Elliott Smith facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Elliott Smith
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Smith performing in 2003
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | Steven Paul Smith |
| Born | August 6, 1969 Omaha, Nebraska, U.S. |
| Origin | Portland, Oregon, U.S. |
| Died | October 21, 2003 (aged 34) Los Angeles, California, U.S. |
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| Years active | 1991–2003 |
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Steven Paul Smith (born August 6, 1969 – died October 21, 2003), known as Elliott Smith, was an American singer, songwriter, and musician. He could play many instruments. Smith was born in Omaha, Nebraska. He grew up mostly in Texas. He lived much of his life in Portland, Oregon, where he became well-known.
Smith's main instrument was the guitar. He also played piano, clarinet, bass guitar, drums, and harmonica. He had a special singing style. It was described as "whispery" and "spiderweb-thin". He often used a recording trick called multi-tracking. This helped him create layers of vocals and harmonies.
Before his solo career, Smith played in the rock band Heatmiser for several years. He started his solo music in 1994. His first albums were released by independent record labels. In 1997, he signed with DreamWorks Records. He recorded his last two albums with them. Smith became famous when his song "Miss Misery" was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Original Song in 1998. This song was part of the movie Good Will Hunting (1997).
Smith died in Los Angeles, California, when he was 34 years old. At the time, he was working on his sixth album. This album, From a Basement on the Hill, was released after his death in 2004.
Early Life and Music
Steven Paul Smith was born on August 6, 1969. He was born at Methodist Hospital in Omaha, Nebraska. He was the only child of Gary Smith and Bunny Kay Berryman. His father was a student, and his mother was a music teacher. His parents divorced when he was six months old. Smith then moved with his mother to Duncanville, Texas. Later, Smith got a tattoo of a Texas map on his arm. He said it was to remember his time there.
Smith started playing piano when he was nine. At age ten, he began learning guitar. His father bought him a small acoustic guitar. When he was ten, he wrote a piano piece called "Fantasy." It won him a prize at an arts festival. Many people on his mother's side of the family were musicians. His grandfather played drums, and his grandmother sang in a glee club.
At fourteen, Smith moved to Portland, Oregon. He left his mother's home in Texas to live with his father. His father was working as a psychiatrist. Smith began trying out recording for the first time. He borrowed a four-track recorder. In high school, Smith played clarinet in the school band. He also played guitar and piano. He sang in bands called "Stranger Than Fiction" and "A Murder of Crows." He was known as Steven Smith or "Johnny Panic." He graduated from Lincoln High School as a National Merit Scholar.
After graduating, Smith started calling himself "Elliott." Friends said he also used the name "Elliott Stillwater-Rotter." This was when he was in the band "A Murder of Crows." Some people think the name came from Elliott Avenue in Portland. Others believe his girlfriend suggested it. An old friend thought he changed his name to avoid confusion. There was another musician named Steve Smith, who was the drummer for Journey.
Music Career
1991–1996: Heatmiser Band
In 1991, Smith finished college at Hampshire College. He earned a degree in philosophy and political science. He said he went to college because of his girlfriend. He also wanted to prove he could finish something he didn't really want to do. After college, he worked in a bakery in Portland.
While in college, Smith formed the band Heatmiser with his friend Neil Gust. After Smith graduated, the band added drummer Tony Lash and bassist Brandt Peterson. They started playing in Portland in 1992. The band released two albums: Dead Air (1993) and Cop and Speeder (1994). They also released an EP called Yellow No. 5 (1994). These were released on Frontier Records. Then, they signed with Virgin Records. They released their last album, Mic City Sons (1996), with Virgin.
Smith started his solo music career while still in Heatmiser. The success of his first two solo albums caused some distance in the band. Heatmiser broke up before Mic City Sons was released. This led Virgin to release the album through its independent label. Smith was still tied to Virgin Records because of Heatmiser's contract. Later, DreamWorks Records bought out this contract. This happened before he recorded his fourth album, XO.
1994: Roman Candle Album
In the early 1990s, Smith's girlfriend encouraged him. She told him to send a tape of his new songs to Cavity Search Records. He had recorded these songs on a borrowed four-track recorder. The owner of Cavity Search, Christopher Cooper, wanted to release the whole album. Smith was surprised. He only expected a deal for a small record. This album became Smith's first solo release, Roman Candle (1994).
Smith said he thought people would dislike the album. This was because it was very different from the popular grunge music of that time. But the album was well-received, which was a big surprise. It quickly became more popular than his band Heatmiser. Smith felt his solo songs were not like Heatmiser's music. He said playing his acoustic music felt risky. This was because bands like Mudhoney and Nirvana were popular in the Northwest.
One of Smith's first solo shows was in Portland in 1994. He played only three songs from Roman Candle. Most of his ten-song set included other songs. These were B-sides, Heatmiser songs, and unreleased tracks. In the same year, Smith released a record with Pete Krebs. He contributed the song "No Confidence Man" to it.
1995–1997: Elliott Smith and Either/Or Albums
In 1995, Smith's self-titled album was released. It came out on Kill Rock Stars. The album had a similar recording style to Roman Candle. But it also showed signs of new ideas and growth. Smith recorded most of the album by himself. His friend Rebecca Gates sang harmony vocals on "St. Ides Heaven." Heatmiser guitarist Neil Gust played guitar on "Single File."
In 1996, filmmaker Jem Cohen filmed Smith playing acoustic songs. This was for a short film called Lucky Three: An Elliott Smith Portrait. Two of these songs later appeared on his next album. This album was Either/Or, also released by Kill Rock Stars. Either/Or came out in 1997 and received good reviews. On this album, Smith used more instruments. Several songs had bass guitar, drums, keyboards, and electric guitars. Smith played all of these himself. The album's title came from a book by Danish philosopher Søren Kierkegaard. His books often talk about deep feelings like sadness and death.
Smith moved from Portland to Jersey City, New Jersey. Later, he moved to Brooklyn, New York.
1997–98: "Miss Misery" and Academy Award Nomination
In 1997, director Gus Van Sant chose Smith for his film Good Will Hunting. Smith recorded an orchestral version of "Between the Bars" for the movie. He also added a new song, "Miss Misery." The film was very successful. Smith was nominated for an Academy Award for "Miss Misery." He did not want to be in the spotlight. But he agreed to perform the song at the ceremony. This was after producers said they would find someone else if he refused.
On March 5, 1998, Smith appeared on TV for the first time. He performed "Miss Misery" on Late Night with Conan O'Brien. A few days later, he played a shorter version of the song at the Academy Awards. He wore a white suit and was joined by an orchestra. The song "My Heart Will Go On" from Titanic won the award. Smith was not upset about not winning. He called the experience "surreal." He said it was fun to "walk around on the moon for a day."
1998–2000: XO and Figure 8 Albums
In 1998, after the success of Either/Or and "Miss Misery," Smith signed with a bigger record label, DreamWorks Records.
Smith's first album for DreamWorks was XO. It was released later that year. Smith wrote the songs for XO during the winter of 1997 and 1998. The album was produced by Rob Schnapf and Tom Rothrock. XO also featured music from Los Angeles musicians Joey Waronker and Jon Brion. The album had a fuller, more orchestral sound than his earlier works. Songs included a horn section, string arrangements, and even a drum loop. His unique singing style and personal lyrics were still present. The album became his best-selling release. It sold 400,000 copies. Smith's band during this time was Quasi. It included his former bandmate Sam Coomes and Janet Weiss. Quasi also opened for many of Smith's shows. Smith sometimes played bass, guitar, or sang backup with them. On October 17, 1998, Smith performed "Waltz No. 2 (XO)" on Saturday Night Live.
Smith was asked if signing with a major label would change his music. He said that record labels are made of real people. He believed they want to release good music. Smith also said he never read reviews of his music. He worried they would affect his songwriting.
Smith moved from Brooklyn to Los Angeles in 1999. He lived in a cabin in Silver Lake. He often played small, acoustic shows at local places. In the fall, his cover of the Beatles' "Because" was used in the movie American Beauty. It also appeared on the film's soundtrack.
The last album Smith finished was Figure 8. It was released on April 18, 2000. Rothrock, Schnapf, Brion, and Waronker returned to work on it. Part of the album was recorded at Abbey Road Studios in England. The album showed a clear influence from The Beatles. Figure 8 received good reviews. It was praised for its power pop style and complex music. Some reviewers felt Smith's sad songwriting had lost some of its depth. They said some lyrics sounded like "self-pitying complaints of an adolescent."
Smith went on a long tour to promote the album. He also appeared on Late Night with Conan O'Brien and the Late Show with David Letterman.
2003: Return to Performing
Smith played two sold-out acoustic concerts in Hollywood in early 2003. He wanted to show he was still a strong live performer. Before one show, he wrote "Kali – The Destroyer" on his arm. This is a Hindu goddess of time and change. During some songs, he was joined by a drummer. Members of the opening band also sang backup on one song. Smith played two more concerts in Los Angeles in 2003.
Smith began trying out noise music. He also worked on his girlfriend's computer to learn how to record with computers. He called his experimental recording style "The California Frown." He said his new songs were "more noisy" and "distorted." Some were still acoustic. Smith's last show was in Salt Lake City on September 19, 2003. The last song he played live was "Long, Long, Long" by the Beatles.
2004–Present: Music After His Death
From a Basement on the Hill was released on October 19, 2004. It had been in the works for almost four years. Smith's family was in charge of his music. They asked Rob Schnapf and Smith's ex-girlfriend Joanna Bolme to finish and mix the album. Smith had wanted it to be a double album. But it was released as a single album with 15 songs. Many songs from the recording sessions were not included.
In 2005, a tribute album was released. It featured different bands honoring Smith. On May 8, 2007, a collection of his songs was released. It was called New Moon. It had 24 songs Smith recorded between 1994 and 1997. These were songs not on his main albums. The album sold well and received good reviews. Part of the money from sales went to Outside In. This is a group that helps low-income adults and homeless youth in Portland, Oregon.
On October 25, 2007, a book about Smith was released. It was by Autumn de Wilde. It included photos, handwritten lyrics, and talks with Smith's friends. De Wilde designed the cover for the Figure 8 album. A CD with five live acoustic songs was included with the book.
After Smith's death, his songs were used in movies and TV shows. These included One Tree Hill and American Beauty. In 2009, Kill Rock Stars announced they would re-release Roman Candle and From a Basement on the Hill. Roman Candle was improved by Larry Crane. Both albums were re-released in the US on April 6, 2010.
A collection of his best songs, An Introduction to... Elliott Smith, was released in November 2010.
In August 2013, memorial concerts were held in Portland, Oregon, and other cities. Friends and musicians who played with Smith attended the Portland show. Film director Gus Van Sant also made an appearance.
In 2014, director Paul Thomas Anderson shared a video. It was from a show called The Jon Brion Show. It featured Smith playing acoustic songs with other musicians.
On July 17, 2015, a documentary about Smith's life was released. It was called Heaven Adores You. The film included interviews with close friends and family. It also had many audio interviews from Smith's career. The documentary received positive reviews.
On August 6, 2019, which would have been Smith's 50th birthday, special digital versions of XO and Figure 8 were released. The new XO had nine extra songs, including "Miss Misery." Seven songs were added to Figure 8. This included Smith's cover of "Figure 8" from "Schoolhouse Rock!" and The Beatles' "Because."
Legacy and Influence
Since his death, Smith has been seen as a very important artist in indie music. Many artists have said Smith influenced their music. These include Frank Ocean, Beck, Phoebe Bridgers, Julien Baker, and Danielle Haim from Haim.
Musical Style
Smith admired and was inspired by many artists. These included the Beatles, Big Star, the Clash, the Who, Led Zeppelin, the Kinks, Pink Floyd, Rush, Bauhaus, Elvis Costello, Oasis, Television, Motown music, flamenco records, AC/DC, Hank Williams, and Scorpions. Smith sometimes listened only to certain albums for months.
Smith also found inspiration in books, religion, and philosophy. He liked classic literature. He especially liked Samuel Beckett, T. S. Eliot, and Russian writers like Fyodor Dostoyevsky.
Smith often spoke about his admiration for Bob Dylan. He said Dylan was an early influence. He once said his father taught him to play "Don't Think Twice, It's All Right." Smith loved Dylan's words. Smith also covered Dylan's "When I Paint My Masterpiece" in concerts. Smith has been compared to folk singer Nick Drake. This is because of his fingerpicking style and singing.
Smith was a big fan of the Beatles. He also liked their solo projects. He said he had listened to them since he was about four years old. He claimed hearing The White Album inspired him to become a musician. In 1998, Smith covered The Beatles' song "Because." It was used in the movie American Beauty. This was the only Beatles song Smith officially released. But he recorded many others. He also played many Beatles songs at live concerts.
Smith said that transitions were his favorite part of songs. He preferred to write broader, more impressionistic music. He compared his songs to stories or dreams. He did not see them as just personal confessions. When asked about the sad nature of his songs, Smith said it was just how he wrote meaningful music. Larry Crane, who organized Smith's recordings after his death, found that Smith often reused musical ideas. Songs recorded in high school were sometimes reworked 15 years later. Lyrics became more important to him as he got older.
Discography
- Roman Candle (1994)
- Elliott Smith (1995)
- Either/Or (1997)
- XO (1998)
- Figure 8 (2000)
Posthumous studio albums
- From a Basement on the Hill (2004)
Compilation albums
- New Moon (2007)
Images for kids
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The memorial outside Solutions Audio in Los Angeles, California, in August 2006
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Memorial for Smith at the high school from which he graduated; lyrics from his song "Waltz No. 2 (XO)" are inscribed upon it.
See also
In Spanish: Elliott Smith para niños
