By Samantha Lozano
Lester Bangs, William Miller, and Penny Lane are names that resonate deeply with those immersed in the world of rock and roll. An ode to director Cameron Crowe's personal journey, “Almost Famous” pays homage to his time as a 16-year-old writing for Rolling Stone and following Led Zeppelin on tour. This cinematic masterpiece unfolds the story of William Miller, a determined journalist whose love for music and writing leads him to sidestep the conventional teenage path, opting instead to tour with the rock band Stillwater after a backstage encounter.
“Rockstars have kidnapped my son!” Miller's mother exclaims to her class, encapsulating the film's essence. “Almost Famous” seamlessly merges the realms of music lovers and musicians, capturing an era where interacting with artists was arguably more accessible than ever before. In a memorable scene, the lead singer goes to a local house party in one of the tour cities — prompting the audience to question the authenticity of this occurrence. How common is this truly? Does it speak volumes on the culture during that time, or is it dramatized for the film?
This encounter in the film led to a story told by my aunt and uncle about their experiences partying with The Strokes in the early 90s. It prompted me to question: What are the experiences of those who’ve had the privilege to interact with their favorite musicians? How has the culture shifted? Five people told me their favorite interactions with musicians, shedding light on the evolving nature of music’s culture.
Jocelyn Johnson:
Amine- Little Big Burger 2017
“It was my sophomore year of high school. It was during winter. My friends and I were on Alberta Street looking at the shops. We decided to go to a restaurant, Little Big Burger. As we are sitting we see a group of people walk in. I knew they looked familiar, and they ended up sitting right behind us, and my friends whispered to me, it was Amine. I was freaking out. After a while of contemplating and debating to say something, we went up and took pictures with him. We told him that the music event he throws every year, glitter pop, that we went to last year and were planning on going that year. He was like, “OMG thank you for the support!” We brought back friends with us, and he was very patient and he was willing to take pictures with a huge group of us. He did not have to do that — he was awesome.”
Zachary Jones Neuray:
Stromae - Crystal Ballroom 2015
“I’m from Belgium, so when Stromae — my hometown hero — was touring the U.S., my dad and I went to see him perform at the iconic Crystal Ballroom in Portland, Oregon, in the spring of 2015. As a lifelong smoker, my dad escaped to the patio, and lo and behold, was Stromae standing with his partner. He asked for a light, and my dad responded, “Oui,” and after that, we chatted about the Belgian connection and tips for spots to visit in Portland. It was a fantastic show, and we got a shoutout in the show for the “‘native representation’.”
Ozzy Osbourne - LAX Airport 2016
“I was flying back from a summer trip in Peru in the summer of 2016 with my best friend and had a stop in LAX that would be more memorable than most. Exhausted and carrying a bulky rucksack from our trek in the Amazon, we walked by a man, shaking with his face covered by hands, being ringed up by his agent on the side of the hallway. We continued our way to the TSA security line, and my best friend and I were the only other people in line. Before I could take off my belt, Ozzy Osborne waltzed in, wearing his usual all-leather all-black Black Sabbath gear, and went right through security. We quickly realized that the man shaking in the hallway was in fact a rather nervous Ozzy, he got picked up by a cohort of black SUVs, and we took a taxi.”
Teja Graf:
Bladee- Canada 2021
“It was so funny. Me and my friend Sophie went to Canada, and all of a sudden, we were outside a convenience store, and we saw someone who looked like Bladee walk in. Suddenly, we are waiting outside, and he walks outside. We ended up talking to him for a bit, and he was really nice and engaging. He was performing in Canada at that point, but he was really nice to stop and take a photo with us.”
Mike Duncan (DJ Lonely Guy):
Frank Black- Early ‘90s
“I was at work back in the late ‘90s. Charlotte called me up saying Frank Black was coming by the station. She and I were fans of the Pixies, and she asked me to come down to the station to do a quick interview. Met Frank and sat down — we did a quick 15-minute interview. He was going to do a show at Sam Bonds, which was extra cool. As we were wrapping things up, he saw up against the wall a picture of an advertisement for my radio show in the Eugene Weekly. He grabbed it and signed it, ‘Only, only, only the lonely, keep playing the shit.’ It is a very prized possession that is extremely important to me.”