When the Rolling Stones drummer Charlie Watts died last month, the first of their songs that popped into my head, for no particular reason, was “Under My Thumb”, a mildly controversial 1966 album track the band never released as a single in the West.
Its most infamous place in history, though, is this.
Until Watts’ death I was only very broadly aware of the events at Altamont Speedway in 1969, a free festival at a racetrack near San Francisco at which four people died in scenes of malevolent chaos and which is widely regarded as the grim headstone of the hippy era.
But on seeing the extraordinary footage above for the first time on the day of Watts’ death – taken from “Gimme Shelter”, notionally the official movie of the show, although the first two-thirds of it are actually a mundane travelogue of the preceding tour dates – I did some proper reading up on it.
And as I did, a horribly familiar feeling started to unfold.
Although we’re retired we already wrote this, so we may as well put it up for the 99.9% of Scots who don’t read the comments on David Leask‘s columns in the Herald.
It’s a claim he’s been banging on about since at least 2014, without ever providing a scrap of evidence to support it (his standard modus operandi), and yesterday was no exception. So let’s show Little Dave how proper big-boy journalists do it.
Our always-alert readers will probably have noticed that Nicola Sturgeon’s constant catchphrase this week has been how Yes supporters still need to “build the case for independence”, rather than actually do anything to achieve it.
But the thing is, she’s the leader of the SNP. Building the case for independence is literally her job, and she’s now been doing it for six and a half years. So how much progress have we made?
Holiday Boy is on holiday. But remember in 2018 when Nicola Sturgeon was going to use next week’s election as a de facto referendum if the UK government hadn’t given her permission for one by now, readers?
It’s almost like you can’t ever believe a word she says.
Hatey McHateface on The Sacrifice: “@Zimba Regarding moral inconsistencies. I believe a meaningful debate between fair-minded individuals acting in good faith first needs some kind…” Apr 2, 21:17
sarah on The Gender Of Mountains: “IMPORTANT: Leah Gunn Barrett attended the Public Petitions Committee at Holyrood today in order to see what would happen to…” Apr 2, 19:40
agent x on The Gender Of Mountains: “Caroline Lucas says: “He helped transform the fortunes of the Scottish Green party – taking the party into government for…” Apr 2, 18:13
Porty on The Long Future: “Have a wee look at her post and highlights of committee meeting today at Holyrood today, she’s a fighter, well…” Apr 2, 18:08
Porty on The Long Future: “So the game’s a bogey, so we call it a day?” Apr 2, 18:04
Porty on The Long Future: “So the game’s a bogey, so we call it a day?” Apr 2, 18:00
Aidan on The Long Future: “@Xaracen – to understand why the geographic separation requirement is so important you have to look back at the context…” Apr 2, 17:31
Porty on The Long Future: “Was & still am a follower of the Rev, but starting to question myself why, isn’t it about time he…” Apr 2, 17:27
Porty on The Long Future: “Was & still am a follower of the Rev, but starting to question myself why, isn’t it about time he…” Apr 2, 17:27
twathater on The Gender Of Mountains: “Another piece of evidence to EXPOSE the continued ongoing lunacy that we must find some way to address https://open.substack.com/pub/iainmacwhirter/p/trans-cat-msp-cleared-of-non-crime?r=5catlo&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=email” Apr 2, 16:38
Zimba on The Sacrifice: “First off, apologies for essentially posting the same (or similar) comment twice. I’m not a frequent poster here (or anywhere…” Apr 2, 15:59
Zimba on The Long Future: “This is not a portrait of what Scotland’s politicians alone have become. The malaise is sadly European generally and is…” Apr 2, 15:21
Mark Beggan on The Gender Of Mountains: “Is Greer related to Chapman. Strange shaped head sneering mouth with studs for teeth and eyes that sit suspiciously in…” Apr 2, 14:35
Mark Beggan on The Gender Of Mountains: “The Teletubbies have to say bye bye Dipsy. Dipsy likes bouncing on his bottom. But now Dipsy has a sore…” Apr 2, 13:45
Hatey McHateface on The Sacrifice: “Ah, Zimba, always good to hear from the kind of poster who believes that any number of dead men, women,…” Apr 2, 13:17
Zimba on The Sacrifice: “Good job, Hatey, our kindly bombs and bullets can help them learn to see their own moral failings before it’s…” Apr 2, 12:14
Zimba on The Sacrifice: “Good thing, Hatey, our bombs and bullets are there to help them see their moral failings while being clinically slaughtered.” Apr 2, 11:57
Andrew scott on The Gender Of Mountains: “Good news the green gnome is standing down as co co chair scot greens BAD NEWS NOT STANDING DOWN FROM…” Apr 2, 11:40
Louise Hogg on The Long Future: “ALBA Party exists: 1. So voters HAVE a genuinely pro-Independence option to vote for on the ballot paper. As Young…” Apr 2, 11:15
sarah on The Gender Of Mountains: “Hear, hear. The Rev is doing a great job in not letting this all go unreported.” Apr 2, 11:04
Louise Hogg on The Gender Of Mountains: “Absolutely agree, Lorn. This utter infestation of porn-addict driven filth needs cleared out of any organisation directly or indirectly receiving…” Apr 2, 10:40
Xaracen on The Long Future: “@Aidan; No, Aidan, I’m not trying to argue that a ChatGPT summary overrides the explicit language of a UN declaration.…” Apr 2, 08:49
Alf Baird on The Gender Of Mountains: ““‘jellyfish legislation’” The Welsh term for jellyfish is ‘wibli wobli’, which seems to well describe this type of legislation.” Apr 2, 08:49
Hatey McHateface on The Gender Of Mountains: “Just two? You’re not paying enough attention ” Apr 2, 08:37
Hatey McHateface on The Gender Of Mountains: “While many in the world are celebrating the “end of woke”, the legions of woke, fully insinuated into positions of…” Apr 2, 08:33
Hatey McHateface on The Gender Of Mountains: ““Colonialism is over” But wait, Geri. Haven’t you to duly punish them at the ballot box first? You’re trying to…” Apr 2, 08:21
Chas on The Gender Of Mountains: “I suspect that Geri and Billy Carlin are the same person, with two user names?” Apr 2, 08:19
Hatey McHateface on The Gender Of Mountains: “Ah ken YLS, but I still think there’s hope for you yet. And so I soldier oan.” Apr 2, 08:12
Young Lochinvar on The Gender Of Mountains: “It’s an unprofitable exercise arguing with drunks, trolls, bots or spooks (y’all).. Good-bye ya roaster..” Apr 2, 02:40
