Forgive me for the off-topic post, guys, but I figured there was some relevance here via the Vic connection. Plus, I know there are fans of the man here...
I'm in utter shock and horribly sad after arriving home tonight to read this on Facebook:
Sparklehorse From the Linkous Family: "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."
Some of you may recall that for years, I've expressed a dream that Kristin would one day work with Mark. So many other artists with a similar vibe and approach to music had worked with Mark, of whom I was a HUGE fan, I thought it would be natural fit.
Perhaps the most disturbing thing is that Spaklehorse's final home page was a link to K's CASH page with her memories of and fundraising efforts for the family of Vic, who sang on Sparklehorse's last album, "Dark Night of the Soul" (a collaboration with Danger Mouse and David Lynch, with numerous guest vocalists), as well as the 2001 release (ironically titled, in retrospect), "It's a Wonderful Life." Just two weeks ago, I watched Suzanne Vega perform her contribution to "Dark Night" live. It was magical.
I feel like crying right now. Another gifted musician with a tragic story behind him—he actually died in 1996 of a drug overdose and was brought back to life but left temporarily crippled—who apparently didn't feel equipped to handle life on this planet, lost. If you're so inclined, there's more info here:
And to hear the album which Vic appeared on, "Dark Night of the Soul"—an album that rather criminally will never be released due to contract disputes—you can legally listen to it on NPR's web site (or email me for a download link):