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Elliott Smith, Five Years Later

AIR DATE: Tuesday, October 21st 2008

POSTED BY: SCOTT SILVER

Download the mp3 for this show.

Five years after his death, we'll listen back to Elliott Smith's music and chart the people and places that inspired his songs.

Ten years ago, singer-songwriter Elliott Smith appeared at the 70th Annual Academy Awards to play his Oscar-nominated song Miss Misery, from the soundtrack to Gus Van Sant's Good Will Hunting:

For many viewers around the country, it was their first introduction to Smith. But for many Oregonians, Smith's was already a familiar face. He had been living in Portland on and off since he was 14 years old, and his music bore the imprint of the city. His lyrics were littered with references to various Portland locations and landmarks.

His early music was hushed and intimate; many of his songs were simple, lo-fi recordings featuring his complicated acoustic guitar picking and whispery singing. The sound was a stark contrast to Seattle's grunge scene that was then gaining national attention, but his lyrics were often dark and hinted at his struggles with alcohol, depression, and drugs.

Smith died in Los Angeles in 2003. The Los Angeles County Coroner's Office established the cause of death as stab wounds to the chest. The mode of death was listed as undetermined.

On the fifth anniversary of his death, we'll listen back to Elliott Smith's music and chart the people and places that inspired his songs.

Here's one to start with — a rare early song, Coraliza (2.6 MB MP3), by Elliott Smith and Garrick Duckler, recorded in 1988.

Are you an Elliott Smith fan? Is he an old favorite? A relatively new discovery?

Where do you hear his influence in Portland's music scene -- or in your own musical career? How does Eliott Smith reverberate today?

Editor's Note: This post was updated to reflect corrected information about Elliott Smith's death.

Tagged as: elliott smith · music · rock

I love that even though he's gone, new people are discovering and appreciating Elliott Smith's music.

I was only 3 days from my 14th birthday when I heard he died and was completely distraught. I only have known two fans of his personally, but it’s great to see others recognize the value of his music.

To this day I listen to him and feel truth and beauty that I felt the first time. And I’ll never stop.

elmsbandit — Sun June 21st 12:22p.m.

Ever since i first heard Elliotts music i have continued to spread the word. I Am one of many i'm sure who wishes they had gotten to see him play. It seems like he was a very true to self person and his music shows that. I can bet if you knew him he wasn't someone to hold inside what he thought or felt, and sometimes i think he could also be the opposite. I've read his biogrophy the one by Benjamin Nugent and i dont think it does Elliott justice, Perhaps he is one of those Iconic people that seems to be covered so much in mystery. I Have my hopes of more about him to still come out but I'm afraid there won't be Elliott Was a true-to self person and a hero of mine. Xo- we will all miss him. To all the others out there who can't get enough, We all hope I'm sure for more inspiration like him.

passivejake — Sun July 5th 2:59p.m.

I don't mean this to sound like a slam on Elliott Smith, but this is not the kind of topic that one would expect to hear on a program like Think Out Loud. I am a bit disappointed.

mydogatemyemail — Mon Oct. 20th 11:45a.m.

Yeah, keep it boring, Think Out Loud!

This is certainly a nice change of pace and I wish you'd do it more often. Portland, Oregon, after all, is far more interesting than tax levys and political races.

Hopefully the uninitiated will get acquainted with Elliott's music because of this.

Erstwhile — Mon Oct. 20th 1:53p.m.

I listen to Think Out Loud regularly and I think this is as appropriate a topic as any. Elliott's music touched many peoples lives as did his death. His music, contributions, life and death were pretty much ignored in the Oregon media.
Bravo for OPB for offering this program which is likely to be controversial among listeners.

mrsome — Tue Oct. 21st 4:53a.m.

Hmmmm...my guess is that you are not so much into music? I could be wrong, but I found it facinating to learn about his legacy and the impact he made. I also love music and to learn about great and obscure music I might not come across any other way. I found myself researching his history for 1.5 hrs. He and his music truly is iconic and to be remembered.

Sorry it did not meet your standards. Another show, another time.

myralhf — Wed Oct. 22nd 3:18a.m.

Great topic, thank you for it. I listen to a [i]lot[/i] of OPB, but am never listening first thing in the morning and don't catch Think Out Loud. I will tomorrow.

Portland has long had a wonderful and unique music scene and Elliott was a gift to it. I only got to see him once, at the Crystal ballroom in December of 2001. I wasn't nearly as big a fan at the time, but it was still great. Even though he was drunk and couldn't finish all the songs he started. Which I suppose is really a window into the story of his life: he was an immensely talented and creative musician who had a somewhat chaotic childhood, struggled with addiction his entire adult life, and in the end lost the fight.

He is still sorely missed by many, and for those fans who don't know it, there are many places online where one can download unreleased tracks and live sets.

benjaminvw — Tue Oct. 21st 1:19a.m.

I am glad to hear programming about Elliot Smith. The pathos of his work speaks to the human experience.

cassyw — Tue Oct. 21st 12:37p.m.

Corey Dubrowa just mentioned "King's Crossing." You can see a live performance here:

David Miller — Tue Oct. 21st 12:37p.m.

Elliot Smith was a truly gifted songwriter. One in a generation. Portland is so lucky to have such a gifted writer encapsulate its history in his songs. I grew up in Portland and listening to his songs always takes me back though the sleepy Portland I grew up in. It is a Portland that is long gone but will always be alive in Elliot's songs. I worked with Elliot a few times and I was lucky enough to see him perform acoustic at the Satyricon and with his full band many times. I always felt so lucky to see him play. I always knew he was a once in a lifetime performer.

decemberjean — Tue Oct. 21st 12:44p.m.

I've become a fan of Elliott Smith in the last year or so, hearing about him from a great friend of mine. I was interested to hear that Elliott saw his music as something to bring his mood up instead of down. Where most people might find his music sad I always turned him on when I wanted to feel better. His music is touching and I can understand how it was uplifting in a sense because he was singing from a very personal level. He was expressing his true feelings and that is always a great way to release yourself from troubles and pains.

-Steven

Shyvin — Tue Oct. 21st 12:47p.m.

I was in my senior year of college when Elliot Smith died. The campus stopped for a moment, many students took time off.

For our formational years as teenagers Smith brought a different and needed perspective to music after the death of Kurt Cobain. (To note, while Smith was playing music when the Seattle grunge movement was booming, he didn't rise to recognition until after grunge hit its peak and his music was always overshadowed by it)

I do know that Smith had an emotional influence on many of my friends and while I was not surprised at his untimely death, many were, as they believed that he had overcome his demons from younger years...I think that?s what hurt people the most.

amy-OR — Tue Oct. 21st 12:52p.m.

Great show! I've written a songbook of Elliott's music, 18 songs, with lots of tablature to help guitar players get into his guitar style. It'll come out soon, a Hal Leonard publication, so look for it in music stores. I fought to do this book, because I love his music and was delighted to get a chance to study it closely and help spread it around. I teach music (guitar) to people of all ages, and I find that most people over 30 are not aware of Elliott's music...and that's too bad...for them. He was a remarkable artist, and more folks should be exposed to his work. Thanks for the show.

sokolowmus — Tue Oct. 21st 12:59p.m.

I think what makes Elliot Smith's music so great is that it is really the traditional blues, blues music, translated into a modern style. It's about great guitar and that feeling and style - there's something spiritual about his music.

weeblewobble — Tue Oct. 21st 1p.m.

This was a lovely show. I was a teenager when Smith was playing shows around the Northwest in the 90's and was lucky enough to catch him at the Sailors Union of the Pacific in Seattle when I was about 16. I'm now almost 30 and a new mom and Elliott Smith is one of the only musicians that has carried over from those years. I still listen to his early albums regularly. Thanks for this show--it was a (perhaps bittersweet) reminder of my youth.

Alexis M — Tue Oct. 21st 1:03p.m.

This was a lovely show. I was a teenager when Smith was playing shows around the Northwest in the 90's and was lucky enough to catch him at the Sailors Union of the Pacific in Seattle when I was about 16. I'm now almost 30 and a new mom and Elliott Smith is one of the only musicians that has carried over from those years. I still listen to his early albums regularly. Thanks for this show--it was a (perhaps bittersweet) reminder of my youth.

Alexis M — Tue Oct. 21st 1:04p.m.

I am a huge fan. I literally cannot listen to him to this day. It makes me so sad. I saw him 10's of times (25??) over the years, beginning in 1997. I feel like I lost a member of my family when he died.

I hear tinges of him in today's music. The first that comes to mind is Jose Gonzalez...just the fact that he has a quiet fierceness like Elliott did. Sure, many people are influenced by Elliott, but nothing grabs me today like he did first hearing him.

I made it to the tribute show they did for him in LA after his death (Nov 3, 2003) - with Beck, Jenny Lewis (Rilo Kiley), Beth Orton and others...such a sad, sad time.

(Just a note - I saw 5-6 Elliott shows in 7 days in Portland and San Francisco when I was 9 months pregnant...interestingly, some acoustic and some with a band)

--janice
www.janiceordal.com

janiceordal — Tue Oct. 21st 1:32p.m.

I discovered Elliott five years ago today, only after learning of his death. I had a radio show with my friend at our local college station and he made it a point to play an Elliott song at the top and bottom of each hour. I was completely overwhelmed. I've spent the last five years familiarizing myself with Elliott's life and music. Through good times and bad, his music has become an integral part of my life. I've often regretted not learning about Elliott until after he was gone, but that wouldn't have made me any more strongly about his music than I do today. I don't see this as the day Elliott was lost...I see it as the day he was found.

jgilot — Tue Oct. 21st 3:23p.m.

I tried listening to Elliott Smith songs years ago but didn't get into them. But today as I heard them played on "Think Out Loud" I was inspired: I went to iTunes and bought everything I could find resulting in a new playlist on my iPod! I'm glad I kept my radio on today.

Warner — Tue Oct. 21st 3:26p.m.

I appreciate Talk Out Loud discussing Elliott today. My most proud Elliott moment was slowly introducing his music to a somewhat intolerant metal bar. Now Son of Sam and Stupidity Tries (considered his most "bar-friendly" material) plays with barely a sneer from the pool players.

JimGary — Tue Oct. 21st 4:54p.m.

i'm so glad people are taking the time out to recognize elliott. he has impacted my life greatly and helped me through so much. no one's music can quite hit me like elliotts does. thank you so much for doing this in his memory, he deserves it.

nikkix — Tue Oct. 21st 9:44p.m.

Thank you for remembering him. He would be proud to hear that people had not forgotten him and his music still lives on in all of us! your brother in arms elliott we will always be together. xo

in Ny some fans and friends gatherered around the tree of memories and cried and said a fw words. Yesterday is a so far away i still believe in yesterday.



"Drink up baby, look at the stars
I'll kiss you again between the bars
Where I'm seeing you there with your hands in the air
Waiting to finally be caught

Drink up one more time and I'll make you mine
Keep you apart, deep in my heart"

ajealousguy — Wed Oct. 22nd 3:01a.m.

Thanks for the introduction to Elliott Smith and his music!! It appears I was graduating from High School when he was born and in the throws of finding a job after graduating with a delayed college degree, when he recorded his first album. I had children and family first then college.

All this to say, that I love music and learning of new music and musicians. Albeit, greatly sad to me that such a fine musician, talented beyond his years is tragically gone. Some things I don't understand. What a legacy he has left to all of us. Such a gift.

Thank you, Think Out Loud...this was definitely a surprise unwrapping. I have just spent 1.5 hrs researching his history/legacy and have enjoyed every minute.

myralhf — Wed Oct. 22nd 3:03a.m.

as a young oregonian living & working in the independent music scene, i greatly appreciated this episode. i spend a great deal of time thinking about elliott's life and the music and the way in which music & art interacts with the lives of individual people. i am strongly affected by elliott's music personally, but i am also involved, through my work with distributor CD Baby, in the burgeoning scene of "independent music". this episode points out the fact that this music is made possible by the work that elliott and his fellow musicians did in the 90's and beyond. as the people alive in this world right now struggle to keep alive and make sense of the society and civilization we've inherited, i'm developing faith in the fact that the creation and creative destruction that music makes possible is something more and more of us will turn to. i'm thankful for all that elliott created and destroyed, and I will be following his voice and his lead.

marandabish — Mon Nov. 3rd 4:06p.m.

Sorry, i'm not very good to write in english. I don't come from Portland or the United State and I know Elliott Smith music since just a few months. I really appreciate to listen him. I think it's a great artist and I try to integrate people i know in Quebec to his music. Portland is a very lucky place.
Very sorry again for the quality of my english. Aurevoir, JeNn

JeNnI OuT — Fri Nov. 14th 8:21p.m.

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