Lose the Illusion - Almost Famous and Marvin Gaye

The film Almost Famous, one of the best rock and roll films ever made, has two versions, the theatrical release and the "Bootleg Cut". I've never seen the original release as I bought the "Bootleg" version of the DVD when it was released.

There is a scene early in the film when William, eyes glazed at having been allowed back stage and hanging out with rock stars, is tagging along with Russell, guitar player for the pseudo-band Stillwater (there was a real Stillwater though the band in the film is based on the Allman Brothers band, a shout out given to Greg and Dickie given in the same scene). Russell is trying to explain rock and roll to William and mentions a song from Marvin Gaye's essential album What's Going On.

Here's the scene:



When I first saw this scene, which was not in the theatrical release, I thought it nailed the essence of music. However, some time later I would get the Deluxe Edition of the album on CD which contained the original Detroit Mix. The main vocal track and the harmony track on this mix, both done by Marvin Gaye, are in separate channels (i.e. left and right speakers). On the final mix, done in L.A., Motown having made the move to California, these two separate tracks are mixed together and layered. It is quite a stunning effect.

I have grown fond of the Detroit Mix; it sounds much more raw and unpolished and many subtleties of the production behind the album leap out. What becomes also more clear is the fact that this album makes use of samples that are looped throughout the album. The talking heard in the intro to "What's Going On" are repeated throughout the album giving it continuity along with the tracks flowing one into another in seamless fashion.

In fact, the 'Woo!' that Russell mentions in the film is one such sample. It is not a mistake; it is not the only one. Even in 1971 sampling and looping were on the ascendant (in fact Miles Davis' Bitches Brew is an example of such looping though imagine the time it took to do this as it was actual tapes that were spliced and looped, a remarkable and controversial feat).

Here's the 'woo' in question in "What's Happening Brother":



Here is the same sample, first heard one track earlier on "What's Going On":



If you listen to the album (and these two tracks) repeatedly you will clearly hear the 'everything is everything' and 'hey man what's your name' and the 'woo' in question over and over. Listen a little longer and you'll hear the separate vocal tracks.

Perhaps it's ironic that the scene actually nailed the essence of the music industry, not in the actual 'woo' but in the imitation thereof, a creation of an illusion, of a dream, of what we think it should be.