Roger Waters Paid Street Artists to Deface Elliott Smith Memorial Mural

• Its a big crew in la They go by the name of up next klan, they are really artistic and very creative artist its Circle square triangle thats their logo along with upn...

• Don't let Waters speak for Pink Floyd or it's members. He was the poison one in the group and was the reason for Richard Wright 'leaving' and possibly Syd Barrett. He is self-obsessed, pretentious and incredibly fake. This is quite disgusting. 

• I'm all about Pink Floyd and Roger Waters but this is fucking ridiculous

• Idiot.

• So? Who even knows who elliot smith is, let alone cares about him? Roger Waters, contrariwise, is one of, if not the best, musical and lyrical geniuses of our time.

• Turf jones fuck you, lame is you mother for having you, a talentless pice of shit.

• What an idiot.

• Hell will exist when this douche dies.

• I agree with the above comments "Elliot Smith would think this is cool". Too bad people get so uptight about something like this...there are bigger problems in the world to think about. Sheesh.

• Elliott Smith was known for his distinctive vocal style characterized by whispery,spiderweb-thin delivery.He's very multi-talented and i salute him for being a songwriter.

• Dear "Who Is Elliott Smith anyway": Perhaps you should listen to: Needle in the Hay Miss Misery -( Nominated for an OSCAR in the Category of: Best Original Song/Good Will Hunting; along w a live performance @ The 1998 Oscars) Here's the performance: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DaEh2RKCDPc Between The Bars 2:45 am "I just want to write songs that expressed how it feels to be a human being." -Some (unquoteable, but near enough) words to the tune of Elliott Smith I hope you might enjoy. A* Use proper punctuation.

• Seriously, never heard of him... personally I was googling Waters and came up on this bunch of idiots. It's a wall, it's ALL graffiti...

• I always hated Pink Floyd's music, but now I have all the more reason to hate Waters as a human being. I've always rather liked Pink floyd. But I think you're a cunt

• When I read stuff like these two comments, I cant believe how gay these two guys are for this Eliot Smith. I am glad that piece of shit wall was tagged over. adam says: excuse my language, but what an utter, utter cunt. how fucking dare he. Get The fuck over it - Fuck you Jeff says: I always hated Pink Floyd's music, but now I have all the more reason to hate Waters as a human being. If thats why you hate it you got bigger problems, probably your ears are fucked from listening to this Eliot Smith bullshit music

• Who gives a shit.that wall is haggered.Elliott smith is the man! So stop whining!

• Bullshit "Journalism" for sure

• Hey guys. Please stop arguing. It's just a wall. If you were me, would you like folks fighting over this? Thanks.

• Augusta is a bit......conservative ( thats the only word I could think of that would not get bleeped) I would imagine that not only could they check tickets against a master list ...but also ask for ID upon entry to the grounds. It is after all....Private Property

• "Save the Wall" ? Oh Please. No one cared about it until it could somehow be related to an aging rich rock star whose PR team (several times removed from Waters himself) put up a poster with adhesive (not even spray paint !!!!). This is hardly the "defacement" it is claimed to be. That "memorial" wall has been tagged on COUNTLESS times by any number of separate parties and interests though the hipsters didn't get upset about it before now. And chances are most of these whiners didn't even have meaningful knowledge of Elliot Smith prior to this incident but they sure know how to jump on a bandwagon in a desperate attempt to "stick it to the man" and try to be cool. If you want to get all emo about it then at least have some principle in your sensitivity by applying the same level of righteous indignation and disdain towards any and all who alter the wall and NOT just a famous rock star. But that wouldn't be "cool" now would it ?

• Save the Elliott Smith wall! http://www.facebook.com/pages/Save-The-Elliott-Smith-Wall/131626666853653

• Hi, Thanks for the brilliant article, I dont usually leave remarks but your article inspired me!! I just had a look at one of those Ipads and they look nice, although the screen is huge I like it. I can see a lots of them needing support when the screen breaks :) Keep up the good work and look forward to more posts

• i think roger waters is such a beautiful man, not just in the way he looks but everything, the voice the ideas and music the lessons and messages he sends. everyone is different, everyone fancys something else that others may not, just because you despise something or someone. these are people trying to influence the world and people of their time and the time to come, if you want to critise, youre quite silly, because i dont see you going and doing a better job than them or being a better insperation.. listening to roger waters music and the sounds of pink floyd have helpd me through hardships, just to know someone out there feels the same and has gone through the same things. quite frankly if you dont have anything nice to say dont say anything at all =) because...all in all... its just another brick in the wall =)

• David Gilmour kicks Roger Waters' ass. But the Waters hate here is really funny. Besides, it's not Waters fault. He just doesn't like walls. That's why he made an album about it.

• roger waters you should be ashamed of himself. what a fuck1ng deuche bag. rg sucks a big c0ck. pink floyd WAS a great band if your on 2 hits of acid. elliott smith is a great artist if you are a hunan being. go screw roger waters you tool. you defaced the greatest artist of the 20th century period. i would piss on you if i could.

• I walked by that wall earlier this week and a loitering wino-type told me that the wall and its "art" belonged to him and that this was well known throughout the community. So maybe the indignant and easily ruffled Smith fans should send a crew down to sort this guy out.

• Fucking get over it! OH! But it's OK for a bunch of spicks (oh I'm sorry ARTISTS) to graffiti over the so-called "MEMORIAL WALL".

• Just as Waters' longevity and popular success in the music business does not necessarily imply he had/has great talent neither does Smith's premature death guarantee that he had great talent. Seems like this is more of a generational disagreement. The aging Floyd fans are elated to have their icon back on stage even if it is a rehash of a bloated, ponderous extravaganza from 1979 written by a self-absorbed rock star hell bent on alienating his own band members. But nostalgia can be a powerful motivator making it easy for baby boomers to fork over hundreds of bucks to relive the glory days of good acid trips, quaaludes, and relatively risk-free sex. And the hipster crowd wants their new-found cultural martyr to be celebrated as a genius in typical "if its obscure then it MUST be cool" move - even if most of the pro-Smith posters here had no meaningful knowledge of Smith prior to this news story. They just get behind the underdog no matter who it is because "dude, its the cool thing to do". This will never be resolved to anyone's satisfaction though the popular success of Waters will continue unabated, the boomers will love the tour no matter what and hipsters will still be wearing their ironic T-shirts and drinking PBR or whatever is the latest hipster approved beer.

• Disgusting. He was just mad he wasn't a tenth the artist that Elliott was. <3 R.I.P. Elliott Smith. Your lyrics will live in my heart forever

• Jesus christ people- ES would have liked it I am sure- he didn't own or make that wall. Pink Floyd is awesome- introspective, reflective- and if ES was not influenced by them then I'm an ice cream cone in the candy shop of hell. In any event- have any of you READ the fucking quote? G Harrison- all things must pass- all things must fade away.

• clearly, the real problem is the anti-war quote put up on behalf of Roger Waters. The other two tags, each of which are over twice the size of the anti-war piece, are trivial. Elliott Smith's memorial wall is meant for hollow self-promotion, not meaningful anti-war promotion.

• clearly, the real problem is the anti-war quote put up on behalf of Roger Waters. The other two tags, each of which are over twice the size of the anti-war piece, are trivial. Elliott Smith's memorial wall is meant for hollow self-promotion, not meaningful anti-war promotion.

• The title of this article is very misleading "Roger Waters Paid Street Artists to Deface Elliott Smith Memorial Mural". I mean how would he even have known what that was. When I was looking at the pictures it looked like graffiti to me. I can see how Roger Waters didn't know as he clearly states in his apology.

• I think BC (copy/paste below) sums it up nearly perfectly. I'm sick and tired of people bashing other people just because of their success. So what if Waters has a big chair and a big house? He's created some amazing art and has worked hard. Isn't that what we're all hoping for? To be successful and secure? Try and tell me otherwise, and I'll call you a liar to your face. Gustavo, your response shows that the comments from most everyone here have been completely lost on you. Your "article" is exactly why I don't intentionally read blogs. (paraphrasing) "Waters fucked up, we called them on it, they apologized". When are YOU, Gustavo, going to do the same? BC says: Autumn de Wilde: I appreciate your passion and the firsthand viewpoint of a person responsible in part for the symbolism of the wall and its connection to Smith. Your point here, however, is nearly incomprehensible. It sounds like you're railing against a bunch of things that have little, if anything, to do with the issue at hand. I am sorry if this story dug up old pain for you. The truth remains that the LA Weekly story was written irresponsibly and ignorantly, Waters has been contrite despite the insistence or insinuation by you and others that he's a mean-spirited capitalist pig, and a lot of overzealous Smith fans are upset about their desired treatment of a public space for which none of them have taken responsibility that matches their sophomoric indignance.

• How dare one of the greatest songwriters of all time place a temporary decal over a brick wall! Pink Floyd are Gods, the only band superior to them is the Beatles.

• Gustavo - you should take this ball and run with it. Why not dig a little deeper and "discover" that Waters was actually responsible for Smith's death? I mean, so long as we're making mountains out of molehills, let's make a mountain RANGE, eh? Oh, and what if it had been Fairey or Robbie Conal whose team put some pithy "street art" or "political commentary" poster over the memorial? Where would your outrage be, then?

• I puked on that wall on cinco de mayo! Viva

• ASSHOLE.

• Come on peoples....this is so fuckin ridiculous. If this monument is so precious why not put a fence round it?? ...Whats with all the other (UPN??) graffitti on the wall, looks like a dump of a place.

• Come on peoples....this is so fuckin ridiculous. If this monument is so precious why not put a fence round it?? ...Whats with all the other (UPN??) graffitti on the wall, looks like a dump of a place.

• They both suck, who cares

• oh you poor poor sensitive smith fan-boys. how can you deal with such MALICE. the great elliott is weaping in heaven right now

• it's amazing to me the stupid stuff people get upset about...

• hipsters? hahahahahahhahahahaha

• I actually think Roger Walkers appology sounds douchy. sure, he probably didnt know it was a memorial. but now its his problem, and he should address it nicer. it just didnt sound like he was sorry at all. since it is a memorial, and Elliott is no longer with us, he should have worded his appology with more sincerity.

• No one is entitled to a public memorial. Just because a bunch of people choose to go there to mourn a total stranger doesn't make it hallowed ground.

• Oh please. While I don't appreciate advertisements in any form, I also don't give a shit about the Elliot Smith "memorial" wall that is already covered in crap. This is just a perfect excuse for hipsters to get hateful because Roger Waters represents an older, more popular time and Elliot Smith represents hipsters. Figure 8 was a shit record and Smith was a mediocre artist at best. All his songs sounded the same, and he killed himself probably with the hopes that people would put him on an undeserved pedestal and get mad when anyone speaks ill of him. Good riddance.

• I am personally outraged about this, but Elliott probably would have liked it to tell you guys the truth. There's nothing we can do about it so just give it a rest.

• why is anyone giving anyone else shit? right or wrong you're still just giving other people on here a hard time. be kind or leave it alone. there's just too much negativity. it's worthless. but i'm sure writing this is also worthless. it doesn't change anything. i just think elliott smith is great. ruining his wall is stupid. ruining anything is stupid.

• Wow, the spin this blogger is spewing is ridiculous, and just plain unprofessional. The wall is already covered in shitty graffiti and most people don't even know who Elliott Smith is! And how is this wall any more sacred than any other wall? Just because Smith used it for an album cover? It's a fucking wall, and irony is that it's being used to promote, THE WALL. And commenter's throwing shit about Eisenhower being a Republican? What does that have to do with anything? Abe Lincoln was a Republican! And, man, STREET ART is only for hipsters? Give me a break, have you SEEN the cover of The Wall? It's GRAFFITI ON A WALL!!! Ok, you can move along now.

• or better yet get the book version titled 'the american way of war' which is basically a prose expansion of the documentary

• Seriously, 'why we fight' is an important watch for anyone still naive enough to fall for partisan politics as usual.

• Already bought my Wall tickets for December.

• I vaguely recalled Elliot Smith so I googled him... Oh yea. That guy...Not bad, not great but somewhere in between. While his untimely passing was most unfortunate it hardly qualifies him to be mentioned in the same breath as ,for example, Bob Dylan. And it is highly doubtful that Waters knew of Smith and equally as possible that the grafitti artist had no knowledge of Smith's career (such as it was). So to report this as an intentional act of defacement against Smith is absurd and typical shoddy internet journalism. How many times has that mural been tagged previously ? This wasn't the first time.

• Boy, you Americans and Brits sure are a bunch of uptight people. Do what we do, eat 4 pounds of chicken wings, drink a dozen beer, and strap on the Blades and play some schoolyard hockey!! Christ, get over it!!

• ok I don't care ether way this is some blogger that needs a story to pay his bills. that fact that people are blowing up about a defacing a wall...a wall people! first of all it already messed up, 2ed it biodegradable Wheatpaste people wake up after it rains 5 times it will fall off. All I have to say is all you Elliot Smith fans go and get it repainted and turn it into turn into a landmark, but crying over an already graffiti to hell wall that as 1 poster please. please understand this is a blog after reading this I went this has no story, research, back store, or comments from Mr. Waters. my 2 cents is this ....get a live it, 1 fing poster. Stop being trolls and be active!

• first off, i agree that there was no intent. waters obviously wasn't rubbing his hands like some villain thinking, "fuck elliott smith." secondly, i agree that his marketing for his tour and his tour in general is aimed at wannabe, 20-25 year old "hippies" and wealthy baby-boomers. thirdly, you think the guy who put that up would have looked for a second, seen that there were a lot of messages to elliott, and thought better. no common sense. it says R.I.P. on there a shit ton! and elliott recorded 2 of the top albums since the 1980's, XO and, more importantly, Either/Or. So, yeah, DBRO, he did only record as a solo artist for a decade, but his music is exemplary. waters is a pretentious douche in my eyes nonetheless.

• Wait a minute... Wasn't the wall full of gang signs by now anyways? Why is it you people get upset by Waters' street team doing viral marketing but don't say shit about the gang signs? Instead of bitching about Roger Waters you should go start a community action orginization for these troubled youths who need to mark their gang's territory over a musical landmark!

• Elliot Smith eats dog farts in hell.

• I've passed by this wall literally countless times having no idea that it was a memorial. There's always been graffiti all over it. I think if all the Elliot Smith fans want to burn Waters....then they should at least do the same with the taggers. Go down to Sunset and wait for people to tag it...then see if you have the balls to confront whoever is doing it in person.

• LOLZ at all these wacko fans who bow at the altar of Elliott Smith, a complete unknown musical entity when he was alive, AND still a complete unknown long after his death. This is the ultimate non-story, and Roger Waters showed a great level of compassion by even bothering to acknowledge this on any level at all.

• everyone who is hating on elliot is a fucking idiot, and is no doubt a reflection on your IQ level!

• Anyone mocking Elliott Smith and the way he died here.. seriously go fuck yourselves. Heartless bastards. This is a makeshift memorial that gets fucked over enough without someone putting posters over it. That isn't what pisses me off. It's the attitude that Elliott doesn't matter somehow. That this memorial doesn't matter when it DOES matter to Elliott's fans. We loved him and his music. I wouldn't deface the memorial of an artist you loved, and I certainly wouldn't think their music didn't matter. It does. And so does Elliott's. This is the only place we have to go to leave a message and say goodbye.

• Elliott Smith fans cry too much. Dude is dead. Obviously, he didn't want to hang out with you. Writing on a stupid wall is not going to change that. Figure 8 was his worst record anyway

• Wow! This is the worse musical "war" the so called "alternative media" put on since Biggie & Tupac. What's next James Taylor vs. Silversun Pickups? Arcade Fire vs. King Crimson? or better yet Yes vs. The Mars Volta? Jeez, chill out darn hipsters!! Least Waters apologized, now go pick on Huey Lewis!!

• You know, if half of you gave the same amount of energy to volunteering with homeless people in Los Angeles as you do to ripping on each other, Waters, and Smith our city would be a much better place. Love & Light

• the walls already got more shit on it than a three dollar hooker. Get over you're meaningless wall and try suicide if you really love elliot smith.

• but people are going to tag it in the future as well. it is what it is i guess.

• i care about elliott smith. it's a memorial wall. in the memory of elliott. vandalizing it is cruel and ignorant.

• Who's Elliot Smith?

• Yeah, our democrat president is so much better.

• I don't know who's a bigger idiot: the ones disrespecting Roger Waters for what was basically an accident or the fuckers disrespecting Elliott Smith's memory. I wouldn't want the wall to be covered in graffiti, but it has been for years now. A sticker won't make it any worse. This was clearly a mistake on not Roger Waters' part, but the artist who he hired... People need to grow the hell up. Respect the fact that the worst Waters did was put on a sticker that will fall off on its own, and respect Elliott Smith and the fact that this "wall" is his most well known memorial.

• I'm sure the street team who had no real affiliation with Roger. I'm sure they hit the El Pollo Loco across the street as well as every other restaurant/coffee shop/boutique and telephone pole in the area. If they were a good Street Team.

• Wow. Just Wow. Listen, Elliott was a good songwriter. Pink Floyd, particularly Roger's influence on their body of work, was incredible, to say the least. Those who are trashing Pink Floyd and Roger Waters ... yeah, whatever. Elliott should also be respected here. But the article, and many of its subsequent comments are suggesting that Roger Waters, all giggly and bubbly from his millions of dollars (rightfully earned might I add), purposely and maliciously disrespected another artist in an attempt to add to his millions. That's ABSURD!!! And by the way, anyone who has ever seen Pink Floyd or Waters in concert, as I have seen both, should realize that there are thousands of people that need to be paid for working on the incredibly elaborate stage production that goes into their shows. It's outrageous to slam Waters and Floyd for putting on a SHOW for the entertainment of millions of people who will gladly pay $70, or even $270 for a ticket to see & hear him play one of the most brilliant recorded works of this century, in it's entirety ... which, by the way, fans will hold onto as memories for years to come. I would rather pay that money to go see a fantastic presentation of The Wall, than spend the same money shopping @ Urban Outfitters trying to look vintage, or anti-establishment, which is actually trendier than the "establishment" you're supposedly against. Hipsters are all talk and dress, but no action. Sad. And @ Autumn de Wilde: Dude, thanks for your perspective, but I disagree with your skewed perception of a man I'm confident you've never met... Roger Waters. I respect your friend Elliott's contributions to the music community and your allegiance to him, but it has no relevance to the fact that Waters is also a brilliant musician who is giving us a gift that your friend no longer can give. And if you own any Pink Floyd albums, shirts, etc., then you too have contributed to his wealth, as have the millions of others who were happy to pay for his art.

• What the hell? A lot of you are saying 'Oh but get over it'. Have you SEEN the art? It's a gisgrace even calling it art! If Waters had at LEAST chosen ARTISTS and not amateur taggers & beginner stencil kids. It looks like utter shit... It's a shame indeed.

• Graffiti is okay if someone cool does it. Who knew? Awesome. I hope you remember that when your car gets tagged. After all, everyone does it.

• It amazes me how many people here think that they can read minds, know what Waters is thinking, know what other commenters are thinking, etc. Man, with all this vitriol about Waters, you'd think there weren't any real problems in the world at all.

• Hate to break the news to everybody...but this actually makes that wall look better...if people are so attached to this wall that they get so pissy with roger waters....WHY DON'T THEY GET OFF THERE BUTTS AND GET RID OF ALL THAT GRAFITTI....

• More like "Stink Floyd". I can't believe Roger Waters could get all the dicks out of his mouth to organize anything.

• Roger Waters is not and never will be close to being the man Elliott Smith was. Roger's 66 years old. He can stop acting like a juvenile by now. He's not 'hip,' he's due for a hip replacement. And he's not ironic for being old and still trying to be cool. He probably has old man breath. And why is he quoting Eisenhower, anyway? Is it just because he saw 'Why We Fight'? Rogers can stop kissing America's ass for all we care. England's a joke, and no, we obviously don't want to move back. Write your English songs for English listeners and stay in England. We declared independence from you, and Los Angeles is a far cry from London. "Go home!" Elliott knew the difference between England and America, and he's of Irish/English descent. Rogers should've shown some respect. This wheat pasting is about as enraging as the Tea Tax, and Roger's "street team" knew it would be. I can imagine a participant warning, "Wait, this is Elliott Smith's memorial! We'll lose credibility if we advertise on it! Shouldn't we avoid it?" And then someone from management saying, "Oh-ho-ho, let's paste over the lad's wall! That'll really rile up the girly Smith fans and polarize everyone! People will think The Wall Tour actually has a relevant message and statement to express! Why shouldn't we paste it? No one will stop us!" Simply, Roger Waters doesn't belong in America, especially not LA. He's English, he needs to keep his pension fund- 'The Wall Tour'- off of our soil, and get used to retirement. Then, "Waiting For The Worms" will finally mean something more than the pout-y, immature bluffing that characterizes his 'masterpiece,' which is basically adolescent impotence set to a few repeated musical motifs. Epic? No. Overrated? Yes. Go home, Roger, go home, and croak.

• A less biased story... http://www.livedaily.com/news/roger-waters-tickets-and-tour-dates-roger-waters-addresses-defacement-of-elliot-smith-wall-22093.html

• Everybody else is just green, Have you seen the chart? It's a hell of a start, It could be made into a monster If we all pull together as a [street] team. And did we tell you the name of the game, boy? We call it Riding the Gravy Train.

• I for one have nothing against Elliot Smith, but I think his ardent fans are absolutely silly in how emotional they get over things like this, and just about him in general. By all means, keep enjoying the music, and let it speak to you, but grow up, it's a public wall and even if left on, that ad would have been gone within months. As a sidenote, for those saying Pink Floyd is shit, or terrible, that is probably the most hilarious part of this thread.

• Nick says: "Rogers [sic] Waters pasted over the ONE memorial to Elliot [sic] Smith's musical career and life. . . . Don't use his memorial for free promotion" 1) If this lousy wall is Smith's "ONE" memorial, then that is a pity. Isn't his music the real memorial? 2) No one used a memorial for free promotion. A public wall riddled with graffiti had a piece of removable viral marketing adhered to it.

• Reading this story & the subsequent comments basically made me angry as fuck for a few minutes, then I put on Figure 8 & I'm ok now. So thanks for inspiring me to listen to Figure 8. I hadn't planned on it.

• Pink Floyd is shit. Who cares.

• O.K. Elliot was a coward and a pathetic human being. I knew him, He sucked and was mean and over hyped. Who gives half a shit what happens to this junkies fucking memory? He gave up, we're still here with what he left behind. FUCK ELLIOT SMITH. Seriously Fuck that bitch.

• I live by that wall and Mexican gangs have been defacing it for years. Relax.

• Autumn, thank you for account and some insight on Elliot. It is very wonderful and informative to say the least. Thank you for taking the legendary, beautiful picture that lead to this whole can of worms! Everyone is trying to tear everyone else down... Tell me, what do you think Elliot would have to say about this now? (I'm not even going to pay any mind to the ones here insulting Elliot, to me they are insignificant).

• Who gives a shit about this insolent little douchebag of a fucking horrible musician and his stupid fucking wall cover art?

• I'm better than Roger Waters

• I was looking forward to see Roger Waters play The Wall in concert until I found out floor tickets are over $200, and the nosebleed are over $70. What a rip off! I can't believe people will pay that much for tickets. What a bunch of suckers.

• Gustavo, you have no clue what you're talking about.

• We'd have never heard of Roger Waters if Sid Barrett hadn't found him and empowered him to create music. I wouldn't piss on him if he was on fire.

• The "defacing" that already exists on that wall is in memory of Elliot Smith. It is not free advertising for some fucking sell out Roger Water's arena tour for rich kids and old fucks to go and spend 100 dollars a ticket for. Elliot Smith would NOT have "dug" the fact that Rogers Waters pasted over the ONE memorial to Elliot Smith's musical career and life. It doesn't matter if you like Elliot Smith or not, its about respect for a man's life and career. Don't use his memorial for free promotion for your overly produced, overly expensive, overly douchey stadium tour.

• So this article is suggesting that Roger Waters personally decided to hire someone specifically to "deface" an impromptu memorial that was already vandalised? Makes you wonder why he would think up such a scheme. If the owner of the building agreed to maintain it as a memorial, then fair enough, but if the authors were as outraged about all the other defacement of someone's property, then I might believe it. All I see is an honest miscalculation and a whole bunch of "my guy's better than your guy."

• It's cool BC, I'm just trying to help Roger sell more tickets. You can go back to listening to Don Henley now.

• Not to forget: "Yup, Elliott Smith's moving memorial is now part of Waters' "guerrilla" marketing campaign for expensive tickets to a nostalgia gig aimed at wealthy Boomers. Details of the well-funded vandalism:" Vandelism/Journalism?

• The captions under the pictures are priceless

• "you people are acting like fucking teabaggers over this" -- exactly

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