Elliott Smith’s Former Heatmiser Bandmates Give Rare Interview

Photo by JJ Gonson

Before he found success as a solo artist, the late Elliott Smith played in a band called Heatmiser. Heatmiser were active in Portland in the ’90s, releasing three studio albums before breaking up in 1996. Over the years, the band’s Neil Gust has rarely given interviews. With Heatmiser set to be inducted into the Oregon Music Hall of Fame tomorrow, Gust, along with former Heatmiser members Sam Coomes, Brandt Peterson, and Tony Lash spoke to The Oregonian about Heatmiser, Smith, the band’s legacy, and more. 

Gust talked about becoming friends with Smith at Hampshire College, and how Heatmiser’s early work was derived from their college sessions. “We would show each other lyrics and point out what we liked,” he said. “I always felt like I was on the right track once I got him interested.”

Despite Smith’s burgeoning solo career, there wasn’t tension between the two. “There was never any animosity between me and him about it, because it was art,” Gust said. “It only became problematic with scheduling stuff, if the band needed to go on tour or something. He had to give up on doing some things on his own to do it with the band and became less and less willing to do that.”

A photo of Gust appears on the cover of Smith’s solo debut Roman Candle.

Gust also said that the last time he saw Smith, in 2002, Smith said he wanted to make another Heatmiser record. Gust’s band, No. 2, eventually did record one song with Smith that appeared on a benefit album.

Read “Keep the Things You Forgot”, an oral history of Smith’s life.

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