Hunter S. Thompson and His Infamous Time with the Hells Angels

Hunter S. Thompson, the renowned American journalist and pioneer of “Gonzo” journalism, was no stranger to extreme experiences. In the mid-1960s, one of his most daring escapades involved spending more than a year embedded with the notorious Hells Angels motorcycle gang. The result was his first major published work, Hells Angels: The Strange and Terrible Saga of the Outlaw Motorcycle Gangs (1966), a book that would launch his career and establish his reputation as an intrepid journalist willing to immerse himself in chaotic, dangerous environments.

The Hells Angels: A Gateway to Gonzo Journalism

In 1965, Thompson, then a relatively unknown writer, became intrigued by the mythos of the Hells Angels, an outlaw motorcycle club notorious for their violent skirmishes, lawlessness, and anti-establishment ethos. To research his subject, Thompson convinced the gang to allow him access to their world, riding with them, attending parties, and documenting their day-to-day lives.

Thompson’s time with the Angels was, predictably, a wild and tumultuous period. For more than a year, he travelled with the gang across California, witnessing drug-fuelled orgies, brutal fights, and roaring rides through the countryside. His unorthodox approach to journalism blurred the lines between observer and participant. While many journalists would have kept a cautious distance, Thompson joined in their rebellious escapades—albeit never quite losing his critical eye for detail and the darker underpinnings of their lifestyle.

This close proximity to the gang allowed Thompson to capture their culture in all its raw, uncensored brutality. He wrote extensively about their rituals, their confrontations with law enforcement, and their relationships with one another and the world around them. He didn’t shy away from detailing their misogyny, violence, and unpredictable nature.

Thompson’s immersion into the gang’s world wasn’t just through words; he also photographed them. His images, gritty and unglamorous, captured the rough and untamed essence of the Angels. The black-and-white photos offered a visual narrative of the rawness and menace of the outlaw bikers—capturing everything from candid moments to explosive action shots, cementing his work as both literary and photographic reportage.

The Beating

Thompson’s journalistic immersion, however, came at a cost. As he continued to ride with the Angels, tensions began to rise. He had initially been accepted as an outsider who was documenting their lives, but his constant presence, coupled with his critical observations and unwillingness to fully align with their lifestyle, caused friction.

The situation came to a head in 1965 when Thompson found himself on the receiving end of a brutal beating from the very gang he had been chronicling. The incident occurred when Thompson witnessed an Angel named Junkie George physically assaulting his wife. Thompson, driven by his principles, intervened, telling George to stop. The gang did not take kindly to this perceived intrusion into their internal affairs.

In retaliation, a group of Hells Angels turned on Thompson, savagely beating him. According to Thompson, several bikers stomped him into the ground, leaving him bruised and bloodied. He later described the attack as sudden and vicious, a sharp reminder of the gang’s volatile nature and their rigid code of loyalty and retribution. Thompson recalled hearing one Angel’s rationale for the attack:

“You don’t object when a man beats his old lady. There’s no room for outside moralising.”

This assault effectively ended Thompson’s relationship with the Hells Angels. Though he had earned some degree of respect for riding alongside them and enduring their violent world, the beating signified the limits of their tolerance for an outsider’s interference in their affairs. Thompson retreated from the gang, shaken but determined to finish his book.

Hells Angels: The Book

In 1966, Thompson’s book Hells Angels: The Strange and Terrible Saga of the Outlaw Motorcycle Gangs was published to widespread acclaim. It was hailed for its sharp, unflinching portrayal of the gang, written in Thompson’s signature style that combined immersive storytelling, sardonic wit, and brutal honesty. Unlike traditional journalistic approaches that might have sought to sensationalise the Angels from a safe distance, Thompson’s work provided an intimate, ground-level view of the gang’s lifestyle.

The book painted a vivid portrait of the Hells Angels, delving deep into their psyche and exploring the social conditions that led to their rise. Thompson drew connections between the gang’s outlaw culture and broader societal issues, such as the disillusionment of post-war America and the rebellious spirit of the 1960s counterculture. His portrayal of the gang was neither wholly sympathetic nor demonising; rather, he presented them as complex, multifaceted individuals whose lawlessness and violence were a reflection of deeper societal ills.

Hells Angels was a commercial success and remains one of Thompson’s most important works. It not only solidified his reputation as a bold, boundary-pushing journalist but also laid the groundwork for his later, more experimental works, such as Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas. Thompson’s time with the Hells Angels was a formative experience that profoundly influenced his future writing style and approach to journalism.

The time Thompson spent with the Hells Angels was a crucible that both tested and shaped his identity as a writer. The beating he received was emblematic of the risks he was willing to take in pursuit of his journalistic ideals—risks that would define his entire career. While his experience with the Angels was harrowing, it provided him with a deep well of material that he would draw upon for years.

Thompson’s photographs of the Hells Angels remain lesser-known compared to his writing, but they serve as a compelling complement to his prose. These images offer a stark, unembellished view of the gang, further cementing Thompson’s place as not just a journalist but a chronicler of American counterculture.