“I liked the idea of a self-contained, endless pursuit of perfection,”
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Elliott Smith
Steven Paul Smith, known as Elliott Smith, was an American musician and singer-songwriter. Raised primarily in Texas, he lived much of his life in Portland, Oregon, where he gained popularity in the 1990s. Smith's primary instrument was the guitar, though he also played piano, clarinet, bass guitar, drums, and harmonica. His work was distinguished by his "whispery, spiderweb-thin" vocal style, his…
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culture · American musician (1969–2003) · singer-songwriter · singer · composer · writer · guitarist · musician · songwriter · also Elliott Smith, Steven Paul "Elliott" Smith, Steven Smith, Smith
Born 6 August 1969 · Died 21 October 2003 · Q210428
105 published statements · 0 followers
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and the location and direction of the stab wounds are consistent with self-infliction, several aspects of the circumstances (as they are known at this time) are atypical of suicide and raise the possibility of homicide.
85%The GuardianSource
2026· 33 entries
“and the location and direction of the stab wounds are consistent with self-infliction, several aspects of the circumstances (as they are known at this time) are atypical of suicide and raise the possibility of homicide.”
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“Until such time as their investigation has concluded, however, and especially in light of the recent coroner”
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“The people who try to intervene, they”
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“I think despite the fact that sometimes people look at major labels as simply money-making machines, they”
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iHeart: Elliott Smith: Newstalk ZB's voice of rugby previews the first All Blacks v Springboks test at Ellis Park - All Sport Breakfast Wellington
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Cricinfo: Steven Smith takes the lonely walk back, Australia vs Bangladesh, 2nd Test, Mackay, 1st day, August 22, 2026
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Cricinfo: Steven Smith steadied the innings after tea, Australia vs Bangladesh, 2nd Test, Mackay, 1st day, August 22, 2026
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CricTracker: Joe Root breaks Steven Smith's record for most catches in Test cricket
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inews.co.uk: Elliott Smith was not the man you thought he was
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Still Listening: Every Elliott smith album ranked from worst to best
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Willamette Week: New Elliott Smith Biography ‘Nobody Broke Your Heart’ Publishes Aug. 25
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Portland Mercury: A New Elliott Smith Biography To Break Your Heart and Make You Smile
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Legacy obituary: Steven Glenn Smith Obituary (2026) - Knoxville, GA - McCullough Funeral Home
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Binaural: La respuesta perdida de Elliott Smith a una fan adolescente sale a la luz 25 años después
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CricTracker: WATCH: Steven Smith signals for DRS even before being given out by umpire in Darwin Test
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Cricinfo: Steven Smith reviewed almost before he was given caught behind
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themusic.com.au: Elliott Smith Fan Receives Long-Overdue Reply To Fan Letter, Decades After His Passing
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The Sunday Guardian: AUS vs BAN 1st Test: Steven Smith Equals World Record With 218 Test Catches, Joins Joe Root | Full List of Most Catches
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Far Out Magazine: Fan unearths touching Elliott Smith letter from 2000: “Go out and kick ass”
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NME: Fan receives response to letter from Elliott Smith 23 years later
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Legacy obituary: Steven T. Smith Obituary (2026) - Cheyenne, WY - Schrader, Aragon & Jacoby Funeral Home - Cheyenne
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Stereogum: Elliott Smith Biographer Discovers His Unsent Response To A Teen’s Fan Letter
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Public attention spiked: 6,493 Wikipedia readers in one day, 3.1× the usual 2,104, with 0 article edits. Coverage that week: “Elliott Smith Fan Receives Long-Overdue Reply To Fan Letter, Decades After His Passing” (themusic.com.au).
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UNCUT: Introducing the new Uncut: Joy Division, Hendrix, Van Morrison, The Cramps, Elliott Smith and more!
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Yardbarker: 'Stop being a princess' - Steven Smith mocked on air amid sightscreen issue during Darwin Test
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Dignity Memorial: Steven Smith Obituary - Roswell, GA
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God Is In The TV: BOOK PREVIEW: Nobody Broke Your Heart - An Intimate Biography Of Elliott Smith By Jamie Fisher (Faber & Faber)
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Cricbuzz: Steven Smith’s 71 vs BAN
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Buzz Magazine: A new ELLIOTT SMITH biography goes the full distance in portraying late indie icon
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Public attention spiked: 7,706 Wikipedia readers in one day, 3.7× the usual 2,104, with 0 article edits.
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Released album “2003-05-03: The Steamboat, Austin, TX, USA”.
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The minor planet (861969) Elliottsmith was named in honor of Smith
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2024· 1 entry
Released album “From a Basement on the Hill (20th Anniversary Restoration)”.
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2021· 1 entry
Released album “Fritz Michaud's New Moon”.
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2020· 3 entries
Released album “1999-07-17: YoYo a GoGo, Olympia, WA, USA”.
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Released album “1998-04-18: Pontiac Grille, Philadelphia, PA, USA”.
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Released ep “Elliott Smith Alternate Versions”.
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2019· 1 entry
(what would have been Smith's 50th birthday), UMe released digital deluxe editions of the two albums XO and Figure 8
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2017· 1 entry
Part of the wall was replaced with a window and moved inside the building
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2016· 2 entries
Released album “Heaven Adores You Soundtrack”.
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Released album “The Moon is a Sickle Cell”.
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2015· 1 entry
A documentary about Smith's life titled Heaven Adores You saw a limited theatrical release
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2014· 1 entry
The director Paul Thomas Anderson posted a video of the pilot episode for a show called The Jon Brion Show, featuring an acoustic set by Smith including accompaniment by Brion and pianist Brad Mehldau
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2013· 1 entry
Released album “Fake It Through The Day (The Best Of Elliott Smith)”.
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2012· 2 entries
Released ep “Alternate Versions From either/or”.
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Released album “Grand Mal: Studio Rarities”.
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2010· 3 entries
Released album “An Introduction to… Elliott Smith”.
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Released album “A Proper Introduction”.
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Released album “B‐Sides, Rarities & More”.
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2009· 1 entry
Released album ““Basement” Tapes Unfinished/Suppressed”.
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2007· 3 entries
A book titled Elliott Smith was released by Autumn de Wilde, which consists of photographs, handwritten lyrics, and "revealing talks with Smith's inner circle"
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A posthumous compilation album, New Moon, was released by Kill Rock Stars
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Released album “New Moon”.
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2005· 3 entries
Released album “From a Basement on the Hill II”.
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Released album “AsianMack Hearts Elliott”.
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A tribute album, A Tribute to Elliott Smith, was released
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2004· 3 entries
By ANTI- Records (a part of Epitaph Records)
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Released album “From a Basement on the Hill”.
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Chiba filed a lawsuit against the Smith family for 15% of his earnings (over $1 million), claiming that she and Smith lived as "husband and wife", that Smith had pledged to take care of her financially for the rest of he
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2003· 5 entries
Died 2003-10-21.
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At the age of 34 from two stab wounds to the chest
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And Interscope Records currently "owns all studio and live recording from Jan 1998 to his passing, except for the songs on From a Basement on the Hill
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“I wanna hurt himI wanna give him painI’m a Roman candleMy head is full of flames (ang.)”
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“I’m in love with the worldThrough the eyes of a girl (ang.)”
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2002· 3 entries
Smith was involved in a brawl with the Los Angeles Police Department at a concert where The Flaming Lips and Beck were performing
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Smith co-headlined Northwestern University's A&O Ball with Wilco on May 2 in Chicago
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Smith went to the Neurotransmitter Restoration Center in Beverly Hills to start a course of treatment for substance use disorder
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2001· 3 entries
Released album “2001‐12‐20: Crystal Ballroom, Portland, OR, USA”.
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Released album “Roman Candle / Elliott Smith / Either/Or”.
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Said: "I don't necessarily buy into any officially structured version of spirituality
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2000· 6 entries
Released album “2000‐11‐04: Granada, Lawrence, KS, USA”.
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Released album “Live at The Metro on 2000‐05‐26”.
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Released album “Figure 8”.
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Released album “2000-02-24: Middle East, Cambridge, MA, USA”.
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Released ep “3 titres inedits”.
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Released album “2000‐10‐27: Recher Theatre”.
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1999· 2 entries
Released album “1999‐04‐13: DV8, Salt Lake City, UT, USA”.
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Taking up residence at a cabin in the Silver Lake section of town, where he would regularly play intimate, acoustic shows at local venues like Silverlake Lounge
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1998· 8 entries
Smith appeared on Saturday Night Live and performed "Waltz No
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Released album “XO”.
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Smith made an appearance on Late Night with Conan O'Brien performing "Miss Misery" solo on acoustic guitar
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After the success of Either/Or and "Miss Misery", Smith signed to a bigger record label, DreamWorks Records
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Released album “A Brief History”.
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Released album “The Jackpot Sessions”.
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Smith contributed a cover of the Beatles song "Because" to the closing credits and soundtrack of the film American Beauty
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And provided a candid interview in which he spoke of his assessment of his music career until that point:
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1997· 5 entries
Released album “1997-04-14: Brownies, New York City, NY, USA”.
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Released album “1997‐04‐13: Brownies, New York, NY, USA”.
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Released album “Either/Or”.
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Signed a contract with DreamWorks Records, for which he recorded his final two albums
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Smith was selected by director and fellow Portland resident Gus Van Sant to be a part of the soundtrack to his film Good Will Hunting
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1996· 2 entries
Released album “1996‐09‐25: Sam Bond’s Garage, Eugene, OR, USA”.
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Filmmaker Jem Cohen recorded Smith playing acoustic songs for the short film Lucky Three: An Elliott Smith Portrait
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1995· 5 entries
Released album “1995-08-01: CBGB, New York, NY, USA”.
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Released album “Elliott Smith”.
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Released album “1995: Club Congo, Scottsdale, AZ, USA”.
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Released album “01-12-1995 Club Congo”.
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Smith's self-titled album was released on Kill Rock Stars; the record featured a style of recording similar to Roman Candle, but with hints of growth and experimentation
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1994· 3 entries
Released album “Roman Candle”.
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With releases on the independent record labels Cavity Search and Kill Rock Stars (KRS)
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“I thought my head would be chopped off immediately when it came out because at the time it was so opposite to the grunge thing that was popular ... The thing is that album was really well received, which was a total shock, and it immediately eclipsed [Heatmiser], unfortunately.”
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1991· 1 entry
Smith graduated from Hampshire College in Amherst, Massachusetts with a degree in philosophy and political science
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1969· 2 entries
Born 1969-08-06.
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At the Methodist Hospital in Omaha, Nebraska, the only child of Gary Smith, a student at the University of Nebraska Medical Center, and Bunny Kay Berryman, an elementary school music teacher
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