Journalist Who Followed 'Hells Angels' For A Year Learned Alarming Secret

No one in their right mind would want to spend over a year with a violent gang, but then again, there was always something a little bit off about Hunter S. Thompson. Prior to his classic Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, the up-and-coming writer risked life and limb to profile the infamous Hells Angels. Thompson knew there were a thousand reasons not to do it, but the truth about their unhinged culture was too good of a story to pass up.

Looking for answers

While others viewed the Hells Angles as a group of thugs, Thompson told his editor that there was a certain mystique beneath their rough surface. After World War II shattered the ideals of the previous era, Thompson believed the bikers were either looking for an opportunity or "vengeance for not getting an opportunity." He was also intrigued by the terrible accusations against them.

The Lynch Report

Thomas C. Lynch, the attorney general of California, had recently documented the Hells Angels' criminal activity in the damning Lynch Report. He claimed that in 1964, the gang committed "1,116 homicides, 12,448 aggravated assaults, 6,257 sex offenses, and 24,532 burglaries." Thompson, however, didn't believe that all the numbers added up. He called it "colorful, interesting, heavily biased and consistently alarming."

Clear inconsistencies

For one thing, by his best estimates there were only a couple hundred Hells Angels operating in California. Could such a small group really be responsible for thousands of heinous acts? Thompson intended to find out. He ran the pitch by his editor at The Nation, Carey McWilliams, but there was one major roadblock with his biker story.

The outsider

The Hells Angels hated journalists. Or any outsiders really. Thompson didn't exactly blend in with that crowd — he didn't have the long hair, tattoos, or rough-and-tumble manners — so going undercover wasn't an option. Instead, in 1965, he approached the gang and introduced himself as a member of the press. As Thompson met their wary gazes, he hoped not to get socked in the face.