The Assimilation: Rock Machine Become Bandidos - Bikers United Against the Hells Angels

301 Pages·2008·1.28 MB·English

by  Edward Winterhalder

continued from front fl ap TT $24.95
In the early 1990s, the Montreal branch of the Hells Angels
one for all, all for one. For some, it’s destroyed all the competing biker gangs — except for the tough- HH As a fullpatched member and
a machismo thing, bombing along national offi cer, fi rst with the
as-nails Rock Machine. There followed seven years of bloody
on a powerful, fl ashy motorcycle EE Rogues Motorcycle Club and then
confl ict, leaving 160 people dead and many more injured.
wearing their club colors like a with the Bandidos Motorcycle Club,
Then, heavily outnumbered, the Rock Machine appealed to
rooster strutting through the AA I regularly traveled all over North
barnyard. For others, it’s mostly the worldwide Bandidos Motorcycle Club, the only bikers who America and Europe to take care
about riding their bikes with rivaled the Angels in terms of membership and strength. SS of business. I was a key player in
like-minded individuals, hanging the assimilation of the Quebec,
In 2001, the Rock Machine ceased to exist and became a
SS
out together, and having a little Canada–based Rock Machine into
probationary Bandidos chapter, the fi rst on Canadian soil.
fun. Belonging to a motorcycle the Bandidos Nation in 2001.
II
club gives many a sense of MM I got to meet dozens of fascinating
empowerment: this can be a good The Bandidos assigned Edward Winterhalder to coordinate the people both inside and outside the
thing — it can also be a bad thing. transition. But things started out badly when he was arrested biker world, which — although heavily
II
I lived the biker lifestyle for scrutinized by the authorities, the
by the Canadian immigration authorities, and then got worse LL
almost thirty years, and throughout media, and the public — is both
as intrigue, assassinations, and double-crosses ensued.
most of it I was gainfully employed. AA an exclusive and secretive world.
Simultaneously, I lived as if every Becoming a 1%er is not like joining a
TT
day were a holiday, for living that In THE ASSIMILATION, Winterhalder — in collaboration with bridge club — it is a long and tedious
way is mandatory in the traditional his writing partner Wil De Clercq — recalls his life and times as an II process meant to weed out those
biker lifestyle. And during that OO not worthy of receiving the club
outlaw biker, his involvement with the Quebec Bandidos, and his
time, I was either a member of, patch.
eventual disillusionment with, and exit from, the Bandidos Nation.
or closely associated with, many NN Some of the people I met,
outlaw motorcycle clubs. whether they were outlaw bikers or
Along the way, I spent time in EDWARD WINTERHALDER was a high-ranking world leader independent bikers, were criminals.
aE
prison; bought, sold, and built of the Bandidos Motorcycle Club, and is now one of the nD Most, however, were law-abiding
dW
hundreds of Harleys; owned a leading authorities in the world on motorcycle clubs. WA folk, albeit not your average, garden-
multimillion-dollar construction ILRD variety type. There were also the
management company; got WIL DE CLERCQ, a freelance writer, D W posers and wannabes, the type of
E
married three times; and was a is an appointed member of the CIN people you fi nd anywhere, in every
single parent to a young daughter. Canadian Motorsport Hall of Fame’s LETE walk of life.
Selection Committee. RR
At times it was an ordeal that CH I often get asked what kind of
QA
stretched me to limits I never L people join outlaw motorcycle clubs,
D
knew I’d be stretched to. Being a E or “gangs” as they are commonly
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biker has taught me a lot about called by the police and ordinary
human nature — the good, the bad, citizens. For the most part, anyone
and indifferent — but most of all who joins a 1%er motorcycle club
it taught me a lot about myself. is a little psychologically skewed,
Thirty years of being a biker not usually as a result of an abnormal
ISBN-13: 978-155022-824-3
only made me the man I am, but I ISBN-10: 1-55022-824-2 childhood. They’re someone who is
also believe that I became a better still looking for a sense of family;
man in the process. something they never found during
– Edward Winterhalder, April 2008 their childhood for one reason or
another. Motorcycle clubs are fi rst
ECW Press ECW and foremost about brotherhood:
ecwpress.com
True Crime / Memoir
fl ap 3” 3/8” cover 6.125” spine 1.0625” cover 6.125”
AAssssiimmiillaattiioonnJJaacckkeettRReevviisseedd..iinndddd 11 44//2233//0088 1122::0000::2222 PPMM
Assimilation_Final 4/17/08 11:57 AM Page i
ROCK MACHINE BECOME BANDIDOS – BIKERS UNITED AGAINST THE HELLS ANGELS
EDWARD WINTERHALDER & WIL DE CLERCQ
ECWPRESS
Assimilation_Final 4/17/08 12:31 PM Page ii
Copyright © Edward Winterhalder and Wil De Clercq,2008
Published by ECW Press
2120Queen Street East,Suite 200
Toronto,Ontario,Canada m4e 1e2
416.694.3348 / [email protected]
All rights reserved.No part ofthis publication may be reproduced,stored in a retrieval system,
or transmitted in any form by any process — electronic,mechanical,photocopying,recording,
or otherwise — without the prior written permission ofthe copyright owners and ECW Press.
library and archives canada cataloguing in publication
Winterhalder,Edward,1955–
The assimilation:Rock Machine become Bandidos :bikers united against the
Hells Angels / Edward Winterhalder,Wil De Clercq.
isbn-13:978-1-55022-824-3
1.Winterhalder,Edward,1955– . 2.Rock Machine (Gang). 3.Bandidos (Gang).
4.Hell’s Angels. 5.Motorcycle gangs—Québec (Province)—History. 6.Gang members—
Québec (Province)—Biography.i.De Clercq,Wil i.Title.
hv6491.c32q8 2008 364.1092 c2007-907094-9
Cover Design:David Gee
Text Design:Tania Craan
Typesetting:Mary Bowness
Printing:Thomson-Shore
This book is set in Minion and Interstate and printed on paper
that has 30%post-consumer waste content.
printed and bound in the united states
Assimilation_Final 4/17/08 11:57 AM Page iii
This book is dedicated to the memory of Barry Mason.
Vaya con Dios mi amigo . . .
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Assimilation_Final 4/17/08 11:57 AM Page v
It's a rough place, son. In fact, you have to puke twice
and show your razor just to get in. Better grow some
whiskers if you wanna go to Canada.
—Ronnie Hawkins
We are targeting biker gangs because they are not the
free-spirited, easy-rider romantics that they would have
you believe.They are criminals.
—Jim Flaherty
There’sacertain breed who feel the need to put people
in their place. Not a bad bunch of guys, don’t hand ’em
no lies,just stay off their case. People with angles never
should tangle with the boyswho kill with words.You
don’t stand a chance, you’ll lose your pants.
—Phantom, Rocker & Slick
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ix
INTRODUCTION xi
PROLOGUE xiii
CHAPTER 1
Welcome to the Great White North 1
CHAPTER 2
Reflections 25
CHAPTER 3
AMatter ofFate 49
CHAPTER 4
Sturgis High . . . Montreal Low 63
CHAPTER 5
Birth of a Biker 83
CHAPTER 6
Living on Borrowed Time 119
CHAPTER 7
Fools Masquerading as Masterminds 127
CHAPTER 8
On the Road Again 145
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CHAPTER 9
The Hammer Drops on the Quebec Bandidos 161
CHAPTER 10
Be Careful What You Wish For 179
CHAPTER 11
Quebec Justice 193
CHAPTER 12
Painting Canada Red & White From Coast To Coast 203
CHAPTER 13
Trouble In Hells’ Paradise 211
CHAPTER 14
Disillusionment 221
CHAPTER 15
The Shedden Massacre 231
EPILOGUE 241
GLOSSARY 247
APPENDIX A—Hangaround & Prospect Information 251
APPENDIX B—Bylaws of the USA Bandidos Motorcycle Club 261
APPENDIX C—Projects & Job Assignments for El Secretarios 265
APPENDIX D—Edward’s Projects & Job Assignments
for National Chapter 267
APPENDIX E—Bandidos Motorcycle Club Active Chapters 268
APPENDIX F—BandidosSupport Club Chapters 272
APPENDIX G—Bandidos Motorcycle Club Inactive Chapters 277
APPENDIX H—Newspaper Articles 278
Assimilation_Final 4/17/08 11:57 AM Page ix
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Abig thank you tomywife,Caroline,and daughter,Taylor,for
standing behind me and loving me like you do.As I have said
before,I would not be who I am without you both by my side.
Thanks also to the crew at ECW Press, especially Jack David,
Simon Ware,and Emily Schultz,for their support and belief in
The Assimilation.
Last but not least,I would like to thank Wil De Clercq for ded-
icating six months of his life turning an important page of
biker history into literary reality. It has been an honor and a
privilege to collaborate with you on this book.You are truly an
inspiration to me.
E.W.
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