pacificlectic : concert reviews & eclectic music news

24bit just posted some news about the Elliott Smith documentary Searching for Elliott Smith.  It’s set to screen at the Los Angeles New Wave International Film Festival (Sat 5/7 @ 2:30pm).  It’ll feature a Q&A with the filmmaker (Gil Reyes) and Elliott’s girlfriend at the time of his death – Jennifer Chiba.  It shows again on Sun 5/8 @ 8pm (no Q&A).

The synopsis of the documentary:

The first feature-length documentary about the greatest singer-songwriter of his generation. Elliott Smith’s intensely intimate songs helped popularize lo-fi, indie-rock: A traditionally underground genre until Smith’s mainstream effort ‘Miss Misery’ took Hollywood by surprise. But even after an Oscar nomination for Best Original Song, he managed to fly mostly under the radar. And Smith wanted it that way. After his death in 2003, Smith’s peers understandably avoided the media. Granting very few print interviews… and NO on-camera interviews. Until now. From his high school days as a National Merit Scholar… to his early work in the Portland rock band, ‘Heatmiser’… to critical acclaim… to his mysterious death at the age of 34. We learn the dark motivations behind a musical genius. And discover how psychic pain can also produce timeless art. Appearances by filmmaker, Gus Van Sant who chose Smith’s music for the movie, ‘Good Will Hunting’. Also interviewed is Elliott’s fiancee, Jennifer Chiba. Chiba talks about the fight leading up to Elliott’s death and the LAPD’s ‘open investigation’ into possible homicide.
http://www.searchingforelliottsmith.com/

Go to the 24Bit page for five unreleased lo-fi YouTube’d Elliott Smith songs… tentatively titled: She Won’t Look at Me,  Where I Get It From,  Like a Cop,  I’m Gonna Get Crushed, and  Shiva Opens Her Arms.

~Dan – Portishead – Portishead