Died On This Date (March 6, 2010) Mark Linkous / Sparklehorse
Mark Linkous
September 9, 1962 – March 6, 2010
Mark Linkous was the multi-instrumentalist leader of alternative rock group, Sparklehorse, who became an critics’ darling cult band after the release of their debut album, Vivadixiesubmarine- transmissionplot, in 1995. Prior to that, he was a member of the Dancing Hoods, who he co-founded in the mid ’80s. In 1996, while on tour with Radiohead, Linkous overdosed Valium, antidepressants and alcohol, causing him to lay unconscious with his legs pinned underneath him for fourteen hours. He literally died for two minutes when rescuers tried to straighten his legs which had been cut off from circulation for the duration of his unconsciousness. The incident left him with permanent damage to his legs. In 2009, Linkous collaborated on a Dark Night of Soul with famed indie producer Danger Mouse and iconic film director, David Lynch. The multi-media project also includes performance by Flaming Lips, Suzanne Vega, Vic Chesnutt, Frank Black, Iggy Pop and more. He was recently working on a new album due out in late 2010. On March 6, 2010, Mark Linkous died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound. He was 47.
Thanks to Craig Rosen of Number1Albums