RIP Marty Balin

**Meadow Skipper** · 09-28-2018, 05:17 PM

Fack, the rock stars of my youth are dropping.

**Benny Profane** · 09-28-2018, 05:20 PM

Punched in the face by the Hells Angels at Altamont.

**galibier_numero_un** · 09-28-2018, 05:20 PM

One of the greats.

... Thom

**Buster Highmen** · 09-29-2018, 05:15 PM

Honor one of the great spirits of the time.

Damn.

**schindlerpiste** · 09-29-2018, 06:34 PM

RIP. He must have retired to The Farm way out in the [country]sky.

**Buster Highmen** · 09-29-2018, 07:29 PM

One of my favorite anthems in the late 60s and early 70s electric tessellations.

**TBS** · 09-29-2018, 08:54 PM

^^^First heard that on Surrealistic Pillow, while burning my first joint at the ripe old age of 14
RIP Marty Balin

**billyk** · 09-29-2018, 09:28 PM

What a talent. He did have a problem with Grace Slick getting all the attention in what was basically HIS band. I think their best songs were the ones he wrote, and sang lead on, and Grace supported. Like, “Miracles”.

Read not too long ago that he was suing a hospital for botching a heart operation which caused him to lose a thumb and part of his tongue, making it impossible for him to sing and earn a living.

**SkiBall** · 09-30-2018, 10:02 AM

Bay Area legend. RIP

**Marshall Tucker** · 10-01-2018, 03:04 PM

Originally Posted by Benny Profane

Punched in the face by the Hells Angels at Altamont.

didn't he jump into the crowd from the stage trying to break up the HA beating the shit outta someone?

but yah, when you talk about been there done that...on the ground floor...

**Benny Profane** · 10-01-2018, 03:22 PM

Yup. Dumb. Peace and Love meets the Brutes.

**billyk** · 10-01-2018, 03:43 PM

Originally Posted by Marshall Tucker

didn't he jump into the crowd from the stage trying to break up the HA beating the shit outta someone?

but yah, when you talk about been there done that...on the ground floor...

I didn’t know that part of the story, but, yeah apparently that’s what led to him getting knocked out. Lucky he didn’t get killed.

**Benny Profane** · 10-01-2018, 04:24 PM

I assume, at this moment, Marty is unconscious, or a bit groggy.

Thanks, happy little hippie bear Garcia, for hiring those guys.

**willywhit** · 10-01-2018, 06:32 PM

I saw the Jefferson Airplane in Hawaii with Grace Slick and Craig Chaquico . epic show

**billyk** · 10-02-2018, 07:27 AM

Originally Posted by Benny Profane

I assume, at this moment, Marty is unconscious, or a bit groggy.

Thanks, happy little hippie bear Garcia, for hiring those guys.

If you want to blame someone, start with Ken Kesey and the Merry Pranksters who set up the acid tests that the Dead played at. And a party at Kesey’s house in the redwoods that the Hells Angels were invited to in 65 that Hunter Thompson wrote about. The hippies and the Angels had been hanging around together, somewhat uneasily {on both sides) for several years before Altamont.

**Ski to Be** · 10-02-2018, 08:29 AM

RIP,
JA was one of the first LPs I ever owned as a kid and listened constantly . Have to go listen to a few tracks today in memory.

**Benny Profane** · 10-02-2018, 09:00 AM

Originally Posted by billyk

If you want to blame someone, start with Ken Kesey and the Merry Pranksters who set up the acid tests that the Dead played at. And a party at Kesey’s house in the redwoods that the Hells Angels were invited to in 65 that Hunter Thompson wrote about. The hippies and the Angels had been hanging around together, somewhat uneasily {on both sides) for several years before Altamont.

Well, yeah, sure, shows you how drugs make for strange bedfellows, but, really, hiring them for security? What could go wrong?

That one little clip in Gimme Shelter is unforgettable to me. Garcia climbs out of the helicopter in that cool purple hippie poncho, obviously toasted, and is told of Balin's unfortunate encounter with the Brutes, and decides to hightail it outta there. Thanks, Jerry.

**billyk** · 10-02-2018, 10:04 PM

Originally Posted by Benny Profane

Well, yeah, sure, shows you how drugs make for strange bedfellows, but, really, hiring them for security? What could go wrong?

That one little clip in Gimme Shelter is unforgettable to me. Garcia climbs out of the helicopter in that cool purple hippie poncho, obviously toasted, and is told of Balin's unfortunate encounter with the Brutes, and decides to hightail it outta there. Thanks, Jerry.

The whole Altamont concert was a disaster from the get go. They were turned down by 3 or 4 other sites that might have worked OK. They ended up at Altamont because it was either that or call the whole thing off. The stage was 3 ft off the ground, at the BOTTOM of a hill. What could possibly go wrong? Without some kind of security there would be bodies crushed against the stage, and fans on stage all day and night.

Since it was a free concert, there was no money to pay for proper security, or constructing a proper stage, so they gave the Angels $500 worth of beer to sit on the edge of the stage to discourage fans from crowding too close. Maybe it seemed like a reasonable thing to do at the time, since by then the Angels were just part of the furniture at a lot of those parties and gatherings.

Well, of course, we know now what a mistake that was. But it should also be remembered that the guy who died had a gun. Maybe one of the Stones wouldn’t be around today, if not for the Angels.