The expanded release allows those closest to Smith to share intimate memories and experiences with fans, and for fans to understand the real person behind the music. The 25th anniversary reissue of his self-titled album, due Aug. 28th via Kill Rock Stars, aims to bridge that gap. Since his untimely death at 34 years old in 2003, Smith's closest friends and family have seen his masterfully empathic songwriting give that intimate companionship to countless fans. I know that I have in the past, and I guess if Elliott was alive-especially because we would have lived next to each other-it’s like 1000% I would have met him and I would have not known what the fuck I was talking about, and I would have cornered him at Silverlake Lounge.The longer Elliott Smith has been gone, the closer his listeners have felt to him. And I guess that I’m terrified that when I hang out with Patti Smith or whatever that I’ll become that for people. And they talk to you for like 45 minutes, and you realize your reaction really means a lot to them, so you’re trying to be there for them, too.

The worst way that it happens is like with a sweet fan, someone who is really trying to be nice and their hands are shaking, but they don’t realize they’re standing outside of your bus and you’re trying to go to bed.

Say you’re at Thanksgiving with your wife’s family and she’s got an older relative who is anti-vax or just read some conspiracy theory article and, even if they’re sweet, they’re just talking to you and they don’t realize that your eyes are glazed over and you’re trying to escape: That’s a punisher. This is a simple tribute song.” It’s kind of about the neighborhood, kind of about depression, but mostly about stalking Elliott Smith and being afraid that I’m a punisher - that when I talk to my heroes, that their eyes will glaze over. I usually write things five times over, and this one was always just like, “Alright.

In my songwriting style, I feel like I actually stopped writing it earlier than I usually stop writing stuff.

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