Exploring the widespread misunderstanding of groupie culture
Cameron Crowe’s 2000 film Almost Famous shone a light on the nature of groupiedom, a topic so often shrouded in mystery and misogyny. The movie follows a 15-year-old wannabe music journalist who lands a dream job with Rolling Stone, covering the up-and-coming rock band Stillwater on the road. However, it is Penny Lane, the mesmeric young groupie played by Kate Hudson, that steals the show. She insists that she is a ‘band-aid’, not a ‘stereotypical groupie’, in love with music and living on the road. Her character was inspired by real groupies such as Pamela Des Barres, who was romantically linked to musicians ranging from Jim Morrison to Keith Moon, Jimmy Page and Mick Jagger.
Since her stint as one of music’s most iconic groupies, Des Barres has spoken out about the cultural misunderstanding surrounding the term. For years, groupies have been frowned upon as sex-hungry, fame-seeking young girls. The widespread cultural disapproval of the idea of women sleeping around is blatant misogyny, as the male rockstars that also engaged in this behaviour were never simultaneously labelled “sluts” and “whores”. The 1960s and ’70s marked a period of sexual revolution; who’s to condemn these women for joining in?
The term, as we know it, was coined in the late ’60s, with different sources claiming that the word was first used by Frank Zappa. Others argue it was Bill Wyman, although he disputes this. However, the term actually originates from the 1942 novel, The Company She Keeps by Mary McCarthy, in which she describes a form of celebrity chase.
A Rolling Stone article, first published in 1969, entitled ‘Groupies and Other Girls’, took a deep dive into their world. Quotes are provided by groupies and musicians, such as Jimmy Page, who claimed, “There are two kinds of groupies, those who are like friends, like San Francisco girls, and those Los Angeles and New York girls who are making a religion of how many pop stars they can fuck. Groupies are a better ball, by and large, you know: they’ve had more experience, and they’re willing to try more things. The sex angle is important. But no more important than girls who are also good friends and make you feel like family”. The article stresses the difference between groupies and ‘starfuckers’, who are “usually social loners,” sleeping with “names, not people”. Instead, groupies hung out together. According to one ex-groupie named Henri, “Being a groupie is a full-time gig. Sort of like being a musician. You have two or three girlfriends you hang out with, and you stay as high and as intellectually enlightened as a group of musicians.”
The entire concept of being a groupie is routinely boiled down to sleeping with rockstars and giving them a helping hand, so to speak. In the present day, the term is often thrown around to refer to girls that express a passionate desire for a band by attending multiple dates on their tours. Because a girl can’t truly like rock music, right? It’s a ridiculous notion that relies on the idea of women being shallow, subsequently dismissing the massive influence that groupies had on rock music and popular culture.
If it weren’t for the young girls that passionately immersed themselves in the scene, some of the greatest songs would never have been written. These girls served as inspiration for the musicians they surrounded themselves with, often becoming the topics of their lyrics. Additionally, women like Des Barres were responsible for helping to pick out the clothes that rockstars wore, popularising the iconic bohemian looks of the 1960s and ’70s that have been so influential over fashion. She recalled, via Fashion Magazine: “I took Zeppelin, Rod Stewart, [and] Jeff Beck to their very first vintage store in Hollywood called the Glass Farmhouse. You could find a lot of pictures of Jimmy wearing Western gear for a certain point in time.”
Groupies also did an awful lot of unpaid labour for the bands they adored, which they would’ve certainly received paychecks for if they were men. They would often arrange parties and networking events, clean, cook, and keep the band members afloat, showering them with continuous support. These women wanted to be involved in the world of rock ‘n’ roll and took all the steps possible to get there. Sadly, many groupies were taken advantage of, especially ‘baby groupies’, like Sable Starr and Lori Maddox. These girls lost their virginities to famous rock stars, sleeping with big names such as David Bowie and Iggy Pop by the time they were 15. Although many of these women don’t believe they were exploited, Maddox claimed (via Thrillist): “I saw the greatest music ever. I got to hang out with some of the most amazing, most beautiful, most charismatic men in the world,” the reality is, they were children. As a groupie called Lacy claimed in the Rolling Stone article, “They’re young girls, and they don’t know what they want.” Hoping to find solace in the exciting world of rock ‘n’ roll, many young groupies were abused and taken advantage of.
It’s time that we look back at groupies for the influential contributions they made to music instead of shaming them for sleeping around with some of music’s most well-loved rockstars – can you blame them? The term groupie shouldn’t be derogatory, and these women should be celebrated.