Mark Linkous (Sparklehorse) is Dead

  Quote

Linkous committed suicide on March 6, 2010 with a single shotgun blast to the head. Linkous' family members initially found him (still alive) after the shotgun blast. With extensive facial and cranial trauma to Linkous' head (Linkous suffered a particularly devastating "blow-out"-type wound wherein the blast evacuated the back portion of his head), his family called police and an ambulance crew. Linkous lived for an additional three hours after the shotgun blast, but was later pronounced dead by ambulance EMT workers

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mark_Linkous

Never knew much about his music, I mainly know him from his collab with Fennesz (In The Fishtank EP, wich I recommend). I was currently planning to check his albums out, even tho I'm not that into singer-songwriter stuff.

I've got the chance to seen him live in October together with Fennesz. I've made some pics then, might post them.

He even made collaborations with David Lynch, damnit. That's awesome, why shoot yourself in the head after that? (rethoric question)

This is mainy very shit news.

Bugger

wow, that is a shitty way to go.

Jesus, that's horrible. Blowing half your head off then noticing it hasn't quite gone to plan and you're still alive? :(

damn, that's awful. RIP.

oh christ....

the music he made occasionally suggested that, but it was a damn good listen in my undergrad days..

RIP

  On 3/7/2010 at 5:52 PM, Solo Strike said:

Jesus, that's horrible. Blowing half your head off then noticing it hasn't quite gone to plan and you're still alive? :(

Seriously! Awful.

I never got into his music save for a few songs, but RIP none the less.

fuck

  On 3/7/2010 at 5:52 PM, Solo Strike said:

Jesus, that's horrible. Blowing half your head off then noticing it hasn't quite gone to plan and you're still alive? :(

Just so you know, it was in the heart, not the head.

  On 3/8/2010 at 2:45 AM, Glass Plate said:

Just so you know, it was in the heart, not the head.

i think the "extensive cranial damage" indicates otherwise.

He shot himself in the heart in an alley outside a friend’s home, said his manager, Shelby Meade. Lt. Greg Hoskins of the Knoxville Police Department confirmed that the police responded to a call at 1:20 p.m., and that Mr. Linkous was pronounced dead at the scene. According to his family, Mr. Linkous owned the gun that he used.

so there seems to be reports varying on all this.

sad

I woke up today thinking about Kurt Cobain's suicide, and then I read about this. Sad fucking parallel. This news was no surprise, but it's still incredibly sad. Crazy to think he was struggling to pay rent during the release of his last album, considering how well known and respected he is. If only these chemicals in our brains could be kinder.

to me, he seemed to have a very instinctive understanding of how crackle, grime, dirt, and static could really elevate a recording.

I never really cared for Sparklehorse.

Fuck me, thats sad. I feel worse for the family that found him. Losing a loved one is bad but this.....indescribable.

that's bad news, and I bought his collab w/ fennesz same day

  On 3/8/2010 at 7:41 AM, kaini said:

to me, he seemed to have a very instinctive understanding of how crackle, grime, dirt, and static could really elevate a recording.

that wasn't because of tee Dangermouse production? I'm not really familiar with either artist, i've only heard that David Lynch themed album.

but i do really have a soft spot for ultra lo-fi sounding recording quality

  On 3/8/2010 at 9:46 PM, Awepittance said:

  On 3/8/2010 at 7:41 AM, kaini said:

to me, he seemed to have a very instinctive understanding of how crackle, grime, dirt, and static could really elevate a recording.

 

that wasn't because of tee Dangermouse production? I'm not really familiar with either artist, i've only heard that David Lynch themed album.

but i do really have a soft spot for ultra lo-fi sounding recording quality

No, definitely not... he had been making tunes similar to the stuff on Dark Night of the Soul since the mid 90's.

I highly recommend It's a Wonderful Life. It's easily one of the most beautiful records of all time. This is the first time a musician suicide has really got to me... I must have listened to that album a thousand times back in high school.

it's a wonderful life seconded. even if it has that dave-friedmann-produced sheen that the flaming lips, mercury rev, their dogs and their cousins had at the time. it's a great record. also the distorted ghost ep and good morning spider. all great records.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/musicblog/2010/mar/08/sparklehorse

Just find out that I might have witnessed his last concert ever? According to this thing I did.

Holy crap, that makes my pictures more valuable!

I remember he looked tired, fatigued. Back hunched, skinny, greasy hair, you could tell he'd been through a lot, or a lot was going through him (on other live pics i've seen he looked a whole lot better). Yet he was still very dedicated and concentrated on the music. He even had a bit of humour in him. They played a new song from the next Sparklehorse album, where he said: "We're still working on it. This is how it sounds right now, but on the record it will sound exactly like Nickelback". There were a few more (awkward) words said, but maybe they're not interesting to say them here...

What I remember most is when the concert began with "Goodnight Sweetheart", I was immediatly swept away. I've rarely been that captivated during a concert. The rise of those first chords immediatly set me in a mood that lasted the whole night. The way Mark sang, filtered throught his fatigue, made it sound beautiful, like he was saying goodbye to an actual person. I won't soon forget that moment, and I'm not just saying all of this just because he's dead now.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gl2Bs0b6GqA

So glad I got to hear this live...

I'd just like to give a belated rip to mark linkous. Man this is just so sad. Good morning spider helped me get through high school. It really didnt have to end this way