It has been confirmed today that Mark Linkous of cult US band Sparklehorse has died. Linkous, who was in his 40s although his precise age has never been confirmed, took his own life after a long battle with depression.
Sparklehorse made their debut in 1995 with vivadixiesubmarinetransmissionplot, and went on to create 3 more albums of fractured, fragile, lush music. Linkous may never have been a household name, but each album was critically acclaimed and names such as PJ Harvey, Danger Mouse and Tom Waits all worked with him.
The sad news comes just days after EMI confirmed that Linkous' collaboration with Danger Mouse and film maker David Lynch is to at last receive a physical release. Dark Night Of The Soul was leaked on the internet last year after a fierce legal battle between the label and Danger Mouse saw it released simply as a book and a blank CD.
The album, which features guest appearances from a host of stars including Nina Persson, Iggy Pop, James Mercer of The Shins and Wayne Coyne, should serve as a fitting swansong for a troubled but hugely talented man.
