Editing Almost Famous (section)

== Plot ==
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In [[San Diego]] 1969, child prodigy William Miller struggles to fit in with his peers. His life is further complicated by learning that his widowed college professor mother Elaine has falsely led him to believe he is 13 years old when he is only 11. Strong-willed Elaine's strict ban on [[rock music]] and her fear of pop culture have a lasting effect on her children, finally driving William's 18-year-old sister Anita to move to [[San Francisco]] and become a flight attendant.

In 1973, William, now 15 and influenced by Anita's secret cache of rock albums, aspires to be a rock journalist, writing freelance articles for underground papers in [[San Diego]]. Impressed by William's writing, rock journalist [[Lester Bangs]] gives the boy a $35 assignment to review a [[Black Sabbath]] concert. William is barred from meeting the band backstage until the opening band Stillwater arrives, and William flatters his way in. Lead guitarist Russell Hammond takes a liking to William, as does the boy's new acquaintance, [[groupie]] Penny Lane, who has taken William under her wing.  Penny insists she and her friends are not really groupies but actually "band aids", a term she invented to describe female fans who follow bands more for the music than for the rock stars themselves.

On seeing William's article on Black Sabbath, ''[[Rolling Stone]]'' editor [[Ben Fong-Torres]] hires him to write an article about Stillwater and sends him on the road with the band aboard "Doris", Stillwater's aging but beloved bus. William interviews the other band members, but guitarist Russell Hammond avoids him. Tensions between Hammond and lead singer Jeff Bebe become evident when the band's first T-shirt is produced, featuring Hammond in full view while the rest of the band is in the shadows. As a journalist, William is jokingly called "the enemy" by the band, but he eventually he becomes integrated into their inner circle.

The record label hires professional manager Dennis Hope to handle problems with venues and promoters. Penny has to leave before the band reaches New York, where Russell's girlfriend Leslie will join them. Penny and her three protégée band aids are gambled away to another band in a poker game; Penny acts nonchalant but is devastated. Meanwhile, Dennis charters a small plane so the band can play more gigs.

Penny shows up uninvited at a party at a New York restaurant where William reveals to the group that they are to be featured on the cover of ''Rolling Stone''. Penny leaves after her attempts to get Russell's attention become disruptive. William follows her to her hotel, where he saves her from overdosing on [[methaqualone|quaaludes]]. A plane hired by the band encounters severe weather on a flight the next day. Fearing that the plane will crash, everyone aboard confesses long concealed secrets to the group while the simmering conflict between Jeff and Russell erupts. William confesses his love for Penny after Jeff insults her. The plane lands safely in [[Tupelo, Mississippi|Tupelo]], leaving everyone to ponder the changed atmosphere.

William later arrives at the ''Rolling Stone'' office in San Francisco but has difficulty finishing the article. Seeking help, William calls Bangs again, who notes that the boy's perceived friendships with band members are illusions and advises him to "be honest... and unmerciful." The magazine's editors at first enthuse over William's completed article, but Russell lies to the magazine's fact-checker, claiming most of the piece is false. ''Rolling Stone'' kills the article, crushing William. Anita encounters William at the airport and offers to take him anywhere; he chooses for them to go back to San Diego, where their mother Elaine is glad to see them both.

Sapphire, one of the protégée "Band Aids", chastises Russell for betraying William. Russell then calls Penny, wanting to meet with her, but she tricks him by giving him William's address instead of her own. Russell arrives and finds himself face to face with William's mother, who during the tour had scolded him over the phone for his behavior. Russell apologizes to William and finally gives him an interview. Russell also verifies the accuracy of the article to ''Rolling Stone'', which runs it as a cover feature. Penny fulfills her long-standing fantasy of going to [[Morocco]] while Stillwater tours again by bus.
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