R.I.P. Sparklehorse's Mark Linkous

A while ago, I randomly discovered a version of the song Wish you were here. It was not like anything I had ever heard. It was: sad, eerily beautiful, and strangely nostalgic. It was like that dew smell you got when you woke up really early on a summer day. Music has never been the same for me.

I know this post is belated, and I wasn't going to write anything about this, but I guess I should, since I am a huge fan of the band. On March 6th, Mark Linkous was drinking heavily, and exchanged text messages with someone. He was at a friend's house, and became quite upset. He later went upstairs, where his belongings were, and left the house to go for a walk. That walk turned out to be Mark Linkous, taking a rifle and shooting himself in the heart. Literally. Although, many great musicians have taken their life, I have never been as huge of a fan of one, as that of Sparklehorse. I hope that last sentence made sense. It is 3:36am after all.

Unfortunately, it doesn't come as a surprise for me. I have come to the conclusion that many of the greatest minds of our time only exist, because they are fucked up in the head in some way. This goes for writers (Virginia Woolf, John Kennedy Toole, ect.), Actors (Heath Ledger for obvious reasons), Artists (insert most names here), and finally, musicians...

I think that it takes a certain type of mind, to create great art in any form. And to create beauty one needs to be extra receptive of the world, see it in a way that others don't. I believe this comes with a consequence. That ability to see such beauty in the world, can also cause a person to see it's ugliness, and be extra susceptible to it.

Sparklehorse was about to release a new album, Mark was about to finish recording all the songs. If this new album somehow gets released, I will make it my mission to buy it from a local toronto based music store. Keep in mind, I have not bought music in over half a decade. That's how much I love this music. My favourite song is Cow. Other great songs in extremely particular order are: Go (with the Flamling lips), Sad and beautiful world, Hundreds of Sparrows, Ghost of his smile , Saturday. However, if you pick up any album, and listen to almost any song, you will not be disappointed, yeah, it's that good.

My favourite piece of art that I did is Unicorns come from Whorses, which I made inspired by Sparklehorse's horse. And my next painting(my last one, that I didn't finish, but will as soon as I am done the current), is also influenced by the same horse mask. Damn.

Sadly I have never seen them live. I wished they had toured here more <: (