Yeah, that's really a shame. He was quite a talented songwriter.

courtesy of Last FM....

Biography
Sparklehorse was Mark Linkous (1962 - March 6th 2010), a Virginia native and last of a long line of southern coalminers. Linkous recorded much of Sparklehorse’s material in his home studio, and his Southern Gothic vision guides Sparklehorse. Drummer and multi-instrumentalist Scott Minor is a frequent collaborator.

Much of Sparklehorse’s music has an introspective, melancholy feel, which Linkous credits to a chemical imbalance. His lyrics are full of odd imagery: Joe Tangari describes Linkous’ songs as “defiantly surrealist … with all manner of references to smiling babies, organ music, birds, and celestial bodies … In fact, some of the lyrics are so surreal that it’s hard to imagine they’re even metaphors for anything.” [2]

Musically, Sparklehorse are not far removed from alt country, though there are as many differences as similarities between that genre and Sparklehorse: Linkous is fond of incorporating obsolete musical instruments or technologies (such as woozy mellotrons, scratchy, distorted wire recordings of his own voice, or cheap, tinny drum machines), in ways reminsicent of some of Tom Waits’ music. Sparklehorse have offered a few full-throttle hard rock numbers, as well, such as “Some Day I Will Treat You Good” or “Happy Man”.

Sparklehorse’s first album was the confoundingly-titled Vivadixiesubmarinetransmissionplot (1995). The record was a modest success, mainly on college radio. The supporting tour, however, found Linkous overdosing on valium and antidepressants. As a result, Linkous passed out in his London hotel room and remained unconscious with his legs pinned beneath him for almost fourteen hours.
This caused a buildup of potassium which was released when he was moved, causing his heart to stop for two to three minutes. He was hospitalized for weeks afterwards (nearly losing both legs), enduring numerous painful surgeries.

Good Morning Spider (1999) was recorded following this incident, and with mournful songs such as “Painbirds”, many critics have mistakenly conjectured that Linkous’s near death experience inspired the somber, yet hopeful tone of the album. However, Linkous has stated that much of the material on GMS was written prior to ‘the incident’. One song which did result from it is “St. Mary”, which is dedicated to the nurses at the hospital of the same name where Linkous recuperated.

2001 saw the release of It’s A Wonderful Life and features appearances by Tom Waits, PJ Harvey, Nina Persson and Dave Fridmann, the pre-eminent producer of indie music at the time. Whereas much of “Vivadixie…” and “Spider” were recorded solely by Linkous in his “Static King” studio on his farm in rural Virginia, “Wonderful Life” was more of a formal effort, largely recorded by Fridmann after Linkous was asked by his label to retain an outside producer for the project.

Aside from his own music, Linkous has also become a sought-after record producer, and has helmed works such as Nina Persson’s solo record, “A Camp”, and Daniel Johnston’s “Fear Yourself”. Linkous has been one of the most ardent supporters of Johnston, an outsider artist who has had a long battle with mental illness. In 2004, Linkous curated and produced “Discovered Covered: The Late Great Daniel Johnston”, a tribute album to the still-living Johnston featuring acts such as Beck, Death Cab for Cutie, Vic Chesnutt, Tom Waits and Bright Eyes. It also includes a collaboration between Sparklehorse and The Flaming Lips on the track “Go”.

In 2003, Sparklehorse opened some concerts for R.E.M.

Linkous recently relocated his “Static King” studio to a remote mountaintop in North Carolina. Several years ago, he purchased a vintage recording console built by the near-mythical Daniel Flickinger. His fourth album has been delayed due to his own health problems as well as the necessity of overhauling the temperamental recording desk. Recently, Linkous has been carrying out promotional work for a new album Dreamt for Light Years in the Belly of a Mountain - collaborating with DJ Danger Mouse and other notables including Christian Fennesz and Steven Drozd, and a release date of 25th September 2006 accompanied by US and UK tours was officially announced. Some of the newly released songs appeared at the time of It’s A Wonderful Life as b-sides or demos, but there is a different feel to the album, thanks to stripped down production that has only been hinted at in previous albums. The ten minute long finale, with same title as the album, suggests a contemplative movie soundtrack rather than a song. Linkous has said he is working on another album with Danger Mouse, working title Danger Horse.

fuck.....

what a song this is.

Absolutely. One of my faves. It sounds even better driving through a dark forest or laying in your tent, looking out at the woods.

Great songwriter, tortured man. Only met him once, and hated to hear this news.

apparently this all went down after he received a txt message.

This a rumor or we got some source confirming it?

from Canoe.ca, not sure if its anywhere else.....

Examiner/Associated Press Article




I can't imagine how those friends are feeling.

Again...fuck.

holy fuck

There are worse ways to die for sure.

I love this track he did with the Flaming Lips called "Go":

Maybe this thread would get more recognition if I revealed that Radiohead were big fans of Linkous - he even toured with them. They both did a cover of "Wish You Were Here" together:



It's got that Spaklehorse style all over it. Beautiful.

Yorke is a big Grandaddy fan too for those not in the know.

Monty, you ruin everything.... don't ever change.

Sparklehorse was one of the first new artists I discovered and then championed as a college radio DJ back in 1995 with his debut album. Good Morning Spider got me through one of the toughest periods in my life as well. Somehow Its a Wonderful Life escaped my attention and I've still not heard it. I need to rectify that someday soon.

Strange comment. I didn't realize I was so powerful.

Stunning revelation. Maybe you should read the thread.

Just saw this. Very sad. Sparklehorse is one of my all-time favorites. My daughter and I might dance to "Gold Day" at her wedding.

Shit.

oops

Same here. Saw him/them at Empty Bottle a couple/few years ago. Thanks yancy.

Really saddened by this.

Incredibly Tragic
Not the biggest fan of his music anymore , but there was a particulary bad breakup i went through that his first two albums and a lot of white wine got me through a year or two back
sucks that hes sucumbed to the demons that inspired such beautiful music

i am also glad i got to see him on his 2006 tour. Toronto, Mod Club, on my birthday. It was a special night.
d

This is sad news for sure, but...


i know depression is hard to overcome, when my mother passed i was completely fucked, never thought about suicide though. Suicide is the practice of weak americans with too much drama. I doubt many people in 3rd world countries, who's lives are most likely much worse, think about suicide after reading a txt... tormented or not you really should think of those friends and family who have to deal with your death after your gone. maybe suicide is a genetic mutation...?

http://www.who.int/mental_health/preventio...uiciderates/en/

Edit: here's a more up-to-date list, apparently
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_count...by_suicide_rate

that show i saw was in 2007, not 2006. wooops
d

That wiki one is all over the place... the other one is interesting because it seems males do it more often than females all over the world. no matter the stats I am still on the side that says suicide is a weak game.

I wonder if the high rate in former Soviet Republics is due more to higher reporting or whether life there is just that depressing.

yeah, those regions are exploited to the nth degree. Also, theres that whole honor suicide thing that some cultures practice. Without looking at the stats ill bet japan has the highest rate among westernized/post-modern countries.

such a beautiful tune: