Sparklehorse | Main

Sparklehorse was essentially singer/songwriter Mark Linkous, an alumnus of the mid-'80s indie band the Dancing Hoods. A tenure in the Johnson Family (later known as Salt Chuck Mary) followed, as did stints sweeping chimneys and painting houses; he began working as Sparklehorse in 1995, honing his spooky, lo-fi roots-pop in the studio located on his Bremo Bluff, VA, farm. After a demo made its way to the offices of Capitol Records, Linkous signed to the label to issue Sparklehorse's acclaimed debut Vivadixiesubmarinetransmissionplot, scoring an alternative radio hit with the single "Someday I Will Treat You Good." In early 1996, after a Sparklehorse live date in London, Linkous nearly died when he passed out after mixing Valium with prescription antidepressants; throughout the 14 hours he spent unconscious on his hotel's bathroom floor his legs were pinned under the rest of his body, and the prolonged loss of blood circulation nearly left him crippled. Many months and countless surgeries later he was back on his feet, his struggle and recovery providing inspiration for 1998's Good Morning Spider. Linkous collaborated with PJ Harvey and the Cardigans' Nina Persson on 2001's radiant It's a Wonderful Life. In between that album and 2006's Dreamt for Light Years in the Belly of a Mountain (which featured contributions from Tom Waits and Danger Mouse), Linkous contributed songs to the soundtrack of the film Laurel Canyon and produced Daniel Johnston's 2003 album Fear Yourself. His next Sparklehorse project was an ambitious one, a multi-media sound and art gallery done in conjunction with Danger Mouse and film maker David Lynch called Dark Night of the Soul. The project featured several singers, including James Mercer, Gruff Rhys, Jason Lytle, Julian Casablancas, Frank Black, Iggy Pop, Nina Persson, Suzanne Vega, Vic Chesnutt, Scott Spillane and David Lynch, whose photographs made up the 100-page accompanying book. Dark Night of the Soul was slated to appear from Capitol in 2009 but never appeared, ending up drydocked by a legal dispute between EMI and Danger Mouse, most likely stemming from the producer's brilliant--but decidedly unlicensed--Jay-Z/Beatles 2004 mash-up The Grey Album, which creatively combined The White Album with The Black Album and gave DM international exposure and pretty much jump started his career. Unfortunately it also angered EMI, which is ever zealous of its Beatles catalog, and it left Dark Night of the Soul marooned as an adjunct hostage in a complicated legal entanglement. Copies leaked out in different configurations, but it became apparent that Dark Night of the Soul might never be released as planned.~ Jason Ankeny & Steve Leggett, All Music Guide