Media and Music: The “Almost Famous” Soundtrack is a Love Letter to Rock and Roll
William Miller may be “too sweet” for rock and roll, but the ”Almost Famous” soundtrack definitely isn’t.
In Media and Music, our writers take a deep dive into how movies use scores and songs to engage viewers, give new meaning and tone to some of our favorite scenes, and establish themes. It almost goes without saying, but there are spoilers abound.
Written by Miranda Garza
Photos courtesy of DreamWorks Pictures
It’s all happening… the 2001 film “Almost Famous” follows 15-year-old William Miller’s experience writing a Rolling Stone Magazine article about rock band Stillwater as it climbs to success. Director Cameron Crowe’s semi-autobiographical account of his experience writing about the Allman Brothers Band is set in 1973, with a soundtrack that includes a number of gems from the ‘60s and ‘70s that perfectly emulate the classic rock surge at the time.
William Miller’s first experience with rock music is at the hands of his older sister, Anita. After announcing her departure from her strict, rock music-prohibiting household, she played Simon & Garfunkel’s “America” for her family, contesting that it perfectly exemplified why she was leaving home to become a stewardess. Through narrative and rhymeless lyrics, Simon & Garfunkel tirelessly search for the American Dream along their cross-country road trip, which is mirrored in Anita’s thirst for freedom from her strict mother. William soon finds the secret record collection that his sister left behind for him, which consisted of classic albums like The Who’s experimental rock opera Tommy and Joni Mitchell’s romantic folk-rock Blue. Both albums are highly influential in music history, and their contrasting sounds illustrate just how multifaceted rock can be. As a result, these albums left a lasting impression on William and influenced his love and appreciation for rock music.
The film cuts forward to William in his final year of high school, where he garners the attention of hot-headed Lester Bangs, his idol and editor of Creem magazine, who takes William under his wing. After a failed attempt to interview Black Sabbath, William runs into on-the-rise band Stillwater, who takes the 15-year-old backstage to interview them and watch their performance. William befriends the elusive, self-titled “band-aid” Penny Lane, who explains she’s there for the music rather than the sex: “Groupies sleep with rockstars because they want to be near someone famous. We are here because of the music, we inspire the music.” William introduces Stillwater’s charismatic and elusive fan to the band’s mystical guitarist Russell Hammond, oblivious to the fact that they’d previously met. The two play along with the introduction and shake hands while Joni Mitchel’s “River” plays throughout the scene, a peaceful interlude from rest of the film’s heavier soundtrack. The poignant track, paired with their prolonged handshake, make it evident that the two had a romantic past, which is revived later in the film.
Stillwater’s soaring potential is evident in the crowd’s roaring excitement as the band members walk onstage and perform their incendiary track, “Fever Dog.” The movie’s original song keeps a steady psychedelic rhythm until guitarist Russell Hammond steals the spotlight with the first of many intricate solos. Complex guitar patterns are a consistency in Stillwater’s sound, given that they reflect Hammond’s advanced skills. He later references this technique in a conversation with Miller, when he admits that it’s unmatched by the rest of the band and the main reason he’s given heavy thought to parting ways with them.
Soon after his first encounter with Stillwater, the editor of Rolling Stone Magazine hires William to join the band on the road and write a piece about their rise to fame. Supportive of her son’s goals, Elaine reluctantly allows William to pursue the story on the condition that he call her everyday and avoid drugs. The next scene shows the band’s tour bus driving away to the twangy, upbeat strings of “No Way Out” by The Allman Brothers Band, the rock group Stillwater is based on. The cheerful track mirrors the high spirit for the upcoming tour as the band gains notoriety. However, the band members’ optimism is cut short by incessant bickering between Hammond and lead singer Jeff Bebe.
In an act of rebellion, Hammon ditches the band and attends a local house party, where William becomes the older guitarist’s reluctant chaperone. After a night of low inhibitions and LSD-spiked fruit punch, Stillwater’s tour bus retrieves the duo the following morning, when tensions rise higher than ever. However, a deafening silence among band members breaks when they can’t help but sing along as Elton John’s “Tiny Dancer” plays throughout the bus. The sweet, cinematic piano ballad’s light notes are enough to reconcile the band for the remainder of the bus ride.
A turning point in the film comes when the band travels to New York and Hammond reunites with his neglected girlfriend, marking an unwanted end to his dreamy romance with Penny Lane. Nevertheless, Penny shows up to the band’s dinner in the hopes of winning Hammond back but runs out after the band’s manager asks her to leave. Elton John’s “Mona Lisas and Mad Hatters” slowly builds throughout the scene and continues as William chases after Lane, frantically searching for her in a sea of yellow taxi cabs. Emotional piano keys and John’s emotional vocals play as the 15-year-old runs through the busy city streets, with the lyrics “I thought I knew / But now I know that rose trees never grow / In New York City,” echoing through the scene. Crowe’s repetitive use of Elton John’s ballads demonstrates that rock is multifaceted, and that John’s lively piano keys and lighthearted lyrics represent the genre just as much as Stillwater’s electric shreds do.
The film’s chaotic streak continues with the band members’ near-death experience as their plane flies through an electrical storm. After they pull through, William finally finishes his article and mercilessly includes all of the gritty details and experiences that he witnessed, which Hammond later denies actually happened to prevent his band from coming off as the unfocused, bickering group that they actually were. However, an attempted reconciliation with Lane leads Hammond to the Miller house, where he apologizes to William and tells him that he later told Rolling Stone the truth. The piano chords to “Tiny Dancer” twirl in the background of the scene and add a sense of nostalgia to a more unified, optimistic Stillwater. After a number of futile attempts at interviewing the guitarist during Stillwater’s tour, William finally gets his interview, and the steel strings of Led Zeppelin's “Tangerine” play as Hammond responds. The track hints at folk with Led Zeppelin’s use of steel-pedal guitars and its twangy instrumentals continue through the film’s final scenes, where all is resolved with each character.
Although the film performed poorly at the box office, “Almost Famous” was widely recognized as a critical success. As a music journalist himself, Crowe’s first-hand exposure to the sounds that defined the turn-of-the-decade rock music enhance the movie and his close attention to detail, giving purpose to each lyric and note in every song. The film’s careful use of timeless hits made its soundtrack memorable and has introduced a new generation of music lovers to the imminent joys of classic rock.