In the wake of the "British Invasion", Gene is trying to remodel his band after the Beatles and the Rolling Stones, and he believes Doug is suited to this style.

Doug tells his father that he intends to join the army and get an ROTC scholarship, but abandons these plans after the Vietnam War begins.

As Pat learns that his psoriasis is actually mycosis fungoides cancer, he begins to mellow, taking Doug out to dinner and revealing family secrets.

Evelyn walks down the same street, and muses aloud that she is writing an essay about America's two biggest innovations: nuclear weapons and rock 'n roll.

Other minor appearances include comedian Lisa Lampanelli as Aunt Josie; Louis Mustillo as Uncle Johnny Vitelloni; Robert Funaro as Uncle Murf; Justine Lupe as Candace; Lucie Pohl as Severine; Alfie Stewart as Keith; Dominic Sherwood as Mick; Julia Garner as the strange-looking girl in the car; Jay Weinberg as a jazz drummer; Charlie Plummer as Grace's little brother; Bob Bandiera as a jingle guitarist; Levi Wilson as Charlie Watts.

The site's consensus reads, "Exuberant and bittersweet, Not Fade Away is a coming-of-age story set to a British Invasion beat that occasionally meanders but mostly charms.

"[3] Keith Uhlich of Time Out New York named Not Fade Away the second-best film of 2012, citing it as proof that Chase's work on The Sopranos was "no fluke".