Out of Our Heads

Ron Schneider is among a select handful of individuals who can honestly claim to have taken an active part in the explosive beginnings of 1960's rock'n'roll.

After leaving ABKCO and working with the Beatles, he did the Rolling Stones 1969 and 1970 tours and produced the Maysles Bros film, Gimme Shelter, sometimes called "the greatest rock film of the greatest rock ‘n’ roll band". Rock critic Robert Christgau described the Rolling Stones’ 1969 US tour as "history's first mythic rock and roll tour," while another rock writer, Dave Marsh, called it one of the "benchmarks of an era.” It was launched on almost no money, rolled across America hand to mouth, and concluded with calamity and death at the Altamont Speedway in Northern California on December 6, 1969. For historians, Altamont came to symbolize the death of hippie idealism; the day American youth culture was changed forever, ushering in a new era of fear and cynicism.

For Ron, in a way, it was just another day at the office.

He now shares his exclusive stories and documents that provide the background to these historic events.