The only true currency in this bankrupt world is what we share with someone else when we're uncool

Stillwater, a fictional band created by Cameron Crowe for the movie Almost Famous.


The movie made Kate Hudson's career, & also starred . . .

Patrick Fugit (The Vampire's Assistant; he plays the semoi-autobiographical "William Miller," who, like Crowe, works for Rolling Stone as a teen.),

Jason Lee (My Name is Earl; great in this film),

& Billy Crudup (Dr Manhattan from Watchmen; he almost single-handedly ruined the film w/ his inability to even look like he had any idea how to hold a guitar).

Anyway, it's rated R, so be warned.

Also, the out-of-print "bootleg edition" (not a real, stolen "bootleg," but a director's cut w/a cool title) comes w/ an extended version & the EP shown above. Some pretty good classic-rock-style songs.

& yes, that great title-quotation comes from the film.

Juniors: Is Victor a "compassionate utopian"? Does he bring about his own demise through hubris? Is he egocentric, egotistical, both or neither? Is Dean Koontz a hack? What's with the nightmares into his 30s? Did his comparisons to 20th-century dictators & despots make sensse?

Sophomores: finish up the story tonight if you have not done so. That said, you had almost 70 minutes of classtime to do the work, & you should be done. You will take a short "did-you-read-it?" quiz, & if you did, you'll have no trouble. You should know why Tom ended up on that ledge, whose "pocket" is in the title, what he learns in the end, & what it all means to the reader.

be cool