Blue Oyster Cult's "Transmaniacon MC" a fitting soundtrack for the mayhem of Altamont
The infamous concert at Altamont Speedway in northern California, which took place December 6, 1969, is often viewed as "the anti-Woodstock", its violence signalling the end of the peace-and-love era. A YouTube video that blends footage of the event from the 1970 Rolling Stones documentary Gimme Shelter with the 1972 Blue Oyster Cult song "Transmaniacon MC" makes for some pretty compelling viewing.
"Transmaniacon MC" is the awesome opening track off BOC's self-titled debut album, and includes references to the concert, "a plot of knives", and a mythical, soul-taking motorcycle club (MC). The mayhem that unfolded at Altamont—including the fatal stabbing depicted at the 3:03 mark—came after the Stones, on the recommendation of the Grateful Dead, hired Sonny Barger's Hells Angels to do security. The payment was $500 worth of beer.
As you can see, by the time Altamont was over people were scrambling to get in helicopters and fly the fuck away. And Keith Richards looks like he just wishes he was in a coffin.
I'm really surprised that this two-year-old clip has gotten fewer than 8,000 hits. As my 10-year-old son happily pointed out to me recently, there's a YouTube clip of a woman sitting on a toilet singing "sittin' on tha toilet" that's already garnered more than two million.
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Comments
7 Comments
A. MacInnis
Jul 8, 2012 at 11:22pm
Hey, now THERE's something we might have in common - those first three Blue Oyster Cult albums are amazing! That one side of Secret Treaties, ending in "ME262," is one of the finest sides of rock ever recorded...
Ralph
Jul 9, 2012 at 3:58am
> That one side of Secret Treaties, ending in "ME262," is one of the finest sides of rock ever recorded...
Nah - try side 2 with Harvester of Eyes, Flaming Telepaths and the greatest BOC track ever committed to vinyl, Astronomy!! Now THAT'S what I call a "side of rock", if the concept of "sides" does indeed still exist...
In the meantime, send all your Blue Oyster Cult concert stories to http://www.hotrails.co.uk for documentation...
Steve Newton
Jul 9, 2012 at 10:11am
Dudes: don't forget side one of Tyranny and Mutation: "The Red and the Black", "O.D.'d on Life Itself", "Hot Rails to Hell", and "7 Screaming Diz-Busters"
A. MacInnis
Jul 10, 2012 at 10:11pm
Yep. Side one of Tyrrany and Mutation is indeed pretty special (tho' do we have consensus that Side Two is the weakest side of any of these albums? I mean - "Wings Wetted Down" is okay, but...). By the way, what the precise hell constitutes getting ones "diz" busted, and where does this term come from, anyway? I mean, it seems to signify some sort of Satanic anal penetration, but....
And it's true, both sides of Secret Treaties are pretty great. If the "early metal" section of my record collection caught sudden fire, I think Sabbath and Zep and Deep Purple would all be melting while I rescued Secret Treaties.
Amusing detail: there's a BOC bootleg out there making fun of the title of On Your Feet or On Your Knees, called In My Mouth or On the Ground...
Sparks
Jul 11, 2012 at 10:58am
I love the second side of Tyranny and Mutation. It has a different mood than the first side, still dark, but not as ripping. Too bad the distinction between album sides is long gone.
Steve Newton
Jul 11, 2012 at 12:09pm
I'll take either side of Tyranny and Mutation over 90% of what passes for hard-rock these days
A. MacInnis
Jul 11, 2012 at 10:44pm
Um. I don't suppose anyone is going to see the BOC in Vernon on July 19th, eh? If I sell a kidney, I could afford to split gas... I haven't seen this band since the days of Fire of Unknown Origin and the double-live LP afterwards (both shows at the Pacific Coliseum, and both, if I recall, with Aldo Nova opening... I might have that wrong, though). I kinda would love to see the BOC again, but I keep missing their BC shows. Not that this is the same band by far, these days, but still...
Hell, maybe I should break out Curse of the Hidden Mirror and try to like it again...