Today a great artist committed suicide and left the world of international music bewildered. Mark Linkous was not just the frontman of Sparklehorse, but he also was the soul and mind of the band. He had a very complicated life, marked by a special event: in 1996, while supporting Radiohead on the first Sparklehorse tour, Linkous overdosed on alcohol, Valium and antidepressants and possibly other substances in his London hotel room. Rendered unconscious by the combination of drugs, he collapsed with his legs pinned beneath him, and remained in that position for almost fourteen hours. He was treated at St Mary's Hospital, London. Subsequent surgeries saved both legs but left him wheelchair-bound for six months; his legs never fully regained their original strength.
Linkous committed suicide by shooting himself in the heart outside a friend's house in Knoxville at 1:20 pm on March 6, 2010. He was 47 years old. According to a spokesperson for the Police Department, the musician was staying with two friends, who told authorities that he had been drinking heavily and had become upset after trading text messages with an unknown person. The friends said Linkous went upstairs for a short period, then told the two that he was going for a walk and exited through a back door. A witness saw him sit down in the alley near Irwin Street, pull out his rifle, and fire into his own chest. Linkous was declared dead at the scene.
Within a few hours of his death, a message attributed to the Linkous family was posted on the official Sparklehorse website: “It is with great sadness that we share the news that our dear friend and family member, Mark Linkous, took his own life today. We are thankful for his time with us and will hold him forever in our hearts. May his journey be peaceful, happy and free. There’s a heaven and there’s a star for you.” A number of notable musicians and people in the music world made statements mourning the loss of Linkous, including Patti Smith, Radiohead's Colin Greenwood, Death Cab For Cutie's Chris Walla, Steven Drozd of The Flaming Lips and many more.
In honor of his enormous weight in the world of international music, I decided to post some of his greatest masterpieces.
(Thanks for pretending with me it's March 6!)
Sparklehorse - Sad & Beautiful World
Sparklehorse - Apple Bed
Sparklehorse - It's a Wonderful Life
