Hell's Angel: The Life and Times of Sonny Barger and the Hell's Angels Motorcycle Club

by Ralph Barger, Keith Zimmerman, Kent Zimmerman

The only authorized, authentic book about the Hell's Angels by founding member, Sonny Barger

Hell's Angel chronicles the origins and rise of the Hell’s Angels Motorcycle Club through the eyes of its founding member. Sonny Barger started the Oakland chapter of the Hell’s Angels in the late 50s with a loose-knit group of high school dropouts and social outcasts. Bonded by the love of motorcycles, they formed a cadre of hard-driving hombres and answered the call of the open road.

Hell's Angel is not only a story of motorcycles, it is a tale of loyalty and betrayal, subcultures and brotherhood and freedom. It is Sonny’s fight for personal freedom and his right to exist with a band of individuals who choose an alternative life.

Genres: Nonfiction, Biography, True Crime, Memoir, Crime, History, Autobiography

272 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1975

About the author

Ralph Hubert "Sonny" Barger (born October 8, 1938) is a founding member (1957) of the Oakland, California, U.S. chapter of the Hells Angels Motorcycle Club. He is also the author of five books - Hell's Angel: The Life and Times of Sonny Barger and the Hell's Angels Motorcycle Club (2000), Dead in 5 Heartbeats (2004), Freedom: Credos from the Road (2005), 6 Chambers, 1 Bullet (2006), and Let's Ride: Sonny Barger's Guide to Motorcycling (2010) - and editor of the book Ridin' High, Livin' Free: Hell-Raising Motorcycle Stories (2003).


Source: Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sonny_B...

Reviews

[Ensiform · Rating 1 out of 5]

The Angel story told by the longtime president of the Oakland chapter. Bold and informative stuff, one would think, right? Wrong. Barger seems to be not only the most taciturn and non-introspective memorialist ever, but just plain dumb. He tells the reader nothing about what he feels, thinks, opines, or even guesses about any of the events of his life. Why did he rise to become leader of the Angels – not how, but why? What’s special about him? The book doesn’t reveal the answer.

What does he think of Hunter Thompson? “Chicken-shit,” of course, even though by Barger’s own admission Thompson told an Angel to his face he was a punk for hitting a woman and a dog. That’s the basic problem with the book: everyone who isn’t Barger or Barger’s best buddy is a fool and coward, period. That’s the extent of the insight you get as to what makes the guy tick. Useless.

[Donna · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is listed on GR with the main page genre of 'autobiography'. That didn't feel completely accurate. It felt more like a 'history' of the how the Hell's Angels in Oakland came to be and how they were organized. It contained some interesting facts and even answered some of the questions I've always had.

The author did mention his 'early life' circumstances, but it done in a way of an explanation of how he ended up where he did. I listened to the audio, and while I can't fault anything he did, because it sounded fine.....I just had a hard time connecting his clean cut, boy next door voice to this leader of the Hell's angel.

[Not Here · Rating 1 out of 5]

Let me begin with a warning: I am about to use quotes from this book that are filled to the brim with profanity. Next warning: I am about to rip this book to shreds in this review.

I picked this gem up at Goodwill just to have something to read and it was an absolutely horrifying train wreck. On every page Hell’s Angel leader Sonny Barger tells a new story about how he was a badass, never did anything wrong, and was the coolest dude to ever walk the planet.

Here is one page of the book to give you an idea of exactly what the rest of the 254 pages look like:
“Papa Ralph from Frisco walked up to Charlie Magoo and said, ‘I want to see how tough you are, asshole, so let’s go outside.’ They fought and Charlie Magoo whipped his motherfucking ass like he owned him. Mouldy Marvin then got into another beef with one of the Presidents and they went toe to toe. Of course, if Oakland fights, all of Oakland jumps in. So Oakland jumped on the Presidents, and when the Frisco Hell’s Angels jumped in - because they were real good friends with the Presidents - they jumped in FOR the Presidents and AGAINST the Oakland Hell’s Angels. What the fuck? Man, it’s like a golden rule: when a Hell’s Angel fights a citizen or a rival club member, everybody rat-packs to his side. That didn’t happen, which caused the Oakland chapter to go to war with Frisco.
We battled long and hard for about a year, and it wasn’t pretty. Oakland and Frisco Hell’s Angels would fuck each other up at every chance. Sometimes we would ride into San Francisco, head over to their favorite spots, find them, and beat up whoever was there and ransack the bars. If you ever ended up on the ground, forget about it, you got the boot. Your face got smashed in. We did the same to them…
I guaranteed Pete Knell’s safety to come over to Oakland to a safe house and talk about the war with me. Pete came over, and I’m sure he was nervous. Enemy territory. We met in a coffee shop to go over the rules of the war. We agreed: no guns and no knives. Chains, bottles, boards, pipes, and boots - all that shit was cool. No going over to a guy’s house and fucking him up in front of his family, wife, kids, mother and father. No fucking up a guy at work; a man has to make a living for himself and his family.
Other than that, it was watch out. If you were at a bar partying, or wherever you might be, down the street or at the bike shop or walking in the fucking park smelling the flowers… look out - the shit is on” (p. 148-49).

On how the Angels began wearing swastikas:
“Because we lacked our own club pins or buckles, I inadvertently started the association of Nazi regalia with the club. It started rather innocently” and was done solely “to piss people off” (p. 38).
No accountability for why that might have not been the best idea. Brilliant.

On nomenclature amongst members:
“There was a Hell’s Angel in Sonoma County named Fuck ‘Em Up Chuck, a no-nonsense biker. If Chuck didn’t like you or something you said, then - boom! - he fucked you up, which is why everybody called him Fuck ‘Em Up Chuck” (p. 87).
Wow. Riveting.

On police presence:
“With 250 cops in the area, they decided to do only what they know how to do and that’s play cop” (p. 153).
How poignant!

Perhaps the best example of his lack of accountability is his account of the Altamont fiasco:
“Say what you want, but I blame the Stones for the whole fucking bad scene. They agitated the crowd, had the stage built too low, and then used us to keep the whole thing boiling. They got exactly what they wanted - a dark, scary environment to play ‘Sympathy for the Devil.’
It’s hard to say what we could have done to improve the situation had we been asked, but we were in a very bullshit position. Had I known how poor the arrangements were and how the Hell’s Angels were actually being used, I wouldn’t have agreed to do it. We would have planned things differently, with probably a much more informal role as security.
We rode the beef on Altamont for years.
As far as I’m concerned, the Stones are a good band and everybody likes them. But just because you sing well doesn’t mean you can act like a bunch of assholes to your fans - and that’s what they did that night at Altamont” (p. 166).
Now just to recap here: the Hell’s Angels were hired to run security at a random show the Stones were going to play for free at a random location called Altamont. And things got out of hand. And the Hell’s Angels killed someone by stabbing them to death. Which was obviously the fault of Mick Jagger right?

And just in case you hadn’t recognized his badassery from the entire book, Barger ends it with his “Afterword: The Rap-Up” - a clever pun in which he relays to the reader his “rap sheet” with all of his “criminal history” (a phrase that he puts in quotes as though he were not actually a criminal).

Overall the worst memoir that I have ever read.
Without doubt.
You can call me One-Star Rachel because this book was atrocious so I gave it one star- hence why you would call me One-Star Rachel.

[kesseljunkie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I like Barger. He's a blue-collar, no-shit guy from nowhere who became someone by virtue of simply being who he was. I have to admire that.

I don't admire some of the stuff he did in his life, but the book is like listening to one long and terrific tale from a guy you happen to start talking to in a bar, only to find out at the end of it that holy crap, yes, he's *that* guy. There's nothing false about him - he simply serves it to you, in his voice and from his point of view. Honestly, out of the autobiographies I've read, this is easily one of the most engaging.

It's not the greatest work of literature in the world, but it's well worth picking up and reading.

[Andrea · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read this book in one weekend, which means that it was captivating enough to keep me turning the pages, and the simplicity of the oral style didn't hold things up either. I'm no biker, but I am keenly interested in the alternative lifestyles and subcultures of the 60's, and the iconic legend of the HAMC is an obvious object of curiosity and fascination. The fact that the events are told from an Angel's point of view,(and not just any Angel but Barger himself) rather than that of a journalist or an FBI infiltrator, is one of the big assets of this autobiography. However, it's also one of its main downfalls. Barger tells us only what he wants us to know, period. There is certainly a lot of dirt that is either simply not mentioned or glossed over. But this is hardly surprising considering the fact that he is not only still a member in good standing, but as a former president of the Oakland chapter in their heyday and a living legend among his bros, he is practically THE spokesman for the club. So, who can blame the guy for not giving up the goods? At any rate, one-sided as it is, this book is still a very readable account of some of the aspects of the outlaw lifestyle from a surviving Angel, who, and here you have to hand it to him, has never wavered in his fidelity to his chosen brotherhood. Good job by the Zimmerman twins who manage to remain invisible in their transcription of "the Chief's" story. And, as a bonus, I also learned a lot of technical details about motorcycles...not bad for a weekend read.

[Lori · Rating 2 out of 5]

I suffered through the first 2/3 of the book about how badass Sonny Barger (president of the Hell's Angels) thinks he is. It was 150+ pages about beating people, earning respect, loyalty, and brotherhood. Boiling it all down it seemed to be hundreds of men who can't handle the masses of alcohol and drugs they ingest. Finally, by the last 3rd of the book I found it interesting and not so juvenile.

The government and media fascination with the Hell's Angels was interesting. I had no idea about the lengthy court battles that went on or the media frenzy around the Hell's Angels for years. There were countless things the Hell's Angels should have gotten in trouble for individually but the governments main focus was trying to take down the whole club by whatever means possible, concocting stories, twisting facts, and trying to force conspiracies with informants planted in the club.

There were a few memorable tales, one that made me laugh out loud (shamefully) was how the club members in a normal night of excessive drug and alcohol use decided a casket would make an excellent table for Sonny’s house, the next day he woke to a cool casket in his living room. He tried to move it but it was far too heavy, which is when he found the body in the stolen casket and forced the club members to remove it immediately. What the hell?!?

Through most of the book I just wondered, who the hell lives like this, so extremely outside of normal society. But it was interesting to try and understand why they think beatings and murder are perfectly acceptable forms of showing loyalty and respect. Why they’d rather kill someone, and have, rather than give up their motorcycle patch.

[Gina M Jordan · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm giving it 4 stars mainly because it's a dangerous subject written by an insider & founder. Barger ' s writing style could definitely be more warm & forthcoming, many key details or depth are missing. This is certainly not a tell-all book by any means but does include quite a few juicy tidbits, mostly involving deceased members.

Having been involved in one 9 what Barger called the big 4 (Outlaws) myself, I'm actually amazed this book exists at all. MC's are closed societies like the Eagles Club, with private matters never revealed to non-members. So I give kudos for the courage to put this & Barger ' s other books about the MC & lifestyle out there. Unless one is a part of this life, it is impossible to imagine that the events truly happened, but I can honestly tell you, as unbelievable as you may find these stories, Barger has barely begun to reveal the true stories behind the MC closed doors. Life is stranger than fiction.

[Dave · Rating 5 out of 5]

I feel like I really I know Sonny Barger after reading Hell's Angels. Even though he is a convicted felon, drug runner, and violent man he really does seem like a stand up guy. The best way I could describe Sonny after reading his autobiography would be as a very loyal and honest friend. The founder of the world wide motorcycle club the " Hell's Angels" and the founder of a world wide brother hood, Sonny created an expansive sanctuary for those who wanted to be part of something. Regardless of Sonny's past I believe he has a very large and warming heart which is portrayed in many of the stories considering him and his motorcycle club. I would recommend this to anyone who isn't a child. Outstanding read.

[Amy · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book is a random collection of stories mostly told by the author which obviously makes him feel so badass but it was actually just so annoying. There were no redeeming qualities in his story. He talks about how he is a huge animal lover but ‘accidentally’ killed pets. Domestic violence is no big deal. If a member smacks their woman, ‘hey sometimes it’s deserved’. Or how the Rolling Stones aren’t hardcore rockers bc they didn’t like when the hells angels were providing security at the woodstock type concert and kicked an annoying woman close to the stage in the head.. He has an incredible disdain for cops and cusses them out the entire book. My opinion of the hells angels changed for the worst after reading this book. I knew they were violent and you didn’t mess with them but I thought they stood up and protected people too or do some good things but they’re just thugs. They only protect their own and will doubledown to protect them even when they are in the wrong bc that’s what you do for ‘family’.🙄) Instead they are ridiculously violent (mad when he got charged with attempted murder when the guy survived and he only shot the guy twice.. Lol this book was very aggravating to read.

[Mary K · Rating 4 out of 5]

A bad ass who isn’t all that bad. A few sections of this book made me almost quit reading but Barger is funny, a good writer, and has one hell of a unique story.

[Cwn_annwn_13 · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this the first time over 20 years ago and decided to give it a reread. I actually liked it better the second time around. It's a quick read that you get through fast. Barger basically says as little as possible while still giving you enough to keep things interesting and entertaining.

[Rob · Rating 3 out of 5]

As a general rule, I stay away from autobiographies simply because I feel that it’s absolutely impossible to be objective about the subject of oneself. That said, there are of course a few exceptions…only, this book is not one of them but I have my reasons nonetheless.

The biggest reason is that I have some personal history with Sonny that is admittedly a few degrees removed from myself. As a teenager, Sonny apparently would eat dinner over at my grandparent’s house who lived on E. 25th St. in Oakland just a few blocks away from his own grandmother’s house where he lived for a time on E. 17th. This questionable “brush with greatness” gives me a certain fascination with the man that I am powerless over.

This family association was actually confirmed by Sonny himself when my brother went to a book signing of his in S.F. shortly after this book was published. As he got his autographed copy, he casually brought up the family name and without any prompting, Sonny fondly recalled two of my uncles by their first names. So, he either has hell of a memory, or my uncles were truly unforgettable. Can’t say which for sure.

Anyways, more to the point…making ones living as a rebel outlaw surely makes for some colorful storytelling. Of which, it can be said this book does not lack. Also, as we’ve seen by my story about my family, his memory is rather sharp and so his recall cannot be questioned. However, one has to be careful in what one divulges about this kind of past and along with the two twin brother writer’s of his that helped him pen this book, I’m pretty sure a few lawyers were consulted also.

Unfortunately, my opinion is that having this many consultants/editors on this book must have reduced its pages greatly & the book is rather short and somewhat disconnected in its narrative because of it. Rather than following a strictly chronological story, the chapters are loosely arranged into a timeline that are more or less grouped into themes rather than by time and place. Then, some of the paragraphs are really nothing more than random blurbs about a particular subject with no real connection to the next paragraph.

Nevertheless, despite its brevity and some minor continuity problems this book covers some serious ground of a fascinating period we can essentially just call “counterculture history.” This is also told from a perspective that is to say the least unique, if not rarely heard from. Of course, this is Sonny’s first book, and he has gone on to write four more, so his voice is getting a little more exposure these days.

In this one, which is an attempt at an overview of the personal story of the founder and his infamous motorcycle club, we hear his thoughts and musings of firsthand accounts with Hunter S. Thompson, The Rolling Stones at Altamont, Ken Kesey & The Merry Pranksters, the Berkeley war demonstrations, etc.etc. to name a few. In a way, these pages almost read like a story written by Forrest Gump’s parallel universe twin. The man has been everywhere and met everyone.

Naturally, the subject matter may not be to everyone’s liking but in the end it should just be admitted that deep down we all have a certain fascination with rebels and outlaws. It all just depends on your particular viewpoint and filter as to what this may constitute and who we might think is deserving of the title. For some, Sonny Barger is nothing more than a reprehensible criminal, while to others he is a living demi-god. You can make up your own mind about him yourself [or summarily already have] but aside from ones own sense of right and wrong I personally find listening to his tale worth the read. I’m not sure if I would necessarily have Sonny over my own house for dinner like my grandparents did but I surely will give him some space on my bookshelf without hesitation.

[JBP · Rating 2 out of 5]

Sonny Barger's memoir of his life dedicated to the cause of the Hell's Angels Motorcycle Club is somewhat interesting, but poorly written, a bit on the redundant side and all-to-brief when Barger goes into some episode of violence/sex/philosophy of the biker that I wanted to know more on. He should of really juiced this up and gave even more sex and violence and given an insider's tour of what it's really like to live the "outlaw" biker lifestyle that he gripes about non-stop in the pages of the book. Barger's been either in the club, in prison [or both] for nearly his entire life so the man has dedicated everything to the Hell's Angels--maybe that's why he didn't really go full-bore with the stories. They are often too brief as Barger just tells a little bit about this fight, murder, feud with other bikers. The book is pretty much sexless too! I would have thought there would have been much more to tell on this subject as much as Barger mentions the "hard partying" they did. Could have and should have been a lot better!

[Melinda · Rating 5 out of 5]

A memoir that read like a story. Most people would not like this book because the Angels are loaded with criminal activity. I enjoyed the “truth” throughout this book. It was fascinating to the point I don’t understand how Sonny Barber was never killed. His notoriety amongst MC clubs, law enforcement and federal agencies is incredible. He is truly one of the top infamous people of his time.

[Mads · Rating 3 out of 5]

3* review –

[Matt · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sweet Cocaine!

This book is pretty cool. Genuinely liked a lot of it. Was hoping for more but I really enjoyed the detailed motorcycle stuff as I ride. If you watched Sons of Anarchy some of the stories from the book are in the show, or at least a variation of it. Pretty cool!

[Ivan Herrera · Rating 3 out of 5]

Gives good info on the foundations of the club. Gets pretty repetitive at times but entertaining for sure.

[Adam Greven · Rating 5 out of 5]

An interesting look at the history and development of the Hell’s Angels Motorcycle Club. Sonny Barger is a charismatic writer who keeps you glued to the pages with his wild adventures. It does shy away from much of the criminal element of the One-Percenter world and instead focuses on the heart and origin of outlaw Motorcycle Clubs. I think it is good at showing the true intention behind the formation of those older clubs as well as tell a lot of funny, crazy, and the sometimes very sad stories of Sonny Barger and his brothers. You will also find it hard not to find yourself nodding your head in agreement as Sonny stands up for troops coming home from Vietnam, supporting his brothers through drug rehabilitation, and standing up to his own demons. Just keep in mind this is only one, one sided, story of this world and should be a part of a larger collection of reading material. Also see Under and Alone, Prodigal Father Pagan Son, and Terry the Tramp: The Life and Dangerous Times of a One Percenter, etc.

[Jen · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a very weird and random read for me. (Bought for $1 at a used book sale.) But, surprisingly, I found myself pretty engrossed throughout. Albeit obviously biased (written by the leader of the Hell's Angels), I admit that I knew zilch about them beforehand and now can say I know more than zilch, from the group's perspective.

Testosterone on steroids, frat boys gone wild, a good old boys club doing really bad things...whatever. I'm reminded of how much us human beings seek to belong to something - whether a social, political, or religious organization, private club, or in this case a group coming together based upon a mutually shared hobby. Interesting lifestyle, these guys - definitely not relatable to me in any way, but still fascinating to learn about.

[SouthWestZippy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wow!

[Wortmagie · Rating 2 out of 5]

Ich könnte heute nicht mehr sagen, wann mein Interesse am Motorradclub Hell’s Angels begann. Ich gehe davon aus, dass Hunter S. Thompsons literarische Reportage Hell's Angels großen Anteil daran hatte, die ich las, als ich etwa 20 Jahre alt war. Der exzentrische Journalist reiste in den 60er Jahren mit dem Club. Seine Schilderungen faszinierten mich. Er malte das Bild wilder, unbeugsamer, freiheitsliebender Männer, die sich von niemandem etwas sagen ließen und eigene Gesetze schrieben. Ihre Lebensauffassung brachte meinen eigenen Freiheitsdrang, der in meiner Jugendzeit stark ausgeprägt war, zum Singen. Ich sah in ihnen moderne Piraten, Rebellen und fühlte mich zu ihren Idealen hingezogen.

Es dauerte Jahre, bis ich bereit war, einzusehen, dass meine romantischen Vorstellungen der Hell’s Angels vollkommen verklärt waren. In den Medien häuften sich Berichte von kriminellen, mafiaähnlichen Strukturen, schweren Straftaten wie Zuhälterei, Drogen- und Waffenhandel und blutigen Fehden, die nicht selten in Rachemorden gipfelten. Ich fühlte mich desillusioniert und enttäuscht. Diese Nachrichten hatten nichts mit der sympathischen Bande ruppiger Aussteiger zu tun, die ich in Hell's Angels kennengelernt hatte. Heute weiß ich, dass ich das immense kriminelle Potential des Clubs, das sich bereits in den 60ern andeutete, einfach ignorierte. Ich wollte es nicht sehen.

Mit der Erkenntnis kam die Ernüchterung. Je öfter ich Nachrichten sah oder las, die die gewalttätigen oder illegalen Exzesse der Hell’s Angels dokumentierten, desto weniger verstand ich, wie aus einem Haufen Verlierer, die der Gesellschaft freiwillig den Rücken gekehrt hatten, eine strikt organisierte, globale, kriminelle Vereinigung werden konnte. Diese Frage beschäftigt mich noch immer. Deshalb nahm ich mir im Februar 2019 die biografischen Aufzeichnungen des Mannes vor, der es meiner Ansicht nach am besten wissen musste: Ralph »Sonny« Barger, Gründungsmitglied und langjähriger Präsident der Hell’s Angels.

Ralph Hubert »Sonny« Barger wurde am 08.10.1938 in Kalifornien geboren. Er wuchs mit seiner älteren Schwester bei seinem alkoholkranken Vater auf, seine Mutter hatte die Familie verlassen, als er ein Baby war. Der junge Ralph fiel früh als schwieriges Kind auf, er prügelte sich oft, hatte kein Interesse an Bildung und griff sogar seine Lehrer_innen an, wenn er sich ungerecht behandelt fühlte. 1955, im Alter von 16 Jahren, beschloss Barger, seine schulische Karriere zu beenden und trat in die Army ein. Die Altershürde beseitigte er kurzerhand, indem er seine Geburtsurkunde fälschte. Sein Betrug fiel erst 14 Monate später auf. Nach 18 Monaten Dienstzeit wurde er mit vollen Ehren entlassen. Das klingt aus heutiger Sicht unglaublich, doch es waren eben andere Zeiten.

Zurück in Kalifornien kaufte er sich 1956 sein erstes Motorrad und trat seinem ersten Club bei, den Oakland Panthers. Er suchte nach einer Ersatzfamilie, nach Männern, die ähnliche Prioritäten setzten wie er selbst: Freiheit und die Ablehnung jeglicher Autorität und Regeln. Er erlebte einige Enttäuschungen mit „Wochenendfahrern“, bis er 1957 mehrere kleinere Clubs in Kalifornien zu einem einzigen zusammenschloss: den Hell’s Angels. Das Oakland Chapter (Charter, in der Terminologie des Clubs) war geboren und Barger wurde zum Präsidenten ernannt. Es folgten wilde Jahre voller Kriminalität, Drogen, Alkohol, Partys, Frauen und Knastaufenthalte. Die Hell’s Angels gewannen stetig an Popularität, erarbeiteten sich einen gewissen Ruf und weiteten sich erst über die USA und später weltweit aus.

Barger war mittendrin. Er führte ein Leben am Limit. 1982 forderten die Exzesse ihren Tribut. Er erkrankte an Kehlkopfkrebs und stand an der Schwelle des Todes. Lediglich eine Operation, in der ihm der Kehlkopf (inklusive Stimmbänder) vollständig entfernt wurde, rettete ihn. Er gab das Rauchen auf und erlernte über ein Tracheostoma (laut Wikipedia eine künstliche Verbindung zwischen Luftröhre und äußerer Umgebung) das Sprechen neu. 1998 zog er nach Arizona, weil das Klima in dem tendenziell heißen Bundesstaat seiner Gesundheit guttat, hängte das Präsidentenamt an den Nagel und eröffnete eine Motorradwerkstatt. Heute ist Ralph »Sonny« Barger ein ganz normales Mitglied der Hell’s Angels und lebt noch immer bei Phoenix.

Barger hatte stets ein etwas zwiespältiges Verhältnis zu den Medien und der Presse. Während er die meisten Journalisten als Schmierfinken betrachtet und an Hunter S. Thompson kein gutes Haar lässt, arbeitete er immer gern mit Filmproduktionsfirmen als Berater und sogar als Darsteller zusammen. Leicht verdientes Geld. Vielleicht erinnern sich einige von euch an seine Gastrolle als Lenny „The Pimp“ Janowitz in der Serie „Sons of Anarchy“.
Er schrieb mehrere Bücher, die sich – Überraschung – thematisch alle mit dem Motorradfahren und Motorradclubs befassen. „Hell’s Angel: Mein Leben“ ist Bargers schriftstellerisches Debüt, das er zusammen mit den Autoren-Brüdern Keith und Kent Zimmerman verfasste. Darin wagt Barger einen schonungslos persönlichen Rückblick auf die Hell’s Angels: auf seine Vergangenheit, die Gründung des Clubs und seine Zeit als Präsident bis 1998.

Nach diesem langen Vorlauf erwartet ihr vermutlich eine ähnlich umfangreiche Rezension. Leider muss ich euch enttäuschen. Es gibt nicht viel über „Hell’s Angel: Mein Leben“ zu berichten. Man muss es nicht gelesen haben, nicht einmal, wenn man sich für die Hell’s Angels interessiert. Ralph »Sonny« Barger ist kein guter Autobiograf. Ich möchte mir gar nicht vorstellen, was aus dieser willkürlichen Aneinanderreihung von Erinnerungen und Anekdoten geworden wäre, wäre er nicht von den Autoren Keith und Kent Zimmerman unterstützt worden. Ich denke, es ist ihnen zu verdanken, dass „Hell’s Angel: Mein Leben“ zumindest über eine grobe zeitliche Linearität verfügt und thematische Schwerpunkte ansatzweise bündelt. Ohne sie hätte ich es wahrscheinlich mit einem noch viel chaotischeren Kuddelmuddel zu tun bekommen. Ich glaube nicht, dass Barger wirklich Interesse daran hatte, seinen Leser_innen einen zuverlässigen Überblick über seine Vergangenheit zu bieten. Meiner Meinung nach schrieb er dieses Buch primär für sich selbst. Er folgt keiner erkennbaren Chronologie oder Struktur, springt zwischen den Jahren hin und her und bemüht sich nicht, Situationen nachvollziehbar zu schildern. Hintergründe und Emotionen klammert er meist komplett aus, sodass ich zwar verstand, was geschehen ist, aber nicht, wie er sich dabei fühlte oder was ihn motivierte und bewegte. Sein ungeschönter Erzählstil provoziert, er nimmt kein Blatt vor den Mund. Prinzipiell ist mir eine authentische Erzählweise immer lieber als jede glattpolierte Rhetorik, in diesem Fall hinterließ die Mischung aus vulgärer Sprache und absoluter Subjektivität allerdings einen Beigeschmack von Selbstbeweihräucherung. Barger findet sich selbst und die Hell’s Angels schon ziemlich geil. Er romantisiert, idealisiert und verharmlost sein gewaltgeschwängertes Leben vor und innerhalb des Clubs und zeigt keinerlei Unrechtsempfinden. Im Gegenteil, er inszeniert ein lächerliches Opfernarrativ und wagt es, zu behaupten, die Hell’s Angels, die ja nur Motorrad fahren wollten, seien stets grundlos von Autoritäten und Gesellschaft schikaniert worden. Klar. Die Bemühungen der Strafverfolgungsbehörden hatten natürlich nichts mit den illegalen Aktivitäten des Clubs zu tun. Beschwert er sich nicht gerade, wie furchtbar ungerecht die Welt ist, prahlt Barger und stellt Theorien auf, für die er keine Belege liefert. Beispielsweise schwört er, Harley Davidson orientierte sich bei der Gestaltung ihrer Motorräder an den Hell’s Angels und Polizeikonvois anlässlich von Beerdigungen seien ebenfalls nach dem Vorbild des MC eingeführt worden. Mag alles sein, ist seinerseits jedoch lediglich eine Vermutung, die er als Fakt darstellt. Diese Verzerrung der Wahrheit zieht sich wie ein roter Faden durch „Hell’s Angel: Mein Leben“. Barger hat niemals Schuld und was in Ermittlungsakten steht, ist ohnehin gelogen. Er ist unreflektiert, unreif, gesteht keinen einzigen Fehler ein und ist offenbar nicht im Stande, sich selbst kritisch zu betrachten. Deshalb ist dieses Buch nicht das wertvolle Dokument, das ich mir erhofft hatte. Es sagt wesentlich mehr über die verschobene Wahrnehmung des Autors aus als über die Hell’s Angels.

Es ist das Vorrecht eines Autobiografen, die Realität aus seiner Sicht zu interpretieren. „Hell’s Angel: Mein Leben“ ist trotz der durchaus interessanten persönlichen Informationen über den Autor zu unglaubwürdig, um es ernst zu nehmen. Ich bin fest überzeugt, dass Ralph »Sonny« Barger alles, was er erzählt, für die reine Wahrheit hält, doch zwischen faktischer und erlebter Wahrheit können eben Welten liegen. Es enttäuschte mich, dass er nachdrücklich darauf pocht, dass die Hell’s Angels nicht mehr als ein unschuldiger Verein von Männern sind, die gemeinsam Motorrad fahren wollen und ihre Gewaltbereitschaft sowie die Schwere ihrer kriminellen Geschäfte verharmlost, obwohl er sich an beiden Punkten aufzugeilen scheint. Er geht überhaupt nicht auf die internationale Situation des MC ein, vermittelt jedoch unmissverständlich, wie stolz er auf die globalen Chapter ist.

Für mich war „Hell’s Angel: Mein Leben“ ein Ausflug in den Kopf eines Mannes, mit dem ich mich weder identifizieren kann noch möchte; jemand, der Selbstjustiz, Sexismus und Gewalt zu seinem Lebenscredo erhob. Bargers Autobiografie ist auf eine voyeuristische Art unterhaltsam, weil Leser_innen eine Weltanschauung kennenlernen, die hoffentlich sehr weit von ihrer eigenen entfernt ist. Sie sollte aber mit Vorsicht und einer ordentlichen Portion Skepsis genossen werden. Es ist nicht alles Gold, was glänzt und Ralph »Sonny« Bargers Erinnerung sind selbstverständlich subjektiv. Die Hell’s Angels waren und sind garantiert keine Chorknaben. Das solltet ihr niemals vergessen, falls ihr euch dafür entscheidet, dieses Buch zu lesen.
Bewerten:

[Valentin Ciocîrlan · Rating 4 out of 5]

DISCLAIMER: I am not a member of the HAMC

If you are looking for a book that is well written, incredibly structured and that follows a clear narrative line, this is not the book for you and you might find it at times confusing or frustrating the way the action is narrated. This is a book written in a style that resembles the culture of the HAMC: weird for those that are from the outside, unique in its action and showing you the other side of the story.

I believe that this is a book to be read by someone who has no previous idea about Hells Angels MC or their opinion of the motorcycle club is heavily influenced by the media and law enforcement.

What Sonny together with Keith and Kent Zimmerman do in this book is to give you a glimpse into how the most known motorcycle club in the world started, what it was about, its transition and transformation. On top of this, you will learn what brotherhood is for them, how important the word is and that Freedom, precious to these bikers, can ask for a big price sometimes.

Take what I said with a pinch of salt and enjoy the book.

[Joshua · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is one badass autobiography! The writing puts the reader in a position where it feels like you are hanging out with Sonny. Just shooting the shit and him telling stories about himself, his past struggles, and what it truly means to be a Hell’s Angel.That being said, don’t expect to know EVERYTHING about him or the in and outs of being a Hells Angel. This book is not showing you the secrets of the Angels nor does a provide one big DEEPER meaning of what it means to be a motorcycle outlaw. This book is just about Sonny’s world and we are just living in it.

One thing that did stick to me was what Sonny said about the Angel along the lines of, “Whenever people expected something from the Hells Angels they never delivered.” So if you expected something from the autobiography just remember that. But overall pretty good autobiography def recommend!

[Kelly · Rating 3 out of 5]

I love memoirs and learning about people with lifestyles vastly different from my own. So although I’m not a biker, my parents rode Harley’s with an MC and I’ve known a few “one-percenters,” so I thought this memoir would be an intriguing read. It held my interest, but was clearly one-sided. Barger had a sense of humor, so parts were entertaining, but he was also ruthless. Some of the things he did such as breaking a few guys’ fingers with a ball peen hammer or kicking a woman after she was hit by her man, horrified me, but those moments were glossed over in a sentence or two. He made himself out to be an overall decent guy who just liked to ride motorcycles. But, we all know that’s far from the truth.

[Jerry · Rating 4 out of 5]

RIP Sonny, you were such a bad-ass. Too bad your colorful and compelling chronicles are about murder, violence, crime, wanton destruction, territorial fights, misogyny, drug dealing, rape, theft, terror, threats and good old-fashioned barroom ass-kicking, sometimes because someone looked the wrong way, sometime just because its what you do. Live to ride, ride to live, die from cigarettes.

[Tonyne · Rating 3 out of 5]

Entertaining, it kept me interested the whole time, his perspective of what happened at Altamont was definitely interesting. I do wish he'd given more details on things, instead of just hyping himself up the whole time, but again, it did keep me listening.

[Liam Philbin · Rating 2 out of 5]

I expected so much more from this book, if you are going in anticipating an autobiography as it states, you’ll be disappointed, it’s more of a non linear history of the Hell’s Angels. Don’t get me wrong, I enjoyed it, but I just expected more.

[Cathy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Short book easily read in a day or weekend. I found it interesting and faced paced enough to keep me turning the pages and finished it in one day. Definitely no a biker, but I knew of Sonny and was interested in his tale

[John Turner · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is not to be confused for Hunter Thompson's 1966 treatise, "Hell's Angels: A Strange and Terrible Saga." Thompson's book title is plural -- the story, history and notoriety of the club, the introduction of the members of the motorcycle gang, and the "club" culture. He spent nearly two years immersing himself in that culture, doing ride-alongs to their "picnics," drinking excessively and doing psychedelic and mind-altering drugs, all to "get his story." Ralph "Sonny" Barger, the founder and life-long President of the Hell's Angels confesses in his own book that he did not like Thompson, nor did he endorse Thompson's book as the true story of the Hell' Angels. He used Thompson for his celebrity status and for the publicity he could get Barger and the club, and the contacts that would soften their image and notoriety, make them more legit.

Barger's book was written 14 years later, in 2000, and the title is singular: "Hell's Angel: The Life and Times of Sonny Barger and the Hell's Angels Motorcycle Club." It's more about Sonny, very autobiographical, factual but lacking the artistry and finesse of Thompson's writing ability. It reads like a non-writer putting down the facts of his life, but for entertainment and knowledge, it works.

I found Barger's book on a shelf in the Goodwill thrift store, glanced at it and put it back on the shelf. A few shelves away, I found Thompson's book. I have some history with the Hell's Angels, albeit very cursory (more on that later) and, in looking at the two books, I thought, together, they might make an interesting read. In after thought, I was right!

With the advent of Thompson's magazine and newspaper articles, as well as his pronounced book, the Hell's Angels, with Sonny Barger as their president and spokesman, were getting a lot of publicity, both good and bad. Reporters were clambering at every arrest and trial, hoping for the "next big story," and the Angels didn't disappoint. Reported gang fights, beat-downs, a proliferation of drug charges (both selling and using), weapons violations, suspicions of murder and -- huge headlines -- assaults and gang rape. Sonny fought hard to overturn any charges (some of his own doing), so he was always seeking favorable publicity.p to counter the efforts of law enforcement and naysayers. In some cases, he was successful, but he, as well as many of his compatriots spent many years in jail.

In 1953, actor Marlon Brando made the movie, "The Wild One," a story about two rival motorcycle gangs converging on a small mid-west town. The townspeople and their sheriff were ill-capable of dealing with this reign of terror. As a youth, I was fascinated with their motorcycles and their riding stunts. I couldn't wait to ride so, when I was 16, I bought myself a 250cc, single cylinder British-made BSA and joined a "gang" of other local youth riders. Richard, Dale, Don, Paul, Danny and I, and others, frequently rode together and made weekend trips around to other towns and cities in Northern California. It was a terrific experience and a terrific time to grow up, the mid-1960s.

A few days before July 4th, 1965, my Dad, Captain of the Fort Bragg Police Department, told us around the dinner table, that the Hell's Angels were planning their annual "picnic" to Willits, just 30 miles over the hill from my home town. The FBPD would be on-call to help Willits, along with the Mendocino County Sheriff and the CA Highway Patrol. Their history of fighting authority and vandalizing private property had everyone on edge. The Willits PD, kicked them out of town and averted any problems. The Angels diverted on Highway 20, headed to Fort Bragg. My Dad enlisted an armed posse of townsmen and positioned them at the junction of Hwy 1 and the Willits Road. I was one of those armed citizens, scared shitless but skilled with my hunting rifle. When they arrived, the Angels were blocked off and could not get into town. They were turned away and headed south, down the coast on Hwy 1.

Many years later, in the mid-1970s, I was the night closing Head Clerk in Terra Linda (Marin County) for a grocery chain. Three of my frequent evening customers were three Hell's Angels living somewhere nearby on an old horse ranch. They would roar in on their flashy chromed, stripped-down Harleys and traipse into the store in their dirty denim and colors, their denim jackets sans sleeves, their club allegiance blazened on the back, lots of insignia and patches attesting to their prowess and accomplishments. I introduced myself, told them nobody would bother them and that I expected no trouble. I was no bad dude, but I was fresh back from Vietnam and they supported us soldiers. We got along and, at each visit, they would regale me with stories of their patches, most forms of initiation, some quite gross and foul. You can Google to learn more about their myriad of patches. They were always looking for a rise from me, laughing at my blush or embarrassment. They were friendly and respectful, but I understood the situation could always change for the worst.

[Bobby OReilly · Rating 4 out of 5]

The hells angels never did anything wrong ever and I think that’s true and cool