Musicians

I'm interposing another musician here before I move on with the transcription of the interview I did with my dad because as I wrote that last post - I was reminded of Elliot Smith.

I recalled when I found out my dad had cancer - I was renovating my basement at the time - doing it myself - spending longs hours down there working and listening principally to XO but I eventually moved on to the rest of his albums.

The reno took about 8 months - working evenings and weekends - and it was a melancholy time not just because my dad was dying - but also because the summer before that I had lost one of my best friends to suicide.

XO is such a sweet and sad album and Elliot smith was such a brilliant songwriter - that album and his voice, always sounding like it was shattered - like he was crushed and broken from loss - got me through my own sadness. I felt like some else knew the secret joy of being terribly, terribly sad and admitting it and letting it out.

I was able to let it out because of his songs. Funny - those 8 months went by excruciatingly slow but thanks to those songs - they were bearable - R.I.P. ES and dad.