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Michael Scrutchin · Posted: 10.22.2003 4:22 pm Post subject: Elliott Smith Found Dead

Another great artist is now gone:

http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1479869/20031022/smith_elliott.jhtml

I was a big fan and this news is a complete shock to me. Damn.

:cry:
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the night watchman · Posted: 10.22.2003 6:14 pm Post subject:

This is sad, crappy news. I wasn't that familiar with Elliot Smith's work, but I liked his songs on the Good Will Hunting soundtrack and a handful of others I downloaded. I'll probably break down and buy an album now. Any recommendations?
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"If you're talking about censorship, and what things should be shown and what things shouldn't be shown, I've said that as an artist you have no social responsibility whatsoever."

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Michael Scrutchin · Posted: 10.22.2003 10:48 pm Post subject:

If you like the Good Will Hunting stuff, you'd almost certainly dig Either/Or; a few songs from the movie are from that album, and I'd say it's his strongest album overall. Here's how I'd rank all his albums:

beltmann · Posted: 10.22.2003 11:35 pm Post subject:

Sad day. Jack Elam as well.

http://apnews1.iwon.com/article/20031022/D7UB70400.html

Eric

the night watchman · Posted: 10.23.2003 12:14 am Post subject:

Thanks, Michael. When I scrounge up enough dimes I'll probably pick up Either/Or.

Too bad about Elam, but I thought he'd already died. Rolling Eyes

_________________
"If you're talking about censorship, and what things should be shown and what things shouldn't be shown, I've said that as an artist you have no social responsibility whatsoever."

-David Cronenberg

the night watchman · Posted: 10.23.2003 5:48 pm Post subject:

Last night the news reported that Smith had apparently died of a self-inflicted stab wound to the chest. (For some reason, I couldn't connect with the link you provided, Michael, so this was the first I heard about the cause of death.) It also said he had be wrestling with depression and alcohol for years. The guy was my age. This news just left me flabbergasted.
_________________
"If you're talking about censorship, and what things should be shown and what things shouldn't be shown, I've said that as an artist you have no social responsibility whatsoever."

-David Cronenberg

Michael Scrutchin · Posted: 10.23.2003 6:05 pm Post subject:

His music had always explored his alcoholism, drug addiction, and loneliness in poignant detail. In The Royal Tenenbaums, his song "Needle in the Hay" plays over the attempted suicide scene. I just found some good comments from Elliott Smith in a Rolling Stone article on his death:

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Smith, an outspoken fan of upbeat music -- from the Beatles and Kinks to AC/DC and Hank Williams Jr. -- didn't think that the excessive focus on the gloominess of his songs was entirely fair. "The 'depressing' thing is a superficial tag," he said. "Everybody gets a tag. If you listen to a Velvet Underground record, you don't think, 'Godfathers of Punk.' You just think, 'This sounds great.' The tags are there in order to help try to sell something by giving it a name that's going to stick in somebody's memory. But it doesn't describe it. So 'depressing' isn't a word I would use to describe my music. But there is some sadness in it -- there has to be, so that the happiness in it will matter."

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Michael Scrutchin · Posted: 10.23.2003 6:37 pm Post subject:

Elliott Smith's five CDs are all in the top 40 (sales rank) at Amazon.com now.
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Mark Dujsik · Posted: 10.24.2003 2:00 am Post subject:

Since you posted this news, I've been seeking out some of his work. I've been a fan of "Miss Misery" thanks to Good Will Hunting but hadn't really heard anything else by him. As I'm listening to some of his stuff, it's becoming even sadder news. Too young, too much potential.
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the night watchman · Posted: 10.25.2003 11:07 pm Post subject:

The NPR show called New Ground this morning focused on Smith, and included interviews with people who knew him. They archive their shows, but haven't archived this one yet, last I checked, so if anyone is interested, it might be worthwhile checking on their Web page from time to time. You can find it here.
_________________
"If you're talking about censorship, and what things should be shown and what things shouldn't be shown, I've said that as an artist you have no social responsibility whatsoever."

-David Cronenberg

the night watchman · Posted: 10.27.2003 7:05 pm Post subject:

The Elliot Smith tribute is available now.
_________________
"If you're talking about censorship, and what things should be shown and what things shouldn't be shown, I've said that as an artist you have no social responsibility whatsoever."

-David Cronenberg