Rock Machine Motorcycle Club

"Rock Machine" redirects here. For other uses, see Rock Machine (disambiguation).

Rock Machine

Founded	1986 (1986)
Founder	Salvatore Cazzetta
Founded at	Montreal, Quebec, Canada
Type	Outlaw motorcycle club
Headquarters	Sherbrooke, Quebec, Canada
Region	Worldwide - Canada, United States, Australia, Germany, Russia, Switzerland, Hungary, Belgium, New Zealand, Sweden, Norway, France, England, Spain, Georgia, Hong Kong, Serbia, South Africa, Kuwait, Armenia, Brazil, Indonesia, Thailand, Kosovo, Vietnam, Philippines, Turkey
Membership	Estimated to have 2,000 active members across the globe, plus thousands of associates
Key people	Giovanni Cazzetta Johnny Plescio Paul "Sasquatch" Porter Claude "Ti-Loup" Vézina Fred Faucher Sean "Crazy Dog" Brown Joseph "Critical J" Strachan Prophet Rock
Website	http://rockmachineworld.org/index.html

The Rock Machine or Rock Machine Motorcycle Club (RMMC) is an international outlaw motorcycle club founded in Montreal, Quebec, Canada in 1986. It has eighteen Canadian chapters spread across seven provinces. It also has nine chapters in the United States and eleven chapters in Australia, with chapters also located in 24 other countries worldwide. It was formed in 1986, by Salvatore Cazzetta and his brother Giovanni Cazzetta. The Rock Machine competed with the Hells Angels for control of the street-level narcotics trade in Quebec. The Quebec Biker War saw the Rock Machine form an alliance with a number of other organizations to face the Hells Angels. The conflict occurred between 1994 and 2002 and resulted in over 160 deaths and over 300 injured. An additional 100+ have been imprisoned.

Common nicknames for the organization are the "R.M.", "Black & Platinum", "RMMC", and "1813". The Rock Machine Motorcycle Club gained the status of a "Hang-around" club in May of 1999 and after eighteen months, became a probationary chapter of the Bandidos Motorcycle Club in December 2000. Bandidos National Officer Edward Winterhalder was put in charge of overseeing the transition by Bandidos International President, George Wegers. The original version of the Rock Machine (1986-1999) in Canada changed their colors from black and platinum to red and gold in May 1999; their colors remained red and gold until they became "Full-Patch" Bandidos on January 6, 2001. In a "patch-over" ceremony at the Rock Machine's Kingston chapter clubhouse.

After the few remaining Bandidos members in Canada quit the organization and Bandidos Canada was dissolved, ex-members of the Mongols and the Bandidos (most former Rock Machine) reformed the Rock Machine under the guidance of Sean Brown in 2007, adopting the original black and platinum colors as their patch. As of 2007, the current incarnation of Rock Machine is a club of motorcycle enthusiasts that dismisses claims of involvment in criminal activity. Any members of the club that do so, act of their own accord and without the consent of the club.

The club's racial policy is all-inclusive and possesses members from several different ethnicities around the world including African Canadian/Americans. Despite the group's use of the Waffen SS's double lighting bolt on one of their patches, it is mainly to show respect to the club's historical roots as opposed to the racial meaning of the symbol, due to large numbers of their founding members being a part of the SS Motorcycle Club. It is also worn due to its status in the motorcycle community. It is seen as an outlaw symbol, as society dictates people should not wear it, thus outlaws usually wear it as a sign of rebellion against societal standards as opposed to racial ideology.

Since 2007, the club has spread across Canada and throughout several other countries worldwide including the United States, Australia, Germany, Russia, Switzerland, Hungary, Belgium, New Zealand, Sweden, Serbia, Norway, France, South Africa, England, Spain, Georgia, Hong Kong, Kosovo, Kuwait, Armenia, Brazil, Indonesia, Thailand, Vietnam, Philippines and Turkey. As of 2022, the Rock Machine Motorcycle Club has established over 110 chapters on 5 continents since its inception. In the 2000s, the Rock Machine allied themselves with fellow international Canadian motorcycle club the Loners Motorcycle Club.

Early history

In approximately 1982, Salvatore Cazzetta was a member of the SS, a white supremacist motorcycle gang based in Pointe-aux-Trembles, on the eastern tip of the Island of Montreal the club was also known as the SS Merciless Riders. Fellow SS member Maurice Boucher became friends with Cazzetta and as leaders of the club, the pair became candidates to join the Hells Angels when that club expanded into Canada. Giovanni Cazzetta had joined the Outlaws Motorcycle Club at a young age and had been involved in the First Biker War, he had remained a member of the organization in Quebec until 1984, when he left to join his brother in the SS Motorcycle Club.

A Lennoxville, Quebec, chapter of the Hells Angels suspected in March 1985 that the Laval chapter was interfering with drug profits through personal use of products intended for sale. It is believed that the Laval chapter's invitation to a Lennoxville chapter party led to the ambush and death of five Laval members. Divers located the decomposing bodies of the victims at the bottom of the St. Lawrence River, wrapped in sleeping bags and tied to weightlifting plates, two months after the party. The event became known as the "Lennoxville massacre," and its extreme nature earned the Quebec chapter of the Hells Angels a notorious reputation. Cazzetta considered the event an unforgivable breach of the outlaw code and, rather than joining the Hells Angels, in 1986 formed his own club, the Rock Machine, with his brother Giovanni.

Future Rock Machine National President, Fred Faucher later said, "Sal once told me, 'Those guys (Hells Angels), they operate their club in such a way that I didn't want to join them'". The three founding members of the Rock Machine were Salvatore Cazzettta, his younger brother Giovanni and a couple close friends of theirs, Paul "Sasquatch" Porter and Johnny Plescio.On the surface, the Rock Machine ran operations like tattoo parlors and bars, as well as motorcycle repair shops, what the group truly profited off was the sale of narcotics and other prohibited goods. As the Rock Machine charged much less for their cocaine than did the Hells Angels, the gang quickly won much market share in the Montreal area. Initially Rock Machine members chose not to wear Hells Angels-style leather vests that could easily identify members, and instead wore rings displaying an eagle insignia (this would last until the 1995, with the adoption of three-piece vests). The official Rock Machine club motto is "A La Vie A La Mort", or "To the Life Until Death".

In April 1992, Giovanni Cazzetta was arrested by police and charged with trafficking narcotics, police found him to be in position of 3 kilograms of cocaine. He was forced to plead guilty to four charges the following spring and would be sentenced to four years in prison, Giovanni was be released in 1997 and briefly participated in the conflict that was to come. Marice Boucher, was released after finishing a forty-month sentence for armed sexual assault, joined the Hells Angels and was subsequently promoted within the club's ranks. The Hells Angels and Rock Machine co-existed peacefully for many years, a situation that, according to police officials, was due to Boucher's respect for his friend, Cazzetta and the latter's connections with the Quebec Mafia, the only organized crime group that the motorcycle gangs were unwilling to attack.

Quebec Biker war

Main article: Quebec Biker war

President of the Rock Machine Motorcycle Club, Salvatore Cazzetta was arrested at a pitbull farm located in Fort Erie, Ontario, in 1994 and charged with attempting to import more than eleven tons (22,000lbs) of cocaine valued at an estimated 275 million dollars US (adjusting for inflation the 2021 value is $513,238,697). Claude Vézina, who was President of the Quebec City chapter at the time, became the new National President of the Rock Machine

Recently promoted Hells Angels Montreal President Boucher began to increase pressure on the Rock Machine shortly after the arrest, which initiated the Quebec Biker war. The local Rock Machine Motorcycle Club formed an affiliation, the Alliance, with Montreal crime families such as the Pelletier Clan, Dark Circle and other independent dealers who wished to resist the Hells Angels' attempts to establish a monopoly on street-level drug trade in the city. A violent turf war ensued with the Hells Angels. The Rock Machine MC, its support clubs and the Pelletier Clan would provide manpower while the Dark Circle would provide the funding. The Dark Circle's leadership was ruled by a committee of five. The chairman was Michel Duclos

Boucher organized "puppet clubs" to persuade Rock Machine-controlled bars and their resident drug dealers to surrender their illegal drug business. This led to the creation of The Palmers MC, a Rock Machine MC support club created to counter Hell's Angels allies, the Rockers MC, Evil ones and Death Riders MC support clubs. Rock Machine resistance led to bloodshed.

The starting point of the conflict is disputed; however on July 13, 1994, three members of the Rock Machine entered a business in downtown Montreal. They assassinated Pierre Daoust, a member of a Hells Angel support club, the Death Riders Motorcycle Club. Once it was confirmed they had the right target he was shot 16 times in the head and torso.

There was very little coverage over this incident however many in Montreal's underground knew that the Rock Machine was defending its territory, months before the death of Daoust. The members of the Alliance (Rock Machine MC, Pelletier Clan, The Dark Circle) as well as other individual narcotics dealers and street gangs all met to discuss a united front against the Hells Angels after they gave the narcotics community of Quebec an ultimatum to have them as their mandatory supplier of all contraband goods and narcotics. This offer was refused and the Alliance was formed; due to the Hells Angels' "monopolistic attitude" they had decided to take the initiative and strike first.

A day after on July 14, 1994 The Rock Machine attempted to assassinate Normand Robitaille, a member of Hells Angels support club the Rockers MC and a future and prominent member of the Hells Angels. The attempt failed and Quebec police announced that they had arrested five members of the Rock Machine Motorcycle Club for planning to bomb the Evil Ones MC clubhouse which was also aligned with the Hells Angels.

With current knowledge of events due to information from Sylvain Boulanger, it is known that on July 15, 1994, the hierarchy of the Hells Angels in Quebec held emergency meetings in the city of Longueuil, Quebec. All four chapters in Quebec at the time were present (Montreal, Quebec City, Trois-Rivières and Sherbrooke). There was also a meeting at Hells Angels bunker during this period of time. All chapters had to cast a vote on whether or not they would participate in the conflict against the Rock Machine and their alliance. All four chapters agreed and the club began to prepare for the long conflict ahead. The Hells Angels was an international organization and received aid from all over the country and internationally, giving them more support then the Rock Machine.

On 19 October 1994, a local drug dealer Maurice Lavoie was gunned down in his car and his girlfriend was wounded. Lavoie had previously been buying his wares from the Pelletier Clan associated with the Rock Machine, but had recently switched to the Hells Angels, and as a result the Pelletier Clan hired a hitman named Patrick Call to kill Lavoie.

On 28 October 1994, Sylvain Pelletier, the leader of the Pelletier Clan, was killed by the Hells Angels, who threatened to murder any drug dealer who did not buy their supplies from them. After these killings, an increasingly murderous struggle for the control of the drug trade in Montreal began between the Hells Angels and the Rock Machine that would see 20 dead before the end of 1994.

After Pelletier was killed, the independent drug dealers of Montreal formed the "Alliance to fight the Angels" headed by his younger brother, Harold Pelletier, whose first act was an attempt to assassinate Boucher in November 1994. Another member of the Pelletier Clan, Martin Simard, purchased enough stolen dynamite to fill a truck, which was left near Boucher's favorite restaurant by Alliance member Martin Pellerin. The plan was to set off the explosives by remote control when Boucher arrived, killing him and everybody else in the restaurant, but a Montreal parking officer noticed the truck was parked illegally and had it towed, thus unknowingly foiling the plot.

On 24 June 1995, Boucher founded the Nomads, an elite chapter of the Angels, that unlike the other chapters, had no geographical limit and were to operate all over Canada. To join the Nomads, applicants were required to commit murders, which ensured that no undercover police agents could enter the Nomads chapter. Additionally, only the highest-quality Angels who had proven themselves could join the Nomads.

On August 13, 1995, a Jeep wired with a remote-controlled bomb exploded, killing Hells Angels associate Marc Dube and an 11-year-old boy, Daniel Desrochers, who was playing in a nearby schoolyard, An Interpol informant claimed that the plan was created and facilitated by Boucher to earn back public credit. The first Full-Patch Hells Angels member was shot to death entering his car at a shopping mall a month later. Nine bombs went off around the province during his funeral targeting several Hells Angels businesses and properties. This series of violence related to Operation Wolverine, a police crackdown on both groups in which 130 were arrested.

in October 1995, Harold Pelletier, one of the heads of the Pelletier Clan(Member of the Alliance), turned himself in to the Sûreté du Québec, confessing that on the night of 7 August 1983, he murdered a drug dealer named Michel Beaulieu who was behind in his payments to the Pelletier Clan, and asked that the police provide him with protection from the Angels in exchange for more information about his crimes.

Ultimately, Pelletier confessed to committing 17 murders between 1983 and 1995, yet he was convicted only of the murder of Beaulieu. Pelletier's murder of Beaulieu was classified as second degree murder, despite the fact Beaulieu had fallen asleep after Pelletier got him drunk before he was shot. Since the murder was premeditated, it should have been classified as a first degree murder.

Steinert was the biggest pimp in Montreal, owning the Sensations escort service, whose office in Montreal was destroyed in a case of arson in August 1996 by the Rock Machine.

In his plea bargain struck in June 1996, Pelletier was sentenced to life imprisonment with a promise that he receive full parole after 10 years served, in exchange for which he shared all he knew about the Montreal underworld. The Crown justified the plea bargain with Pelletier, given that he was guilty of 17 murders, on the grounds he was a "mine of information" about the underworld of Montreal. Pelletier's motives for striking a plea bargain was that the "Alliance against the Angels" was collapsing with Alliance members defecting over to the Angels, and he wanted Crown protection from the Angels. However, Pelletier violated the terms of his plea bargain, under which he promised not to commit any more crimes, when he was caught in 2002 attempting to bribe another prison inmate to kill a prisoner whom he disliked, allowing the Crown to revoke its agreement and Pelletier was not released in June 2006 as was promised 10 years earlier. Pelletier finally received full parole in December 2013 after he completed his high school equivalency degree, started attending Alcoholics Anonymous meetings, and demonstrated an ability to get along with penitentiary staff.

In November 1996, the Rock Machine planted a bomb in the old Hells Angels bunker in St. Nicholas and the residential neighborhood where it was located was shaken by the immense force of the blast. The bunker received significant damage.

On 28 March 1997, Rocker member Aimé Simard, stating he was acting under the orders of the Rocker president, a man known as Gregory "Pissaro" Wooley, murdered Rock Machine member Jean-Marc Caissy as he entered a Montreal arena to play hockey with his friends.

In early 1997, Giovanni Cazzetta was released from prison, he would return to the Rock Machine, Claude Vézina willing stepped down and Giovanni was given the position of National President in his brother's absence. He would lead the club through the conflict until May 1997 . In May Giovanni was subject to a police sting in which a man from Alberta attempted to purchase 15 kilos of cocaine, This individual turned out to be an informant for the crown. The mules Frank Bonneville and Donald Waite, that delivered the cocaine to the informant were arrested and the narcotics seized by police, Matticks, Bonneville, and Waite pled guilty on June 17, 1997 and were sentenced to three, four, and two years respectively. Giovanni now the leader of the Rock Machine attempted to fight the charges brought against him, however he would lose these appeals and was sentenced to 9 years prison time in April 1998.

In mid 1997, an imprisoned Hells Angel, Denis Houle, was the victim of an unsuccessful assassination attempt when a Rock Machine member opened fire on him from beyond the prison fence. The resulting investigation first alerted the public to the existence of the Dark Circle, and it was reported the Hells Angels would pay well for information identifying the members of the Dark Circle. Over the next two years, two members of the Dark Circle were murdered by the Hells Angels while a third escaped when the Hells Angels shot and killed the wrong Serge.

As the war turned into a battle of attrition the Hells Angels began to gain the upper hand as ever-increasing levels of support poured in from around Canada and internationally, but at the same time, the Great Nordic Biker War was taking place, and the Rock Machine was impressed with the way that the Scandinavian branches of the Bandidos held their own against the Scandinavian branches of the Hells Angels. In June 1997, the three leaders of the Rock Machine, Fred Faucher, Johnny Plescio, and Robert "Tout Tout" Léger, went to Stockholm to seek support from the Swedish branch of the Bandidos, but were expelled by the Swedish police, who declared that they did not want Canadian bikers in their country.

Faucher, had been the President of the Rock Machine Quebec City chapter prior to his promotion to National President, he had gained wide attention in underworld circles by blowing up the Hells Angels clubhouse in Quebec City in February 1997 and after the Rock Machine's leader Claude "Ti-Loup" Vézina was arrested for drug smuggling, he became the Rock Machine's new leader on 11 September 1997. Faucher decided the best hope for the Rock Machine was to have the club absorbed into the Bandidos, the second-largest outlaw biker club in the world.

On 23 August 1998, a team of Rock Machine killers consisting of Frédéric Faucher, Gerald Gallant, and Marcel Demers rode by on their motorcycles and gunned down Paolo Cotroni in his driveway. Cotroni was a member of the Calabrian 'Ndrangheta Cotroni crime family who were the rivals of the Sicilian Mafia Rizzuto crime family. Cotroni was killed partly to gain the favor of the Rizzutos and partly because he was a friend of Boucher.

On 8 September 1998, Johnny Plescio, a founding member of the Rock Machine, was at his Laval home watching television when his cable was severed. As he rose to see what was wrong with his television, 27 bullets went through Plescios's living room window, 16 of which struck him. At Plescio's funeral, a flower arrangement appeared bearing the word Bandidos, which was the first sign that the Bandidos Motorcycle Club of Texas was taking an interest in the Rock Machine.

Disaster struck the Dark Circle, when one of their number, Salvatore Brunnettii, a restaurateur, bar owner and drug dealer, defected to the Hells Angels and gave them a list of the remaining members of the Dark Circle which basically led to their collapse, leaving the Rock Machine and fragmented members of the "Alliance" to face the Hells Angels and their support clubs.

By 1999 the Rock Machine MC were seriously looking to align itself with longtime Hells Angels rivals the Bandidos Motorcycle Club as the other factions in the Alliance had been devastated, with The Rock Machine itself receiving substantial losses. During July 1999 the Rock Machine Motorcycle Club became a prospective club of the Bandidos.

On 17 April 2000, Normand Hamel, one of the Nomads, was killed when attempting to flee from Rock Machine assassins in a Laval parking lot while he and his wife were taking his son to the doctor. He was the most senior member of the Hells Angels killed during the conflict. On 12 May 2000, the Angels tried to kill the two Rock Machine members, Tony Duguay and Denis Boucher, suspected of killing Hamel, leading to a wild car crash, during which Duguay took bullet wounds to his arms, right hand, and thigh. About forty police officers from the Carcajou squad raided the Rock Machine chapter in Beauport but found nothing worthwhile, and in June 2000, the Rock Machine set-up in Ontario began recruiting former members of the Outlaws Motorcycle Club.

During this period both groups started to expand into Ontario with both opening several clubhouses. The Rock Machine would open three chapters in Ontario (Toronto, Kingston and Niagara Falls), the Loners had aligned themselves with the Rock Machine, holding a party in Toronto in June 2000 that was attended by dozens of "machinists", as the Rock Machine are known in outlaw biker circles.. Also in June 2000 before the Hells Angels. Not wanting to lose ground to the Rock Machine in the province, Hells Angels opened its first clubhouse and in 2000 and gave a limited time offer to outlaw motorcycle clubs in Ontario(especially Satan's Choice and the Para-dice Riders). There would be no probationary period for Hells Angels club membership and all members would receive full-patch. This resulted in 168 members of the ParaDice Riders, Satan's Choice, Lobos and Last Chance "patching" to the Angels. Overnight the Hells Angels went from one chapter in Ontario to 14, giving them a massive advantage in the province.

In December 2000, the Rock Machine officially became a probationary club of the Bandidos, seeing the division this caused the Hells Angels would approach the Alliance with the offer of a ceasefire brokered by the Rizzuto crime family, which was accepted. The truce had an ulterior motive for the Hells Angels as they hoped to halt the expansion of the Bandidos in Canada, especially Ontario. The Hells Angels would also convince members of the Rock Machine who did not agree with the "patch-over" to join them. The truce would last for only a brief period before hostilities continued. This plan more mostly successful and from late December 2000 until early 2001, significant number of the Rock Machine's Ontario members joined the Hells Angels. The Hells Angels national president, Walter Stadnick, offered the Hells Angels membership to the Rock Machine's Kingston, Niagara Falls and Toronto chapters while excluding the London chapter, saying that the members of the London chapter were unqualified to be Hells Angels. Most of the members of the Kingston chapter and all of Toronto chapter took up Stadnick's offer as it was felt that the Bandidos patch with its cartoonish drawing of a Mexican bandit was "silly". Furthermore, Stadnick offered Hells Angels membership on a "patch-for-patch" basis, allowing members to trade their current patches for equivalent Hells Angels while the Bandidos required new members take a reduction in rank. Paul "Sasquatch" Porter, a founding member of the Rock Machine and the President of their Kingston chapter, wrote on the wall of the clubhouse: "Hello to all the RMMC, I wish you the best with your new colors! Bye my brothers!" Porter became the president of the Hells Angels new Ottawa chapter. The fact that the Hells Angels had conspired to kill Porter when he was a member of the Rock Machine did not stop him from defecting. A similar situation would occur with the Toronto chapter of the Rock Machine, an Outlaws Toronto chapter "Patched-Over" to the Rock Machine in June 2000, the to Bandidos by January 2001, but due to dissatisfaction among chapter membership with abandoning the Rock Machine resulted in a vote to join the Hells Angels in February 2001. The Niagara Falls chapter chose to remain with Bandidos.

Regardless of the prior issues, on January 6, 2001, the Rock Machine Motorcycle Club became official members of the Bandidos Canada in a "patch-over" ceremony at the Rock Machine's Kingston chapter club house. The Bandidos Canada inherited seven new chapters(Montreal, Quebec City, Trois-Rivières, Beauport, Toronto, Kingston and Niagara Falls). On March 28 of the same year, a massive investigation by Canadian authorities dubbed Operation Springtime was launched against the Hells Angels. The raids resulted in the arrests of 138 members of the Hells Angels including Maurice Boucher himself and associates connected with the motorcycle club. This brought about a power vacuum in the country's narcotics market.

The Bandidos Canada were looking to take advantage of this opportunity to regain territory lost and take new territory from the Hells Angels. However a concurrent investigation, Operation Amigo, was underway targeting the Bandidos Canada operations. This operation had initially gone under a different title and was created to target the Rock Machine as a result of the conflict in Quebec. When The Rock Machine patched over to the Bandidos they became the main focus. On June 5, 2002, raids led to the arrests of 62 members of the Bandidos Canada (Rock Machine) including all of its Quebec manpower and many other associates. This put an end to the conflict as it was the first time since the start of the war that both sides had large numbers of men and their respective leaders in custody and facing charges. All in all it is the deadliest recorded biker conflict in history with over 162 dead, over 300 wounded, 100 plus arrested and 20 people missing. It also cost the government of Canada and Quebec millions of dollars in damages with 84 bombings, and 130 cases of arson.

Break from Bandidos and revival

In 2006, an event known as the Shedden massacre occurred; the incident saw the murders of eight prominent Bandidos at a farm house in Iona Station, Ontario(it is referred to as the Shedden massacre due to the fact that the bodies were dumped near the Hamlet of Shedden). The Bandidos Canada closed its doors officially in October 2007. A failed attempt to get the club back on its feet by the then released Frank Lenti, lack of support from US and European Bandidos, and the Canadian members' (Rock Machine) suspicions about their US counterparts' involvement in the Shedden murders led to the closure. During this period it was confirmed by the President of the newly formed Rock Machine, that there were still 27 other members of the Bandidos that we're still active in Canada at the time, none of which were involved in the massacre.

The Rock Machine was officially reopened in Ontario around late 2007, by several disgruntled members of the now-defunct Bandidos Canada(former members of the Rock Machine), former members of the "No Surrender Crew" based in Ontario, former members of Bandidos and Mongols MC in Western Canada(which accounted for the groups initial membership there in late 2008). Operation Amigo in 2002 had led to the arrest of many Ontario and Quebec Bandidos. In 2003, they were forced to make a deal due to pressure from the Hells Angels, that they would retire from crime and discontinue any association with the Bandidos MC. Private investigator Alex Caine, stated that it was these individuals that initially brought about the rebirth of the club.

"Eventually, these bikers came up with the idea of rebranding themselves as Rock Machine members, a move that they felt they would not negate the deal that they had made, but which left the Hells Angels feeling hoodwinked."

He also estimated that at the time during mid 2008. The Rock Machine probably had somewhere around 100 Full-Patch members across Canada and more than half were members of the original Rock Machine Motorcycle Club.

The new Rock Machine was initially led by Sean Brown, who reorganized it as the Rock Machine Canada Nomads. The move was also intended as an insult toward the Bandidos US national chapter and Bandidos National President Jeffrey Pike in particular, but gained unexpected momentum. In August 2008, President of the newly founded RMMC Sean "Crazy Dog" Brown, gave an interview with the Ottawa Citizen, he stated the reformed club contains former members of the Bandidos(who were not associated with the RMMC beforehand) and original Rock Machine members. Members who were being released from prison or joined in prison were instrumental in the revival of the club, despite the clubs new rule set revolving around the inclusion of criminals in the organization. The Rock Machine were not willing to exclude former Bandidos or original RMMC members of the club that had been imprisoned. Even though they possessed criminal records, they claimed those joining would no longer be involved in crime(essentially claiming second chance clause). He went on to state that the group "maintains a brotherhood and close association with the Western based Red Power" and the Rock Machine had different mentality and it was not the criminal organization it had been before.

The Rock Machine's expansion west occurred in late 2008, since the clubs reformation in Ontario under Sean Brown, he had given permission for chapters to be formed internationally in Australia and the United States sometime in early 2008. Two members of the Rock Machine Perth chapter out of Australia, were arrested at the Winnipeg Airport in September of 2008, they were in Manitoba on on request of the International Nomads chapter to help set up a chapter in Winnipeg, they were held and extradited back to Australia. The Rock Machine would be established in the province later that year regardless of the setbacks, with the chapter being established by former members of the Winnipeg Bandidos chapter, which would be joined by former members of the Mongols.

The vast majority of the new Rock Machine chapter in Winnipeg, were former members of the Bandidos, along with former members of the Mongols. The journalist Jerry Langton noted that the connection with the original Rock Machine was initially somewhat tenuous. he claimed in his novel that the website(Winnipeg website as Ontario did not have one at that point) for the Rock Machine had a section set aside for fallen members, which did not list a single member of the Rock Machine killed in the Quebec Biker War, but instead listed the "Shedden 8" victims of the Shedden massacre. Langton wrote "these guys aren't the Rock Machine. In fact they have little to do with them". based information released over the years by members of the club itself. A clearer picture shows that the original Rock Machine was heavily involved in the rebirth of the club. The Manitoba Rock Machine would become much more aligned with national leadership during the presidency of Jay "Critical J" Strachan who would become President of the Winnipeg chapter after Ron Burling, he was eventually elected International President of the Rock Machine after Sean Brown was voted out, this was due to his lack of wanting to expanding back into Quebec after their initial setup in Montreal, also the club did not like the soft approach that he was taking towards the Hells Angels, a policy of appeasement. Strachan had a deep respect for both the sacrifice made by the original members of the Rock Machine and the members of the slain No Surrender Crew(Rock Machine dubbed their remembrance patch "No Mercy Crew"). He instituted commemorative patches for both events, which members of the Nomads chapter wore on their jackets. These patches, especially the patch commemorating the Quebec Biker War are still worn by members worldwide in the current day.

The Rock Machine are estimated by authorities to have 300–400 members in the country as of 2022. The club spread across Canada and throughout several other countries worldwide including the United States, Australia, Germany, Russia, Switzerland, Hungary, Belgium, New Zealand, Sweden, Norway, France, South Africa, England, Spain, Georgia, Hong Kong, Kosovo, Kuwait, Armenia, Brazil, Indonesia, Thailand, Vietnam, Philippines and Turkey. As of 2022, the Rock Machine Motorcycle Club has established over 110 chapters, in 26 countries, on 5 continents since it's inception.

The Rock Machine Motorcycle Club has also been responsible for the creation of several support clubs, such as The Palmers MC (1994–2002/now defunct). Founded in Montreal, it was a participant in the Quebec Biker War, the SS Elite Motorcycle Club(2009–Present) a RM created support Club with rules and mentality modelled on the Waffen SS. It has had chapters in Ontario, Quebec, Manitoba and the United States, the Hell Hounds MC(2010–2013), New Bloods MC(2014–Present), Fearless Bandits MC (2015–Present) and Vendettas Motorcycle Club(2009–Present) founded in Manitoba by the RMMC. Over the years it has become an international support club of the Rock Machine with chapters in Canada, Australia and Russia. As support clubs they are tasked with providing security and manpower, support, enforcement and logistics to any Rock Machine MC chapter. The support club reports to the mother chapter in Quebec but is also required to support local chapters across the country/world. For those that complete this task for the duration of the probationary period, they will receive request to become members of the Rock Machine Motorcycle Club. Most of these clubs shared the same colors, due to this the community is called the "Black and Platinum Family"

The current iteration of the Rock Machine MC maintains an enmity towards the Texas-based Bandidos, despite claims in Alex Caine's book The Fat Mexican that Rock Machine members in 2008 made a secret deal with high-ranking members of the Bandidos national chapter to re-open in Canada, as of 2022 the Bandidos have still not returned to Canadian soil. The Rock Machine is a group of motorcycle enthusiasts and claim that it now dismisses members who are involved in any known crimes or criminal activity. Any members that do commit crimes, do so without the club's permission.

Langton dismissed these claims, arguing that the Rock Machine had recruited Ron Burling to head their chapter in Winnipeg, when he was already in prison serving a 17-year sentence for assault and kidnapping as he maintained that only a criminal organization would recruit a violent criminal such as Burling serving his sentence as a member.

Typical of the members of the Rock Machine was the President of it's Winnipeg chapter, Ron Burling, described by the journalist Jerry Langton as a man with a shaven head, bushy goatee beard, his entire body covered in tattoos except for his face and described him as a "physically huge man". Burling's Facebook profile described him as "a member of the Rock Machine Nomads" and his occupation as "Edmonton Maximum Security Penitentiary General Population". Burling had been convicted of a brazen kidnapping and assault. On 8 February 2005 as a member of the Bandidos Winnipeg chapter, Burling had smashed through the window of a car to remove a drug dealer named Adam Amundsen from his vehicle. Burling then beat Amundsen for several hours with a baseball bat and his fists to encourage him to pay back a $6,000 dollar drug debt owned to the Bandidos. In addition, Burling used a knife to slice off a tattoo off Amundsen's body and then finally used a sledgehammer to smash every bone in Amundsen's index finger and then cut off the tip of his finger. Burling was convicted of assault and kidnapping, and threatened both the judge and the crown attorneys with violence when his appeal was quashed. Burling tried to lift the bench to throw at somebody, but was tasered by the court marshals. The Rock Machine were not willing to exclude former Bandidos or original RMMC members that had been imprisoned, Even though they possessed criminal records, claiming those joining would no longer be involved in crime, essentially claiming "second chance" clause similar to what a convict goes through during their process of attaining a job after their release. The club maintains this policy into the modern day.

Allies

• Outlaws Motorcycle Club - The Outlaws motorcycle club had initially given minor support to the Rock Machine during the Quebec Biker War, The Outlaws were also fighting a conflict with the Hell's Angels during this period. An official alliance would be formed between the resurrected Rock Machine and the Outlaws in Manitoba during 2011.
• Gremium Motorcycle Club - During the clubs expansion into Europe, it made an alliance with Gremium MC, one of the largest motorcycle clubs in Germany.
• Loners Motorcycle Club - A fellow Canadian-based international motorcycle club, an alliance between the two was established in the 2010s.
• Vendettas Motorcycle Club - A RMMC created support club that was founded in Winnipeg, Manitoba. Serves as a international support club for the Rock Machine with chapters in Canada, Australia and Russia.
• Manitoba Warriors - A Native-Canadian gang based in the Canada's prairies, an alliance was formed between the two groups during Rock Machine's expansion into Western Canada in 2008.
• Bandidos(formerly, 1999–2006) - The Rock Machine became a chapter of the Bandidos in mid 1999. After 18 months, they became an official probationary club, all members of the Rock Machine would be patched into the Bandidos on January 6, 2001. They would remain as a single entity until the events of the Shedden Massacre and the subsequent closure of the Bandidos MC Canada. The Rock Machine was reestablished by former Bandidos, Rock Machine(the Bandidos who had survived the 2002 crackdown) and disgruntled members of the Mongols Motorcycle Club.

Rivals

• Hells Angels(1986–2002) - The Hells Angels actions during the Lennoxville massacre, directly led to the creation of the Rock Machine Motorcycle Club itself. Despite this, the two clubs existed in relative harmony until the 1994 arrest of Rock Machine President, Salvatore Cazzetta. From 1994 to 2002, the Rock Machine and the Hells Angels would engage in the deadliest motorcycle conflict in history. This cemented their rivalry, there has been several sporadic incidents since then.
• Rebels Motorcycle Club - The rivalry between the Rock Machine and the Rebels Motorcycle Club started when the Canadian club expanded into Australia, this saw the beginning of the Rock Machine-Rebels conflict.
• Red Devils Motorcycle Club - the Red Devils are the official support club of the Hells Angels, they have had several incidents with the Rock Machine.
• Bandidos Motorcycle Club(2011-present) - Tensions between the Bandidos and Rock Machine started in the mid-2000s, with the Shedden Massacre and the dissolution of the Bandidos Canada driving a wedge between the reemerging Rock Machine and their former ally. The rivalry would escalate into conflict in 2011, when the two clubs clashed for control of the German city of Ulm. There has since been several conflicts fought between the two groups in multiple countries.
• WolfSSChanze Faction - a splinter faction of the Rock Machine led by Suat Erköse. The faction would change their emblem in 2022.

Meeting with the Pagans

For decades the Pagans Motorcycle Club had looked north to Canada for possibility of expansion. It also found the idea of supporting Hells Angels rivals beneficial. The Rock Machine Motorcycle Club, a Canadian based international motorcycle club with chapters all over the world, has fought several conflicts with the Hells Angels including the Quebec Biker War, the deadliest motorcycle conflict in history. The Pagans deeply respected these feats and sought to establish a relationship with the Rock Machine. In 2011, dozens of the Pagans traveled to the Canadian province of New Brunswick to meet with the several chapters of the Rock Machine and other locals. At the time New Brunswick was a Canadian province that had little outlaw motorcycle influence. The meeting was to consolidate a friendship and probe the province for expansion. However in 2018, Pagans member, Andrew "Chef" Glick revealed that the group had abandoned its plans at expansion North, they cited Canada's anti-biker laws but also a large part of the reason was that Canadian Hells Angels are considered particularly violent members of the outlaw biker – or “one percenter” – community, Glick said in a interview.

“In Canada and Australia, that’s where the heaviest (toughest) one per centers are,” Glick said. “Being a one per center in Canada, I would say is a little more dangerous than being a one per center in the U.S." New Jersey bikers are tough, but “not near as violent as what I’ve seen and read (about) in Montreal and Toronto.”

Membership

Today the Rock Machine Motorcycle Club's Mother chapter resides in Sherbrooke, Quebec Canada. All official chapters follow the rules and regulations set out by the mother chapter. With recent updates and reformats to the club's official Constitution in 2020, the rules are much more stringent, more relatable to other high-profile biker groups such as the Hells Angels.

Earning membership and rules

Like most other Outlaw motorcycle clubs members must own and operate a North American or British-made motorcycle with an engine of at least 1000cc, have valid insurance and “sufficient riding skills not to be a danger to themselves or others”. Members must also travel a minimum of 5,000 kilometers per year. All Chapters must follow and support Canada as the Motherland and fulfill all requests sent from Canada. “To earn their full patch membership, (a potential member) must also travel to the Mother Chapter of Quebec.”

In order to become a Rock Machine prospect in Canada rules are particularly strict, candidates must have a valid license, a motorcycle and have the right set of personal qualities. They are not allowed to use social media to post any pictures or make any comments relating to the club, they cannot contact members of any other clubs this must be left to a Full-patch member. Prospects must also leave their "old lady" at home.

After a period of trial a prospective member is first deemed to be a "hang-around", indicating that the individual is invited to some club events or to meet club members at known gathering places. If the hang-around is interested, he may be asked to become an "associate", a status that usually lasts a year. At the end of that stage, he is reclassified as "prospect", participating in some club activities, but not having voting privileges while he is evaluated for suitability as a full member. Ending in highest membership status, is "Full Membership" or "Full-Patch". Fees are typically around $100 a month, except for prisoners, whose fees are not charged.

Issues

Some of the current issues that the club faces, is an inconsistency in official International and National leadership, an individual out of Germany by the name of Suat Erköse, a former police officer and former member of the Bandidos Motorcycle Club(who had attempted to assassinate him in 2011), claimed to be the Rock Machine Motorcycle Club World President without any permission or vote from the Mother chapter. He was apparently given permission by Jean F. Emard, a man who claimed that he left the motorcycle club in 2015, and never received a status beyond Prospect officially. Emard has been mentioned several times by news agencies to be the leader of the Rock Machine, but he is not recognized by its official leadership as a legitimate member(in recent years Canadian authorities have admitted they believe that he isn't even a legitimate leader of the group, "regardless of what the press might use for the headlines", and possibly "could have even been a distraction"). Suat, the self-proclaimed World president, has also been accused by the Rock Machine World community of selling club merchandise online and profiting from it. Michael Green a spokesperson for TBM Nation said

"Rock Machine MC will ALWAYS and FOREVER be on Canadian soil and Mother Country and Mother Chapter will always and forever be in CANADA.

Rock Machine MC was built by Canadians and the real and true World President today is Cory ‘Tewltime’ Coates.

Suat Erköse is NOT the World President for the Rock Machine MC – he got his "leadership" through Jean Emard, who also is one big fake RMMC, that's the true facts.

I have made this post in respect of all our real and true Canadian Rock Machine MC Brothers to show them the RESPECT they all deserve, and to all the fallen Canadian Rock Machine MC Brother's who gave their lives to keep the eagle flying.

NO ONE outside Canada can and will not ever be World President of the Rock Machine MC – Only a Canadian can and will be the TRUE and, REAL World President of the Rock Machine MC."

in 2020 the Mother Chapter released an official statement denouncing the fraudulent world president and any chapters that follow his lead, but also said that they would be more than willing to unify and consolidate with all chapters of the Rock Machine MC as long as they are willing to follow the Mother chapters rules and regulations. Just recently having had an election, a representative stated "We are now under one governing body, with an elected National President. We will not fail."

Rock Machine Motorcycle Club Mother chapter statement:

"Although we do not follow, or recognize, Suat as our world leader, we will be open to communication with all Rock Machine Chapters around the world. Public bashing, via social media or any other form of public communication, of any Rock Machine Member will cease in Canada.

Membership in Canada will only be granted by Canadian Members to those who have followed proper protocol to receive their membership. As Canada is the Mother Country, we will also grant membership to other countries who have committed to follow the Rock Machine Canada Constitution. We were founded in Canada. Quebec was and will always be the Mother Chapter.

We are brothers from many different backgrounds, united under the Eagle by our beliefs. We govern as brothers under a true democracy. We are a true brotherhood. Rock Machine Canada is united. We will stand tall; we will stand proud. We will stand until the end of time. Much respect to all brothers for their hard work, dedication to our club, and courage to rebuild the greatest club on earth."

Past members

Well-known former members of the Rock Machine included Peter Paradis, who later testified for the Crown at the trials of other members, Richard "Bam-Bam" Lagacé (deceased), Johnny Plescio (deceased), Tony Plescio (deceased), Renaud Jomphe (deceased), Frederic Faucher, Alain Brunette.

The Rock Machine was absorbed into the Bandidos motorcycle club on January 6, 2001, in a patch-over ceremony located at the Rock Machine's Kingston chapter clubhouse. It was overseen by high-ranking Bandidos member Edward Winterhalder. They remained Bandidos for seven years. Many Rock Machine members at the time joined their former arch-enemy, the Hells Angels, due to the Bandidos' refusal to grant full status to junior-patched members of the Rock Machine.

Notable members who defected to the Angels included Paul Porter and Nelson Fernandes, and Bruce Doran, who founded the Kingston chapter. Fernandes died of cancer within months of becoming a Hells Angel.

Jean Paul Beaumont, a Sargent at Arms for the Rock Machine Winnipeg chapter was tragically killed in 2012.

Criminal allegations and incidents

Main article: Rock Machine MC criminal allegations and incidents

Since it's rebirth, the Rock Machine maintains that it is a group of motorcycle enthusiasts and claim that it now dismisses members who are involved in any known crimes or criminal activity. Any members that do commit crimes, do so without the club's permission. many law enforcement agencies and journalists criticize these claims. For an in-depth list on allegations and incidents please see Rock Machine MC criminal allegations and incidents.

Rock Machine Germany civil conflict

Violence would erupt between these two factions in April 2015 a brawl occurred between the two groups and multiple people were injured. In May 2015, a brothel belonging to the Blue Rock Machine was shot at, in June of the same year a bomb was exploded outside of their marijuana paraphernalia shop, they retaliated by burning down a car dealership belonging to the opposition a few days later, a business associated with the United Tribuns was also bombed.

Norway

In October 2017, raids conducted by Norwegian Police resulted in the arrest of several Full-Patch members of The Rock Machine MC Norway on charges of distribution of narcotics and firearms, illegal possession of firearms and murder, for killing a prospective member of the Bandidos Motorcycle Club Norway. They seized over 30 kilos of hash.

On August 5, 2018. The President of the No Surrender MC chapter in Jessheim, Norway was assaulted by several members of the Rock Machine at a local business. Later that day it was announced by Norwegian media that a massive brawl had occurred between members of the Rock Machine and the No Surrender Motorcycle Club, some members of the Rock Machine had Patched-over to the No Surrender after the Police raid in 2017, causing tensions. The brawl resulted in several injuries on both sides

Sweden

The Rock Machine Motorcycle Club arrived in Sweden in the early 2010s with its Nomads, the club quickly grew in influence with 4 chapters and began stepping on the toes of other clubs in the area. A feud began between the Rock Machine and the Bandidos Sweden after it was rumored that some of their members had patched over to the Rock Machine. These events resulted in the Bandidos attempting to assassinate the Rock Machine Sweden President, he would survive the attempt and two members of the Bandidos would be arrested and charged for attempted murder. In Kristianstad in the spring of 2012, an associate of the Rock Machine was shot while walking home from a store, He was severely injured but survived.

In 2014 Swedish Police gained a warrant to evict The Rock Machine Klippan chapter from their clubhouse. This was due to five individual members of the club being charged with narcotics crimes over prior years. The eviction occurred peacefully and the chapter relocated to a new clubhouse in the area.

United States

In 2017, it was announced that Rock Machine patches were being fraudulently sold in the United States by self-proclaimed Rock Machine World President Suat Erköse. In exchange for the $300, the individuals would receive a patch and inclusion into the Rock Machine Motorcycle Club, this came along with accusations in the motorcycle community of the Rock Machine becoming an "internet club". But once paid, the patches were never sent to recipients. Suat denies these accusations.

The legitimate Rock Machine Motorcycle Club established itself in the United States during 2010, with permission and guidance from then Canadian Rock Machine leader Critical J. The US RMMC Nomads were formed and began recruiting veteran ex-members of Vagos MC, Mongols, Hells Angels and the Ching-a-Ling Motorcycle Clubs. They also had chapters from Avengers MC, Kingsmen MC, Sadistic Souls MC and Wrecking Crew becoming probationary chapters for the beginning of the Rock Machine United States, which as of 2021 has 8 chapters.

When asked about the situation a former longtime member of the Rock Machine USA said:

"It wasn’t like that for us, We were doing background checks on potential members. At first, we were bringing in guys that wanted to leave their 1% nation to join us. We had ex Vagos, Mongols, Hells Angels, Chingalings, To name a few. We would let in members of 1% Support as Probationary. We had guys from the Avengers, Kingsmen, Sadistic Souls, Wrecking Crew, all over from Florida up to Connecticut. We didn’t want fresh guys to start or weekenders. We needed guys who would fight because we realized we would have to. Everyone can say they will make a stand but to actually do so is something else. We soon after began prospecting people who wanted to come around in the states where chapters were started. It did cost $400, as with any club you join it costs money, and this was to pay for a background check and your patch set".

The fraudulent scam did lead to friction between Suat's faction and the genuine Rock Machine MC USA, after he attempted to form a chapter in Las Vegas, Nevada.

"Yes. He attempted to open a Las Vegas chapter with Two guys in Nevada. We promptly handled that situation. Suat finally agreed to knock it off as long as we didn’t publicly talk shit about him. He was hoping we would embrace his bullshit world (Facebook) chapter."

A later interview with a current member, former President of the club in the USA and current Rock Machine USA spokesperson, cleared up the situation, and when asked about the selling of patches online he stated:

"Suat was a thorn in our side for months here in the USA, when we first attempted to start the club here we were pulled in many directions. The different factions all pointed us in a different direction. We spoke with the club in Canada and we did speak with Suat, we also spoke with the members out of Australia who were sponsored by Canada. The Mother Chapter out of Canada agreed to allow us to open through Australia. We started with 5 guys as a probationary chapter, before eventually we spread throughout the East coast. This obviously created animosity with Suat.

We had a few situations where we turned guys away(from the Rock Machine) and they contacted Suat in an attempt to open chapters through him. Two of the three original members were very active with social media and immediately fed into the Suat bashing online. Since those members removal from the club we have reached out to Suat and did broker a deal that we would not feed into this internet bullshit, nor would we publicly bash him as long as he agreed not to recruit in the United States. Whatever anyone says bad about the man, he has kept his word with us and we do keep an open line of communication with him to this day for diplomatic reasons.

Any issues he has or we have are easily handled with a phone call. We are aware of the horror stories with people from the United States sending money to Suat for patches and never receiving them. I personally have never seen actual proof of this and probably wouldn’t entertain anyone’s complaints. If you are stupid enough to think you can join a 1% club through the mail you deserve to lose your money! We have 8 active charters in the United States and anyone is welcome to knock on our door and state their intentions. No one in this country will fly a Rock Machine patch without coming in the correct way."

The journalist then asked about the proper process in which someone becomes a member of the legitimate Rock Machine USA and if it was similar to the process north of the border in Canada, the RMMC United States spokesperson responded with:

"Despite what is said about the club through the internet we run a tight ship. Everyone from the Nomads to the hangarounds throughout the country knows each other on a first name basis, we know each other’s families through meetings, extensive background checks are done, everyone comes in as a hang around, prospect or probationary and no one person makes the decision as to who joins. It starts with a hang around period and application that’s sent to the nationals, upon approval the membership fee is then sent to nationals and only after that can someone prospect or come in probationary. Probationary is only used when starting new chapters or for members who have come from established crews and clubs."

Issues with the Iron Order

In late 2017. The "Iron Order Truth Crew” part of the Iron Order Motorcycle Club obtained the Rock Machine USA club website information from a beleaguered former member and changed things in attempt to hurt the reputation of the Rock Machine.

The Rock Machine leadership in the United States released a statement, declaring that the "Iron Order Truth Crew page" was influenced by law enforcement. This has been a common criticism about the Iron Order in the motorcycle community. Initially it was believed that the website had been hacked and then sold to the Iron Order, this turned out to be incorrect however, when it was found that one of their own former members that was out in bad standing had given them the information, there was also rumors of information being leaked to law enforcement by the Truth Crew. A spokesperson for the Rock Machine USA stated:

“It was a combination of him(former member) and a wife of another member from New York. She recently fabricated paperwork on another one of our guys. It’s been ridiculous. The problem with the Iron Order Truth Crew site is we know for a fact that they are in bed with law enforcement. One of the pictures they use against us was taken by the task force while everyone was standing in front of the clubhouse. There is no way anyone should have a copy of that picture”.

See also

• List of outlaw motorcycle clubs
• List of gangs in Canada

Further reading

• Langton, Jerry (2010). Showdown: How the Outlaws, Hells Angels and Cops Fought for Control of the Streets. Toronto: John Wiley & Sons. ISBN 978-0470678787.
• Winterhalder, Edward; De Clercq, Wil (2008), The Assimilation: Rock Machine Become Bandidos - Bikers United Against the Hells Angels, ECW Press, ISBN 978-1-55022-824-3
• Winterhalder, Edward (2006), Out in Bad Standings: Inside the Bandidos Motorcycle Club - the Making of a Worldwide Dynasty, Blockhead City Press, ISBN 0-9771747-0-0

External links

• CBC News In Depth: Biker Gangs in CanadaDead Link
• CBC News In Depth: Canada's Anti-gang LawDead Link
• The Fifth Estate: The Road to Hell: The Rise of the Hells Angels in QuebecDead Link
• York University's Nathanson Center for the Study of Organized Crime and CorruptionDead Link