Elliott Smith

This past weekend I wrote a paper for my History of Rock class about Elliott Smith. Smith was a singer-songwriter who supposedly committed suicide in 2003 (I say supposedly because the autopsy was inconclusive about whether or not the stab wounds were self-inflicted - a lot of people think his girlfriend is to blame.) Anyway, Smith is a fascinating musician, and one of my favorites; his music is so passionate and gentle, but at the same time very sad and depressing. You can hear a man crying out for help when you listen to his music.

So I did a lot of research on Elliott Smith for this paper, and in the process have been listening to more and more of his music. First I'd like to say that either 'XO' or 'From a Basement on the Hill' now definitely belong on my Top 21 list; neither were on there at first because Smith's collective work in general means a lot to me, not just one album. But having something like the Chili Peppers on that list and not Elliott is a disservice, so I'm hereby stating that Elliott Smith deserves to be on there (where exactly I'm not sure. I'll figure that out next time I make a 'Top Albums' list).

I'd also like to say that if you have not listened to Elliott Smith, please do so. He was a treasure and his death was as much of a tragedy to music as Kurt Cobain's was. His story, though, speaks almost as loud as his music. It's a story of emptiness, loneliness, and pain, and the tragic results of trying to fill that life with the things of this world. It's a story of someone who is searching for something to fill a void, but can never quite find anything that fits.

If only Elliott Smith knew of the only thing that can ever fill that void perfectly.

If you're new to Elliott Smith, please please please check him out. Listen to 'XO' or 'Either/Or.' And if you want to know more, here's what I wrote in the paper (it was about what we would ask them if we interviewed them):

"On October 21, 2003, the music world was shocked to hear that singer-songwriter Elliott Smith, a man viewed by many as one of the great modern songwriters, had died at the age of 34. Further troubling the news was the fact that Smith appeared to have died of self-inflicted stab wounds to the chest. Months later the news would get gloomier still, as the coroner declared that an autopsy on Smith was inconclusive as to whether or not the stab wounds were in fact self-inflicted.

The tragic end to Smith’s life, for many, was fitting for a man who sang often of sadness, isolation, and a deteriorating life. His depressing lyrics seemed to be setting the stage for some sad conclusion, and his intense drug and alcohol habits further suggested Smith may be the creator of his own demise in one way or another.

It is only by looking on the surface, though, that a bystander would conclude that Smith’s career was defined by his substance abuse and supposed suicide. Those factors were merely chapters in the story of a landmark artist and musical innovator. No, Elliott Smith was not just a man whose depressing music got the better of him. Elliott Smith was a musician who poured out his emotion into his craft, who spoke to the world through his art, and who will forever be remembered by fans and critics alike for his passionate songs that connected so well with millions of people.

Smith’s impressive career was improbable from the start; having started as the guitarist and songwriter with heavy grunge band Heatmiser, few could have guessed that behind the aggression of that band was a man who could write gentle melodies and acoustic ballads. That became a reality, though, after Heatmiser disbanded and Smith’s solo discs gained huge popularity. This was the first thing that has made him historically significant; at a time (the early ‘90s) when grunge and aggression ruled the airwaves, a man stepped out of that mold and touched the world with something quite the opposite from that intensity.

But Smith wasn’t just another singer-songwriter; though his sound had elements of acoustic balladeers such as Nick Drake, Jackson Browne, and even Bob Dylan before him, his music could stand out on its own as new to popular music. For starters, he double-tracked his vocals to give his voice a layered, harmonized affect, a sound that defined his work just as much as his bouncy, albeit sad, guitar playing. That musical expression was also new to the music world, as it combined an almost cheerful musical sound to hushed, gentle lyrics crying out with desperation.

All of these elements of Smith’s work contributed to perhaps his greatest achievement in his short life: speaking for an entire population of lonely individuals searching for someone who could relate. He became the hero for thousands of teenagers and adults; this was never more evident than the weeks after his death, when thousands paid tribute all across the country with memorials and tribute shows.

With my assignment in hand to interview anyone from the modern age of music, and my time machine ready to travel anytime of my choosing, I am journeying to October 20, 2003, to interview Elliott Smith the day before he died. I am interviewing Smith because his untimely death established a lasting legacy of genius and mystery that will be remembered for decades as one of the great contributions to modern songwriting – Smith set a precedent for his legion of fans destined to carry on his stories of pain and sorrow.

I’m choosing this day to interview Smith for two reasons: first, because he had largely disappeared from the music scene for the previous three years, ever since the release of 2000’s ‘Figure 8,’ preparing new album ‘From a Basement on the Hill.’ His music was in transition; Smith gained widespread fame upon being nominated for and performing at the Academy Awards in 1998 (for the song ‘Miss Misery’ from ‘Good Will Hunting’), and ‘Figure 8’ was his first album that reflected that popularity, with a poppier sound and heftier sales. With this newfound fame and changing musical direction, there was much speculation regarding how ‘From a Basement on the Hill’ would sound.

The second reason is much more substantial: Smith had reportedly been clean and sober for some time leading up to his death, and many believed he was finally turning his life around. This fact surely would have had an affect on his music, but it also would have had an impression on his depressive state. Interviewing him on the day before he died could better clear the picture of what emotions were running through him at the time, and maybe could even provide some answers as to how – and why – Smith died.

(This is where I listed all of the questions I would ask him)

Even if I could go back in time to interview Elliott Smith on October 20, 2003, I know there is nothing I can do for him. He will be dead in a day. But his last words may provide some answers to the big mystery of his life and give closure to the story of a man who surely is and will be one of the most inspirational musicians for the next generation."