Back in 2013, a crowdfunding campaign to fund a charity album in honour of Sparklehorse's late Mark Linkous raised $46,000 US. Now, however, the project has gone belly-up; not only has Linkous' estate blocked the album from going forward, but those who supported the campaign on Indiegogo won't get their money back.
Last Box of Sparklers: A Tribute to Mark Linkous was spearheaded by Box of Stars, an organization devoted to mental health awareness. It was to feature cover songs from the Flaming Lips, Mark Lanegan, Phantogram, Mercury Rev, David Lowery (of Camper Van Beethoven), Cowboy Junkies, Califone, the Joy Formidable, Portugal. The Man, Jason Lytle (Grandaddy) and more. The album was completed in January 2014.
Now, in an email to supporters [via Pitchfork], Box of Stars has explained that Linkous' estate has threatened legal action if the album goes ahead.
"It is not possible for us to return each of your individual contributions, as the funds raised were spent on production of the album and on attempting to get the project to press in the months after completion," the organization wrote. "So, what can we do? We can and will offer future projects to you for your support, with perks over and above the value of each original individual contribution."
While the folks at Box of Stars "sincerely hope that these recordings will see the light of day at some point in the future," they say that "it will not be in the form of the tribute album we originally planned." In other words, there's no chance that this situation will be resolved.
Linkous took his own life in 2010 at the age of 47. A documentary about Sparklehorse has also since been in the works.
Last Box of Sparklers: A Tribute to Mark Linkous was spearheaded by Box of Stars, an organization devoted to mental health awareness. It was to feature cover songs from the Flaming Lips, Mark Lanegan, Phantogram, Mercury Rev, David Lowery (of Camper Van Beethoven), Cowboy Junkies, Califone, the Joy Formidable, Portugal. The Man, Jason Lytle (Grandaddy) and more. The album was completed in January 2014.
Now, in an email to supporters [via Pitchfork], Box of Stars has explained that Linkous' estate has threatened legal action if the album goes ahead.
"It is not possible for us to return each of your individual contributions, as the funds raised were spent on production of the album and on attempting to get the project to press in the months after completion," the organization wrote. "So, what can we do? We can and will offer future projects to you for your support, with perks over and above the value of each original individual contribution."
While the folks at Box of Stars "sincerely hope that these recordings will see the light of day at some point in the future," they say that "it will not be in the form of the tribute album we originally planned." In other words, there's no chance that this situation will be resolved.
Linkous took his own life in 2010 at the age of 47. A documentary about Sparklehorse has also since been in the works.
Last Box of Sparklers - A Tribute to Mark Linkous, Indiegogo video from Box of Stars on Vimeo.