WE Reminesce on the greatness – Elliott Smith

Posted on 14th Nov 05 by Contributor | 0

Artist: Elliott Smith
Author: Aoife Barry

Just over a year ago" on the 27th of October" Cork city was flooded.
Practically the entire city centre lay under a few feet of water " the whole
city" and parts of the suburbs and county" came to a standstill. I had spent
the day in UCC" impatiently waiting for college to be over so I could head to
the Lobby Bar" where that evening I was due to hold a tribute" featuring nine
acts" for the one"year anniversary of the death of Elliott Smith.

I had not imagined when planning the event that in the car on the way to the venue I
would be on the phone to bands trapped half way across the city" with the
rising tide forcing gardai to warn people to stay away from the city centre.
By the time I reached the Lobby" I discovered that Kilterr were unable to play
as one of their members was stuck in his city"centre flat" and Paul O"Reilly
"who had travelled down" like many of the others" from Dublin" was trapped in
his hotel " which was across the bridge from us " due to a few feet of water
outside. Things were looking very" very shaky.

But then" miraculously" things started to look up. Although it is located
parallel to the River Lee" the Lobby had avoided being flooded. Even Paul
managed to wade his way over the bridge to us" absolutely soaked" but still
smiling. The gig started on time" and to my surprise" people turned up" not
just my friends and family" but strangers" people who braved the rain and
floods of their own accord. The night itself was magical" the atmosphere
peaceful despite the storm outside" with the bands and musicians performing
beautiful versions of some of Elliott"s best loved tracks.

What that night proved to me was that although Elliott"s fanbase in Ireland has
always been relatively modest" enough people were interested in hearing his
music that over 60 people attended the tribute in some of the worst weather
Cork had ever seen. His death" from a knife wound to the heart in October
2003" was shocking" not least because although he had struggled with drug
addiction" in recent times he had been clean of illegal substances.

The mysterious circumstances that surrounded his death "the coroner could not
conclude whether he died by his own hand" or another"s" were enough to gather
him more notoriety posthumously than he had ever had before" but most news
reports tended to concentrate on the negative" emphasising his previous drug
use" reportedly troubled family background" and quiet" publicity"shy nature.

But anybody who has ever listened to his albums will know that it is his music
that speaks loudest about who the true Elliott Smith was. From his early"
whispery home recordings to his later" slickly produced work" each Elliott
Smith album is a revelation" and I dare anyone to listen to his tracks and not
believe he is singing solely to them.

After missing his last Irish gig" I had waited patiently until I would hear news of the release of his sixth album" hoping he would have to come back and play Ireland. But that sixth album was "From a Basement on the Hill"" a posthumously released collection of tracks that serves as a poignant reminder of Smith"s unique talent. What he could have created in the future" one can only guess. What he produced during his
life" one can only marvel at.

Visit www.sweetadeline.net for more information.