Music world pays tribute to Mark Lanegan: “A voice from another world”
Tributes have poured in for the beloved grunge icon
The music world has paid tribute to Mark Lanegan, who died yesterday (February 22), aged 57.
A statement on Lanegan’s official Twitter account yesterday confirmed the news that the grunge icon, who fronted The Screaming Trees from 1985-2000, had passed away.
It read: “Our beloved friend Mark Lanegan passed away this morning at his home in Killarney, Ireland.
“A beloved singer, songwriter, author and musician he was 57 and is survived by his wife Shelley. No other information is available at this time.
“We ask Please respect the family privacy.”
The Manic Street Preachers, who worked with Lanegan last year on their album, ‘The Ultra Vivid Lament’, said they were “devastated” by the “heartbreaking news”. The group remained close with Lanegan since their time supporting Oasis on their chaotic 1996 tour in America.
They continued: “A huge talent on so many levels – such an amazing voice and all those beautiful words.”
Anton Newcombe added: “I am in absolute shock, a very beautiful soul has left this world. I love you brother…my deepest condolences to his family and friends,” while frontman Tim Burgess said: “Oh no. Terrible news that Mark Lanegan has left us. Safe travels man – you’ll be missed.”
Others paying tribute included authors Irvine Welsh and Ian Rankin, and musicians Peter Hook, Warren Ellis and Shirley Manson from Garbage.
You can see some of the many tributes here:
Lanegan was also known for his work with bands like Queens of the Stone Age, Mad Season, The Gutter Twins and for his many collaborations with other artists.
Last year, Lanegan unveiled a new project with Joe Cardamone called ‘Dark Mark vs. Skeleton Joe’ and unveiled detailed of their eponymous debut album.
Lanegan said that Dark Mark vs. Skeleton Joe was born out of his and Cardamone’s desire to explore beyond the boundaries of the genres they’d previously worked in
“The fact that it’s not like anything either one of us have done before is what makes this so interesting for me,” Lanegan said last year. “When you have done as much stuff as Joe and I, you have to constantly search for the different and challenging to keep yourself engaged.”
Back in December, Lanegan released his memoir, Devil In A Coma.
In the book, Lanegan described his near-death experience with Covid and shared some of the poetry and prose he wrote while recovering from the illness.
Publisher Lee Brackstone said of the book: “Devil In A Coma is the latest work by a master of many forms, who has once again made art out of suffering and the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune. Unsparing – of both himself and the world we now find ourselves in – and grotesquely compelling, this book could not be more visceral and intense if it were written in blood.”