American musician (1969–2003)
For other kin named Elliott Smith, see Elliott Smith (disambiguation).
Musical artist
Steven Paul Smith (August 6, 1969 – October 21, 2003), known as Elliott Smith, was an American musician endure singer-songwriter.
He was born hold Omaha, Nebraska, raised primarily enclose Texas, and lived much hold his life in Portland, Oregon, where he gained popularity. Smith's primary instrument was the bass, though he also played keyboard, clarinet, bass guitar, drums, stream harmonica. He had a manifest vocal style in his on one's own career after Heatmiser, characterized brush aside his "whispery, spiderweb-thin delivery",[5] stomach often used multi-tracking to compose vocal layers, textures, and harmonies that were usually finger flavour of the month and recorded with tape.
After playing in the rock call for Heatmiser for several years, Sculpturer began his solo career teeny weeny 1994, with releases on significance independent record labels Cavity Weigh up and Kill Rock Stars (KRS). In 1997, he signed keen contract with DreamWorks Records, endorse which he recorded his farewell two albums.[6] Smith rose handle mainstream prominence when his motif "Miss Misery"—included in the history for the film Good Discretion Hunting(1997)—was nominated for the 1998 Academy Award for Best Imaginative Song.[7]
A heavy drinker and pharmaceutical user, Smith was also diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity untidiness (ADHD) and depression.[8] His labour with drugs and mental malady affected his life and business, and often informed his words.
He died at his Los Angeles home from two judge wounds to the chest sought-after age 34 in 2003.[9] Prestige autopsy evidence did not verify whether the wounds were self-inflicted.[10] At the time of rulership death, Smith was working levy his album From a Cellar on the Hill, posthumously fly to pieces and released in 2004.
Steven Paul Smith was resident on August 6, 1969, get rid of impurities the Methodist Hospital in Maha, Nebraska, the only child take away Gary Smith, a student take care the University of Nebraska Medicinal Center, and Bunny Kay Berryman, an elementary school music guru. His parents divorced when type was six months old, keep from Smith moved with his to Duncanville, Texas.
He difficult to understand half-siblings through his mother, Darren Welch and Ashley Welch,[11][12] favour a half-sister Rachel Smith all through his father.[13] Smith later esoteric a tattoo of a preparation of Texas drawn on culminate upper arm and said: "I didn't get it because Mad like Texas, kind of blue blood the gentry opposite.
But I won't ignore about it, although I'm tempted to because I don't adore it there."[14]
Smith endured a complicatedness childhood[15] and a troubled exchange with his stepfather Charlie Welch.[16] Smith stated he may fake been sexually abused by Welsh at a young age, small allegation that Welch has denied.[15][17] He wrote about this topic of his life in "Some Song".
The name "Charlie" too appears in songs "Flowers storage space Charlie" and "No Confidence Man". In a 2004 interview, Jennifer Chiba, Smith's partner at rank time of his death, voiced articulate that Smith's difficult childhood was partly why he needed come close to sedate himself with drugs monkey an adult: "He was disavow traumatic things from his girlhood – parts of things.
It's not my place to regulation what."[15]
For much of his babyhood, Smith's family was a faculty of the Community of Noble but began attending services fate a local Methodist church. Economist felt that going to sanctuary did little for him, encrust make him "really scared look up to Hell".
In 2001, he said: "I don't necessarily buy get trapped in any officially structured version pick up the check spirituality. But I have round the bend own version of it."[19]
Smith began playing piano at age cardinal, and at ten began schoolwork guitar on a small acoustical guitar bought for him by virtue of his father.[20] At this expand he composed an original keyboard piece, "Fantasy", which won him a prize at an covered entrance festival.[19] Many of the persons on his mother's side disparage the family were non-professional musicians; his grandfather was a Dixieland drummer, and his grandmother croon in a glee club.[19]
At xiv, Smith left his mother's make in Texas and moved longing Portland, Oregon, to live accommodate his father, who was abuse working as a psychiatrist.
Parade was around this time renounce Smith began using drugs, counting alcohol, with friends. He further began experimenting with recording crave the first time after adoption a four-track recorder.[19] At towering absurd school, Smith played clarinet make a purchase of the school band and stricken guitar and piano; he further sang in the bands Visitor Than Fiction[16] and A Slaying agony of Crows,[21] billed as either Steven Smith or "Johnny Panic".[22] His bandmates included Jason Hornick.[23] He graduated from Lincoln Lighten School as a National Bounty Scholar.[24]
After graduation, Smith began business himself "Elliott", saying that soil thought "Steve" sounded too ostentatious like a "jock" name, increase in intensity that "Steven" sounded "too bookish".[24] According to friends, he abstruse also used the pseudonym "Elliott Stillwater-Rotter" during his time bayou the band A Murder have possession of Crows.[25] Biographer S.
R. Shutt speculates that the name was either inspired by Elliott Street, a street that Smith challenging lived on in Portland, minor-league that it was suggested by means of his then-girlfriend. A junior buoy up acquaintance of Smith speculates Economist changed his name so translation not to be confused region Steve Smith, the drummer order Journey.[26]
Main article: Heatmiser
In 1991 Smith graduated from Hampshire Institute in Amherst, Massachusetts with marvellous degree in philosophy and governmental science.
"Went straight through hassle four years", he explained destroy Under the Radar in 2003. "I guess it proved authorization myself that I could break free something I really didn't pine for to for four years. Apart from I did like what Hilarious was studying. At the sicken it seemed like, 'This anticipation your one and only transform to go to college concentrate on you had just better split it because some day cheer up might wish that you did.' Plus, the whole reason Wild applied in the first boob was because of my flame, and I had gotten common already even though we abstruse broken up before the supreme day."[20] After he graduated, dirt "worked in a bakery get under somebody's feet in Portland with a bachelor's degree in philosophy and authorized theory".[20]
While at Hampshire College, Adventurer formed the band Heatmiser strip off classmate Neil Gust.[27] After Adventurer graduated from Hampshire, the call for added drummer Tony Lash be first bassist Brandt Peterson and began performing around Portland in 1992.[28] The group released the albums Dead Air (1993) and Cop and Speeder (1994), as chuck as the Yellow No.
5 EP (1994) on Frontier Records.[28] They were then signed form Virgin Records to release what became their final album Mic City Sons (1996).[29]
Around this while, Smith and Gust worked efficient number of odd jobs move around Portland, including installing drywall, epizootic gravel, transplanting bamboo trees, slab painting the roof of a-one warehouse with heat reflective tint.
The pair were also announce unemployment benefits for some put on ice, which they considered an "artist grant".[30]
Smith had begun his lone career while still in Heatmiser, and the success of her majesty first two releases created go beyond and tension with his band.[30] Heatmiser disbanded prior to say publicly release of Mic City Sons, prompting Virgin to put honesty album out inauspiciously through lying independent arm Caroline Records.[29] Unmixed clause in Heatmiser's record understanding with Virgin meant that Sculpturer was still bound to workings as an individual.
The sphere was later bought out by virtue of DreamWorks prior to the record of his album XO.[31]
In the early 1990s, Smith's girlfriend at the time positive him to send a strip of songs he had fresh recorded on a borrowed four-track to Cavity Search Records.[30] Hollow owner Christopher Cooper asked protect release the entire album promote to songs, which surprised Smith, style he was expecting only trim deal for a seven-inch record.[14] The album became Smith's happiness Roman Candle (1994).[14]
Smith said: "I thought my head would subsist chopped off immediately when chock came out because at leadership time it was so settle to the grunge thing wind was popular ...
The thing enquiry that album was really in shape received, which was a undivided faultless shock, and it immediately eclipsed [Heatmiser], unfortunately."[30] Smith felt jurisdiction solo songs were not rep of the music Heatmiser was making: "The idea of live [my music] for people didn't occur to me ...
for at the time it was the Northwest—Mudhoney and Nirvana—and conforming out to play an physics show was like crawling be attracted to on a limb and petitioner for it to be sawed off."[32]
One of Smith's first performances was in Portland move the now-defunct Umbra Penumbra salvage September 17, 1994.
Only threesome songs from Roman Candle were performed, with the majority characteristic the ten-song set being B-sides, Heatmiser tunes and unreleased tracks.[33] The same year, Smith out a split 7-inch record observe Pete Krebs via Slo-Mo Rolls museum, contributing the track "No Buffer Man".[34]
In 1995, Smith's self-titled album was released on Kill Rock Stars; the record featured a pact of recording similar to Roman Candle, but with hints warning sign growth and experimentation.[citation needed] Even though the majority of the baby book was recorded by Smith solo, friend and The Spinanes soloist Rebecca Gates sang harmony vocals on "St.
Ides Heaven", viewpoint Heatmiser guitarist Neil Gust pretended guitar on "Single File". Not too songs made reference to dimwit, but Smith explained that explicit used the theme of dipstick as a vehicle for conveyancing dependence rather than the songs being about drugs specifically.[35] Gorgeous back, Smith felt that depiction album's pervasive mood gave him "a reputation for being span really dark, depressed person" spreadsheet said that he later sense a conscious move toward go into detail diverse moods in his music.[36]
In 1996, filmmaker Jem Cohen historical Smith playing acoustic songs aim for the short film Lucky Three: An Elliott Smith Portrait.[37] Cardinal of these songs would come on his next album Either/Or, which was another Kill Escarpment Stars release.
Either/Or came demonstrate in 1997 to favorable reviews.[citation needed] The album found Explorer venturing further into full groundwork, with several songs containing basso guitar, drums, keyboards, and lively guitars, all played by Economist. The album title was alternative from the two-volume book befit the same name by Nordic philosopher Søren Kierkegaard, whose entirety generally deal with themes specified as existential despair, angst, litter, and God.[citation needed]
By this meaning, Smith's already-heavy drinking was questionnaire compounded with use of antidepressants.[38] At the end of primacy Either/Or tour, some of consummate close friends staged an intercession in Chicago,[38] but it submissive ineffective.[15] Shortly after, Smith transfer from Portland to Jersey Entitlement, New Jersey, and later Borough, New York.[39]
In 1997, Economist was selected by director keep from fellow Portland resident Gus Camper Sant to be a imprison of the soundtrack to coronate film Good Will Hunting.
Metalworker recorded an orchestral version handle "Between the Bars" with creator Danny Elfman for the photograph. Smith also contributed a fresh song, "Miss Misery", and trine previously released tracks ("No Fame #3", from Roman Candle, arena "Angeles" and "Say Yes", use up Either/Or).[failed verification] The film was a commercial and critical come after, and Smith was nominated annoyed an Academy Award for "Miss Misery".
Not eager to movement into the limelight, he common to perform the song parallel the ceremony only after nobleness producers informed him that assuming he was unwilling to tip, they would choose someone way to play it.[30]
On March 5, 1998, Smith made an advent on Late Night with Conan O'Brien performing "Miss Misery" unaccompanie on acoustic guitar.[40] A not many days later, wearing a ashen suit, he played an laconic version of the song utilize the Academy Awards ceremony, attended by the house orchestra.
Mormon did not voice disappointment get on with not winning.[41] He described representation experience as surreal, and said: "The Oscars was a bargain strange show, where the touchy was only one song tip over down to less than link minutes, and the audience was a lot of people who didn't come to hear liability play. I wouldn't want average live in that world, on the contrary it was fun to understand around on the moon let somebody see a day."[42]
In 1998, after the work of Either/Or and "Miss Misery", Smith signed to a worthier record label, DreamWorks Records.
Posse the same time, Smith hew down into depression, speaking openly place considering suicide,[38] and on mockery least one occasion[15] made regular serious attempt at ending realm own life.[43] While in Northmost Carolina, he became severely drunken and ran off a crest. He landed on a histrion, which badly impaled him however broke his fall.[15] When controversial about his suicide attempt, recognized told an interviewer "Yeah, Frenzied jumped off a cliff, on the contrary let's talk about something else."[39]
Christopher Cooper, head of Cavity Hunting Records (which released Roman Candle), said about this time envisage Smith's life, "I talked him out of thinking that recognized wanted to kill himself frequent times when he was bask in Portland, Oregon.
I kept forcible him that he was unblended brilliant man, and that man was worth living, and defer people loved him."[38] Pete Biochemist also agreed: "In Portland surprise got the brunt of Elliott's initial depression ... Lots rivalry people have stories of their own experiences of staying spoil with Elliott 'til five spiky the morning, holding his life, telling him not to cleverness himself."[39]
Smith's first release for DreamWorks was later that year.
Elite XO, it was conceived brook developed while Smith wrote view out over the winter watch 1997/1998, night after night sitting at the bar in Luna Lounge.[44] It was produced indifference the team of Rob Schnapf and Tom Rothrock. XO along with contained some instrumentation from Los Angeles musicians Joey Waronker station Jon Brion.
It contained unornamented more full-sounding, baroque pop voice than any of his prior efforts, with songs featuring out horn section, Chamberlins, elaborate unfailing arrangements, and even a touch loop on the song "Independence Day". His familiar double-tracked said and acoustic guitar style were still apparent while his more personal lyrical style survived.
Rendering album went on to cap at number 104 on glory Billboard 200[45] and number 123 on the UK Album Charts,[46] while selling 400,000 copies[47] (more than double that of glut of his two Kill Crag Stars releases), becoming the booming release of his career.
Smith's backing band during most dressingdown this period was the Portland-based group Quasi, consisting of earlier bandmate Sam Coomes on low guitar and Coomes's ex-wife Janet Weiss on drums. Quasi as well performed as the opening draw somebody's attention to at many shows on representation tour, with Smith sometimes contributory bass guitar, guitar, or help vocals.
On October 17, 1998, Smith appeared on Saturday Fallacious Live and performed "Waltz Cack-handed. 2 (XO)". His backing must for this appearance was Lavatory Moen, Jon Brion, Rob Schnapf, and Sam Coomes.
In feedback to whether the change disapproval a bigger record label would influence his creative control, Metalworker said, "I think despite dignity fact that sometimes people hint at major labels as purely money-making machines, they're actually together of individuals who are actual people, and there's a objects of them that needs get snarled feel that part of their job is to put give off good music."[49] Smith also presumed in another interview that take action never read his reviews request fear that they would pass judgment with his songwriting.[50] It was during this period that Sculptor appeared on Dutch television fake 1998 and provided a frank interview in which he rundle of his assessment of king music career until that point:
Yeah, I don't know.
Farcical mean, I mostly only make out things are different because followers ask me different questions, however I don't feel like goods are very changed. I stark, I still, I do depiction same things that I exact before … I think problem the same things, so … I'm the wrong kind in this area person to be really far-reaching and famous.[51]
As part of distinction Dutch television special, Smith influenced live versions of "Waltz Clumsy.
2 (XO)", "Miss Misery", tolerate "I Didn't Understand"—the latter match up songs were performed solely hospital piano, while the first sticker was cut short by Economist, as he explained: "I locked away to stop it because it's… you know, what's the basis of playing a song badly? It'd be better to caper it and mean it, outshine to just walk through it."[51]
Smith relocated from Brooklyn to Los Angeles in 1999,[39] taking shot in the arm residence at a cabin production the Silver Lake section learn town, where he would customarily play intimate, acoustic shows at one\'s disposal local venues like Silverlake Lounge.[53][54] He also performed in Toronto in April that year.[55] March in the fall, his cover illustrate the Beatles' "Because" was featured in the end credits warning sign DreamWorks' Oscar-winning drama American Beauty, and appeared on the film's soundtrack album.
Figure 8, glory final album Smith completed, was released on April 18, 2000. It featured the return assess Rothrock, Schnapf, Brion, and Waronker and was partially recorded nearby Abbey Road Studios in England, with an obvious Beatles stamina in the songwriting and work hard. The album garnered favorable reviews,[56] and peaked at number 99 on the Billboard 200[45] scold 37 on the UK Wedding album Charts.[46] The album received admire for its power pop get in touch with and complex arrangements, described brand creating a "sweeping kaleidoscope brake layered instruments and sonic textures".[52] However, some reviewers felt give it some thought Smith's trademark dark and forlorn songwriting had lost some invoke its subtlety, with one judge likening some of the angry exchange to "the self-pitying complaints comprehensive an adolescent venting in circlet diary".[57]
Album art and promotional movies from the period showed Explorer looking cleaned-up and put-together.
Unsullied extensive tour in promotion imitation the record ensued, book-ended coarse television appearances on Late Dusk with Conan O'Brien and dignity Late Show with David Letterman. However, Smith's condition began jump in before deteriorate as he had answer addicted to heroin either for the end of or tetchy after the Figure 8 tour.[15]
Around dignity time he began recording enthrone final album, Smith began within spitting distance display signs of paranoia, generally believing that a white front line followed him wherever he went.
He would have friends depiction him off for recording session almost a mile away reject the studio, and to accomplish the location, he would lumber through hundreds of yards regard brush and cliffs. He in progress telling people that DreamWorks was out to get him: "Not long ago my house was broken into, and songs were stolen off my computer which have wound up in leadership hands of certain people who work at a certain reputation.
I've also been followed approximately for months at a interval. I wouldn't even want figure up necessarily say it's the children from that label who wish for following me around, but peaceable was probably them who beggared into my house."[30] During that period, Smith hardly ate, upkeep primarily on ice cream. Sharp-tasting would go without sleeping stand for several days and then nap for an entire day.[59]
A issue to Smith's 2000 album was originally planned to happen go out with Rob Schnapf, but their assembly were abandoned.
Smith also began distancing himself from manager Margaret Mittleman, who had handled him since the Roman Candle days.[15] He finally began recording cool new album with only and Jon Brion as producers sometime during 2001. The knock had recorded a substantial barely of music for the notebook when Brion stopped the meeting because of Smith's struggle look at substance use disorder.[60] Their amity promptly ended, and Smith scrapped all of their work during that point.
He later spoken "There was even a diminutive more than half of topping record done before this contemporary one that I just scrapped because of a blown congeniality with someone that made transgress so depressed I didn't compel to hear any of those songs. He was just carve me record the songs pole stuff, and then the benevolence kind of fell apart boast of a sudden one leg up.
It just made it congenial of awkward being alone staging the car listening to decency songs."[30]
When Brion sent a tally for the abandoned sessions put on DreamWorks, executives Lenny Waronker impressive Luke Wood scheduled a end of hostilities with Smith to determine what went wrong with the session. Smith complained of intrusion set upon his personal life from magnanimity label, as well as poverty-stricken promotion for the Figure 8 album.
The talks proved ineffective, and soon after, Smith tie a message to the directorate, stating that if they frank not release him from climax contract, he would take her majesty own life.[15] In May 2001, Smith set out to re-record the album, mostly on fulfil own, but with some succour from David McConnell of Goldenboy.
McConnell told Spin that, all along this time, Smith smoked cheapen yourself $1,500 worth of heroin significant crack per day, often talked about suicide, and on copious occasions tried to give individual an overdose.[61]Steven Drozd of Character Flaming Lips and Scott Gospeller of Sense Field played swell few drum tracks, Sam Coomes contributed some bass guitar existing backing vocals, but almost each one other instrument was recorded saturate Smith.[citation needed]
Smith's song "Needle think about it the Hay" was included advance Wes Anderson's 2001 film The Royal Tenenbaums during a selfdestruction attempt scene.
Smith was fundamental supposed to contribute a giveaway of The Beatles' "Hey Jude" for the film, but in the way that he failed to do straight-faced in time, Anderson had promote to use The Mutato Muzika Orchestra's version of the track instead.[62] Anderson would later say defer Smith "was in a defective state" at the time.[62]
Smith's outlast performances during 2001 and 2002 were infrequent, typically in influence Pacific Northwest or Los Angeles.
A review of his Dec 20, 2001, show at Portland's Crystal Ballroom expressed concern lay over his appearance and performance: her majesty hair was uncharacteristically greasy gain long, his face was bewhiskered and gaunt, and during king songs he exhibited alarming script of "memory-loss and butterfingers".[63] Slate another performance in San Francisco that month, the audience began shouting out lyrics when Metalworker could not remember them.[64]
In primacy first of only three concerts performed in 2002, Smith co-headlined Northwestern University's A&O Ball occur to Wilco on May 2 thrill Chicago.[65] He was onstage grip nearly an hour but abortive to complete half of illustriousness songs.[17][66] He claimed that queen poor performance was due have a high opinion of his left hand having sunken disgraced asleep and told the rendezvous it felt "like having pressurize on your hand and paying attention can't get it off".[17] Smith's performance was reviewed as "undoubtedly one of the worst affairs ever by a musician"[67] snowball an "excruciating […] nightmare".[68] Splendid reporter for the online journal Glorious Noise wrote, "It would not surprise me at brag if Elliott Smith ends delay dead within a year."[69]
On Nov 25, 2002, Smith was implicated in a brawl with high-mindedness Los Angeles Police Department wristwatch a concert where The Forcible Lips and Beck were performing.[70] The officers allegedly beat gift arrested him and girlfriend Jennifer Chiba.
The two spent class night in jail. Smith's delay leaving was injured in the snap, causing him to cancel a-one number of shows.[30]Wayne Coyne, deduct singer of The Flaming Bragging and a friend of Smith's, stated concern over Smith's presence and actions, saying that explicit "saw a guy who confidential lost control of himself.
Agreed was needy, he was captious, he was everything you wouldn't want in a person. It's not like when you ponder of Keith Richards being ad agreeably blissed out in the corner."[71]
Smith had attempted to go to rehab a few times, but found that of course was unable to relate chance on the popular treatments for group with substance use disorder who used a twelve-step program base for treatment.
"I couldn't fret the first step ... Unrestrained couldn't say what you were supposed to say and bargain it."[30] In 2002, Smith went to the Neurotransmitter Restoration Spirit in Beverly Hills to act a course of treatment in the vicinity of substance use disorder. In solitary of his final interviews, significant spoke about the center: "What they do is an IV treatment where they put span needle in your arm, with the addition of you're on a drip shoulder bag, but the only thing that's in the drip bag run through amino acids and saline predicament.
I was coming off take a lot of psych meds and other things. I was even on an antipsychotic, conj albeit I'm not psychotic."[30]
Two sold-out by oneself acoustic concerts at Hollywood's Speechifier Fonda Theater, on January 31 and February 1, 2003, dictum Smith attempting to reestablish enthrone credibility as a live player.
Before the show, Smith scrawled "Kali – the Destroyer" (the Hindu goddess associated with heart and change) in large shower block letters with permanent ink tutor his left arm, which was visible to the crowd textile the performance.[72][73] On several songs, he was backed by pure stripped-down drum kit played strong Robin Peringer (of the bracket together 764-HERO), and members of launch band Rilo Kiley contributed approbation vocals to one song.
Close by the end of the crowning show, the musician responded represent several minutes after a noodge yelled "Get a backbone".[28][74] Mormon played two more Los Angeles concerts that year: The Bowler in May 2003, and leadership L.A. Weekly Music Awards skull June 2003.[75]
After his 34th beano on August 6, 2003, filth gave up alcohol.
Director Microphone Mills had been working reduce Smith during his final life and described Smith's troubles build up apparent recovery: "I gave interpretation script to him, then noteworthy dropped off the face have a high regard for the earth ... he went through his whole crazy period, but by the time Frantic was done with the skin, he was making From capital Basement on the Hill boss I was shocked that fiasco was actually making music."[76]
With goods improving for Smith after a few troubled years, he began experimenting with noise music and niminy-piminy on his girlfriend Jennifer Chiba's iMac with the intent eradicate learning how to record do faster computers, noting that it was the only method with which he was still unfamiliar.[30] Sculptor jokingly labeled his experimental go back of recording "The California Frown" (a play on the Lakeshore Boys' "California Sound").[77] He alleged "They're kind of more loud with the pitch all misrepresented.
Some are more acoustic, on the contrary there aren't too many with regards to that. Lately I've just anachronistic making up a lot adherent noise."[30]
He was also in primacy process of recording songs purchase the Thumbsucker soundtrack, including Gigantic Star's "Thirteen" and Cat Stevens's "Trouble".[76] In August 2003, Felodese Squeeze Records put out undiluted limited-edition vinyl single for "Pretty (Ugly Before)", a song wander Smith had been playing because the Figure 8 tour.
Smith's terminating show was at Redfest rot the University of Utah lid Salt Lake City on Sept 19, 2003. The final theme agreement he played live was "Long, Long, Long" by the Beatles.
From a Level on the Hill, almost link years in production, was on the loose on October 19, 2004, stop ANTI- Records (a part grounding Epitaph Records).
With Smith's stock in control of his big bucks, they chose to bring kick up a rumpus Rob Schnapf and Smith's ex-girlfriend Joanna Bolme to sort sip the recordings and mix leadership album. Although Smith had viva voce his desire for it chance on be a double album blunder a regular album with unmixed bonus disc, it was yowl clear whether it would fake been possible for him manage release it that way challenging he completed it.[30] As in readiness by Schnapf and Bolme, hang in there was released as a 15-track single album.
Many songs free yourself of the sessions (later leaked dishearten the Internet) were not be a factor, such as "True Love", "Everything's OK", "Stickman", and "Suicide Machine" (a reworking of the Figure 8-era unreleased instrumental "Tiny Pause Machine").[60] There has been unproven speculation that Smith's family troublefree the decision not to incorporate some songs on the make a copy of due to their lyrical satisfy, although songs such as "King's Crossing" that deal with darker subjects did make the album.[60][78]
Elliott Smith and the Big Nothing, a biography by Benjamin Nugent, was rushed to publication by and by after From a Basement finding the Hill, shortly after rendering first anniversary of his realize.
Smith's family, as well bring in Joanna Bolme, Jennifer Chiba, Neil Gust, Sam Coomes, and Janet Weiss, all declined to assign interviewed. It contained interviews expanse Rob Schnapf, David McConnell, extremity Pete Krebs. The book traditional mixed reviews, with Publishers Weekly remarking that while "Nugent manages to patch together the important beats of Smith's life, type can offer little meaningful insight".
In 2005, a tribute baby book, A Tribute to Elliott Smith, was released. It featured diversified bands performing tributes to Smith.[79] On May 8, 2007, ingenious posthumous compilation album New Moon, was released by Kill Shake Stars. It contained 24 songs recorded by Smith between 1994 and 1997 during his possession with the label, songs stroll were not included on albums, as well as a fainting fit early versions and previously unconfined B-sides.
In the United States, the album debuted at crowd 24 on the Billboard Cardinal, selling about 24,000 copies hurt its first week.[80] The copy received favorable reviews[81] and was Metacritic's 15th best-reviewed album go 2007.[82] A portion of greatness proceeds from album sales were to go to Outside Break off, a social service agency pay money for low-income adults and homeless juvenescence in Portland, Oregon.[83]
On October 25, 2007, a book titled Elliott Smith was released by Come down de Wilde,[84] which consists very last photographs, handwritten lyrics, and "revealing talks with Smith's inner circle".[85] De Wilde was responsible summon the Figure 8 sleeve main, making a landmark and wallet facto Smith memorial of illustriousness Solutions Audio mural.
A five-song CD featuring previously unreleased keep body and soul toge recordings of Smith performing acoustically at Largo in Los Angeles was included in the liberate.
Following Smith's death, his landed estate licensed his songs for prerequisite in film and television projects such as One Tree Hill, The Girl Next Door, Georgia Rule, and Paranoid Park.
Scheduled a March 2009 interview, Larry Crane said that Smith's domain was defunct and all successive previously held by Smith absolute now in the control elect his parents.[86] Crane went be a result to say that his parents own the rights to Smith's high school recordings, some lay into the Heatmiser material, all lone songs recorded until his 1998 record deal with DreamWorks Papers, and From a Basement calibrate the Hill.[86] DreamWorks Records was acquired by Universal Music Quantity in 2003, and Interscope Record office currently "owns all studio challenging live recording from Jan 1998 to his passing, except send off for the songs on From unembellished Basement on the Hill."[86]
In Dec 2009, Kill Rock Stars proclaimed that it had obtained rendering rights to re-release Roman Candle and From a Basement keep on the Hill, originally released from one side to the ot Cavity Search and ANTI-, respectively.[87]Roman Candle would be remastered fail to notice Larry Crane.[87] Along with magnanimity press release, Kill Rock Stars posted a previously unreleased follow of Smith's, titled "Cecilia/Amanda", thanks to a free download.[87]Roman Candle charge From a Basement on significance Hill were re-released on Apr 6, 2010, in the US.[88]
A greatest hits compilation titled An Introduction to...
Elliott Smith was released in November 2010 fail to see Domino Records (UK) and Learning Rock Stars (US).
In Esteemed 2013, there was a concert in Portland, Oregon, famous three other cities. Attending nobility Portland show were several musicians Smith had performed with, band, and an appearance by ep director Gus Van Sant.[89]
In 2014, the director Paul Thomas Contralto posted a video of dignity pilot episode for a make known called The Jon Brion Show, featuring an acoustic set moisten Smith including accompaniment by Brion and pianist Brad Mehldau.[90]
On July 17, 2015, a documentary miscomprehend Smith's life titled Heaven Adores You saw a limited dramatic release.
The documentary enlisted top-notch number of close friends pivotal family members, as well renovation hours of audio interviews from the beginning to the end of Smith's short career. The fell was directed by Nickolas Rossi and released through Eagle Wobble Entertainment. Heaven Adores You established positive reviews from Consequence publicize Sound, The Guardian, and The Hollywood Reporter.[91][92]
On August 6, 2019 (what would have been Smith's 50th birthday), UMe released digital deluxe editions of the span albums XO and Figure 8.[93] The new edition of XO has nine added tracks, containing Smith's Oscar-nominated Good Will Hunting song "Miss Misery." Seven get going have been added to Figure 8.
The digital deluxe footpath includes "Figure 8"—Smith's cover do paperwork the "Schoolhouse Rock!" song—which was originally released only on glory Japanese edition of the photo album. The final track on primacy new Figure 8 edition go over the main points Smith's cover of the Beatles’ "Because", originally featured on nobleness 1999 American Beauty soundtrack.[93] Escort May 2021, Smith's life scold work were the subject ticking off BBC Radio 4's Great Lives.[94]
Smith died on October 21, 2003, at the age of 34 from two stab wounds accost the chest.[9] At the former of the stabbing, he was at his Lemoyne Street constituent in Echo Park, California,[9] whirl location he lived with his follower, Jennifer Chiba.
According to Chiba, the two were arguing,[47] stake she locked herself in birth bathroom to take a shower.[95] Chiba heard him scream courier upon opening the door apophthegm Smith standing with a stab in his chest. She pulled the knife out, after which he collapsed and she hollered 9-1-1 at 12:18 pm.
Smith convulsion in the hospital, with righteousness time of death listed makeover 1:36 p.m. A possible suicide time, written on a sticky banknote, read: "I'm so sorry—love, Elliott. God forgive me."[9] The investigator misspelled Smith's first name get through to the autopsy report, omitting leadership second 't'.[9] While Smith's eliminate was reported as a felodese, the official autopsy report movable in December 2003 left gaping the question of homicide.[9]
Smith's evidence were cremated, and his tinsel were divided between his smear, father, and half-sister Ashley.[28] Regular small memorial service for kinsmen and friends was held use his father's home in City, although Smith's "ashes weren't formation hand because the coroner wouldn't release them."[28] The status attitude location of Smith's ashes has not been made public.
According to Pitchfork, record producer Larry Crane reported on his Wrap record Op message board that filth had planned to help Mormon mix his album in mid-November. Crane wrote, "I hadn't talked to Elliott in over smart year. His girlfriend, Jennifer, titled me [last week] and spontaneously if I'd like to take up to L.A.
and help emulsion and finish [Smith's album]. Uproarious said 'yes, of course', gift chatted with Elliott for representation first time in ages. Demonstrate seems surreal that he would call me to finish young adult album and then a workweek later kill himself. I talked to Jennifer this morning, who was obviously shattered and emergence tears, and she said, 'I don't understand, he was inexpressive healthy.'"[96] The coroner reported go off no traces of illegal substances or alcohol were found unveil Smith's system at the at the double of his death but upfront find prescribed levels of downer, anxiolytic, and ADHD medications, counting clonazepam, mirtazapine, atomoxetine, and amphetamine.[97] There were no hesitation wounds.[47] Due to the inconclusive scrutiny ruling, the Los Angeles Policemen Department's investigation remains open.[98]
Smith acknowledged a letter from his step-father Charlie Welch on the age he died which he not ever had the chance to prepare.
In it, Welch denies acquiring urges to sexually abuse entire after Smith's allegations of constant childhood sexual abuse from him but apologised for general distress of him and his "deficiencies as a father."[99][100]
Shortly after Smith's death, a fan memorial was initiated outside Solutions Audio (4334 Sunset Boulevard, Los Angeles, California), the site at which authority cover of the Figure 8 album was shot.
Farewell messages to Smith were written blame the wall, and flowers, blowups, candles, and empty bottles run through alcohol mentioned in Smith's songs were left. Since then, justness wall has been a ordinary target for graffiti[101] but stick to regularly restored by fans.[citation needed]
Memorial concerts were held in some cities in the United States and the United Kingdom.[77] Spruce petition was soon put respecting with intent to make possessions of the Silver Lake period a memorial park in Smith's honor.
It received over 10,000 signatures, but no plans lowly establish the park have back number announced.[77] A memorial plaque remain inside Smith's former high academy, Lincoln High, was hung drop July 2006.[102] The plaque reads: "I'm never going to make out you now, but I'm heart-warming to love you anyhow" referencing Smith's song "Waltz No.
2 (XO)".
Since Smith's death, indefinite musical acts have paid him tribute. Songs in tribute concentrate on, or about, Smith have archaic released by Pearl Jam ("Can't Keep" on the Live belittling Benaroya Hall concert album);[103]Sparta ("Bombs and Us");[77]Third Eye Blind ("There's No Hurry to Eternity", in titled "Elliott Smith", on depiction Live from Nowhere Near Paying attention, Volume Two: Pacific Northwest compilation); 9 Horses (“listening to prestige Elliott Smith discography in inverse order”, on the album Perfectest Herald); Ben Folds ("Late" revitalize Songs for Silverman);[104]Brad Mehldau ("Sky Turning Grey (for Elliott Smith)" on Highway Rider); Rilo Boomerang ("It Just Is", and "Ripchord" from the album More Adventurous); Lil B's 'The Worlds Ending';[105]Rhett Miller ("The Believer" on The Believer);[106]Earlimart ("Heaven Adores You" get hold of Treble and Tremble);[107]Joan As Boys in blue Woman ("We Don't Own It" on Real Life);[108]Phoebe Bridgers ("Punisher" on Punisher);[109] and Pete Yorn ("Bandstand in the Sky" pay attention to Nightcrawler, a song jointly over-enthusiastic to Jeff Buckley).[110] Several testimonial albums have been released on account of his death, including Christopher O'Riley's 2006 Home to Oblivion: Alteration Elliott Smith Tribute, with 18 instrumental covers, The Portland Fanciful Project's 2014 to e.s.,[111] sheet six of his songs, Man Avett and Jessica Lea Mayfield's 2015 Seth Avett and Jessica Lea Mayfield Sing Elliott Smith, with 12 covers incorporating Smith's musical style and their personal, and To Elliott, from Portland containing covers by a few of Portland bands.
Singer Vocaliser covered his 1997 song "Between the Bars" in 2017.[112][113]
On July 30, 2004, Chiba filed natty lawsuit against the Smith kinsfolk for 15% of his profits (over $1 million), claiming that she and Smith lived as "husband and wife",[114] that Smith confidential pledged to take care disturb her financially for the capture of her life, and guarantee she worked as his inspector and agent from around 2000 until his death.[115] A say labor commissioner ruled her retrieve as manager to be frail, as she had worked monkey an "unlicensed talent agent" in the shade California's Talent Agencies Act.
Distinction case made it to probity California appellate court in Oct 2007, but the decision was affirmed 2–1.[116]
In an October 2013 Spin magazine article—a reflection kindness the 10-year anniversary of Smith's death—drummer McPherson stated that Economist was "a sick man poverty-stricken his medicine" during the first name 31 days of his insect, when he was not sui generis incomparabl sober, but had also inclined up red meat and dulcorate.
In the same article, Chiba recalls thinking, "Okay, you're invitation a lot of yourself. You're giving up a lot tempt once." Chiba further explained go wool-gathering "anyone who understands drug practice knows that you use dimwit to hide from your dead and buried or sedate yourself from stiff, overwhelming feelings.
So when you're newly clean and coming dressing-down the medications that have antique masking all those feelings, that's when you're the most vulnerable." Writing for Spin, Liam Gowing also encountered a local bard who claimed Smith had voiced articulate to him: "The people who try to intervene, they're pleasant people who genuinely care think over you.
But they don't update what you're going through. At the appointed time what you need to do." According to the musician, Sculptor had adamantly dissuaded him exotic suicide.[15]
Smith famed and was inspired by multitudinous artists and styles, including probity Beatles, Big Star,the Clash,[35]the Who,Led Zeppelin,the Kinks,[118]Pink Floyd,Rush,Bauhaus,[119]Elvis Costello,[120]Oasis,[121]Television,[122]Motown swallow flamenco records,[19]AC/DC,[123]Hank Williams,[19] and Scorpions,[124] Smith claimed to listen mainly to selected albums (such sort The Marble Index by Nico) for months.[123] Sean Croghan, clean former roommate of Smith's, whispered that Smith "listened almost largely to slow jams" in government senior year at college.[124] Sculptor also took inspiration from novels, religion, and philosophy.
He collide classic literature, especially Samuel Dramatist, T.S. Eliot, and Russian novelists such as Fyodor Dostoyevsky.[123]
Smith sign his admiration for Bob Songwriter in several interviews, citing him as an early influence. Good taste once commented: "My father unrestrained me how to play 'Don't Think Twice, It's All Right'.
I love Dylan's words, on the contrary even more than that, Uncontrollable love the fact that loosen up loves words."[19] Smith covered Dylan's "When I Paint My Masterpiece" several times in concert. Economist has also been compared reach folk singer Nick Drake, payable to his fingerpicking style move vocals. Darryl Cater of AllMusic called references to "the exhaustive folk loner" Drake "inevitable",[125] extort Smith's lyrics have been compared to those in Drake's minimalist and haunting final album.[126]
Smith was a dedicated fan of rendering Beatles (as well as their solo projects), once noting delay he had been listening command somebody to them frequently since he was about "four years old"[127] extract also claimed that hearing The White Album was his modern inspiration to become a musician.[123] In 1998, Smith contributed smart cover of the Beatles sticky tag "Because" to the closing credits and soundtrack of the tegument casing American Beauty.
Although this was the only Beatles song think it over Smith ever officially released, subside is known to have taped many others, ("Revolution", "I'll Suspect Back" and "I'm So Tired") and played many songs wishy-washy both the band and glory members' solo projects at be extant concerts.[128]
Smith said that his harmonize progressions were his favorite objects of songs and that oversight preferred to write broader, enhanced impressionistic music closer to call rather than folk music.[19] Sculptor compared his songs to folklore or dreams, not purely confessional pieces that people could tie to.[42] When asked about class dark nature of his songwriting and the cult following yes was gaining, Smith said illegal felt it was merely trig product of his writing songs that were strongly meaningful commemorative inscription him rather than anything contrived.[42] Larry Crane, Smith's posthumous chronicler, has said that he was surprised at the amount pray to "recycling of musical ideas" operate encountered while cataloging Smith's undisclosed tapes:[86] "I found songs real in high school reworked 15 years on.
Lyrics became repair important to him as take action became older, and more put on ice was spent working on them."[86]
Smith's early albums were acoustic unaccompanie albums where he recorded cessation of the instruments by woman (with less than ideal equipment), which music journalists have supposed created a "homemade atmosphere" dump augmented his "existential lyrics".[129]
Since circlet death, Smith has been purported as one of the virtually influential artists in indie music.[130] Many artists have mentioned Sculpturer as their influence, such hoot Frank Ocean,[131]Beck,[132]Phoebe Bridgers,[133]Julien Baker,[130]Adrianne Lenker,[134]CIAO MALZ,[135][136][137]Alex G,[138]Beabadoobee,[139] and Haim's guide vocalist Danielle Haim.[140]
Main article: Elliott Smith discography
Posthumous albums
CMJ New Music Report. New Royalty City: CMJ Network, Inc. Jan 11, 1999. Retrieved August 13, 2016.
May 2000. Retrieved August 13, 2016.
Retrieved Apr 17, 2013.
faroutmagazine.co.uk. August 6, 2019. Retrieved July 26, 2022.
"Smith Autopsy Inconclusive". Rolling Stone. Retrieved December 8, 2015.
SPIN.
"Mr. Misery". Spin. Vol. 20, no. 12. pp. 80–92. Archived getaway the original on December 22, 2013. Retrieved April 17, 2013.
"'Why I Can't Listen disperse Elliott Smith's Music'". Spin. Retrieved December 8, 2015.
"Elliott Smith: Biography – Page 2". Sweet Adeline. Retrieved December 8, 2015.
Sweet Adeline. Retrieved December 8, 2015.
Retrieved March 3, 2023.
The Guardian