MovieChat Forums > Almost Famous (2000) Discussion > We're not groupies, we're band-aids... w...

We're not groupies, we're band-aids... whaaat?

posted 11 years ago by haw_haw_haw
15 replies | jump to latest

You know how the girls at the beginning get pissed off because William calls them 'groupies'?

They proceed to explain to William that they're there for just the music and that they distinguish themselves from normal groupies by not sleeping with the rock stars.

But... that's basically all they do during the movie right??

Penny Lane supposedly 'came up' with the band-aids but throughout the movie she sleeps with Russell, as do the other girls with other members of the band.

So am I missing something here?

[–] uruseiranma 11 years ago

I think it's moreso about the 'fine line' between what you say, and what you do.

We see it happen with Stillwater, in how their ethics waver. Russell claims they are about 'the fans,' but soon, they cross over to the other side, and it seems to be about 'the money.'

Even Williams wavers: he tries to take a backseat to the action, but soon he's swept up in "the circus," and even Lester notes it on the phone: "Oh man...you made friends with them, didn't you?"

"Thanks, guys." "So long, partner."

- Toy Story 3 (9/10)

[–] libbastewart 11 years ago

Ehh, groupies has a pretty negative connotation. The band aids want to be seen more as friends, partners, temporary girlfriends rather than just someone to take home for the night

[–] FmUoCoKk 11 years ago

The idea was that groupies are groupies because they want to sleep with someone famous. They, as band-aids are like muses for the musicians and bands that they love.

That being said, yes, they do spend the entire time sleeping with the band.

[–] MissAngelCakes 11 years ago

Yeah that comment was made in irony. Penny made a big deal about not sleeping with the band, she was a girl who lied and exaggerated the truth a lot throughout the film. Heck, she didn't even reveal her name until very later on.

[–] solatisa 11 years ago

I think the overall difference they try to establish is thus:

Groupie - attracted to the fame, glamor, and lifestyle of rock stars.

Band-aids: attracted to the music and artistic aspects of the same rock stars.

[–] lokis_angels 11 years ago

I think they liked band aids better ("It's about the music") than groupies ("I want to *beep* a known person") because the latter sounds like "sluts".

In my opinion they act like sweet sixteeners, being in love and therefore doing them is not slutty...

[–] information_police 10 years ago

Don't over think it. They are young girls who are groupies who want to think they are something more than that because they supposedly only give blow jobs. It's a joke on everyone including themselves.

Nobody's looking for a puppeteer in today's wintry economic climate.

[–] actionmanrandell 10 years ago

NO NO NO NO NO NO NO

yes they had broken the no sex rules just blow jobs, but that was not the point of the band aids. the point was that the band aids genuinely love music for music and the musicians for not only there artistic nature but because they actually love them as people groupies only want to *beep* someone famous

The legal disclaimer at the end of the film (which, for most films, merely states that all characters and events are fictional, with any real-life similarities being coincidence), notes that the character of Penny Lane was "loosely based" on a real individual. Cameron Crowe has stated that Penny Lane is based on his real-life friend, Pennie Trumble, who goes by the name "Pennie Lane". She lives in Portland, Oregon, and is involved in the music industry.

[–] information_police 10 years ago

Right, they already had broken their "only blow-jobs" rule so how seriously were we supposed to take their "purity" as artistic muses?

Nobody's looking for a puppeteer in today's wintry economic climate.

[–] PopperTheKungFu-Dragon 9 years ago



Poorly Lived and Poorly Died, Poorly Buried and No One Cried

[–] actionmanrandell 10 years ago

the line was that groupies *beep* the band to *beep* the band. but the band aids are actual fans of the bands and genuinely love music for the music. they sleep with the band members because they love the band members

[–] actionmanrandell 10 years ago

[–] LoBo_77018 9 years ago

So someone that wants to *beep* Mick Jagger but also loves the Rolling Stones would not be a groupie but a band aid?

Seems like a hierarchy set up by someone who doesn't want to be seen as a groupie.

Tomato/tomato.

[–] sapphirecastles 9 years ago

It's not about sex. It just happened. Kind of like a relationship when you love someone.