The Rolling Stones

Forty years ago, Ethan Russell’s iconic photographs captured Mick and the boys on their 1969 tour and its tragic end at the infamous Altamont Speedway show. His new book on the tour, Let It Bleed, is out now.

Ethan A. Russell

galleries/2009/11/13/the-rolling-stones/wittmann-rolling-stones-1_dd9ncz — “The ’69 tour was the best tour until then, which gets completely overshadowed by what happened at Altamont.” —Bill Wyman

To see more of Ethan Russell’s photos you can visit his Web site: www.ethanrussell.com.

Photographs and text from LET IT BLEED by Ethan A. Russell. Copyright © 2009 by Ethan A. Russell www.ethanrussell.com. Used by permission of Springboard Press, an imprint of Grand Central Publishing. All right reserved.

Photographs from LET IT BLEED are in exhibition in New York City at Morrison Hotel Galleries and in San Francisco at the San Francisco Art Exchange until 12/31/09.
Ethan A. Russell

galleries/2009/11/13/the-rolling-stones/wittmann-rolling-stones-2_k1pmrt — Mick Jagger belting it out.
Ethan A. Russell

galleries/2009/11/13/the-rolling-stones/wittmann-rolling-stones-11_bdelcu — Jagger practicing before the start of the tour at Stephen Stills’ house.
Ethan A. Russell

galleries/2009/11/13/the-rolling-stones/wittmann-rolling-stones-4_ymqwiw — The Stones are captured in the midst of rehearsing at Stephen Stills’ house before embarking on their tour.
Ethan A. Russell

galleries/2009/11/13/the-rolling-stones/wittmann-rolling-stones-3_mxsneg — As the '60s drew to a close, the Stones were riding high and drawing crowds, like this one in Fort Collins, Colorado, on November 7, 1969.
Ethan A. Russell

galleries/2009/11/13/the-rolling-stones/wittmann-rolling-stones-12_xv5pf9 — Brian Jones and the ever dapper Charlie Watts.
Ethan A. Russell

galleries/2009/11/13/the-rolling-stones/wittmann-rolling-stones-6_el3j8k — The ever-playful Mick Jagger teases the audience at the Inglewood concert, which started at 2 a.m. and marked the Stones’ triumphant return to America.
Ethan A. Russell

galleries/2009/11/13/the-rolling-stones/wittmann-rolling-stones-7_bdb1nj — At Madison Square Garden, November 24, 1969.
Ethan A. Russell

galleries/2009/11/13/the-rolling-stones/wittmann-rolling-stones-5_pbi1w2 — Meredith Hunter, who was stabbed and beaten to death shortly after this photo was taken, is in the bright green jacket to the left of the Hells Angel. High on amphetamines, Hunter brandished a pistol before the Angels assaulted him. It was the culmination of an evening of rowdiness and violence in the crowd to the point where Jagger was afraid to keep playing.
Ethan A. Russell

galleries/2009/11/13/the-rolling-stones/wittmann-rolling-stones-8_nbqmhz — On the edge of the stage, the Hells Angels cluster after the altercation with Hunter. “Mick Taylor and I saw the whole thing and then my heart skipped a beat and I felt nauseous because I knew someone had been seriously hurt.” —Bill Wyman
Ethan A. Russell

galleries/2009/11/13/the-rolling-stones/wittmann-rolling-stones-9_aelduy — The LAPD stands outside the Inglewood Forum while the Rolling Stones perform inside. “It was written into the Stones’ contracts that there would be no uniformed police in front of the stage.”
Ethan A. Russell

galleries/2009/11/13/the-rolling-stones/wittmann-rolling-stones-10_ron5oz — “It was the most dangerous, most frightening show we ever did, and this band has never been scared of anything.” —Bill Wyman

“I thought the scene in San Francisco was supposed to be so groovy. I don’t know what happened; it was terrible. If Jesus had been there he would have been terrified.” —Mick Jagger

Ethan A. Russell

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