via flickr.com/dwabyickMusicNewsElliott Smith mural removed to make way for a wine barA section of the wall that appeared on the late singer-songwriter’s ‘Figure 8’ artwork and had become a memorial to the artist has been taken awayShareLink copied ✔️February 1, 2017MusicNewsTextSelim Bulut Since Elliott Smith’s death in 2003, a wall on Los Angeles’ West Sunset Boulevard has been a memorial to the artist. The wall was the same one that the late singer-songwriter had stood in front of for the cover of his album Figure 8, with fans often making the pilgrimage to cover it with lyrics and handwritten messages and take photos in front of it. Now, however, it’s been removed – to make way for a wine bar. Back in November, CoS reported that the mural would be removed to make way for a new venture called Bar Angeles – presumably named after Smith’s song “Angeles” – that would be opening in 2017. Last night, Twitter user Daniel Ralston shared photos of what remains of the wall, which has been cut away to make way for windows. According to CoS’ initial reports, the part of the wall that’s been removed will become a “focal point” of the bar’s interior design. Aah yes. Much better than the Elliott Smith wall. Good call, wine bar. pic.twitter.com/2IrhkcDo7Y— Daniel Ralston (@danielralston) January 31, 2017I should note: they left part of it up but this still looks completely nuts to me. Assuming this is the final design, of course.— Daniel Ralston (@danielralston) January 31, 2017 It should be pointed out that the section of the wall that’s missing is not where Smith stood for the Figure 8 cover – that remains intact. Wade McElroy, who is opening the bar with Russell Malixi, told Rock NYC, “We are replacing the old door and putting in some windows/storefront on the east side of the mural... We need some light in the room and a connection to the pedestrian traffic on the sidewalk. We are leaving the west side intact, the part that was on the Figure 8 album cover and that people like to take pictures in front of.” Still, something is definitely lost by cutting away a part of the picture, and it feels especially crude to put a bar there given that Smith’s songs often focused on alcohol addiction. Check out the images of the mural today above, and listen to “Angeles” below. Expand your creative community and connect with 15,000 creatives from around the world.READ MOREBehind-the-scenes at Oklou and FKA twigs’ new video shootBjörk calls for the release of musician ‘kidnapped’ by Israeli authoritiesZimmermannKindred spirits and psychedelic florals: Zimmermann heads to 70s Sydney ‘Her dumbest album yet’: Are Swifties turning on Taylor Swift?IB Kamara on branching out into musicEnter the K-Bass: How SCR revolutionised Korean club culture‘Comic Con meets underground rap’: Photos from Eastern Margins’ day festWho are H.LLS? Get to know London’s anonymous alt-R&B trioTaylor Swift has lost her grip with The Life of a Showgirl ‘Cold Lewisham nights’: Behind the scenes at Jim Legxacy’s debut UK tour All the pettiest pop beefs of 2025Has the algorithm killed music discovery?