I’ll run the risk of coming off (again) like a total jerk by saying I never got into the Dancing Hoods. I was also a pretty late convert to the majesty of Mark Linkous’ Sparklehorse. It wasn’t until 2001’s cameo-packed ‘It’s A Wonderful Life’ that Linkous’ full strengths as a songwriter became super obvious to me (and congrats to those who figured it out years earlier, you were amply rewarded) and subsequent recordings (2006’s ‘Dreamt for Light Years in the Belly of a Mountain’ and last year’s ‘In The Fish Tank’ collaboration with Christian Fennesz) were equally affecting and powerful. Last night, Rolling Stone.com reported that Linkous committed suicide ; visitors to the Sparklehorse website were greeted with a photograph of the late Vic Chesnutt (since removed). My thoughts are with Linkous’ family, friends and co-conspirators.
I’m kinda the opposite in that I got into Dancing Hoods, but never really got into Sparklehorse (though I do really like some of the Vivadixie…. stuff). I was only 12 or 13, but my brother used to listen to DH, and they were one of the bands that I sort of stole from him. Somewhere, in a drawer in my parents’ house, there’s probably a tape of a DH live performance on SNAP from KCRW with Dierdre O’Donahue.
They were good friends in LA back in those days with House of Freaks. And within a few short years, we’ve now lost Bryan Harvey and Mark Linkous way too early.
Saw Sparklehorse open for Flaming Lips about ten years ago. He was great.
God, haven’t thought about SNAP in forever. I just found out a couple months ago about what happened to Bryan Harvey. God I hate life.