I really doubt Elliott's troubles come from his failure to break 
through completely as a mainstream artist, as the attached message 
and some others suggest.  He broke through pretty far.  I think the 
main message to be found here is not that artistic and commercial 
failure leads to suicide, but rather that huge artistic and 
commercial success can't shield someone from depression, first of 
all, but more importantly drug addiction.  In fact success and fame 
probably just makes it all worse.

When I first met Elliott in Portland (1996-'97), he was an obvious 
heroin addict.  The guy was half nodded out while he was talking. 
 From what I've heard, he has struggled with that addiction on and off 
for his entire professional music career.  Knowing some of his 
Hampshire College cronies, there was a pretty vibrant heroin scene in 
Amherst at that time, so perhaps this is just part of a very very 
long struggle.  ALL long term drug addicts eventually talk about 
killing themselves.  All long term drug addicts are depressed.  Which 
came first, the addiction or the depression?  Who knows.  But once 
you are a full blown heroin addict, you'll never become mentally 
well, as long as you are using.  Some very powerful personalities 
have turned to suicide after no longer being able to cope with 
addiction and depression, and all the talent in the world couldn't 
protect them.

And make no mistake about it, Elliott Smith was perhaps the most 
talented singer and songwriter in the world right now.  His melodies 
were memorable and complicated, his song structure was amazing, his 
lyrics were intelligent and powerful and his voice was absolutely 
breathtaking.

The guy was an unbelievable talent, the kind that might only come 
around a dozen times in my lifetime, but while I miss the songs he 
might have written, I can still cherish and listen to his recordings. 
The people I feel for are his family and friends, because they will 
truly miss him.  They will truly mourn.

Instead I choose to celebrate his life, his talent and his music.

Elliott Smith was amazing!

Drugs are stupid and suck.

Frank.


>I was consistently touched by this man's beautiful music.  Foremost, it's
>very sad obviously to those who knew him and cared about him.  For 
>those like me
>who didn't know him and were mere fans, it is disturbing that a man of such
>immense talent could not sell more records or get the help he so obviously
>needed.  He probably couldn't live with the fact that his career was 
>limited to the
>alternative music business as opposed to the mainstream rock star business
>where people make millions.  There are just a few melodic outstanding artists
>left on major labels, but they appear to be a mere hobby for the 
>companies that
>put their music out.
>
>Let's hope artists close to Smith's league can break through so that, at the
>least, they struggle merely with their inner demons as opposed to record
>company bureaucracy, the endless waiting game and the self doubt 
>that has to be
>inspired by the Seagrams era.  Where even Kobain couldn't go on despite his
>mainstream success,  do we have a shot to break a truly worthy 
>artist in this era? 
>Someone has to be on the horizon who can break through and keep it
>together...Smith was one of those who had that potential.  It's a huge loss.
>
>Casey Fundaro