Elliott Smith

Discussion in 'Movies, TV and Music' started by Own Goal Hat-Trick, Aug 13, 2002.

  1. Own Goal Hat-Trick

    Jul 28, 1999
    ColoRADo
    sure he maybe on heroin, and sure he may have impressivley depressive lyrics, but theyre matched by equally impressive music.

    he also has a bit of a differant backround than a lot of the bigger acts who are sorta similar. you know, types like john mayer.

    its great music to get drunk to. technically pretty sound stuff too. he has an interesting style of not only playing guitar but the way he will double record stuff. its pretty unique.
     
  2. Unorthodox Yank

    Feb 27, 2001
    Constant Flux
    Club:
    --other--
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    i like him

    alot.
     
  3. Stogey23

    Stogey23 Member+

    Dec 12, 1998
    San Diego, CA
    I just can't get into him. Can you give me any song recommendations? Preferably something that would inspire me to get OUT of bed?
     
  4. sgnerdboy

    sgnerdboy New Member

    Feb 17, 2000
    Portland, OR, USA
    Club:
    Brøndby IF
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Unfortunately, he's finished. First off, his worst mistake was to work with that overproducing c**t, Rob Schnapf. Then, yes, the heroin and whatnot.

    I've heard accounts of his recent shows where he cannot even finish a song. It's really sad to see because I really liked (and still do like) things like "Either/Or" and his self-titled effort. The self-titled one is in my top ten. I mean, even things like "XO" and "Figure 8" had some good tracks, but they were for the most part overproduced.

    I hope he sorts everything else. Just sad to see him piss it away. I know it's his life and all, but yeah...

    kevin
    + http://tullamarine.org
     
  5. Own Goal Hat-Trick

    Jul 28, 1999
    ColoRADo
    well, can you really see him going out any other way? it seems very fitting, in a way.
     
  6. odg78

    odg78 Member

    Feb 14, 2001
    North Carolina
    It's a shame really. A friend got me into him when XO came out and I went out and bought his previous stuff. Figure 8 was solid but nowhere near as good as his previous stuff in my estimation. I saw him in concert at The Ritz in Raleigh and he was great, just him and his guitar.
     
  7. sgnerdboy

    sgnerdboy New Member

    Feb 17, 2000
    Portland, OR, USA
    Club:
    Brøndby IF
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Yeah, I could've. He could've become the next big American singer-songwriter, but blew it with drugs. I'm not saying this as a Portlander, but moving to Los Angeles does not seem to have done him any good.

    I don't ever think the problem ever truly went away though. He's been known to be stubborn about it (like most people with chemical dependency issues) as evidence on the one track on "XO" where he goes, "F***ing stay the hell away from things you know nothing about" in reference to Kill Rock Stars label owned Slim Moon (and others) who tried to help him by getting him into rehab.

    Was going to play a sad song of his on the air tonight, but went with "Ballad of Big Nothing" instead.

    kevin
    + http://tullamarine.org
     
  8. skipshady

    skipshady New Member

    Apr 26, 2001
    Orchard St, NYC
    You've probably heard "Miss Misery" from the Good Will Hunting soundtrack. But alas, it will most likely keep you in bed.
     
  9. odg78

    odg78 Member

    Feb 14, 2001
    North Carolina
    Perhaps the only non-stay-in-bed song of his that I can think of off the top of my head is "Bottle Up and Explode" off of his XO album.
     
  10. Own Goal Hat-Trick

    Jul 28, 1999
    ColoRADo
    see, i could never see him getting THAT big. i just dont think hes mass marketable. i could be completely off th rocker with that, though.
     
  11. hangthadj

    hangthadj Member+

    A.S. Roma
    Mar 27, 2001
    Zone 14
    Club:
    Columbus Crew
    he never would become to big. i agree with own-goal for once ;)
     
  12. sgnerdboy

    sgnerdboy New Member

    Feb 17, 2000
    Portland, OR, USA
    Club:
    Brøndby IF
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Yeah, so he'd never get played in Hot Topic or anything but there are people who are big without really being all over radio & TV. How often do you hear a Bob Dylan song on your local alternarock station? I just think Elliott could have been big in that way. I mean, if Wilco and Ryan Adams (yuck) can make waves, why not Elliott?

    kevin
    + http://tullamarine.org
     
  13. luxinluv

    luxinluv New Member

    Aug 12, 2002
    Boston,MA
    I worked in record stores in Boston and NYC and you'd be surprised at the range of people who were buying his records 2 years ago-frat boys, sorority girls, indy kids...my dad (no joke). He was definitely mass marketable and he could've been very big.
     
  14. skipshady

    skipshady New Member

    Apr 26, 2001
    Orchard St, NYC
    True. When Good Will Hunting was out in theaters, "Miss Misery" was on MTV everyday.
     
  15. Own Goal Hat-Trick

    Jul 28, 1999
    ColoRADo
    he just isnt as marketable, i dont think, as, say, john mayer. firstly, he doesnt have that "pop" sounding voice.

    eliott has always been big in the underground, and in big cities, yeah, a lot of people know about him, but he would never be someone that who would be playing to sold out ampatheatres (ala dave matthews) with throngs of high school/college type fans and people who would travel all over to see him.

    he is big now, as it is, but i cant see it expanding, no matter what he does. his music, lyrics and voice just dont lend to that. even if elliott wernt pissing his life away, i think that artists like john mayer, josh (or john?) jackson, et all, would be more popular. its just differances in style.
     
  16. nancyb

    nancyb Member

    Jun 30, 2000
    Falls Church, VA
    Club:
    DC United
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    he's a reason why these moves to make internet radio pay royalties seem really counterproductive to me. I heard him on internet radio and went out to buy his Figure 8 cd immediately. Never would have heard of him in the first place, otherwise. How the hell in today's radio market are new artists that break some ever going to get heard? It's almost as if radio didn't even exist.
     

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