Elliott Smith died.

Not sure if anyone here knows who he is, but he was a brilliant musician, singer/songwriter. Nominated for an Oscar for the song "Miss Misery" in the movie Good Will Hunting. Always a fragile guy, had a hard time with live shows. Found dead of apparent suicide in LA yesterday. He wrote beautiful music.

I enjoyed his music and hate to see him (or anyone) succumb to his depression/alcoholism.

http://www.salon.com/ent/wire/2003/10/22/smith/

LOS ANGELES (AP) -- Elliott Smith, a singer-songwriter whose dark-tinged, introspective songs and plaintive singing voice won universal critical acclaim, has apparently committed suicide, his publicist and coroner's officials said Wednesday. He was 34.

Smith's body was found by his live-in girlfriend Tuesday, Los Angeles County Coroner Records Supervisor Marsha Grigsby told Associated Press Radio.

He sustained a single stab wound to the chest that appeared to be self-inflicted, she said.

--snip---

Smith's songs were often compared with those of Alex Chilton, Nick Drake and the Beatles, his favorite band. They were marked by intricate melodies written over unorthodox chord changes.

--snip--

Smith had recently spoken in interviews about his struggles with alcoholism. "When I lived in New York I was really a bad alcoholic for a few years," he told Under the Radar magazine in an interview published in June 2003.

In an effort to quit drinking, Smith told the magazine, he had undergone treatment at the Neurotransmitter Restoration Center in Beverly Hills, which administers an intravenous solution meant to clear the bloodstream of toxins.

He had a musical style that I could appreciate.

Why is it that the talented ones die young while the cookie-cutter musicians live forever?

maybe because the talented ones take more risks, emotionally.

Elliott was very fragile, it seemed. I am very very sad but not shocked.

he wrote a beautiful song called 'i figured you out'. he was insecure about it and was going to throw it away, then mary lou lord asked if she could have it. i personally think it's his best song ever. (and one of only 2 songs that i can actually play)

Rest In Peace

It took my breath away. I gotta look for some of his stuff!

And then Either/Or. Those are my favorites of his.

Brilliant, sweet guy. Very sad :-(.

and gently slip it over the real one.. replace it into the bookstore window, and watch the fun.. Wonder if anyone would notice :)