So, if you wonder why Hells Angels veteran Sonny Barger counts as music news, well, he earned himself a mention in rock history by being involved in overseeing the biker group's disastrous policing of the 1969 Rolling Stones headlined Altamont Speedway Free Festival. He's also one of the better known Hells Angels because he appears in Hunter S Thompson's book on the group. Anyway, he's suing US TV channel HBO and the producers of a motorcycle themed drama pilot made for the network, claiming the drama, about a fictional motorcycle club, stole his ideas. He says he collaborated on the original pitch for the drama with writer/producer Michael Tolkin, but that once HBO had commissioned the pilot he was cut out of the project. He also alleges that one of the characters in the show is too similar to his own persona. He is looking for compensatory damages and for a stake in the script.
Apr 23, 2008
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1 min read
Altamont angel sues over biking TV show
Hells Angels veteran Sonny Barger is suing HBO and the producers of a motorcycle drama pilot, claiming it used his ideas developed with writer Michael Tolkin.