Jason Greene’s Pitchfork article on the 10th anniversary of Elliott Smith’s death is the best I’ve read about Elliott. Thankfully I forget about Oct 21 this year; in college would get mournfully depressed the day of Elliott’s death believe it or not. I knew friends that did too. As much as I love Elliott Smith’s music I’m kind of glad I don’t listen to it much anymore. I’ve talked to a couple of people who told me after serious Smith periods they deleted it all because it was just too depressing --they liked it too much. I still have all his music including a lot of his non-released stuff. I felt like I needed to hear it all. Two years ago I was in a lot of pain. In a chicken and egg fashion I’m not sure if the music helped me cope with what was going on or sent me deeper into the spiral, most likely both. Jason Greene’s article is great because it really affirms and deconstructs many of the Smith narratives simultaneously from interviews with people he worked with. It of course includes the suffering and addiction, but also his light-hearted character (often brought up as a counterpoint to his Sad Sack persona), and most surprisingly how difficult and painful it was to be around him. Elliott is often presented or thought (in my mind at least) as a victim. So my love of Elliott Smith has progressed from idolization of a tormented musician who died young to something different now, I can put distance between his pain and mine for once --and I’ve put distance from my pain for that matter. Still great music, just less narrative. ‘Independence Day’. XO pitchfork/features/articles/9246-elliott-smith/
Posted on: Fri, 25 Oct 2013 17:19:54 +0000
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