While writing my last blog post, I went to the Sparklehorse web site to create a link and got a nasty shock. Mark Linkous had taken his own life on March 6th.
I'm still very sad to have lost this incredible and unique talent. And worse, that he took his own life. Is it something about creativity and musical talent that runs concurrently with depression? Or perhaps it is that depression (and the events that cause it) that inspires the musical talent. Elliott Smith, Kurt Cobain, and now Mark Linkous...
The second Sparklehorse album, "Good Morning Spider," is one of my favorite albums. The unusual lyrics made a lot more sense when I found out Mark Linkous spent a lot of time convalescing. The song "St. Mary" is one of my all-time favorites. I use it as a sort of lullaby to myself when I'm having trouble sleeping; it always transports me to a peaceful and beautiful place.
As I mentioned in my last post, I used lyrics from several Sparklehorse songs in my novels. Thank you, Mark Linkous. And thank you for creating moving music for the joy of many. And we are sad that there will be no more.
http://www.rollingstone.com/rockdaily/index.php/2010/03/06/sparklehorses-mark-linkous-takes-own-life/ http://www.eowynwood.com/