Once upon a time (1968) the Beatles wrote a song and released it. Called “Helter Skelter” it became a raging hit. It was also close to their swansong, as they officially broke up shortly after that. A Los Angeles vagrant and aspiring rocker saw in their song a code for something far more profound. “Helter Skelter” has been described as Paul McCartney’s attempt to create a sound as “loud and dirty” as possible. It is now regarded as a key influence in the