With a reverence for musical styles and cult-classical artistic themes that… Read Full Bio ↴With a reverence for musical styles and cult-classical artistic themes that have defined a generation, Swillmerchants debut full length release, The Mint Hotel, emphatically reminds its audience of where rock has been, while quite seriously challenging where it might go. Musical influences such as Led Zeppelin, Interpol, MGMT, The Who, Queens Of The Stoneage and Kasabian have helped to shape the bands ever-evolving sound.

A potent blend of pulsating drum rhythms and dynamic bass lines heard throughout The Mint Hotel set the stage for vintage guitar tones and hook-heavy synth textures that highlight the artistic vocal delivery and initiate an energetic thrill for the listener. Swillmerchants music, known for it's swagger and fresh appeal, combined with unforgettable live shows and electrifying stage presence, serve to remind everyone that music is supposed to be fun.

Before The Fever
Swillmerchants Lyrics

We have lyrics for 'Before The Fever' by these artists:

Grimes I tease my little ashtray With a burning cigarette I don't w…
Grimes - Miss Anthropocene I tease my little ashtray With a burning cigarette I don't w…
Grimes - Topic I tease my little ashtray With a burning cigarette I don't w…
LIVING ROOM - Grimes I tease my little ashtray With a burning cigarette I don't w…

The lyrics are frequently found in the comments by searching or by filtering for lyric videos

TRACKS

No Related Genres

More Genres

No Artists Found

More Artists Load All

No Albums Found

More Albums Load All

No Tracks Found

01Twin4:57

02Cadillac El Dorado4:07

03The Moves Of The Bishop3:38

04Tiger Beat2:34

05More About The City Later3:34

06The Passenger Who Never Falls Asleep4:27

07Magazine Street2:49

08French Movies3:38

09Goliath5:01

10Championship2:35

11Before The Fever3:37

PT3M37S

Swillmerchants

12The Test Mirror5:21

Genre not found

Artist not found

Album not found

Search results not found

Song not found

Comments from YouTube:

Ryan McCullion

1y↑51

“The only true currency in this bankrupt world is what you share with someone else when you’re uncool” such a great line!

Roy Piper

4y↑154

In retrospect, he should have won Best Supporting Actor for this role. You can even say he was the heart of the movie.

Kedbuka

2y↑12

He was far and away the most interesting, compelling character. He was great here

Lester Guijarro

1y↑9

patrick fugit was the heart , philip seymour hoffman was the blood of this movie

jason pender

1y↑5

Kate Hudson was the heart, Hoffman was conscious

chendaddy

2y↑82

"You'll meet them all again on their long journey to tthe middle."

Just astounding writing and dialogue delivery with every PSH scene.

Two Fingers My Friends

1y↑10

What an insanely smart script, brilliant cast, awesome soundtrack. I've watched this movie countless times, and I still get excited about it.

The 90s Were A Mistake: A Novel

4y↑117

I miss seeing Philip Seymour Hoffman in movies so much.

MonkeyGami

2y↑2

This 9-min video is a reminder that the passing of PSH was way too soon. Why???

shadelings

2y↑1

@MonkeyGami Heroin.

Alamo James

We were cheated. He’d have won another Oscar by now.

Nateebanks

1y↑7

I mean talk about guys who killed their roles even though they didn’t have much screen time in the film. This is probably the best performance I’ve seen from an actor who’s on screen for less than nine mins. RIP Seymour Hoffman, definitely one of the greats

Chris L

3y↑58

One of my favorite movies that I watched numerous times with a good friend. We would get Krispy Kreme donuts, a 12-pack of Dr. Pepper, A couple of boxes of heat-and-eat appetizers and some other type of dessert. We'd eat, drink and smoke clove cigarettes, while watching movies for hours. Good times! RIP Joe!

FozzZ

48w

✌️ we would just drive to smoke
To Iowa, because it was there ✌️

gpapa31

3y↑215

“99% of what passes for rock n roll these days, silence is more compelling”

Oh boy, wait till you get to the 00s.

archyleach

2y↑5

The 1990s might have been even worse. I was young then and that naughty by nature’s “down with opp” being popular sort of horrified me as it means other people’s pussy. I group up with devoted to each other parents who would never cheat and are still married. Crap like this being popular was not good for society

Boxscot49

2y↑9

@archyleach opp wasnt even a rock song what are you on about

sobe9ograff

2y↑5

@archyleach Rock and roll is good and so is hip hop. Rock and roll was hated, missunderstood and missrepresented by the elders in its time too. Sad how you repeat the same mistake in your elitism. not that Nbn's opp is the greatest of hip hop. but you sound like you would have that attitude too the genre in general.

Big Smoke

2y↑2

Well at least he had early punk and new wave to look forward to before his death in 1980

4 More Replies...

Jus Cogens

2y↑14

The line that I've always tried to remember and pass along is "you'll meet them again on their long road to the middle". Basically, its ok to be the outsider and different. Those so called 'cool and in-crowd' kids that exist in cliques will reach for the mundane suburbia existence with open arms. Lester Bang's line to me is basically saying "be your weird and reach for your own unique and far more memorable path".

stirange

1y↑1

Until the very path of which you speak is commodified and becomes “cool” itself and is sapped of any authenticity. Being unique is great so long as you are not trying to meet others expectations of what it means to be a “unique outsider”.

Bob Walton

9y↑296

Hoffman was on screen for even less than nine minutes because some of these scenes were longer than the film. He stole the show from some other talented actors and actresses in this one.

Wolfsky9

6y↑8

Mr Walton, I so agree. Philip deserved Best Supporting Actor --at the very least. -------------------------WolfSky9

Phalyn Williams

4y↑7

I became a true Hoffman fan after this movie. RIP Phil

guth

4y↑8

It's so crazy how I just had this exact thought. I figured he was only onscreen for a max of 10 minutes but he's probably the most memorable part of the movie and you can't imagine William's motivations and arc being as fleshed out without his scenes with Lester.

True Funk Soul

4y↑5

@Wolfsky9 I wish people would stop acting like the Academy Awards actually mean anything. Acting is not a competition to 'beat' your fellow actors in a particular calendar year, judged by old white men. Cringe city every time I see one of these lame comments. Next you'll be lamenting that some musician you like "deserved" a Grammy, when they are even more meaningless, corrupt, and ridiculous than the Oscars, if that's even possible. Jethro Tull 'Best Heavy Metal Performance' ahead of Metallica. OK. Cardi B 'Best Rap Album'. If you say so. La La Land 'Best Film'. OK sure. Crash 'Best Film'. I guess. The Hurt Locker 'Best Film'. No doubt. The list goes on and on. Gwyneth Paltrow 'Best Actress' ahead of Cate Blanchett. I rest my case.

10 More Replies...

Ray Williams

2y↑6

Philip Seymour Hoffman! Played everything from Truman Capote to Art Howe to Lester Bangs and every performance was as though it was written only for him.

Henry-Joe Murphy

7y↑36

Phillip Seymour Hoffman was so AWESOME! I really miss him in the movies. He was an incredibly interesting actor.

Ms. Mojo Risin’

6y↑25

Thanks for honoring Philip Seymour Hoffman. He was 1 of the most genuine and kind-hearted human beings on the face of the Earth and one of undoubtedly the most creative and fantastic actor an artist in my opinion. His death rocked me to the Core and I'm just a simple human being but I was a major fan Philip Seymour Hoffman and I always will be. We share shared some of the trials and tribulations in life one being a heroin addict, I've been clean from booting heroin for 12 years thus far and it breaks my f**** heart to know that drug took his life. My cousin Nova Lee died, age of 43, Philip Seymour Hoffman died at the age of 46-7 and I know that may seem old to some young people however losing someone so young so many people losing them so young with so much to give I will never get over the death of my cousin Nova Lee...Philip Seymour Hoffman and so many, too many, friends, family and people I've never even met.
PeaCefAithlOVeReSPeCtfulY,
Keep'On-rOCkin'On,
shellebelle

Lisa McAllister

3y↑2

You're cool, Shelley. Keep rockin'. Lisa

Zeus01

2y↑1

Losing those close to us - especially at an early age - is always a soul-crushing experience, the likes of which only time can soften but never eradicate. So very sorry for you loss. But chin up Sweetie because you are a survivor, and you'll never know how many lives you change for the better by sharing your experiences, good and bad. Squeezes.

Ananas Astra

1y↑2

He was perfect in this role. May he RIP.

Carlos Rincon

4y↑22

Philip Seymour Hoffman was sheer acting genius!

White Wizzard LLC

3y↑6

Some of the best written material ever put on screen, and PSH delivered in spades. RIP

Craig Shelton

4y↑13

Everything Cameron Crowe does is friggin genius.

David Carpenter

7y↑102

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

I love that. Does anybody here know if it was actually said or written by Lester himself? It sounds like him, but they might have put words into his mouth.

Tuan Jim

7y↑32

I'm pretty sure that Cameron Crowe wrote that whole exchange, but it may have been inspired by something Bangs said to him, or just inspired by his overall outlook and attitude.

lawman7117

2y↑4

I have thought about that line so many times, in so many situations...pure brilliance! I've listened to some of those "radio station" interviews with Bangs...it sounds like something he would say. Just like the "drunken buffoon" line.

gina n Marcus

8y↑212

this is my all time favorite movie. so underrated

Matrix in 2020

8y↑5

Don't know you but have to agree 100%. My late wife's and my all time favorite. Easily watched it over 100 times and is just as good. One of the best, if not the best movies about "Rock n Roll" period.

gina n Marcus

8y↑2

Rob G yes treat about rock and roll by far. thank you for agreeing with me.

yu stu

how much of the movie was at least partly true? what band did Cameron really write about?

Mike V.

7y↑8

Different ones. He said that Stillwater and the experiences were sort of a combination of stuff that happened during that time. Fun trivia - he was 18 when he wrote the liner notes to Frampton Comes Alive.

wildmercuryfilms

7y↑9

yu stu Most people agree that it's about 2 bands: Led Zeppelin and the Allman Brothers. That's why, near the beginning of the movie, the picture he looks up at is Stillwater posed in front of their amps and road equipment like the Allman's were on the iconic cover of At Filmore East. That's an easy clue. And the other clue is that Zeppelin agreed to let Cameron Crowe use several of their songs in the movie, which they rarely do. They did that because Cameron covered them in real life.

23 More Replies...

meat suit

1y↑1

I don't think I fully got the impact of that line before, probably because I wasn't paying as much attention to William. I love how you can see him becoming not only cynical to the band but to Lester a bit as well, since he's obviously doing a lot of projecting, and then he brings it around to a very special and undeniable truth, that nothing is more valuable than love that is unconditional

Robert White

1y↑1

That's true poetry man. We each and every one can both relate and hope for those sober moments of appreciation.

AleisterMeowley

4y↑8

“99% of what passes for rock n roll these days, silence is more compelling.” Lester had a vision.

Frostbeard

4y↑67

They could've made a whole movie about Lester Bangs and have Hoffman portray him

Animal Justice

3y↑4

Agreed. Although it probably would not make a lot of money in the box office like almost famous did because a lot of people still don’t know who Lester banks was.

Randy White

2y↑1

@Animal Justice Almost Famous flopped at the box office

Animal Justice

2y↑1

@Randy White maybe I did not make as much as I could and I don’t know why cause it’s such a good movie.

Elijah Vigil

2y↑5

@Randy White it may have flopped but people still loved it and Kate Hudson was nominated for an oscar and Cameron Crowe won the oscar for best original screenplay

Le Radmuiel

2y↑1

@Elijah Vigil it has rewatch ability. People will still becoming back to watch this movie again and again. For the story, the characters and the music. People forget that money isn’t the most important thing in this world.

1 More Replies...

James Bradford

5y↑2

Three exceptional artists align themselves before us here, and words tacked onto a YouTube video will never do it justice -- Lester Bangs, PSH, and Cameron Crow. Once in a while we get these convergences, and geez life would be awful dull without them. I just picked up the collected essays of Lester Bangs (Psychotic Reactions and Carburetor Dung), and I'm about to crack a beer and dig in. Jealous?

Tom Brown

3y↑3

Phillip Seymour owned this role. It's one of the best performances in a movie that is polluted with amazing performances.

Kat C

"polluted with great performances". Such a great line.

Somee Dude

5y↑2

How many of us wish we had a mentor in life as good as Lester Bangs was to what's-his-face. Can't believe this film is now 20 years old. There are so many movies, TV shows, YouTube channels, Instagram, etc. It will be hard to remember anything from the last few years 20 years from now because it all just meshes together.

Roky Erickson rocks

4y↑1

Somee Dude
Yep, it’s all become a mishmash of forgettable quasi-artistic electronic media, lucky to be remembered in 20 minutes never mind 20 years.

Steve Coscia

3y↑3

The Philip Seymour Hoffman scenes raised the bar for this film.

RightRightRight UhHuhUhHuh

1y↑3

No movie in history of film EVER integrated a soundtrack so perfectly with a historical period of time, through a fictional story expertly woven into the actual story of the writer/director.

Gretchen Barr

3y↑7

He was such an awesome actor - especially in the first movie I ever saw him in:. Boogie Nights !!! May he Rest In Peace ... 🥰

Ellie Milianti

4y↑40

I love this film, and High Fidelity. They both revolve around music.

Animal Justice

3y↑2

Hi fidelity is such a wonderful film and very funny! Good choice

Dinosaur Sr

2y↑1

Amen.

Mrs. Hercule Poirot

3y↑6

Thank you Cameron, you brought the magic back.

David Anderson

3y↑3

How was he not nominated for this role, he is so awesome

SenorPlaid

6y↑15

All these scenes are great, but the last one is one of the best scenes in any movie.

Greg V

Hoffman is solidly in the pantheon of greats and I wish he were still here adding to that greatness. The biggest indicator of a great actor to me, is that they can make a bad movie worth watching, or a good movie great.

Hoffman exemplified this for me . Even his minor roles (Along Came Polly for example) will be remembered forever.

Argus Tuft

4y↑4

"You have to make your reputation on being honest and unmerciful [to yourself]"
Hoffman was most honest, bravest and most talented actor I've ever seen. What a loss.

Wes Davis

3y↑15

I accidentally came across a really interesting fact. So the (amazing) scene where Lester is telling him about being "uncool"...well, in the background is "Go All The Way" by the Raspberries. A 70's band from Cleveland. The members were known for their clean-cut public image, with short-hair and matching suits, which brought them teenybopper attention as well as scorn from some mainstream media outlets as "uncool". That is a quote attributed to The Kent State University Press. Obviously a little inside joke by Mr. Crowe. Hope you find that as interesting as I did.

Lola Walsh

2y↑1

Philip. What an amazing actor. Still missed in 2022. Don't let those swill merchants rewrite you...its a think piece. Friendship is the booze they feed you

Y Z

3y↑7

He deserved an Oscar!

Dayra

4y↑44

It’s a think piece, about a mid level band .. struggling with their own limitations.. in the hard face of stardom

Dayra

Ginny What nice

1 More Replies...

Tomji

3y↑23

"It's just a shame you missed out on rock n' roll, it's over"... truer words were never spoken.

C Hart

@Akshay Natu Rock and Roll was over, though. At this point it was becoming (or had become) “Rock”, which is a different animal!

ACoustaDC

Wow.... I wish someone had lessons like this for me when I was 15.... but hell, I was too dumb to get it...probably still am. Thank god for people like Cameron Crowe..

Shala Taebi

4y↑37

Except for Tiny Dancer bus scene, Phillip Seymour Hoffman's scenes were the greatest part.

Willie Fufu

7y↑23

I liked this Move from start to finish, everything to me was so perfect, I don't understand why other people didn't like it. Watching this Movie, I forgot that I was watching a Movie and started to care what happened to all of the Characters in the Movie. The ending, close to the end, I was totally surprised along with the Rock Star when he thought that he was at Penny Lane's House. I really liked Philip Seymour Hoffman as the Guy who understood Rock and Roll, the telephone conversations with the Kid, it was cool.

Lalruata Tochhawng

3y↑1

Yeah the part when he told him he's uncool is so cool.

John Bovi

3y↑2

Great movie for music aficionados and musicians. But pedestrians weren't interested in the behind the scenes band stuff, and didn't get a lot of the references made.

Alex Bruschi

3y↑1

the guy was easly one of greatest american writers of his era .. this even if he was always high when he wrote .. this even if he only wrote about rock n roll .. and because of it only a few have noticed. Read his gouwdamn books here is one thing you'll never regret.
Rest in power Lester Bangs.

C Bean

2y↑3

Love WSH character in this movie… such a great mentor. Can see he sees himself in the kid right away.

Monte McCarty

3y↑8

He was a tortured soul, and the best actor of the 2000's. Some of our best artist are tortured souls. We can only appreciate them while they are with us.

Jenna

Not necessarily sure that he was a “tortured soul” - he was clean for over 20 years after partying too hard in college. But maybe a mid life crisis? Possibly pain due to unknown ailments of aging?

CodeBleu724

@Jenna Not likely. I'm 50. I came to terms 5 years ago with knowing my life was half over at best. If I make it to 90 it'll be a goddamn miracle.

Jenna

@CodeBleu724 I’m not sure exactly what you’re trying to say but I hope you’re mentally okay ❤️

MonkeyGami

2y↑1

Interesting that during the phone call scene when Lester is warning William about false friends and swill merchants 5:30, the first song he plays is Go All the Way, by the Raspberries. Go All the Way is about giving in to one's hedonistic desires--exactly what he's telling William to resist.

The second song is Mr Farmer, by the Seeds, which is about drug culture!

MonkeyGami

Just as he hangs up and says "Kid's on drugs!"

Steven Taylor

4y↑31

I really miss Philip Seymour Hoffman.

Michael Lazzeri

At now 76 y/o, & a lover of cinema all my life -------saying that--------PSH is easily, one of MY All-Time Top 5 actors, male /female. I was really saddened when we lost him. The man totally disappeared into his characters in a way only a very few can do today, or have ever done. RIP, Philip Seymour Hoffman. ------------MJL, 76 y/o

FloridaPaperbackWriter

Phillip Seymour Hoffman’s greatest acting is in these clips. RIP

Scott M

4y↑41

"You take drugs?"
"No."
"Smart kid."
I love how this is written. How matter of fact it is. Doesn't preach. How ironic too because Hoffman knew he was killing himself and OD'd anyway.

Beggars Night

4y↑3

Heroin is a painkiller. It doesn’t harm you in itself. It’s the psychology, the addiction, that can. It’s not like he intended to. He did what a lot of people who relapse do: take far more than his diminished tolerance was ready for.

Samey Abinanti

3y↑1

Drugs are like cults. Just Say No To Them.

Guen

2y↑1

And I love that William never does in the film despite being around rock stars the whole time

1 More Replies...

patrick crean

3y↑3

I never met him, but roles like this made me feel like I had lost a friend when he passed.

Wolfsky9

PSH was one of THE finest actors we will ever see. EVER .------------He's greatly missed. ----------And, in this masterpiece , he is again, note-perfect as Lester Bangs. -----------------------------------WolfSky9, 73 y/o

True Funk Soul

4y↑6

He jots down the key points in case he forgets:
"Don't make friends w/ rock stars"
"Righteously DUMB"
"Industry of COOL"
Great journalism, this kid is going places.

RJ Z

2y↑1

I'll never meet you but I want to thank you for this collection. This movie meant so much to me as a kid. Thanks for this. Lester Bangs and "Stillwater" live.

Anthony Simone

8y↑12

Don't know why but one of my favorite scenes in this movie is when he looks at the kid in the coffee shop and laughs "There's F'ing nothing controversial about you"

zrob89 M

7y↑33

this work of art has been my constant, my light, my center for close to two decade's

Colleen Seidel

Me too

Ton C

5y↑2

Interestingly, both Lester Bangs and Phillip Seymour Hoffman are considered geniuses who died prematurely due to overdose

Roman Candle

45w

As I get older, I now see the most poignant part of these scenes: Hoffman's character is shocked but absolutely delighted to have a bright kid he can mentor.

He's a guy who never expected anyone to respect him or look up to him. And why would he? He's uncool!

Dinosaur Sr

Creem magazine got me through high school. This is a great movie, double header with High Fidelity. The young kid is a fantastic actor to the legendary Hoffman.

The Hermit

As a prog rock lover it hurts me to watch him throwing away Yes like nothing, but I get his point and love this character, I can watch this movie over and over gain I love it so much! Amazing actor.

Wes Davis

4y↑3

Brad Pitt (12 Monkeys), R. Lee Ermey (Full Metal Jacket), Christian Bale (The Fighter), Jack Nicholson ( A Few Good Men), Gary Oldman (Rounders, True Romance) etc. etc. etc. Philip S. Hoffman was amazing in this movie and would have stolen it except everyone else was amazing too. Great Movie!

Hike with Mike

3y↑3

"you'll meet them again on the long journey to the middle'..love it

Overland One

4y↑1

Lester was a great writer. RIP.

MrMojaveDude

8y↑79

RIP Phillip, What a great actor......Sigh

Tony Torres

4y↑1

What a glorious movie. My all time favorite. And it is just now that I realized that I own the exact Schott Biker jacket Philip Seymour Hoffman is wearing at the start of the video. Cool!

Kedbuka

4y↑6

When Lester's giving him the words to tell Ben Fong Torres, and he's laughing at the same time...absolutely hilarious.

MarkSorensen

1y↑1

He knows how to talk to editors. 😄 I love the scene.

checkle1

2y↑1

This and Pirate Radio made me love Philip. What a brilliant actor.

Kim Thyberg

43w

“99% of what passes for rock and roll these days… silence is more compelling “ 😂❤

Shala Taebi

4y↑5

R.I.P. He should have won awards for this role.

Magooch86

That would completely go against the character's message.

MarkSorensen

4y↑1

Let's all take a sip in honor of the wonder Phillip Seymour Hoffman.

Vegadomis

9y↑142

99% of what passes for rock n' roll these days, silence is more compelling!

Talia al Ghul

4y↑5

He was partly right....that applies to most music.

Lowell Calavera

4y↑5

True then, true now

lemsip

4y↑2

Only three years to go until punk starts.

True Funk Soul

4y↑1

@lemsip He literally played a Stooges record in the clip and you think punk hadn't started yet because Iggy didn't have safety pins in his jacket? The Stooges could actually play their instruments as well so not punk. Is that how it works? I guess you think The Ramones were not punk either? Punk also came out of Australia with The Saints before the English got in on it.

JustineLaLoba

3y↑1

@True Funk Soul The Saints 1st 45 came out after the Pistols 1st 45 and New Rose by the Damned...........

3 More Replies...

Tommiegirl

4y↑7

DAMN but I loved Philip Seymour Hoffman. I bought him absolutely and completely and honestly and unmercifully.

Sun&Snow

He was fabulous in this role.

Michael Davies

4y↑5

Hoffman...what a terrible loss. Miss his ability to play such a diverse range of interesting characters.

Remo Evans

4y↑1

He also steals the show in Charlie Wilson’s War

Mike Reed

3y↑56

You skipped over the best cut of the movie..."Look man, I can't be hanging out with every fan of mine I meet." CUT TO LESTER IN THE DINER WITH WILLIAM

Frostbeard

5y↑4

I could listen to this all day

Ols A

44w

The BEST line in any movie, "You'll meet them all again on their long journey to the middle." Ouch.

Solicitor73

"The one true currency in this bankrupt world is what you share with someone else when you're uncool." That's a sucker punch to the guts of my life, right there.

Michael Clear

4y↑2

When great writing and great acting crash together.

Bathcat and Toadvine

2y↑6

"i used to do speed" breaks my heart. I played catch with him and his son when i was 12 on the westside courts near Horatio pl. He died a few months later. I always notice an element of truth in every role he plays. Sandy Lyle? Along came polly? He played ball every day! Had a sick mid-range jimmy.

Eddie Congdon

Lester bangs used to do speed PSH did heroin and fentanyl

Thomas Fields

Underated movie. God we could learn a lot from this movie.

ChooseCompassion

4y↑1

Pure unadulterated genius! He did a better Lester than Lester was. God I miss SPH! The scenes between these two are golden nuggets forever immortalized on film. What a gift.

Marc Alvarez

47w↑1

"Silence is more compelling"

I feel this way about music today.
I end up listening to DooWop collections from the 1950s to get real music again.

Addison Flux

Lester Bangs is the main character in this amazing film.

ryan rightmire

2y↑2

This vid made me miss him. Yep it's a Philip Seymour Hoffman movie day

Edan Laron

Best character in the movie. Period.

Gnarfle The Garthok

When that quote rolled up I balled my eyes out.

Dwayne’s bad chemicals

Damn. Legends die young.

William Crary

6y↑19

I like him a LOT better than the real Lester Bangs. 💯

Bruce Franklin

4y↑4

I love the character of Lester Bangs in this movie. I hated the real Lester Bangs as a rock writer in the 70's.The script and Hoffman had everything to do with that.

1 More Replies...

wwaldo2525

6y↑25

Hoffman was a genius here

Adrián S. Basave

4y↑1

I don't remember a bad Philip Seymour performance, to be honest.

C. R. Barboni

4y↑2

@Adrián S. Basave I'm not sure Hoffman ever committed a less than worthy performance to film; that said, on the strength of his all-too-brief work in Almost Famous, I would happily have watched him playing Lester Bangs for an entire biopic. (If there is a hereafter, I wonder what Bangs told Hoffman that he thought of this portrayal if they ever met in heaven.)

Adrián S. Basave

4y↑1

@C. R. Barboni A Lester spinoff would've been rather awesome

C. R. Barboni

@Adrián S. Basave I wish that Crowe, or anyone else who knows and loves the music, had hired Hoffman to reprise Lester in another movie -- perhaps one based on the real-life history of Creem magazine, or maybe a study of the long-running love/hate between Lester and his eternal bitter angel, Lou Reed (and who would you cast as Lou, FTR?) -- but that ship has sailed re another chance to watch PSH simply inhabit Lester Bangs so brilliantly. Who would you cast today to play this maddening, ever insightful gadfly of rock?

True Funk Soul

4y↑1

Well he was a great actor mimicking a real person. Not sure how that qualifies him as "a genius". Most overused and misunderstood word of the 21st century? Or just underrated? Any cliche you like, it's all good! I mean "it's fire".

1 More Replies...

Max RYDER

1y↑1

When You have the Courage to be a Drunken Buffoon, Then you are a Poet!

Alex Thompson

7y↑50

I like the way he conspiratorially tells him he'll get free records.

True Funk Soul

4y↑3

How is that a conspiracy, and why have 24 people liked your comment? Confused.

Akshay Natu

You get paid a pittance, but you get free records. Lmaoooooooooo. How about you pay me more and I can buy my own records, you shafters?

MonkeyGami

3y↑1

@True Funk Soul I believe the OP is saying that there's a conspiracy of giving free stuff to journalists, so that they'll write favorable things about the band. Lester Bangs himself was NOT being "conspiratorial."

jonathan berman

He does- its like what kids love-- free stuff! Free ALBUMS. What a kick ass gig! That's a subtext of scene - we're uncool but smart...

DV

4y↑1

RIP to one of the greatest.

J W

6y↑260

The only true currency in this bankrupt world is what you share with someone else when you're uncool. - So true.

dranelemakol

Randy Begley

4y↑3

Greatest quote ever!

Sar Dondi

I get the sentiment, but the idea and the words are Cameron Crowe's; Hoffman just spoke them. Yes, Hoffman delivered a compelling performance which gave us an attractive portrait of Lester Bangs. But the identity of the true creator of a movie's ideas and words should be particularly remembered in a film about a teen rock journalist.

Hemant Samtani

4y↑3

That line is the most truth i have ever heard in my life.

2 More Replies...

Thomas Thompson

5y↑5

This film changed the life of many, because it changed their romantic view of what the rock-star life could be -- and even what it usually was. Philip Seymour Hoffman is terrific, as always. Billy Crudup know just how much to invest his role with a kind of too-ardent cynicism. And the boy, Patrick Fugit . . . what a great find he was! Just a terrific actor, and the movie rises or falls on his performance. I really think this is one of the greatest films ever made, at any time.

True Funk Soul

"I really think this is one of the greatest films ever made, at any time." Thanks for the laughs :D

Thomas Thompson

@True Funk Soul Sorry, I didn't see your comment when it was originally posted, but only today, nine months later. I do think Almost Famous is one of the greatest films about rock ever made, because it captures something vital about that time -- thanks, in large part, to the performances of Philip Seymour Hoffman, Patrick Fugit, and all the other members of the cast. So, if you don't mind saying, what are your own favorite "films of all time?"

M R

4y↑1

This was the family film that I have watched hundreds of times with my kids since they were in their teens. We even watched it when a local theatre in Seattle had a rerun of it and was fun to quote along. A magical, magical film. I still do a mean Ben Fong Torres. Crazy.

Crashburn 32

3y↑1

Hoffman or McDormand in the same movie. .....GOLD.

Dorkmax

4y↑2

That hang up when he says he's listening to Stillwater just gets me. "...kids doing drugs"

Njlauren

I really hope there are more scenes with PSH, that will end up in a super cut beyond what untitled added ( it sucks that on streaming services they have the theatrical version). He is just over the top in this,his quite about Jim Morrison is a classic. If you haven't seen it see the movie "pirate radio",in its own way it is kind of a cousin of almost famous.

Load More Comments...

More Comments

just now

8:55

307K

Philip Seymour Hoffman as Lester Bangs in the film "Almost Famous" (Untitled Cut). All scenes.

2:32

The Bright Humors cover The Pixies "Gigantic"

More Versions

Before The FeverSwillmerchants Lyrics

We have lyrics for 'Before The Fever' by these artists:

Ryan McCullion

Roy Piper

Kedbuka

Lester Guijarro

jason pender

chendaddy

Two Fingers My Friends

The 90s Were A Mistake: A Novel

MonkeyGami

shadelings

Alamo James

Nateebanks

Chris L

FozzZ

gpapa31

archyleach

Boxscot49

sobe9ograff

Big Smoke

Jus Cogens

stirange

Bob Walton

Wolfsky9

Phalyn Williams

guth

True Funk Soul

Ray Williams

Henry-Joe Murphy

Ms. Mojo Risin’

Lisa McAllister

Zeus01

Ananas Astra

Carlos Rincon

White Wizzard LLC

Craig Shelton

David Carpenter

Tuan Jim

lawman7117

gina n Marcus

Matrix in 2020

gina n Marcus

yu stu

Mike V.

wildmercuryfilms

meat suit

Robert White

AleisterMeowley

Frostbeard

Animal Justice

Randy White

Animal Justice

Elijah Vigil

Le Radmuiel

James Bradford

Tom Brown

Kat C

Somee Dude

Roky Erickson rocks

Steve Coscia

RightRightRight UhHuhUhHuh

Gretchen Barr

Ellie Milianti

Animal Justice

Dinosaur Sr

Mrs. Hercule Poirot

David Anderson

SenorPlaid

Greg V

Argus Tuft

Wes Davis

Lola Walsh

Y Z

Dayra

Dayra

Tomji

C Hart

ACoustaDC

Shala Taebi

Before The Fever
Swillmerchants Lyrics