I don’t really know what to say about him. I found his music about a year ago and fell in love. His music has become something of a soundtrack to my life the past twelve months. The strangeness of his music compared to other things I was at the time listening to really enticed me. His words and voice spoke to me in a way no other artist had done before. The songs he sang pull me through every good, bad, and in-between mood I have, and that means a lot to me. Being a musician myself I can only hope to be a fraction of what he is. XO

(Submitted by thebilliam.)

(Source: elliottsmith)

I think it’s close to two and a half years back from now that I first heard Elliott.

I had been going through a deep and dark depression. Skipping school nearly every day of the week. Spending my time writing shitty poems, playing video games, talking to people on the computer, sleeping, and hating myself. I did a lot of the latter.

One night I was talking to an old elementary school friend of mine that was a grade higher. He sent me “Between the Bars” and I just got hooked. I didn’t know what about it was so amazing but I just couldn’t stop listening to it. Over time I began listening to all his albums and even his live shit.

Elliott gave me something to identify with. Something to hold onto. A reality. And the courage to keep on living.

(Submitted by amidsttheshockofitall.)

(Source: elliottsmith)

My Guide.

Elliott Smith’s work is so important to me. Truly, his lyrics have turned my eyes inward on myself as well as inside of others. So many feelings he puts into his songs apply to my life, and I love him for being strong enough to share it all to the world. Seeing how movies like Good Will Hunting and Thumbsucker (great quality movies full of passion and soul) have chosen his songs for their entire soundtrack says something about him. As an artist, he did what so many people try to do: be honest in the most beautiful way possible. He did. And he helped me realize that my problems were not so strange or rare or shameful. He turned me onto writing when I was 14 and I am now 19, still writing every day and hope to turn that into something really helpful for other people. Seeing such pain turned into beauty changed me in a way that only makes me wish I could thank him. And I can’t, which is so sad, but I can only do my best to carry his ghost on through my work and to share his music with other people.

My bipolar disorder and my broken relationship with my family, mostly my mother, seemed so much easier to turn into art after discovering him. His music always reminds me to take the pain and turn it into something beautiful. And Elliott was so damn beautiful.

Thank you, Elliott, for all of the lives you’ve changed with your music. RIP.

(Submitted by aypurrclueless.)

(Source: elliottsmith)

I can’t believe that it’s already this time of year again.

It’s going to be hard to not sound cliche, but I so sincerely and genuinely mean every word I will say.

I first discovered Elliott Smith’s music really by accident several autumns ago. I was hooked immediately. I acquired every last song of his that I could possibly find, watched and read every interview I could find, stayed up until 5 AM watching live videos, bought several books about him, joined message boards, etc. It was the most life-changing musical find I’ve ever had, and I don’t think I could possibly have another one so significant. 

Ever since then, Elliott’s music has consistently gotten me through the hardest times in my life as well as the everyday anxiety/depression. 

I always turn to him and he never lets me down. I only wish that I could return the favor somehow.

It’s surreal that he’s been gone for eight years now. I get such joy every time a new-old song of his is discovered and leaked. I only hope that we wil never run out of songs, or else it will really feel like he’s gone.

Even though I never know him personally, I feel like I miss him. As tragic as parts of his life were and how he left this world far too early, he brought wonderful things to so many people through his music and just by being himself.

Thank you for everything, Elliott. I love you.

(Submitted by t3hrubikscube.)

(Source: elliottsmith)