Mister Misery - The Tragic Story of Elliott Smith Quiz

Answer: Steven

He started calling himself "Elliott" after he graduated from high school, as he felt that his given name, Steven, wasn't fitting. He wrote music in his younger years under the name "Elliott Stillwater-Rotter", but eventually settled on "Elliott Smith."

Answer: Good Will Hunting

Elliott was skyrocketed into stardom, and was nominated for an Academy Award. He was invited to perform the song at the Oscars that year, but was hesitant, and only did it when he was told another musician would perform the song in his place. He performed, but in the end, did not win. However, this break put him into the mainstream and he garnered unprecedented attention.

He was given the nickname "Mister Misery" based on this song, and his recurring use of melancholic lyrical content.

Answer: Suicide attempt

Elliott, while intoxicated, threw himself off a cliff, but survived when a tree broke his fall. He ultimately refused to discuss it in interviews. He was vocal about his desire to end his own life in the time leading up to this attempt, citing depression and drug abuse.

Answer: False

Elliott stated that he couldn't make it past the first step of the program...to admit that he was a drug addict. Addicted to crack cocaine and heroin, he would go without sleep for days on end, and became a recluse, believing that he was being followed. He often survived this by only eating ice cream.

Answer: He would forget his songs

Elliott would often stop in the middle of songs because he would forget both the lyrics and the guitar chords. Many concert-goers complained, but Elliott would just move on to a different song...and he would forget that one as well. Critics believed that his career was on the verge of collapse.

Answer: King's Crossing

My personal favorite Elliott Smith song, this comes off of his final studio album "From a Basement on the Hill", released in 2004, a yer after his death. Many of the tracks, such as this, contain lyrics that allude to drug addiction, depression, and suicidal thoughts. The album, upon its release, was perceived as Elliott's suicide note.

Answer: Stabbing himself

His girlfriend, Jennifer Chiba, had locked herself in their bathroom to shower after they got into a loud argument (neighbors even testified that they could hear them screaming at each other). According to Chiba, Elliott asked her to come out, and when she refused, she heard him scream and rushed into the room to find Elliott with a steak knife in his chest.

Answer: She removed the knife from his chest

Chiba, who had medical training, removed the knife from his chest, which is the worst thing one cold possibly do, as it makes the wound worse and causes more bleeding. In addition, she refused to speak with investigators after first responders took her statement.

Answer: 34

At the age of 34, Elliott had released five albums, all over the course of six years, with two others being released by labels in the years following his untimely death. Friends have said that they are certain he committed suicide, but that if he hadn't, he would be a "superstar" in today's world.

Answer: A Fond Farewell

This is one of the many songs where Elliott mentions self-harm, drug abuse, and suicide. While some of those in his life were shocked when he took his own life, many knew it was inevitable based on his lyrics. While his actual suicide note was written on a Post-It note, this album, to many, serves as the truly heartbreaking one.