Biography
Mark Linkous, later celebrated through his work with Sparklehorse, originally belonged to the Dancing Hoods, an association that kept the earlier group from slipping into complete obscurity among overlooked alternative acts. The quartet assembled in New York with Linkous handling guitars and vocals alongside Bob Bortnick on vocals and guitar, Don Short on drums, and Mike Garacino on bass. Under Relativity Records they issued their debut album, 12 Jealous Roses, in 1985. The LP drew strong critical notices, while the band’s straightforward rock & roll approach appealed to listeners drawn to the Replacements and the Del Fuegos. Their follow-up, Hallelujah Anyway, arrived in 1988 and featured the track “Baby’s Got Rockets,” which gained traction on college radio and whose video reached MTV’s 120 Minutes. Seeking wider exposure, the musicians relocated to Los Angeles in pursuit of a major-label contract, yet none materialized and the group disbanded. Linkous headed back to Virginia, where he joined the Johnson Family, later renamed Salt Chunk Mary. By 1995 he had begun recording under the name Sparklehorse, a project whose eccentric and sharper edge distinguished it from the Dancing Hoods. That year Sparklehorse unveiled Vivadixiesubmarinetransmissionplot; the single “Someday I Will Treat You Good” received steady alternative-radio airplay, helping the band cultivate a devoted audience whose interest in turn revived attention toward the Dancing Hoods.
Albums