Mark Linkous of Sparklehorse has Died (1 Viewer)

[chutneyfarmer]

I don't think I've ever been properly affected by a musician's death til now. This is awful news.

Same here. Just heard this now. Actually close to tears Such a talanted guy and a total gent from what I've heard.

RIP

 

[mel gibson]

just stuck on "hundreds of sparrows"

I feel like shit now...

 

[Scientician 0.8]

Tribute night tonight, in my computer room.

 

[Anthony]

Pig, full blast.

 

[Kermit McDermott]

Tough break. RIP

 

[Scientician 0.8]

This was the first song of his I heard. It was on a Vox cover tape I think.

To view this content we will need your consent to set third party cookies.
For more detailed information, see our cookies page.

Accept third party cookies

 

[washingcattle]

That was the first Sparklehorse song I heard too. That and Rainmaker a mate played them to me in college I bought goodmorning spider on the way home. They aren't on it.


True story.

 

[jonah]

Completely gutting. Seriously horrible. He was obviously suffering a lot.

To view this content we will need your consent to set third party cookies.
For more detailed information, see our cookies page.

Accept third party cookies

 

[crayonsmith]

He played an amazing gig in Whelans about 2 years ago. Everybody spent the night singing along to every word

Completely gutted by the news of Mark Linkous' passing. I opened for him on that tour and he and his wife, Teresa, were so good to me. The show you mentioned above was on the Saturday and the crowd were in fantastic form singing along to the point where Mark was so overwhelmed that he just stopped singing as the crowd continued. He said afterwards that it was one of the best shows he'd ever done and that Whelans was his favourite venue.

We stayed in touch since and when he came back to Dublin with Daniel Johnston and friends the summer before last, Mark and I went to see The Book of Kells. He was so impressed by it that he felt compelled to make a phone-call right there in the museum trying to get Daniel to come down. Unfortunately, he was cut off early by the security guard who was muttering, ' Who the HELL does your man think he is on the phone in here?!', to himself as he stormed over to Mark. It was actually quite funny! Mark immediately ran over to the security guard apologizing to him in his Southern drawl and explaining that he was just trying to get his friend to come down and see it. The outraged security guard half accepted his apology but as we walked off you could see him shaking his head saying something along the lines of '.. stupid Yanks - comin in HERE with their bleedin phones!' A great day and a great guy who will be missed by a lot of people.

Take care Mark.

X Ciaran

 

[rettucs]

Completely gutted by the news of Mark Linkous' passing. I opened for him on that tour and he and his wife, Teresa, were so good to me. The show you mentioned above was on the Saturday and the crowd were in fantastic form singing along to the point where Mark was so overwhelmed that he just stopped singing as the crowd continued. He said afterwards that it was one of the best shows he'd ever done and that Whelans was his favourite venue.

That was possibly my most favourite gig ever. The warmth in the room that night was amazing - I think it was early summer (possibly late May), the weather was great out, and spirits were really high. He was playing his first shows for (I think) 5 years and there were quite a few who had travelled from the US and other places, to see him in Dublin. I recall there being some breeze coming from somewhere, blowing his hair, and making him look like the coolest person on earth.
I remember then how happy he seemed to be when he came back for the Daniel Johnson show. One thing that stood out that night - he was playing one of his quiet songs (can't recall off-hand which one it was), there was a brief pause, then someone in the crowd sang the next line to the song half a second too soon. Rather than embarrassing the guy or being annoyed, he just looked at him out of the corner of his eye and smiled, causing the whole room to crack up laughing. He seemed such an incredible, genuine person, and thats only from having experienced 2 of his live shows. Its sad, sad news, but hopefully hes found some peace now. RIP Mark.

 

[coast to coast]

Thats a very sad way to go out. Not a huge Sparklehorse fan but Hundreds Of Sparrows has always been one of my favourite songs. I also got it on something I free on the cover of NME.

 

[Kermit McDermott]

http://entertainment.ie/music/music-news-article.asp?NewsID=42174

 

[Goodbye]

http://entertainment.ie/music/music-news-article.asp?NewsID=42174

Kevin Lynch. What fucking morons.

 

[thickaspigshit]

Completely gutted by the news of Mark Linkous' passing. I opened for him on that tour and he and his wife, Teresa, were so good to me. The show you mentioned above was on the Saturday and the crowd were in fantastic form singing along to the point where Mark was so overwhelmed that he just stopped singing as the crowd continued. He said afterwards that it was one of the best shows he'd ever done and that Whelans was his favourite venue.

We stayed in touch since and when he came back to Dublin with Daniel Johnston and friends the summer before last, Mark and I went to see The Book of Kells. He was so impressed by it that he felt compelled to make a phone-call right there in the museum trying to get Daniel to come down. Unfortunately, he was cut off early by the security guard who was muttering, ' Who the HELL does your man think he is on the phone in here?!', to himself as he stormed over to Mark. It was actually quite funny! Mark immediately ran over to the security guard apologizing to him in his Southern drawl and explaining that he was just trying to get his friend to come down and see it. The outraged security guard half accepted his apology but as we walked off you could see him shaking his head saying something along the lines of '.. stupid Yanks - comin in HERE with their bleedin phones!' A great day and a great guy who will be missed by a lot of people.

Take care Mark.

X Ciaran

Nice story, sad circumstances to hear it. Always someone i would try and go see. There arent many that can make music like that any more.
'xcuse my crap english.
spiritditch,cramps,sick of goodbyes always made/make the hairs stand up.

hope hes a happy man now

 

[Lolo]

Had a little Sparklefest last night when I heard this, kept really enjoying the albums and singing along and then remembering why I was listening to them
Book of Kells story above made me simultaneously cry and lol in the office. It's alright, they already think I'm mad here.

 

[Charlie Bucket]

so so sad to hear of this. i had the pleasure of spending a little time in Mark's company back in '99 and he was such a sweet kind guy (with a lovely accent too!). his friend vic chesnutt checked out at xmas and now this - i'm so sick of goodbyes.....may he rest in peace.

 

[Anthony]

When I heard Pig for the first time (thanks omo) it was like an emergency... I had to buy the album absolutely as soon as possible. Same story when I played it to my bro who is on his 3rd or 4th copy now after giving them away to people. Saw him twice around that time. Must admit to being very let down by Wonderful World and now regret not going to see him in Whelan's in 06.

 

[Wheels]

Unreal news. Will never ever forget seeing Sparklehouse for the first in Whelans in 1998, could hear a pin drop, made the hairs on my neck stand up.

A friend of mine introduced me to Sparklehorse with a cassette copy of Vivadixiesubmarinetransmissionplot whilst in college. She wasn't long living in Dublin and hadn't much money but I convinced her to come to see that show. She hadn't been to a non trad gig since moving up and I thought it would be a fine introduction. I had a ticket and although she didn't; I was sure she could pay in on the door. Unfortunately when we got there I met another mate outside who glumly told us it was sold out. My friend was really bummed having come all the way from Dun Laoghaire and despite my insistence that she took the ticket I headed in without them.

Once inside, despite the fact that I was thoroughly enjoying myself, I kept thinking about how much my friend would have loved it. As I watched Linkous go through the bar door to rapturous applause I was pleased to see that my unacquainted friends had decided to have a few pints in the bar and at least hear try and hear the music. Then to my delight I saw the sweaty front man walk back in for the encore with two smiling punters under his arms. Their conversation inside went something like

'Hi, I'm a big fan'
'Did you enjoy the show'
'oh we couldn't get in'
'well then, you're coming in now'

Sparklehorse played for what seemed like another 20 odd minutes, and it was a really lovely moment to end an amazing live experience. I didn't follow his career that close after 'it's a wonderful life', but I was always reminded of what a lovely guy he seemed that night.

 

[jcdonaggio]

that's a lovely story.

 

[Flux]

I never really had any idea what he was like as a person, and I suppose I didn't want to know in case he turned out to be an asshole, but I found myself watcing a bunch of his interviews last night on youtube and was struck by how humble he was and how appreciative he seemed to be of everything that had happened in his life. He seemed like a real old-fashioned "southern gentleman".

There was one interview where he mentions loving Dublin and speaks about two Irish nurses, Fiona and Emer, who took care of him while he was in hospital in London. He kind of chokes up when he recalls that they used to come in on their days off to check up on him and see how he was. I found that really moving.

Can't seem to access it now, but Steve Albini paid a nice tribute to him over on his message board, www.electrical.com