perhaps, for the retelling of a chaotic event. And no, the Stones were far from blameless. ( )

Excellent, well-researched account of an ill-fated rock festival. Selvin wears his knowledge lightly, but the book makes for very uneasy reading. A must for fans of the Rolling Stones, and they'll learn a thing or two about the Grateful Dead as well. ( )

Not a big Stones fan at the time and didn't pay much attention to Altamont. Enjoyed reading the book. That concert was in bad shape almost from the very beginning and did nothing but get worse. Glad I missed it. ( )

Searing account of the disastrous concert that is popularly supposed to brought an end to the 60's era of love. In December 1969, The Rolling Stones, desperate to break into the American market, were talked into participating at a free concert at a derelict raceway in California, along with Grateful Dead, Santana, Crosby Stills Nash & Young and Jefferson Airplane. It was supposed to be another Woodstock, instead poor planning, dueling egos and the insane decision to hire the Hells Angels as security and pay them in beer turned into catastrophe. Bad acid meant many of the hundreds of thousands who turned up ended up tripping out and needing medical attention, the Angels went berserk with power and bashed people at random, and the people running the concert totally lost control. But by far the worst was still to come. In the shadows of the stage and captured graphically on film, a young black man was stabbed to death by an Angel after drawing a gun. Three other people were killed that night, one drowning in a canal, two others run down by a driver high on acid, but it was the killing of Meredith Hunter that remains the enduring image of Altamont. Selvin provides a vivid moment by moment account of the disaster that captures the behavior of the each of the participants, the Grateful dead who sensed what was coming early on and fled without playing, Jefferson Airplane several of whose members were attacked by the Angels, and most searingly the Stones, with Keith Richards caught helplessly trying the calm the crowd down, and Mick Jagger with head down in despair as the Angels kick Hunter's body off the stage. This is one of the best pieces of musical history I have ever read, it is a roller-coaster that grabs you from the start and doesn't let up. Beautifully written, throbbing with passion and appreciation of the music that was produced that night despite the disaster. It is absolutely riveting reading. ( )

The inside scoop on the great Rolling Stones' music festival fiasco. ( )