Michael is a timid teen who doesn’t wish to stand out much, worrying his mother, Nancy, who encourages him to join a club. He ends up joining band and while playing the drums for the first time, he is scouted by the hyper and rebellious James. He introduces Michael to Gavin, a young delinquent obsessed with musical counterculture. They all form a band and on their first gig a mosh pit breaks out forcing them to escape. The boys are elated by the ruckus they caused and meet up again to practice at a mall music store. After getting kicked out for playing too well and forming a crowd, Gavin plays wingman and helps get Michael alone time with a cool girl his age, Izzy, who they also spot hanging out at the mall. This works as Michael and Izzy hit it off. Michael, Gavin, and James continue to perform becoming highly in demand. Michael wants the band to get on the radio so he suggests participating in a battle of the bands. Michael is furious when Gavin misses the opportunity to record the demo needed to apply for the competition. However, when he returns home Nancy reveals she watched the tape of Rare Breed’s first gig and suggests that Michael submit to it MTV. Instead, Michael submits it as the missing demo behind James and Gavin’s back. Michael starts feeling really good, asking his dad to come to the show, asking Izzy on a date, and staying in the battle of the bands despite Gavin’s issues. However, things turn sour starting with Kurt Cobain dying and the school, fearing copycat suicides, removing everything “grunge”. Michael then gets stood up by Izzy at the TLC concert after she kisses him. Michael starts acting out more and gets in a fight with Gavin and later his mom. Gavin goes to Michael’s house to apologize and the two work through it when Gavin is able to open up about his dead mom. At the Battle of the Bands, the boys do incredibly until the announcer confronts them about lying about their ages. The boys lose but their friendship is saved and they part ways. The next day, Michael is horrified to learn from James that Gavin died in a drunk driving incident after the competition. After his father doesn’t show up to his show, Michael goes to confront him learning that his dad is a scam artist who pretends to be a Vietnam vet. Michael, furious, goes home, where he destroys his room and cries in his mom’s arms. At school the next day, there’s a PSA assembly in relation to Gavin’s passing. The principal speaks to Michael about Gavin, stating he probably wanted to die (like Kurt Cobain) and that the school has to take precautions. Michael, furious at the establishment, teams up with James to crash the assembly with some Rage Against the Machine.
