Hells Angels '71

I can't remember how or when I got my hands on this magazine but it was a long time ago, it was already old when it came to me. I remember flicking through it as a teenager, it was an exciting window on a whole different world. A world that was completely alien, one I didn't feel any affinity for or want to join but that held a strange fascination.

Definitely a sensationalist rag written by 'citizens' for 'citizens', prurient, glorifying and disdaining all at the same time. The whole thing somehow reminds me of the bit in Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas when the guy at the cop convention is describing the levels of hip of the marijuana user. The main lesson though is that if you have a chopped Panhead and can ride in California with long hair and beard in the wind then you can be pretty cool, if you are from Birmingham, ride a knackered old BSA with apehangers and wear a second world war German helmet then no, sorry, it doesn't work.

The cover is all California cool but inside...

Woah there fella. This isn't a look. Definitely
one to freak the squares though. Showing
class but at what a cost!

How it was for the UK. Transition and
crossover from Rockers to greasers / greebos.

South Africa. Apartheid era. Wearing
swastikas. Not cool. Really not cool.

Brilliant. Doesn't need a comment.