Mark Linkous, better known by his recording moniker Sparklehorse, took his own life Saturday, RollingStone.com reports.
The surrealist pop singer-songwriter’s family released a short statement on sparklehorse.com: “It is with great sadness that we share the news that our dear friend and family member, Mark Linkous, took his own life today. We are thankful for his time with us and will hold him forever in our hearts. May his journey be peaceful, happy and free. There’s a heaven and there’s a star for you.”
Pain imbued much of Linkous’ recorded material, and the past 15 years of his life weren’t easy ones for the artist. In 1996, a cocktail of alcohol and drugs left Linkous unconscious for over 14 hours, with his legs pinned underneath his body. When he was resuscitated, his legs required multiple surgeries so he could walk again.
The last four years, though, brought Linkous increased acclaim. In 2006, he released his best work to date, Dreamt for Light Years in the Belly of a Mountain, and visited the SPIN offices in New York for a haunting, stripped down performance in early 2007. Then, in 2008, Linkous contributed to the high-profile compilation Nightmare Revisited, featuring songs from Tim Burton’s A Nightmare Before Christmas.
Just days ago, news surfaced that the most high-profile project of Linkous’ career — his long-delayed David Lynch, Danger Mouse collaboration Dark Night of the Soul — would finally be released after nearly a year of legal wrangling.
Dark Night of the Soul is expected to drop this summer.
Check out this 1996 profile of Mark Linkous by Sia Michel:
