Elliott Smith Died Six Years Ago Today-- Local Cut

Elliott Smith Died Six Years Ago Today

October 21st, 2009 [5:22PM] Posted by: Casey Jarman | 0 COMMENTS

I hate to be macabre, especially about an artist I whose work I care so deeply about, but it’s the sixth anniversary of Elliott Smith’s death today. I’m sentimental by nature, but I never met Smith and when I’m reminded of his anniversaries—his birthday, the five-or-ten-year anniversary of a disc, this much darker occasion—I mostly wonder where he might have been as an artist by now (a couple more albums under his belt, maybe a film score or two). So much as it’s hard to imagine a gray-haired John Lennon or a balding Kurt Cobain, it seems pretty easy to imagine an understated, gifted artist like Smith aging gracefully. It’s hard for fans like myself not to wonder what he might have done had he not died so young.

Earlier today we caught MusicfestNW director Trevor Solomon reading this 2003 issue of Willamette Week, which featured Smith on the cover and featured a great, multi-part piece about Smith and his time in Portland upon the occasion of his death. It’s impressive that Mark, Zach and the rest of the old WW music crew put a fine piece like this together so quickly.

In the midst of some sentimentalism I noticed a big quote from Portland musician Sean Croghan (Crackerbash, Jr. High, Rapids) that added a dose of reality to the situation:

“The natural inclination is to say that he was a beautiful, tragic figure, and that what he did is this beautiful tragedy. In fact, it sucks, and it was stupid.”

There’s anger in there, understandably, but there’s also a really good point.

You can read the entire piece on Smith at wweek dot com.

I’ll resist the urge to try and say something sweeping or moving here. I miss the music, and my heart goes out to all those who knew the man on what must be a very tough anniversary.

Links:
Elliott Smith’s official fan site, Sweet Adeline

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