Elliot Smith committed suicide Tuesday night at the age of 34.
This is particularly troubling as I’ve been listening to his song “Needle In the Hay” (off of the Royal Tannenbaum’s soundtrack) almost non-stop since, well, Tuesday night. Jenn and I were even talking last night about how we needed to buy more of his CDs and about what a great musician he was. If you haven’t heard of him before or any of his music, you’re missing out. And now the world will miss out even more.
Elliott Smith Dead at 34 (Pitchfork)
Elliott Smith has died at age 34, according to an obituary posted late Tuesday on Sweet Adeline, Smith’s official website. Rumors had been circulating on the Internet yesterday afternoon about Smith’s apparent suicide; by early evening, the overwhelming traffic from well-wishers and fans was crashing Sweet Adeline’s discussion board. A handful of posts indicated that representatives from Smith’s label, Dreamworks, were attempting to contact Charlie Ramirez, the webmaster for Sweet Adeline.
Within hours, Ramirez posted the following: “As you probably realize, I’m pretty devastated about having to say goodbye to Elliott… it’s never easy to put into words what someone means to you… Elliott was such a lovely man… I will always have his love, kindness, intelligence, humbleness, creativeness, greatness and so much more in me forever because that’s what he was and i’ll always love him for being who he was… I’ll miss you so much. We will all miss you. See you in heaven, Elliott.”
Kill Rock Stars, who released Smith’s 1995 self-titled solo album and 1997’s Either/Or, changed their website’s splash page to a pensive photo of Smith this afternoon in silent tribute to the beloved songwriter.
“We are deeply saddened by Elliott Smith’s tragic death and send our condolences to his friends and family,” read a statement posted by Dreamworks late this afternoon on the label’s website. “He was perhaps his generation’s most gifted songwriter. His enormous talent could change your life in a whisper. We will miss him.”
Elliott Smith dies, aged 34 (Guardian)
US singer-songwriter Elliott Smith has died, according to reports. Websites and various radio stations are reporting that the singer passed away yesterday (October 21) at the age of 34. A statement from the Los Angeles County Department of the Coroner’s office states that his death was apparent suicide. MTV.com reports, “A single knife wound that appeared to be self-inflicted was evident on the body, though police detectives are investigating the incident for foul play and/or other possibilities.”
Born in 1969 in Nebraska, Smith started his music career as a member of Portland, Oregon band, Heatmiser, in the early 90s. He earned plaudits for his 1994 debut solo release Roman Candle, with critics comparing his stripped down, melancholic melodies to the likes of Nick Drake and Neil Young.
His 1997 album, Either/Or, brought him wider acclaim, though his greatest mainstream success followed the same year’s Oscar nomination for the song Miss Misery from his score for Gus Van Sant’s Good Will Hunting. His music has since featured regularly on other movie soundtracks, including Wes Anderson’s New York disfunctional family drama, The Royal Tenenbaums.
Amazon.com hailed his second self-titled album “one of the most understated and incredible albums to emerge from the indie-rock scene in the 1990s.”
Singer/Songwriter Elliott Smith Dead, An Apparent Suicide (MTV)
A cornerstone of the indie-rock scene in Portland, Oregon, in the mid-1990s, Smith gained critical acclaim with 1997’s Either/Or and 1998’s XO, albums that best demonstrated his ability to delicately deliver poetic, emotional lyrics and beautifully dark, lush pop melodies. “Miss Misery,” his contribution to the film “Good Will Hunting” that earned him an Academy Award nomination in 1997, brought mainstream recognition to the artist regarded as a figurehead of the indie-rock underground, and who influenced such artists as Bright Eyes and Dashboard Confessional.
Smith’s friend and longtime collaborator Rob Schnapf said those bands may have still existed without Smith’s influence, but “they’d be missing a big chunk of what they’re doing.”
“We had a lot of fun together,” he continued. “And it was extremely rewarding. Sometimes [working with Elliot] would be intense — it could be extremely intense — but there was always a payoff.”
