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		Schultz, William Todd.

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		Smith, Elliott, 1969-2003
		Rock musicians -- United States -- Biography.
		Alternative rock musicians -- United States -- Biography.
		Alternative rock music -- United States -- History and criticism.
		Portland (Or.) -- Biography.

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		781.66092 S646s

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		Schultz, William Todd.
		Smith, Elliott, 1969-2003
		Rock musicians -- United States -- Biography.
		Alternative rock musicians -- United States -- Biography.
		Alternative rock music -- United States -- History and criticism.
		Portland (Or.) -- Biography.


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Torment saint : the life of Elliott Smith / William Todd Schultz

by Schultz, William Todd.

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Bloomsbury, 2013.

781.66092 S646s

Smith, Elliott, 1969-2003

Rock musicians -- United States -- Biography.

Alternative rock musicians -- United States -- Biography.

Alternative rock music -- United States -- History and criticism.

Portland (Or.) -- Biography.

9781608199730 (hc.)

Alternate title:

Life of Elliott Smith

First U.S. edition

353 pages : illustrations ; 25 cm

Includes bibliographical references

Introduction. The Smith myth -- Hey mister, that's me up on the jukebox -- Center circle -- Raining violins -- Some reverse pyromaniac -- Yesteryear soon -- Sweet high notes -- Robot hand -- A symbol meaning infinity -- Can't make a sound -- Coda : the hero killed the clown

"Elliott Smith was one of the most gifted songwriters of the '90s, adored by fans for his subtly melancholic words and melodies. The sadness had its sources in the life. There was trauma from an early age, years of drug abuse, and a chronic sense of disconnection that sometimes seemed self-engineered. Smith died violently in LA in 2003, under what some believe to be questionable circumstances, of stab wounds to the chest. By this time fame had found him, and record-buyers who shared the listening experience felt he spoke directly to them from beyond: astute, damaged, lovelorn, fighting, until he could fight no more. And yet, although his intimate lyrics carried the weight of truth, Smith remained unknowable. William Todd Schultz gives us the first proper biography of the rock star, a decade after his death, imbued with affection, authority, sensitivity, and long-awaited clarity. Torment Saint draws on Schultz's careful, deeply knowledgeable readings and insights, as well as on more than 150 hours of interviews with close friends from Texas to Los Angeles, lovers, bandmates, music peers, managers, label owners, and recording engineers and producers. This book unravels the remaining mysteries of Smith's life and his shocking, too early end. William Todd Schultz is the author of two books, both psychological interpretations of artists: "Tiny Terror: Why Truman Capote (Almost) Wrote Answered Prayers" (2011) and "An Emergency in Slow Motion: The Inner Life of Diane Arbus" (2011)"--Provided by publisher.

"Steven Paul "Elliott" Smith (1969-2003) was an American singer, songwriter, and musician. Smith was born in Omaha, Nebraska, raised primarily in Texas, and lived for much of his life in Portland, Oregon, where he first gained popularity. Smith's primary instrument was the guitar, though he was also proficient with piano, clarinet, bass guitar, drums, and harmonica. Smith had a distinctive vocal style, characterized by his "whispery, spiderweb-thin delivery", and used multi-tracking to create vocal layers, textures, and harmonies. After playing in the rock band Heatmiser for several years, Smith began his solo career in 1994, with releases on the independent record labels Cavity Search and Kill Rock Stars (KRS). In 1997, he signed a contract with DreamWorks Records, for which he recorded two albums. Smith rose to mainstream prominence when his song "Miss Misery" - included in the soundtrack for the film Good Will Hunting (1997) - was nominated for an Oscar in the Best Original Song category in 1998. Smith had trouble with alcohol and other drugs throughout his life, while suffering from depression, and these topics often appear in his lyrics. In 2003, aged 34, he died in Los Angeles, California, from two stab wounds to the chest. The autopsy evidence was inconclusive as to whether the wounds were self-inflicted or the result of homicide. At the time of his death, Smith was working on his sixth studio album, From a Basement on the Hill, which was posthumously completed and released in 2004"--From wikipedia.org website.

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