Cameron Crowe on Jann Wenner, his new memoir and the stories he regrets writing

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Cameron Crowe, the director of “Almost Famous,” is revisiting his early days as a teen music journalist, a story he first told on film 25 years ago.

In his new memoir, “The Uncool,” the Academy Award-winning director fondly remembers his time as a young writer for Rolling Stone in the 1970s, covering legendary musicians like the Eagles, Led Zeppelin, and Joni Mitchell. Because serious rock journalism was rare then, bands surprisingly welcomed him on tour, letting him travel with them for weeks, taking notes and recording their experiences.

Coming out on October 28th, the book delves into Cameron Crowe’s connections with music and media icons like David Bowie – whom he followed while Bowie was creating his famous Thin White Duke character – and Rolling Stone founder Jann Wenner, who served as both a guide and a rival. It also reflects on Crowe’s personal life, including the complex dynamics within his family and the impact of his sister Cathy’s tragic death by suicide when she was 19. Crowe will be discussing the book at the Montalbán Theatre on November 20th and 21st.

Cameron Crowe, known for films like “Say Anything” and “Jerry Maguire,” is currently working on a movie about Joni Mitchell, with rumors suggesting Meryl Streep and Anya Taylor-Joy will star. He also plans to publish a collection of his journalism next year. Over coffee and bagels in Culver City recently, he discussed a project that didn’t come together with Bob Dylan, and the recent removal of Jann Wenner from the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.

You had a reputation for being kind to the people you wrote about, didn’t you? Were there ever any conflicts that arose because of that?

Early in my career, some editors at Rolling Stone told me I shouldn’t write about people I liked. I took on two assignments and decided to experiment with a sarcastic, critical style – what would later be called ‘snark’.

Okay, so Bachman-Turner Overdrive… honestly, I always thought they were a little silly, but they were huge at the time, and Rolling Stone wanted a piece on them. That meant a three-day road trip for me! The opening act was this guy, Bob Seger, who was in a weird spot – things hadn’t quite clicked for him yet. I distinctly remember seeing him, looking really down, on a pay phone in some hallway. He was telling whoever was on the other end that he felt like he should be a big deal back in Michigan, but here he was, opening for BTO. It was a pretty sad scene, actually.

I remember seeing Bob Seger backstage, casually eating a chocolate chip cookie off a styrofoam plate. It felt like a scene straight out of an Edward Hopper painting – a quiet, everyday moment captured with a sense of loneliness and realism.

I had to deal with a band that was acting really arrogant. They’d had a few successful songs and were clearly letting it go to their heads, so I called them out on it. Afterwards, though, I felt bad about how I handled things.

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I always admired how he’d step outside of himself to do what was asked, even if it didn’t quite feel like him. I remember watching William Buckley on TV when I was little and thinking, ‘He’s got an edge!’ I even wondered what it would be like for me to be that bold. The surprising part was, people really connected with it – they loved the story and said it felt authentic. But honestly, it left me feeling a little uncomfortable, like I’d compromised something of myself.

I still feel a little bad about something else: an article I wrote about John Travolta for Playgirl in 1977. He was at a point in his career where he was testing the waters of fame, similar to the band Bachman-Turner Overdrive. I remember writing something like, “Good luck with that.” Apparently, he was upset by it. A journalist friend of mine, who also knew Travolta, told me that John had called him and asked why I’d said that. He said he’d enjoyed our conversation and felt like I was subtly dismissing him.

Years later, I found myself sitting at the same table as John Travolta when “Jerry Maguire” came out – his wife, Kelly Preston, had been in the film, and he’d really championed her for the role. I told him I regretted what I’d written about him, explaining it didn’t reflect who either of us truly were. He looked at me and, without any visible hurt, simply said, “I appreciate you saying that, but there’s no way we can rebuild trust.” I remember his face clearly – it wasn’t about being wounded, but about a perceived lack of honesty on my part.

I’m particularly proud of a scene in the book set in Chicago with Led Zeppelin. It involves meeting a woman in a bar, and I wrote, ‘She was a single mother and a schoolteacher on her day off. She invited me to her apartment, and I watched her pay the babysitter.’ I think that moment really captured a feeling – it felt authentic, honest, and a little melancholic. I’m also pleased with how I wrote about Ronnie Van Zant of Lynyrd Skynyrd. His life was tragically cut short, and he had so much potential. I believe he deserves more recognition.

The book effectively varies its pace, moving quickly through some memories and lingering on others, much like a piece of music changes tempo. Hopefully, this creates a similar effect for the reader.

I spent a long time reflecting on my meeting with Gregg Allman. He was incredibly open about his music and the loss of his brother, Duane, but then things took a really strange turn – he suddenly accused me of being a police officer and took my interview recordings! That encounter really bothered me for decades, and when I finally wrote about it, it just poured out – it was a very raw and emotional experience. I think Gregg understood how strongly I felt, even if he presented it differently in his autobiography. Honestly, his version just didn’t feel true to what actually happened.

Recording the audiobook brought back some difficult emotions and made me cry. The experience of being physically attacked at sixteen was particularly upsetting, as I didn’t grow up around that kind of violence. Those memories were still very vivid and affected me while I was working.

In a way, that scene feels like —
But I never hated him for it.

No, that wasn’t my impression at all. Reading it felt like stumbling upon someone’s pain. It wasn’t about medical issues, but it clearly showed a deep hurt, and I found myself feeling sympathetic and acknowledging their anger.

This part of the story really struck me as the emotional core of the book. The character felt incredibly real – he wasn’t much older than I am, and you could just sense the deep pain he was carrying. It resonated with me because I’ve experienced a similar loss, having lost a sibling myself.

You know, I completely botched an interview with Bob Dylan once. It was around the time of his ‘Street-Legal’ album, and we were at the recording studio. He had this bed covered in the ten most popular albums of the moment – he’d actually asked someone to bring them in, I think Bob Seger was one of them. But the whole thing just flopped. I didn’t get any good answers, or maybe I just didn’t ask the right questions. He was going on about Shelley Winters being a major artist, and I honestly blurted out something like, ‘Shelley Winters? The one from the Johnny Carson show?’ It was a disaster, and the magazine never published it.

Much later, I was asked to write the notes for Bob Dylan’s “Biograph” box set. He came to my home and we talked for about two hours at a small red table in my living room. Because it was for him, he seemed unusually willing to share. The interview was pretty simple – I’d just mention a song like “Forever Young,” and he’d actually respond with detailed answers, explaining things like where and why he wrote it. It was amazing – I couldn’t believe how open he was!

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Someone who really let me down was Steve Miller. I was asked to write a feature article about him. I wasn’t particularly excited about it, but I did enjoy his older music. I traveled to San Francisco for the interview, and it was freezing in his hotel room with all the windows open. Everyone was cold except for Steve, who was bundled up in a coat. He immediately questioned my ability to interview him, saying I was too young to understand his music. It was incredibly awkward – everyone was looking at me, waiting for my response. I felt put on the spot, like I had to defend myself. I tried to say something, but ultimately I wrote a note to my editor, Jann, explaining why I didn’t want to do the story. Jann then showed that note to Steve Miller.

Have you spoken with Miller recently? No, not since, but I believe he hasn’t forgotten. He mentioned it briefly when he was at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

In 2023, Jann Wenner was removed from the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame’s board following an interview with the New York Times’ David Marchese about his book, “The Masters.” Marchese questioned why Wenner only interviewed white men, and Wenner responded by implying that female and Black artists – like Joni Mitchell and Marvin Gaye – weren’t as capable of expressing themselves. The question is whether those comments revealed a side of Wenner he’d previously hidden, or if that was his genuine perspective. I believe it was the real Jann speaking at that moment. The person described by those comments didn’t seem like the Jann I knew. I see him as someone proud of the interviews he conducted and wanting to justify his choices of who he considered ‘masters.’ However, it felt like a loaded question, similar to asking if someone has stopped doing something wrong. I don’t think Marchese intended to trap Wenner, but that’s how Wenner reacted to the question.

Jann was a real catalyst, getting a lot of people energized about writing and sharing music when there wasn’t much of a platform for it. As a young person, going into his office and seeing those passionate, slightly older colleagues working together on these stories was incredibly inspiring. Jann fostered that collaborative spirit. Later in my career, as a leader, I understood how vital it is to be the one who unites everyone – and it’s definitely not an easy task.

Do you think the criticism he received was fair, or did it go too far? It likely felt excessive because we didn’t have the full story. Understanding Jann’s intentions might be easier with more context. The problem with today’s online culture is that people often react strongly to just a few sensational sentences, usually with outrage. He’d probably phrase things differently now.

I believe he would react that way, but it’s hard to know if it’s because he genuinely feels differently, or if he’s just cautious after being stung. I also think he misjudged Joni and now realizes he was wrong – she’s the most clear and expressive of the group.

What kind of music suddenly makes you feel like you’re getting older? My sons are really into melodic death metal – not my taste, personally – but I recently went to a Sleep Token concert with them and was surprised by how moving and emotional it was.

I really appreciate you sharing your thoughts on music. It’s funny how we started talking about bands you weren’t familiar with, and then you explained something you actually enjoy. Speaking of which, Sleep Token, at its core, is basically singer-songwriter music.

People often praise your music choices in films. Are there any filmmakers who you think use music even more effectively than you do?

Quentin Tarantino comes to mind. The way he used Jim Croce in ‘Django Unchained,’ or the Delfonics in ‘Jackie Brown’ – that was brilliant. I was really moved by a series called ‘Wayward’ with Toni Collette. Michael Angarano, who was in ‘Almost Famous’ – he played the young drummer – directed a great film called ‘Sacramento,’ and it features a fantastic, obscure Ron Wood song. It made me realize I need to step up my game and make another movie with equally impressive music choices.

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2025-10-22 13:41