Elliott Smith and the Big Nothing

by Benjamin Nugent

Book Overview

Best known for his Oscar-nominated song "Miss Misery" from the Good Will Hunting soundtrack, Elliott Smith was catapulted to the status of indie rock star after performing at the 1997 Academy Awards.... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0306813939
• ISBN13: 9780306813931
• Release Date: October 2004
• Publisher: Da Capo Press
• Length: 248 Pages
• Weight: 0.90 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.9" x 6.1" x 8.8"

Customer Reviews

Interesting Read, Informative

I don't really understand what all the complaints on this book are for. Yes, there are typos in the book and he gets lyrics wrong sometimes when quoting them. With that said, he was rushing to get the book done. He didn't want it to be released on the one year anniversary of Smiths death, but upon the release of Basement on a Hill (which just happened to be the same date). This book has a lot of funny stories and a couple of dark ones. Nugent chose to show the Elliott that was working and funny, a side that many of us listeners don't get to see too often. Towards the end we learn of how much the drugs truly changed him. I found that part of the book the most interesting because I had no idea what had gone on towards the end of Smiths life. Nugent cares about Elliott and it is obvious in his writing. Yes, he skims over the death but who cares? I for one do not want to hear a play by play of his death. It was something tragic and something that should be left for his friends and family. Honestly, I think it's disgusting that his autospy is even admitted online. Either way he does go into other suicide attempts if that's the only reason you are looking to read. And the complaints about his sources? His interviews are really good I thought. They aren't just Smiths barely-there-acquaintances ... they are previous girlfriends, producers, etc. that truly knew him. I would recommend this book to any Elliott Smith fan. It definitely lets you in to different parts of his life that you would otherwise not have known about. The author did a great job and I commend his hard work that he put into the book, as well as those that agreed to be interviewed.

Amazing book when taken in context

I don't understand why people are complaing on this book. For those of you who say he has no internal access to smiths life you are right. He doesn't have interview with his family. I don't believe we deserve it. In this life we have friends, we have family. These are the people that we share are inner thoughts and feelings with. They are for those people we choose to share them with and to pressure these people to spill there closest secrets with smith would be wrong. We should feel honored that that close nit circle allowed what we have to be revealed. If i could shake benjamin nugents hand right now and thank him for what he did i would. Some things are not meant for everyone, smiths life and secrets were one of them.

About the Music

Katherine Curry Reviewing: Elliott Smith and the Big Nothing With an apologetic afterward by the author of the book Elliott Smith and the Big Nothing, Benjamin Nugent explains the reasons for the widely perceived shortcomings while retracing the life of songwriter Elliott Smith. He explains that although the things reported in his book are widely known by avid Smith fans, most of his closest friends and family refuse to talk about the deceased musician. Aside from this apparent "flaw" in this biography, Nugent poignantly captures the life, art and death of the academy award nominee Elliott Smith. Although this book seems to reek of "typical biography" when Nugent beings with, "Steven Paul Smith was born at 12:59 a.m..."(9) it quickly shatters any notion of a normal biography when the author delves into Smith's songwriting and lyrics. Each chapter is named after each album Smith put out during his career. And, not only does Nugent provide the reader with a chronological account of his life during the making of these albums, but he also intimately uncovers the importance of individual songs by providing context and possible meanings. Nugent's analysis of Smith's lyrics and instrumentals not only exemplify the purity of Smith's music that he was so known for, but it also approaches the art with a similar ear to that of the readers. Through Nugent's research and thoughtful analysis it is apparent that he did the best he or any other free-lance writer could do with such a reclusive person like Elliott Smith. Although, I can see why people may think that this book does not do the justice that Smith deserves on the one-year anniversary of his apparent suicide, but with an artist like Elliott Smith, what can?

XO

I hold this book to high standards because it's a bio of somebody whose songs I love and the fact is that this is very thorough and sympathetic (but balanced) portrait, with really long interviews with Elliott Smith's friends (just not all of his most famous friends). And where the hell else are you going to get a description of how he recorded Roman Candle from his girlfriend? And how he got in fights with frat boys? And his rehab treatments? And how he didn't tune his guitars quite right all the time (on purpose)? As a musician I learned a lot from this book. And, yeah, the best writing per se is in the afterword. But it's pretty good throughout the whole thing, and sometimes lovely, like in the descriptions of where he grew up.