Mark Linkous, best known for his work as the singer/songwriter and multi-instrumentalist for the band Sparklehorse, died Saturday. According to Rolling Stone, the Virginia born musician committed suicide.
With Sparklehorse, Linkous released four full-length albums. He also collaborated extensively with the likes of PJ Harvey, Daniel Johnston, Tom Waits, and Cardigans singer Nina Persson. Most recently, Linkous teamed up with producer Danger Mouse for the acclaimed project Dark Night of the Soul.
However, despite his impressive resume, Linkous had a history of personal suffering. While on tour with Radiohead in 1996, he suffered a seizure for two minutes after ingesting a mix of Valium and antidepressants, an incident which left him unconscious for several hours and trapped his legs. When finally aided by paramedics, Linkous suffered a heart attack, and underwent seven surgeries to save his damaged limbs.
A statement released by his family read the following: “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.”
Linkous was believed to be in his 40s at the time of his death. According to NME, he had been working on a new Sparklehorse album that had nearly reached completion and was set to be released by the Anti- record label.
