The Making of Elliott smith (self-titled) - featuring larry crane, jj gonson, tony lash, slim moon and leslie uppinghouse

For the 25th anniversary, Elliott Smith’s friends and collaborators, including Larry Crane, JJ Gonson, Tony Lash, Slim Moon and Leslie Uppinghouse, offer a unique oral history of how the Self-Titled record was created.

With many new details that have never been heard before, Tony Lash and Leslie Uppinghouse describe the DIY processes that Elliott used while recording songs at their homes. From Elliott teaching himself how to play cello, to using cracked and out of tune guitars, to calling family members for help remembering lyrics, you’ll hear stories about how the album came together. Larry Crane, JJ Gonson and Slim Moon also reflect on where Elliott was at during this period, when the Self-Titled record ended up becoming a turning point in his solo career.

Notes and transcript

Stream or purchase Elliott Smith (Self-Titled) 25th Anniversary Expanded Edition

Purchase JJ Gonson photographs