Sparklehorse Singer Mark Linkous Remembered
Sparklehorse's Mark Linkous - Mark Linkous' often pretty melodies contrasted with lyrics that were sometimes dark. (Barney Britton/Redferns / Getty Images)
Mark Linkous, founder of the acclaimed alternative rock band Sparklehorse, has died. The singer and multi-instrumentalist took his own life Saturday in Knoxville, Tenn. He was 47.
Linkous was the creative force behind Sparklehorse, his recording moniker and band. He wrote all the songs, played almost all of the instruments, and manipulated his voice like it was just another layer in the mix.
"I started at first trying to disguise my voice 'cause I didn't like it," Linkous told WHYY's Fresh Air in 1999. "But now, I've gotten to really just use it as just another instrument. Seems to make the proximity of a voice seem a lot closer to your ear."
What the Virginia native's voice was saying was often surreal. Yet the music drew the attention of indie-rock giant Radiohead, which invited Sparklehorse to open for it in 1996. During the tour, Linkous overdosed on a cocktail of antidepressants and other drugs. He actually died for several minutes, and suffered permanent damage to his legs.
Still, Linkous' friend and collaborator Wayne Coyne, of the band The Flaming Lips, says that didn't stop him from recording and performing.
"He was always gentle and pleasant," Coyne says. "What made it more pronounced was that I knew he was in pain. He struggled to stand there and sing those gentle, crazy songs."
Coyne and Linkous worked together on last year's Dark Night of the Soul, a music-photography project involving Sparklehorse, Danger Mouse, filmmaker David Lynch and others. The project had been held up for legal matters, but just days before Linkous' death, it was announced that the record was finally going to see official release this summer.
While Linkous seemed happiest working on studio projects like this one, he told Fresh Air that he also enjoyed performing before an audience.
"When they really appreciate the slow songs," Linkous said. "When you can get 500, 200, 2,000 people to be totally silent, and they totally get it, and it's not just like a social situation where everyone's going out to drink and talk and socialize. They're really there to listen to what's going on."
Linkous was in the process of moving his studio to Knoxville, and had almost finished work on a new Sparklehorse album due later this year.
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- A Tribute To Sparklehorse's Mark Linkous
- 'Dark Night Of The Soul' Finds The Light Of Day
- David Lynch: A Detailed Look At A 'Dark Night'
- Sparklehorse's Web site
- Hear The Album: Danger Mouse And Sparklehorse Team Up With David Lynch
- All Songs Considered Remembers Mark Linkous
- Fresh Air: A Tribute To Mark Linkous
- Mark Linkous, A Flawed Hero
- It's a Wonderful Life by Sparklehorse
- Good Morning Spider by Sparklehorse
ROBERT SIEGEL, host:
From NPR News, this is ALL THINGS CONSIDERED. I'm Robert Siegel.
MICHELE NORRIS, host:
And I'm Michele Norris.
The founder of the acclaimed alternative rock band Sparklehorse has died. Singer and multi-instrumentalist Mark Linkous committed suicide over the weekend.
Joel Rose has this appreciation.
Mr. JOEL ROSE (Journalist): Sparklehorse was Mark Linkous. He wrote all the songs, played almost all of the instruments, and manipulated his voice like it was just another layer in the mix.
Mr. MARK LINKOUS (Musician, Sparklehorse): I started at first trying to disguise my voice because I didn't like it. But now, I've gotten to really just use it as another instrument. Seems to make the proximity of a voice seem a lot closer to your ear.
(Soundbite of song, "It's a Wonderful Life")
Mr. LINKOUS: (Singing) I am the only one can ride that horse yonder.
Mr. ROSE: What the Virginia native's voice was saying was often surreal, yet the music drew the attention of indie rock giants Radiohead, who invited Sparklehorse to open for them in 1996. During the tour, Linkous overdosed on a cocktail of anti-depressants and other drugs. He actually died for several minutes and suffered permanent damage to his legs.
Still, Linkous's friend and collaborator Wayne Coyne, from the band the Flaming Lips, says that didn't stop him from recording and performing.
Mr. WAYNE COYNE (Musician, The Flaming Lips): He was always gentle and always pleasant, but what made it more pronounced for me is that I knew he was in pain. I knew he struggled all the time. I know he struggled to stand there and sing those gentle, crazy songs.
ROSE: Coyne and Linkous worked together on "Dark Night of the Soul," a music photography project involving Sparklehorse, D.J. Danger Mouse, filmmaker David Lynch and others.
(Soundbite of song, "Dark Night of the Soul")
Mr. LINKOUS: (Singing) Hey, I guess it's a matter of sensation.
ROSE: While Mark Linkous seemed happiest working on studio projects like this one, he told WHYY's FRESH AIR in 1999 that he also enjoyed performing before an audience.
Mr. LINKOUS: When they really appreciate the slow songs, when you can get 500, 200, 2,000 people to be totally silent, and they totally get it and it's not just like a social situation where everyone's going out to drink and talk and socialize. They're really there to listen to what's going on.
ROSE: Mark Linkous had almost finished a new album. He took his own life Saturday in Knoxville, Tennessee. He was 47 years old.
For NPR News, I'm Joel Rose. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright National Public Radio.
