March 8, 2010 11:52

Radiohead pay tribute to Sparklehorse's Mark Linkous

Linkous had toured with the Oxford band in the 1990s

Photo: Andy Willsher

Radiohead's Colin Greenwood has paid tribute to Spaklehorse's Mark Linkous, who commited suicide on Saturday (March 6).

The Oxford band had Sparklehorse as their tour support in 1996, while in 1998 the two acts recorded a cover of Pink Floyd's 'Wish You Were Here' together (hear it below).

Writing on Radiohead.com, bassist Greenwood highlighted the importance of Linkous' music.

"I was very sad to hear the news that Mark Linkous has died. He and his band toured with us in Europe, at the start of 'OK Computer', and they were great every night," he recalled.

"His first two records were very important to me, and I carried his music from the tour into my life, and my friends' lives too. He was softly spoken, with an old south courtesy I hadn’t heard before: he introduced me to Daniel Johnston's music, and the West Virginian writing of Pinckney Benedict. Mark wrote and played some beautiful music, and we're lucky to have it. Rest in peace."

Linkous killed himself outside a friend's house in Knoxville, Tennessee.

Blogs - RIP Sparklehorse's Mark Linkous, a tribute and Why Mark Linkous was a genius.

Photo Gallery - Mark Linkous' career in pictures