Ted Leo posted the following eulogy for Elliott Smith on his website last week. His site’s all Flash and I can’t link directly to the entry nor predict how long it’ll remain online, so I’ve copied it over directly – it’s worth saving and repeating.

Almost ten years ago, my old band, Chisel, was on our first full US tour. Nothing west of Chicago was particularly well attended, but that never really gets me down — I try to keep hopes up but expectations low. Anyway, what was getting me down, was a certain lack of respect I was often feeling from people in a lot of places, which reached a real boiling point in Portland, Or., at a place called the “O,” where we were being treated less than kindly by the promoter. It was summer, and very very hot inside the club. We attracted about 20 people that night, and played a pretty ripping set, if I remember correctly, during which I asked the promoter if I could have one of the 7-Ups he was selling for a quarter each from a cooler at the back of the room. He said, “For a quarter!” I thought he was joking, but he wasn’t. I sputtered through the sweat dripping down my face and across my mouth, “Well… Can’t I pay you after we’re done playing? Can’t you take it out of our pay?” He just stared at me, then made some quip about, “What pay?” Which, since we’d only drawn 20 people, was a legitimate question, granted, but I was kind of dumbfounded — I couldn’t believe that he was going to not only NOT offer me a soda for busting my ass on stage, but was going to embarrass me in this way in front of an audience that was actually there to see us as well. I had a serious existential crisis at that moment. What the fuck am I doing here? Why am I giving it up in this way every night? Why are people so petty in their power struggles? Is this all there is? Just then, a person stepped out from the 20 person crowd, put a quarter in the promoter’s hand, and walked the soda up to me on stage.

It’s largely due to that small gesture that I’m still playing music today, and in years to come, I got to know that person better, and count him as a friend. That person was Eliot Smith. And though I know he’s now free from the very real demons that were gnawing at him… Man, I think I’m going to miss him very very much. My love to his other friends and family, and my love to you all. Spare a thought for Eliot today.

There’s also this article from Billboard offers some thoughts and rememberances from Steve Drozd and Wayne Coyne from The Flaming Lips.

We’ve lost a lot of beloved figures in music this year, but I think this is one that’s going to ache for a while. As for the fate of From A Basement On The Hill, Elliott’s final album, Pitchfork reports that his family will determine when and where it comes out. At least it sounds like the record will be released.

np – Elliott Smith / Elliott Smith

Picked up a couple magazines this weekend – the new issue of TapeOp has a lengthy interview with Andy Chase of Ivy about their studio, Stratosphere Sound, and the making of Guestroom. There’s also a feature on Daniel Lanois, one of my favorite producers. Good stuff.

Under The Radar is a magazine I’ve been trying to hunt down in town for a little while now, and I finally found a copy at the Chapters in Yorkville. Now I just need to find some back issues… Under The Radar is a quarterly magazine that nestles itself quite nicely between Magnet and The Big Takeover in frequency, size, content and even price. Perfect. I haven’t but leafed through it yet, but there appears to be a lot of good stuff in there. Currently on their website is one of the last interviews with Elliott Smith from last issue. The title of the piece is sadly ironic.

Melodynelson.com is a year old today – happy birthday, Audrey!

Daylight savings time ends today. Or does it start? I don’t know. What’s the point, really? Damn farmers and their daylight.

np – Ivy / Apartment Life

Why why why why why can’t Tell Us The Truth be coming to Canada? Well, probably because Canucks aren’t at the top of the list of people who need to be exposed to the bullshit political agenda of the US government, but still – Billy Bragg and Steve Earle on tour together? God. I would kill a man for live recordings of these shows. Honestly. I would. But if you’re so fortunate to be living somewhere that this is coming within 100 miles of, for the love of Levi Stubbs GO. If not for you, then your children. Or your children’s children. Or for ME. Do it for me, man. And sneak in a recorder.

Some news from the merry land of Gedge – Cinerama have released a new live album, Live In Belfast, available only from their website. This is the perfect companion piece to the Live In Los Angeles CD from last year which is also only available on their website. The tracklisting comprises material from both Cinerama and the Wedding Present and Dave’s stage banter is usually pretty good for a larf. The new Cinerama single, Don’t Touch That Dial, is also now out and produced by Steve Fisk, who produced Watusi. I’m curious to hear what having a new dude behind the board will do to Cinerama’s sound – working with Steve Albini the last couple of records combined with Sally Murrell leaving have made the band tougher and more Wedddoes-like than ever. Maybe it’s time for a hard left?

Neil LaBute’s The Shape Of Things was transferred to film directly from the stage, with the same cast and director (LaBute). It shows, too, as the story of a guy being slowly changed inside and out by his new girlfriend is very talky and visually static. It was alright, overall, but the plot twist, if you can call it that, was telegraphed a mile off. Watching this, I was reminded of LaBute’s first film, In The Company Of Men, and how utterly vicious it was. LaBute really doesn’t seem to like any of his characters, otherwise he wouldn’t do such nasty things to them.

Buckley’s cough syrup is quite probably the most vile-tasting thing in existance.

np – Mojave 3 / Spoon & Rafter

A little under 10 years ago, charming local shoegazey indie-pop outfit NC17 changed their name into Treble Charger and began their transformation into bland thirtysomething wanna-be skate punks responsible for bringing Sum 41 into the public eye. Well founding member Bill Priddle has had enough and has left the band. Good for him – Bill always wrote the best songs anyway.

Get your online bootleg music freak on here. Parsnips a-plenty. From Glamorama.

A couple links from LHB:

The Guardian lists off their top 40 most exciting American bands right now. Fannypack?

The always excellent Morning Becomes Eclectic has a slew of performances from top-notch artists available to listen to/watch. Be sure to search the archives, almost anyone who’s anyone has done a set at one point.

I’ve said it before, but man I wish Toronto had some more interesting traffic on Craigslist. Just look at the Best Of. Side-splitting.

np – Love / The Best Of Love

Stylus talks to The Wrens – who they are, what they do, where they’re going – and gets a tangential song-by-song breakdown of The Meadowlands. And it’s this insignificant speck’s opinion that The Meadowlands is as good as everyone says it is.

Travis do an in-store and autograph session at the HMV on Queen W in Toronto next Thursday, October 30 at 5pm, prior to their show at the Hummingbird Centre.

NOW chats up Mojave 3 prior to their show next week at Lee’s Palace.

As we look at the bare walls in our apartment with growing dissatisfaction, a nation turns its lonely eyes to Gigposters.com. Show prints are cool, I wish there was a way to find nice ones in town and not just online. But failing that, can anyone recommend me some sites with good selections and prices?

Elliott Smith stabbed himself through the heart. My God. Where a man’s head has to be to do something like that, I hope I never know.

np – My Morning Jacket / At Dawn