Heatmiser was an American rock band, formed in Portland, Oregon, in October 1991. Consisting of Elliott Smith, Neil Gust, Brandt Peterson and Tony Lash (drums), they were known for their well-crafted lyrics and songs often featuring the juxtaposition of melancholic and cheery words and melodies. The pop-oriented songs of Elliott Smith were a contrast to the darker songs of Neil Gust, while both Smith's and Gust's songs touched on subjects such as anger, alienation, loneliness and despair.
Heatmiser publicity photo for Frontier Records; photo by JJ Gonson. From left: Tony Lash, Elliott Smith, Brandt Peterson, and Neil Gust.
Steven Paul Smith, known as Elliott Smith, was an American musician and singer-songwriter. He was born in Omaha, Nebraska, raised primarily in Texas, and lived much of his life in Portland, Oregon, where he gained popularity. Smith's primary instrument was the guitar, though he also played piano, clarinet, bass guitar, drums, and harmonica. He had a distinctive vocal style in his solo career after Heatmiser, characterized by his "whispery, spiderweb-thin delivery", and often used multi-tracking to create vocal layers, textures, and harmonies that were usually finger picked and recorded with tape.
Smith performing in 2003
Smith graduated from Lincoln High School in Portland, Oregon.
Smith performing at Brownies, New York City, in April 1997, shortly after the release of Either/Or
The Crystal Ballroom music venue in Portland, Oregon. One of Smith's performances here in December 2001 drew concern from a reviewer.