Jason Lee discusses the music of ‘Almost Famous’
Known for his Golden Globe-nominated performance in My Name is Earl, comedy actor and filmmaker Jason Lee also has enjoyed a successful career in film through his appearances in Kevin Smith’s features, including Mallrats and Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back. Lee has also given his voice to one of Pixar’s greatest films, The Incredibles, as the scorned villain Syndrome. One of the highlights of his career, however, is the 2000 film Almost Famous, a Cameron Crowe movie that brings comedy, drama and music together with a coming-of-age romance to sweeten the deal.
Almost Famous is a semi-autobiographical depiction of Crowe’s own experience working as a journalist. It follows William Miller, an aspiring music journalist, who bags a one-off job at Rolling Stone to follow and interview an upcoming band called Stillwater on their tour for the front cover story. During the trip, Miller becomes infatuated with a groupie named Penny Lane, who is having an affair with the band’s lead guitarist, Russell Hammond.
Lee plays a fellow band member Jeff Bebe who butts heads with Hammond due to his neglect of the collective effort and importance of the band and his relationship with Lane.
Almost Famous is a perfect watch for film buffs and music enthusiasts, reading as a stylised and enjoyable celebration of classic 1960s and ’70s rock such as Led Zeppelin and The Who. Thanks to costume designer Betsy Heimann, the film is decorated with the vibrant, eccentric and carefree style the period is characterised by. With that, Almost Famous’s soundtrack is a blend of staple rock music, with signature scenes featuring Elton John’s classic ‘Tiny Dancer‘ and original music performed by the fictional band that are so attentive to the decade’s style they could be actual songs from the time.
Discussing the film, Lee shared the background insight of the fictional band, who delivered some electric and thrilling musical performance sequences during a sit-down with Nine Club. “We did band rehearsal for six weeks,” the actor said. “We had all the equipment was vintage, the guitars, the amps, and all that.” This commitment and attention to detail paid off, as Almost Famous captures its era perfectly with some brilliant musical scenes.
The actor confirmed he played a little guitar before the film, so the experience was not an entirely new challenge to conquer. However, Lee did reveal that a co-star found a new passion through working on the project. “Billy Crudup, who played Russell Hammond, the lead guitar player, he learned for the movie and still to this day plays…which is really cool,” the actor revealed, showing the influence of the film’s emphasis on music and expressing a love for it had on its cast.
The star takes a moment to consider the director and crew’s efforts to create such an entertaining and authentic experience for rock fans: “Imagine the music budget on that movie; I mean, there’s Led Zeppelin songs in there. Elton John songs in there.” These features include Led Zeppelin’s ‘That’s the Way’ from their junior album released in 1970 and The Who’s ‘Sparks’ from their 1979 rockumentary The Kids are Alright. The soundtrack and costume come together perfectly under the film’s adventurous and loving spirit, making for a breath of fresh air.
Lee also taps into the era of the early 2000s, emphasising the lack of technology, allowing for connections and a personal appreciation for music to flourish behind the scenes. “No iPhones. No social media,” Lee reminisces. “So ‘cut all right, that’s lunch, or we need 20 minutes to set up for the next shot’, we would all just go sit in the chairs at in the sound stage or wherever, and just jam, play guitar together, sing tell jokes”.
The actor sets a refreshing and sweet image, establishing the bonds and treasured memories associated with Almost Famous’s subject. He then compares this to his experiences working on sets in a contemporary setting: “Now it’s like ‘cut’, you go to your respective chairs, and everybody just pulls out the phone.” Lee addresses the impact these behind-the-scenes events would have on the completed project: “It was important, he said. “I think, for the movie that everybody got along.”
Director Crowe also shared this objective of creating a space for bonds to be built under a love for music, emphasising music’s importance in culture and society. “You know how music can change your life? You know how on a certain day, hearing a song in a certain way can make you feel one thing or another, and it will change your life? I want people to leave the movie remembering and feeling a little bit of the way they feel when they hear a song that they feel was written just for them. That was what I was chasing. That’s why I played music so much when we were filming; made them listen to music,” the director told Empire for the film’s 20th anniversary in 2020.
He added: “The movie has made some people feel like it was made for them – which is everything to me. This one is hopefully like the records that I always loved that made me feel like they were made just for me. I thought The Who made Quadrophenia for me, and no one else was ever going to get it like me. But that’s what it is to be a fan.”
Watch Lee discuss the film and his other works below.