Songwriter Elliott Smith Dead at 34 (Suicide)

fox ^ | 10-22-03

[wheelgunguru]

LOS ANGELES

[martin_fierro]

Looks like a very dark, tortured, tormented Gilligan.

[Belial]

Bach wrote "intricate melodies...over unorthodox chord changes" This guy wrote ditties.

A few comments:

Your comparison of Bach and modern pop/folk music is superficial, to be kind. Popular vocal music never takes on the harmonic complexity of Baroque music. There were a few bands who thought this might be a good idea in the 70s. It wasn't.

Kudos for you if you appreciate the way people listened to music hundreds of years ago. That you need to cast aspersions on contemporary musicians does greatly undermine your credibility, however.

It's always a laugh to listen to the pompous prigs who talk about "no good music anymore". Fifty years ago that type of snob was talking down jazz and wouldn't be seen anywhere near a jazz club. Today they're only too happy to plunk down 50 bucks to listen to some kid imitating Charlie Parker.

[Hillary's Lovely Legs]

I have never heard of him, but it's been said that he is one of the best songwriters of the 90s.

Of course I don't really know what that means. He was no Barry Manilow, that's for sure.

[dead]

Looks like a very dark, tortured, tormented Gilligan.

So does Bob Denver.

[Not A Snowbird]

That would explain the "unorthodox chord changes".

[ThreeYearLurker]

Right on. I enjoyed Mr. Smith's music. It is sad to see him go.

[nothingnew]

It's a pretty good movie, and the soundtrack is good.

FMCDH

[Heyworth]

I know you'd rather see me gone
Than to see me the way that I am
But I am in your life any way

Next door the T.V.'s flashing
Blue frames on the wall
It's a comedy of errors you see
It's about taking a fall

To vanish into oblivion
It's easy to do
And I tried to leave but you know me
I come back when you want me to.

Do you miss me, Miss Misery
Like you say you do
--Elliot Smith

[wesdale]

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B0000573KD/ref=j_disp_dwnld_1/104-8757569-3537510?v=glance&s=music&st=digital-music/

[mountaineer]

He probably never wrote the songs that made the whole world sing, sadly.

[NYpeanut]

oh, now that is sad.

[martin_fierro]

Nah, Bob looks like death warmed over.

[mountaineer]

He hasn't been the same since he was caught having illicit drugs mailed to him.

[Egon]

There were a few bands who thought this might be a good idea in the 70s. It wasn't.

Right back at'cha.

It's kind of priggish to say that bands that experimented with bringing intricate melodies into modern music failed, too.

I happen to have very fond memories of Queen, not to mention the guitar riffs of Steve Vai.

[Psycho_Bunny]

Oh, puleeze. 

I was merely commenting on the lowering of the bar for the sentence I quoted.

[Puppage]

Lil buddy!!

[Afronaut]

Bang!

[GETMAIN]

Well said, although I don't know if you're reading too much into what Psycho Bunny said.

Many of the people who complain the loudest about "no good music anymore" seem to think that major-label, top 40 bands represents the entirety of "modern music". There is a wealth of good music available to anyone who digs a little deeper.

[Physicist]

Weird. I downloaded several Heatmiser albums from Emusic just this morning.

[Tijeras_Slim]

Guess he was bummed that life isn't a 3-hour tour.