However, the atmosphere at Altamont quickly turned sour due to a combination of factors, including poor planning, inadequate security, and the widespread use of drugs and alcohol among attendees. The stage, which was hastily constructed at the bottom of a hill, lacked proper fencing and security barriers, leading to a chaotic and overcrowded environment.
As the day wore on, tensions escalated between the Hells Angels motorcycle gang, who had been hired as security for the event in exchange for $500 worth of beer, and the increasingly agitated crowd. The Hells Angels, known for their rough and often violent reputation, clashed with concertgoers who attempted to climb onto the stage or disrupt the proceedings.
The situation reached a boiling point during the Rolling Stones' set, as the band struggled to maintain control over the increasingly unruly crowd. At one point, a young African American man named Meredith Hunter attempted to rush the stage, brandishing a gun. In response, a group of Hells Angels attacked Hunter, brutally beating him before stabbing him to death in full view of the horrified audience.
The tragic death of Meredith Hunter cast a dark shadow over the Altamont festival and marked the end of the era of peace and love associated with the 1960s counterculture movement. The incident was widely covered by the media and led to a reevaluation of the hippie ideal of "peace and love," as well as increased scrutiny of the role of drugs and violence in the music scene.
The Altamont Speedway Free Festival riot serves as a cautionary tale about the dangers of unchecked hedonism, inadequate planning, and the potential for violence when large crowds gather in chaotic and uncontrolled environments. It remains a somber reminder of the darker side of the 1960s counterculture movement and the need for responsible behavior and careful consideration of safety measures in large-scale events.
Transmaniacon MC
Blue Öyster Cult Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And the weather's getting dry
We'll head south from Altamont
In a cold-blood traveled trance
So clear the road, my bully boys
And let some thunder pass
We're pain, we're steel, a plot of knives
We're Transmaniacon MC
Behind the pantry, behind the tree
The ghouls adopt that child
Whose name resound forever
Whose name resounds in terror
And I'm no fool to call that hog
'Cause man, I remember
Those who did resign their souls
To Transmaniacon MC
And surely we did offer up
Behind that stage at dawn
Beers and barracuda, reds and monocaine, yeah
Pure nectar of antipathy
Behind that stage at dawn
To those who would resign their souls
To Transmaniacon MC
Cry the cable, cry the word
Unknown terror's here
And won't you try this tasty snack
Behind the scene or but the back
Which was the stage at Altamont
My humble boys of listless power
We're pain, we're steel, a plot of knives
We're Transmaniacon...
Look, all right! You can feel it!
The song "Transmaniacon MC" by Blue Öyster Cult is a dark and powerful ode to the danger and chaos of the open road. The lyrics describe a group of bikers, known as the Transmaniacon MC, who are heading south from Altamont in a "cold-blood traveled trance." The reference to Altamont is significant, as it was the site of the infamous Altamont Free Concert in 1969, where several people were killed in violent clashes between the crowd and the security.
The imagery in the song is vivid and intense, painting a picture of a group of outlaws who are ruled by their own twisted sense of morality. The reference to Satan's hog is particularly potent, as it suggests that the bikers are not just riding motorcycles, but summoning the very forces of darkness to aid them on their journey. The line "And I'm no fool to call that hog / 'Cause man, I remember" suggests that the singer has some experience with the Transmaniacon MC and knows not to cross them.
The final verse of the song is particularly cryptic, with references to "unknown terror" and a "tasty snack." The overall effect is one of menace and danger, as if the listener is being drawn into a world of violence and chaos from which there is no escape.
Line by Line Meaning
With Satan's hog no pig at all
We are on Satan's motorcycle, which is nothing like an animal pig.
And the weather's getting dry
The dry weather is causing the road conditions to worsen.
We'll head south from Altamont
We will travel south from Altamont.
In a cold-blood traveled trance
We are in a trance-like state while riding the motorcycle.
So clear the road, my bully boys
Clear the road ahead of us, my companions.
And let some thunder pass
Allow us to make some noise.
We're pain, we're steel, a plot of knives
We are tough and dangerous, ready to attack.
We're Transmaniacon MC
We belong to the group of Transmaniacon motorcycle riders.
Behind the pantry, behind the tree
The ghouls take the abandoned child hiding behind the pantry and tree.
The ghouls adopt that child
The ghouls take the abandoned child.
Whose name resound forever
The child's name will be remembered forever.
Whose name resounds in terror
The child's name is associated with fear.
And I'm no fool to call that hog
I am not foolish enough to refer to Satan's motorcycle as a pig.
'Cause man, I remember
I remember those who sold their souls to join our group.
Those who did resign their souls
Those who gave up their souls to join us.
To Transmaniacon MC
To our group of Transmaniacon motorcycle riders.
And surely we did offer up
We gave an offering.
Behind that stage at dawn
We gave our offering behind the stage early in the morning.
Beers and barracuda, reds and monocaine, yeah
We offered beer, barracuda, reds, and monocaine.
Pure nectar of antipathy
We made a strong, negative offering.
To those who would resign their souls
We gave our offering to those who would join our group.
Cry the cable, cry the word
The terror is being transmitted and announced.
Unknown terror's here
There is terror that we are not familiar with present.
And won't you try this tasty snack
Would you like to try this delicious food?
Behind the scene or but the back
We're offering food either behind the stage or in a discreet location.
Which was the stage at Altamont
The stage we're referring to is located in Altamont.
My humble boys of listless power
My modest companions who possess little energy.
Look, all right! You can feel it!
Look around and realize the terror that is present.
We're pain, we're steel, a plot of knives
We are tough and dangerous, ready to attack.
We're Transmaniacon...
We belong to the group of Transmaniacon motorcycle riders.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: ALBERT BOUCHARD, DONALD ROESER, E BLOOM, SAMUEL PEARLMAN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@tannerquismundo1754
“Transmaniacon MC”
With Satan's hog no pig at all
And the weather's getting dry
We'll head south from Altamont
In a cold-blood traveled trance
So clear the road, my bully boys
And let some thunder pass
We're pain, we're steel, a plot of knives
We're Transmaniacon MC
Behind the pantry, behind the tree
The ghouls adopt that child
Whose name resound forever
Whose name resounds in terror
And I'm no fool to call that hog
'Cause man, I remember
Those who did resign their souls
To Transmaniacon MC
And surely we did offer up
Behind that stage at dawn
Beers and barracuda, reds and monocaine, yeah
Pure nectar of antipathy
Behind that stage at dawn
To those who would resign their souls
To Transmaniacon MC
Cry the cable, cry the word
Unknown terror's here
And won't you try this tasty snack
Behind the scene or but the back
Which was the stage at Altamont
My humble boys of listless power
We're pain, we're steel, a plot of knives
We're Transmaniacon...
@stevenself687
The best band ever! When I saw them at PHOENIX HILL NIGHTCLUB
IN LOUISVILLE KENTUCKY I WAS RIGHT UP FRONT SO CLOSE I WAS
Standing next TO ERIC BLOOM AND
BUCK DHARMA. They kept high five ingredients me! No separation I'm talking about no stage just on the floor right in front of me.!
Bought them drinks 🍸 🤪 all night.
Even made money because their bass player took wrong flight ended up in Lexington KY. SO THEY WERE GIVING REFUNDS AND I WAS PICKING UP TICKETS OFF FLOOR
CASHING THEM IN. WHEN THE TICKET WINDOW 🎟 GOT WISE TO ME SO I HAD FRIENDS CASH THEM IN. THEN I WOULD APPROACH OTHER CULTURES AND THEY CASHED THEM IN AND SPLIT 💰!
GREATEST NIGHT OF MY LIFE ,
THEY PLAYED 2 SHOWS ONE WITHOUT THE BASS ANOTHER WHEN HE GOT THERE!
HE TOOK A LIMO ALL THE WAY FROM LEXINGTON TO LOUISVILLE!
WHEN THE SHOW I NEVER WANTED TO END FINALLY DID I WALKED DOWN BROADWAY SMOKING JOINTS WAITING FOR MY OLE LADY TO GET THERE TO PICK ME UP! SHE ASKED WHERE TO PICK ME UP I SAID JUST COME DOWN SECOND STREET TAKE A LEFT ON BROADWAY YOU'LL SEE ME! SHE FLIPPED OUT WHEN SHE SAW ME WALKING IN THE MIDDLE OF BROADWAY SMOKING A JOINT AT
4:00 A.M. WHY NOT JUST CALL THE
POLICE SHE SAID. I DIDN'T CARE I WAS SO WASTED BETTER DAYS!
IF YOU DON'T BELIEVE THIS I HAVE
PROOF " WITNESSES " ! B O C FOREVER!¿
@Desdinova69
With Satan's hog no pig at all
And the weather's getting dry
We'll head south from Altamont
In a cold-blood traveled trance
So clear the road, my bully boys
And let some thunder pass
We're pain, we're steel, a plot of knives
We're Transmaniacon MC
Behind the pantry, behind the tree
The ghouls adopt that child
Whose name resound forever
Whose name resounds in terror
And I'm no fool to call that hog
'Cause man, I remember
Those who did resign their souls
To Transmaniacon MC
And surely we did offer up
Behind that stage at dawn
Beers and barracuda, reds and monocaine, yeah
Pure nectar of antipathy
Behind that stage at dawn
To those who would resign their souls
To Transmaniacon MC
Cry the cable, cry the word
Unknown terror's here
And won't you try this tasty snack
Behind the scene or but the back
Which was the stage at Altamont
My humble boys of listless power
We're pain, we're steel, a plot of knives
We're Transmaniacon...
Look, all right! You can feel it!
@dwightplock1162
One of the most underrated bands ever!
@Cinemagoer_64
They are the greatest band!
@halfbakedberserker
L
@johnsrous1616
Saw them last night in Bakersfield, CA at the Kern County Fair. Dudes rocked the house down. Played a full set of old and new tunes
@squiggly_lines
Nah, they get a ton of radio play, not underrated at all, but your comment is one of the most overused comments on youtube, congratulations.
@dwightplock1162
@@squiggly_lines Funny how you bring up something way out of the archives in the past that I’d completely forgotten about.But just because they’re played on the radio does not mean they get enough credit . They’re not in the rock and roll hall of fame, and I think they deserve to be there, and that’s a point a lot of people don’t know . And congratulations on being a coward. I don’t write anything derogatory to anyone that I wouldn’t have the guts to say to their face.
@NondescriptMammal
As a BOC fan from the first album, it always surprised me that Don't Fear the Reaper was their big radio hit when songs like this went basically unnoticed
@mikeymumblesreal
Love this AND that
@Tooncesthecatwhodrives
Yeah, they have songs that are way better than don’t fear the reaper. Songs like this one, cities on flame with rock and roll, e.t.I, Debbie Denise, stairway to the stars, there’s so many good ones. Not even mentioning burnin for you, Godzilla, veterans of the psychic wars.
@NondescriptMammal
@@Tooncesthecatwhodrives Yes... also Then Came The Last Days Of May, The Red And The Black... Reaper doesn't even make the top ten on my list.