Mark William Lanegan (November 25, 1964 – February 22, 2022) was an American singer, songwriter, and poet. First becoming prominent as the lead singer for the early
grunge band
Screaming Trees, he was also known as a member of
Queens of the Stone Age
Queens of the Stone Age (commonly abbreviated QOTSA) is an American rock band formed in 1996 in Palm Desert, California. The band was founded by vocalist and guitarist Josh Homme, who has been the only constant member throughout multiple lin ...
and
The Gutter Twins. He released 12 solo studio albums, as well as three collaboration albums with
Isobel Campbell and two with
Duke Garwood. He was known for his
baritone
A baritone is a type of classical male singing voice whose vocal range lies between the bass and the tenor voice-types. The term originates from the Greek (), meaning "heavy sounding". Composers typically write music for this voice in the ...
voice, which was described as being "as scratchy as a three-day beard yet as supple and pliable as moccasin leather" and has been compared to
Tom Waits
Thomas Alan Waits (born December 7, 1949) is an American musician, composer, songwriter, and actor. His lyrics often focus on the underbelly of society and are delivered in his trademark deep, gravelly voice. He worked primarily in jazz during ...
,
Leonard Cohen, and
Nick Cave
Nicholas Edward Cave (born 22 September 1957) is an Australian singer, songwriter, poet, lyricist, author, screenwriter, composer and occasional actor. Known for his baritone voice and for fronting the rock band Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds, ...
.
Lanegan began his musical career in 1984 with Screaming Trees, with whom he released seven studio albums and five EPs before their disbandment in 2000. During his time with the band, he also started a solo career and released his first solo studio album, ''
The Winding Sheet'', in 1990. He subsequently released a further 10 solo albums, which received critical recognition but only moderate commercial success. Following the end of Screaming Trees, he became a frequent collaborator of Queens of the Stone Age, and was a full-time member between 2001 and 2005 during the ''
Songs for the Deaf'' and ''
Lullabies to Paralyze'' eras.
Lanegan collaborated with various artists throughout his career. In the 1990s, he and
Kurt Cobain
Kurt Donald Cobain (February 20, 1967 – April 5, 1994) was an American musician who served as the lead vocalist, guitarist and primary songwriter of the rock band Nirvana. Through his angst-fueled songwriting and anti-establishment persona ...
recorded an album of
Lead Belly
Huddie William Ledbetter (; January 20, 1888 – December 6, 1949), better known by the stage name Lead Belly, was an American folk and blues singer notable for his strong vocals, virtuosity on the twelve-string guitar, and the folk sta ...
covers that was ultimately never released. He also joined
Layne Staley and
Mike McCready
Michael David McCready (born April 5, 1966) is an American musician who serves as the lead guitarist for the rock band Pearl Jam. Along with Jeff Ament, Stone Gossard, and Eddie Vedder, he is one of the founding members of the band. McCready ...
in the band
Mad Season, and formed the alternative rock group
The Gutter Twins with
Greg Dulli in 2003, as well as contributing to releases by
Moby
Richard Melville Hall (born September 11, 1965), known professionally as Moby, is an American musician, songwriter, singer, producer, and animal rights activist. He has sold 20 million records worldwide. AllMusic considers him to be "among the ...
,
Bomb the Bass,
Soulsavers,
Tinariwen,
The Twilight Singers,
Manic Street Preachers
Manic Street Preachers, also known simply as the Manics, are a Welsh Rock music, rock band formed in Blackwood, Caerphilly, Blackwood in 1986. The band consists of cousins James Dean Bradfield (lead vocals, lead guitar) and Sean Moore (musician ...
, and
Unkle, among others.
Lanegan struggled with addiction to drugs and alcohol throughout his life, but had been sober for over a decade at the time of his death. Encouraged by his friend
Anthony Bourdain
Anthony Michael Bourdain (; June 25, 1956 – June 8, 2018) was an American celebrity chef, author, and travel documentarian who starred in programs focusing on the exploration of international culture, cuisine, and the human condition. Bourda ...
, he released the memoir ''Sing Backwards and Weep'' in 2020. He followed this up in 2021 with the memoir ''Devil in a Coma'', which focused on his near-death experience with
COVID-19
Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a contagious disease caused by a virus, the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The first known case was identified in Wuhan, China, in December 2019. The disease quick ...
. He and his wife Shelley Brien left the U.S. in 2020 and settled in the Irish town of
Killarney, where he died two years later at the age of 57. No cause of death was revealed.
Early life
Mark William Lanegan was born in
Ellensburg, Washington, on November 25, 1964. During an interview with ''
The Rocket'' in 1996, he said that he drove a
combine harvester when he was younger.
He was of Irish, Scottish, and Welsh descent.
He said that he developed an
alcohol use disorder
Alcoholism is, broadly, any drinking of alcohol that results in significant mental or physical health problems. Because there is disagreement on the definition of the word ''alcoholism'', it is not a recognized diagnostic entity. Predomin ...
by age 12, and began using drugs heavily by the age of 18, having already been arrested and sentenced to one year's imprisonment for drug-related crimes.
Musical career
Screaming Trees (1984–2000)
Screaming Trees was formed in late 1984 by Lanegan, guitarist
Gary Lee Conner, bassist
Van Conner, and drummer
Mark Pickerel.
Along with
Alice in Chains,
Pearl Jam
Pearl Jam is an American rock band formed in Seattle, Washington, in 1990. The band's lineup consists of founding members Jeff Ament (bass guitar), Stone Gossard (rhythm guitar), Mike McCready (lead guitar), and Eddie Vedder (lead vocals, g ...
,
Soundgarden,
Mudhoney, The Melvins, and
Nirvana
( , , ; sa, निर्वाण} ''nirvāṇa'' ; Pali: ''nibbāna''; Prakrit: ''ṇivvāṇa''; literally, "blown out", as in an oil lamp Richard Gombrich, ''Theravada Buddhism: A Social History from Ancient Benāres to Modern Colomb ...
, Screaming Trees were part of Seattle's emerging
grunge scene in the early 1990s. Pickerel would later be replaced with
Barrett Martin
Barrett Martin (born April 14, 1967) is an American record producer, percussionist, writer, and ethnomusicologist from Washington. As a producer he has won one Latin Grammy and has been nominated in two other categories. As an ethnomusicologist ...
. Lanegan originally joined as the drummer but later said, "I was such a shitty drummer that they made me sing."
The band released the ''
Other Worlds'' EP in 1986; recorded in 1985 and originally available only on cassette tape, the album was re-released on CD and LP by
SST Records in 1987.
Although the band was being courted by major labels, they signed to Velvetone Records in 1985 and released their debut album, ''
Clairvoyance'', in 1986.
The album was a combination of
psychedelic music and
hard rock
Hard rock or heavy rock is a loosely defined subgenre of rock music typified by aggressive vocals and distorted electric guitars. Hard rock began in the mid-1960s with the garage, psychedelic and blues rock movements. Some of the earliest ha ...
, and bears many similarities to early
grunge.
In 1987, the band released their second effort, and their first for SST Records, ''
Even If and Especially When
''Even If and Especially When'' is the second studio album by the Seattle band Screaming Trees, released in 1987. It was their first album released on SST.
Critical reception
''The Encyclopedia of Popular Music'' called ''Even If and Especially ...
''.
After the release of the album in 1987 the band began working on the American indie circuit, playing shows across the United States.
Their follow up album ''
Invisible Lantern'' was released in 1988. 1989's ''
Buzz Factory'' was the fourth full-length album by Screaming Trees and their final record released through SST.
In 1991, the band released their fifth effort, and their first for a major label.
''
Uncle Anesthesia'' was released in 1991 and was produced by
Soundgarden vocalist
Chris Cornell.
''Uncle Anesthesia'' included the single "
Bed of Roses", which gained considerable airtime on alternative rock radio stations. The song peaked at number 23 on the
Modern Rock Tracks and was the first Screaming Trees release to chart.
Barrett Martin
Barrett Martin (born April 14, 1967) is an American record producer, percussionist, writer, and ethnomusicologist from Washington. As a producer he has won one Latin Grammy and has been nominated in two other categories. As an ethnomusicologist ...
replaced previous drummer Pickerel and the new line up recorded ''
Sweet Oblivion
''Sweet Oblivion'' is the sixth studio album by Screaming Trees, released on September 8, 1992. It quickly became the band's best-selling record, and was the closest they ever came to achieving mainstream success. ''Sweet Oblivion'' sold in excess ...
'' in 1992.
''
Sweet Oblivion
''Sweet Oblivion'' is the sixth studio album by Screaming Trees, released on September 8, 1992. It quickly became the band's best-selling record, and was the closest they ever came to achieving mainstream success. ''Sweet Oblivion'' sold in excess ...
'' was the band's breakout album and included the singles "
Nearly Lost You", "
Dollar Bill", "
Shadow of the Season", and "
Butterfly
Butterflies are insects in the macrolepidopteran clade Rhopalocera from the order Lepidoptera, which also includes moths. Adult butterflies have large, often brightly coloured wings, and conspicuous, fluttering flight. The group compris ...
". The first two singles gained considerable airtime on alternative rock radio stations, while the video for "Nearly Lost You" became an
MTV
MTV (Originally an initialism of Music Television) is an American cable channel that launched on August 1, 1981. Based in New York City, it serves as the flagship property of the MTV Entertainment Group, part of Paramount Media Networks, a di ...
and alternative radio hit in the fall of 1992, thanks to the momentum of
the ''Singles'' soundtrack. "Nearly Lost You" peaked at number 5 on the Modern Rock Tracks and number 50 in the United Kingdom and was the band's first single to chart outside the United States.
''Sweet Oblivion'' sold a total of 300,000 copies in the United States.
After a hiatus brought about by in-fighting and uncertainty over the quality of the music they were recording, the band's final album, ''
Dust
Dust is made of fine particles of solid matter. On Earth, it generally consists of particles in the atmosphere that come from various sources such as soil lifted by wind (an aeolian process), volcanic eruptions, and pollution. Dust in ...
'', was released in 1996.
The album spawned several singles, including "
All I Know" and "
Dying Days
"Dying Days" is a song by the American alternative rock group Screaming Trees. It is the fourth track on their seventh album ''Dust'', released on June 25, 1996. Guitarist Mike McCready of Pearl Jam performed the guitar solo on the song. By this ...
", and peaked at number 134 on the
''Billboard'' 200. Reaching number 39 on the
Canadian album chart, it was the only Screaming Trees album to chart outside the United States. Despite consistently favorable reviews, the album did not match the commercial success of ''Sweet Oblivion''. Following the ''Dust'' tour in the United States, Screaming Trees took another hiatus for Lanegan to begin his work on his third solo album, ''
Scraps at Midnight''. The band headed back into the studio in 1999 and recorded several demos and shopped them around to labels, but no label was willing to take them on.
The band played a few surprise shows in early 2000, and then following a concert to celebrate the opening of Seattle's
Experience Music Project they unexpectedly announced their official breakup.
When asked in 2021 about the '90s grunge movement, Lanegan commented, "It's not something that was contrived or cooked up around the campfire somewhere. It just happened organically. It's hard for me to comment, because there's always great new music and there probably always will be — as long as the sun keeps shining."
Solo work and other projects
In 1990, Lanegan released his first solo album, ''
The Winding Sheet'' via
label Sub Pop (which at the time was home to friends Nirvana and
The Afghan Whigs). Lanegan had intimated that the album came around following a
Leadbelly project he was working on with Mark Pickerel, Kurt Cobain, and
Krist Novoselic.
The project was short lived and eventually other musicians became involved in the evolution to the debut solo record. From the Leadbelly sessions a version of "
Where Did You Sleep Last Night?" appeared on ''The Winding Sheet''. "Ain't It a Shame" is available on the Nirvana box set, ''
With the Lights Out''.
Cobain also supplied backing vocals on "Down in the Dark" on Lanegan's debut.
The majority of the album was recorded with Pickerel on drums,
Mike Johnson on guitar,
Steve Fisk on piano and organ, and
Jack Endino on bass.
His second solo record, 1994's ''
Whiskey for the Holy Ghost
''Whiskey for the Holy Ghost'' is the second solo album by former Screaming Trees vocalist Mark Lanegan. The album builds upon the roots music foundation that Lanegan had established with his debut ''The Winding Sheet''.
Recording
The recording w ...
'', was a more cohesive recording, with songs "The River Rise", "Kingdoms of Rain", "Riding the Nightingale", and "Beggar's Blues".
Taking nearly three years to make, the album came close to not seeing the light of day as Lanegan was set to throw the master tapes in a pond outside of the recording studio, only to be stopped by producer
Jack Endino at the last moment.
In 1995, Lanegan appeared on the album ''
Above'' by Mad Season. The project was fronted by friend
Layne Staley (
Alice in Chains) and was formed in late 1994 by Staley,
Mike McCready
Michael David McCready (born April 5, 1966) is an American musician who serves as the lead guitarist for the rock band Pearl Jam. Along with Jeff Ament, Stone Gossard, and Eddie Vedder, he is one of the founding members of the band. McCready ...
of
Pearl Jam
Pearl Jam is an American rock band formed in Seattle, Washington, in 1990. The band's lineup consists of founding members Jeff Ament (bass guitar), Stone Gossard (rhythm guitar), Mike McCready (lead guitar), and Eddie Vedder (lead vocals, g ...
,
Barrett Martin
Barrett Martin (born April 14, 1967) is an American record producer, percussionist, writer, and ethnomusicologist from Washington. As a producer he has won one Latin Grammy and has been nominated in two other categories. As an ethnomusicologist ...
of
Screaming Trees, and
John Baker Saunders of
The Walkabouts. Lanegan appeared on "Long Gone Day" and "I'm Above".
Lanegan also appeared on stage at Mad Season's concerts to perform the songs. After Staley's departure from the band, Mad Season began work on a potential second album featuring Lanegan as the primary vocalist. Three of these previously unreleased songs featuring Lanegan were eventually made available on the 2013 deluxe rerelease of Above.
In 1998, ''
Scraps at Midnight'' was released. The album was recorded the previous winter in
Joshua Tree, California, and produced by long-time friend and collaborator
Mike Johnson.
Lanegan's fourth studio album was released in 1999. The album began life as B-Sides for singles from Scraps at Midnight (two tracks from the sessions appear on the single Hotel). Liking the way the sessions were shaping up, a few more were added and the recording was entitled ''
I'll Take Care of You''. The album features covers of songs by prominent
folk,
R&B and
punk artists such as
Tim Hardin
James Timothy Hardin (December 23, 1941 – December 29, 1980) was an American folk music, folk and blues music, blues musician and composer. As well as releasing his own material, several of his songs, including "If I Were a Carpenter (song), ...
,
Booker T. and the MGs, and
country
A country is a distinct part of the world, such as a state, nation, or other political entity. It may be a sovereign state or make up one part of a larger state. For example, the country of Japan is an independent, sovereign state, whi ...
icon
Buck Owens, as well as friend
Jeffrey Lee Pierce
Jeffrey Lee Pierce (June 27, 1958 – March 31, 1996) was an American singer, songwriter, guitarist, and author. He was one of the founding members of the band The Gun Club, and released material as a solo artist.
Biography Early life
Pierce ...
of Gun Club.
Lanegan stated that Jeffrey Lee Pierce was one of his early musical heroes and got him interested in making music. Also in 1999, Lanegan participated in the
tribute album for
Moby Grape co-founder,
Skip Spence, who was terminally ill. In 2009 Lanegan sang lead vocals on 'The Last Time', an A side track on '
The Breeders' EP ''Fate to Fatal''.
In 2001, he released his fifth studio album, ''
Field Songs
''Field Songs'' is the fifth solo album by Mark Lanegan, released in 2001 on the Beggars Banquet label.
Recording
The two largest instrumental contributors are Mike Johnson and Ben Shepherd, the latter co-writing "Blues for D" with the singer. ...
''. The album featured friend
Duff McKagan, as well as major contributions from
Soundgarden's bassist,
Ben Shepherd
Hunter Benedict Shepherd (born September 20, 1968) is an American musician, best known as the bassist of the rock band Soundgarden from 1990 to 2019. Shepherd has won two Grammy Awards as a member of Soundgarden.
Early life
Shepherd was bor ...
.
2003 saw him appear on
Greg Dulli's
The Twilight Singers record ''
Blackberry Belle'', sharing lead vocal duties on the epic closing track, "Number Nine". This would be the first of many collaborations with Dulli and The Twilight Singers.
Prior to releasing his fourth album, Mark Lanegan released 'Here Comes That Weird Chill,' which included Methamphetamine Blues (later to appear on 'Bubblegum') as well as a number of b-sides and rarities (including Captain Beefheart cover 'Clear Spot') featuring collaborations with many who would feature on Bubblegum, such as Josh Homme, Dean Ween, Nick Oliveri and Chris Goss, as well as (notably) Natasha Shneider, Greg Dulli and Aldo Struyf.
On his next solo album, ''
Bubblegum'' (2004), Lanegan was joined by a cadre of prominent artists, including
P. J. Harvey,
Josh Homme and
Nick Oliveri of
Queens of the Stone Age
Queens of the Stone Age (commonly abbreviated QOTSA) is an American rock band formed in 1996 in Palm Desert, California. The band was founded by vocalist and guitarist Josh Homme, who has been the only constant member throughout multiple lin ...
,
Greg Dulli of
The Afghan Whigs and
Twilight Singers,
Dean Ween of
Ween, and
Duff McKagan and
Izzy Stradlin, previously of
Guns N' Roses
Guns N' Roses is an American hard rock band from Los Angeles, California, formed in 1985. When they signed to Geffen Records in 1986, the band comprised vocalist Axl Rose, lead guitarist Slash, rhythm guitarist Izzy Stradlin, bassist Duff ...
.
Also appearing on ''Bubblegum'' is Lanegan's ex-wife,
Wendy Rae Fowler
Wendy Rae Fowler is an American singer and half of the experimental English rock band We Fell to Earth.
Career
In fall of 1998, Fowler joined Earthlings? as second bassist. Immediately following, Earthlings? supported Queens of the Stone Age ...
now in
We Fell to Earth.
The favorably reviewed album was his most commercially successful to date, reaching number 39 on
Billboard's Top Independent Albums chart.
Some would assume this is due to the appearance of several prominent musical figures, although the album did receive glowing review by critics.
In 2013, the track "Strange Religion" was used in season 6 of the
Showtime television series ''
Californication''.
Lanegan's seventh solo album, ''
Blues Funeral
''Blues Funeral'' is the seventh studio album by American alternative rock musician Mark Lanegan, released on February 6, 2012 on 4AD. The album was recorded with producer Alain Johannes throughout early 2011 and Johannes, as well as other musici ...
'', was released in February 2012.
Josh Homme,
Alain Johannes, and
Martyn LeNoble
Martyn LeNoble ( nl, Martijn LeNoble; born 14 April 1969) is a Dutch bassist and a founding member of the alternative rock band Porno for Pyros.
He started his musical career by playing bass in a Dutch punk rock band when he was 14. In 1989, h ...
contributed to the creation of the album. In November 2012 Lanegan self-released a Christmas album titled ''Dark Mark Does Christmas 2012'', including a
Roky Erickson
Roger Kynard "Roky" Erickson (July 15, 1947 – May 31, 2019) was an American musician and singer-songwriter. He was a founding member and the leader of the 13th Floor Elevators and a pioneer of the psychedelic rock genre.
Biography
Erick ...
cover "Burn the Flames". The limited six-track EP had only been available at his concerts.
Released on Heavenly Recordings in 2013, Lanegan released his first collaboration with Duke Garwood entitled 'Black Pudding'. It featured a largely acoustic guitar driven sound, not unlike his first solo albums on Sub Pop, as well as long-time solo collaborator Alain Johannes.
Lanegan released a five-track EP entitled ''No Bells on Sunday'' in the United States on July 29, 2014, followed by a European release on August 25. A music video was released on July 15 for "Sad Lover", the third track off the EP. Lanegan's next full-length album, ''
Phantom Radio'', was released on October 21, 2014. It was produced by Alain Johannes and has a similar sound aesthetic to ''Blues Funeral''.
Lanegan's second collaborative album with Duke Garwood, ''With Animals'', was released on August 24, 2018. The pair toured Europe in October 2018 to support the release.
Lanegan released three further solo albums between 2017 and 2020 on Heavenly Recordings; ''
Gargoyle
In architecture, and specifically Gothic architecture, a gargoyle () is a carved or formed grotesque with a spout designed to convey water from a roof and away from the side of a building, thereby preventing it from running down masonry wa ...
'' in 2017, ''
Somebody's Knocking'' in April 2019, and ''
Straight Songs of Sorrow'' in May 2020.
Queens of the Stone Age (2000–2014)
Lanegan's first appearance on a
Queens of the Stone Age
Queens of the Stone Age (commonly abbreviated QOTSA) is an American rock band formed in 1996 in Palm Desert, California. The band was founded by vocalist and guitarist Josh Homme, who has been the only constant member throughout multiple lin ...
album was on ''
Rated R''. He sang the lead vocals on "In the Fade" and background vocals on "Leg of Lamb", "Autopilot", and "I Think I Lost My Headache". ''Rated R'' became a commercial success and became the first Queens of the Stone Age album to chart.
Shortly after the release of ''
Field Songs
''Field Songs'' is the fifth solo album by Mark Lanegan, released in 2001 on the Beggars Banquet label.
Recording
The two largest instrumental contributors are Mike Johnson and Ben Shepherd, the latter co-writing "Blues for D" with the singer. ...
'', Lanegan became a full-time member of Queens of the Stone Age. He appeared on the 2002 release ''
Songs for the Deaf'', singing lead on the tracks "Song for the Dead", "Hangin' Tree", "Song for the Deaf", and "God Is in the Radio". The album became the band's big breakthrough and peaked at number 17 on the
''Billboard'' 200 and was certified gold by the
RIAA.
He also toured in support of the album over the next two years.
Lanegan toured full-time as a third vocalist for Queens of the Stone Age in support of ''Songs for the Deaf'',
joining his friend
Joshua Homme, who supported the Screaming Trees as their touring guitarist in 1996. The album received two
Best Hard Rock Performance Grammy nominations for the singles "
No One Knows" (2003) and "
Go with the Flow
"Go with the Flow" is a song by Queens of the Stone Age from the album '' Songs for the Deaf'', released as a single in 2003. At the 46th Annual Grammy Awards, the song was nominated for Best Hard Rock Performance. This song is also featured in ...
" (2004).
In 2005, Lanegan released his last album with Queens of the Stone Age, ''
Lullabies to Paralyze'', where he sang lead vocals on the first track of the album called "This Lullaby". The album was delayed during 2004 because of some changes to the line-up: bassist
Nick Oliveri was fired and Lanegan went on tour to support ''
Bubblegum''. Lanegan would later appear in support of the album.
Lanegan continued to collaborate with Queens of the Stone Age and its members after leaving the band. In 2007, he appeared on their album, ''
Era Vulgaris'', contributing background vocals to the track "River in the Road".
[Liner notes of ''Era Vulgaris''](_blank)
from Qotsa.com On August 12, 2010, Lanegan re-joined Queens of The Stone Age on stage at the Nokia Club in
Los Angeles
Los Angeles ( ; es, Los Ángeles, link=no , ), often referred to by its initials L.A., is the largest city in the state of California and the second most populous city in the United States after New York City, as well as one of the world ...
, where he sang four encore songs with the band. The concert was put together to raise funds for
Eagles of Death Metal
Eagles of Death Metal is an American rock band from Palm Desert, California, formed in 1998. Founded by Jesse Hughes (vocals, guitar) and Josh Homme (drums), the band also includes a wide range of other musicians who perform both on the band' ...
bassist
Brian O'Connor, who was diagnosed with cancer a few months prior to the event. In 2013, Lanegan appeared on their sixth album, ''
...Like Clockwork'', co-writing the song "Fairweather Friends" and contributing background vocals to the track "If I Had a Tail".
Collaboration with Isobel Campbell (2004–2011)
In April 2004, Lanegan released an
EP with former
Belle & Sebastian
Belle and Sebastian are a Scottish indie pop band formed in Glasgow in 1996. Led by Stuart Murdoch, the band has released eleven albums. They are often compared with acts such as The Smiths and Nick Drake. The name "Belle and Sebastian" comes ...
vocalist
Isobel Campbell, titled ''
Time Is Just the Same''. They would later release a single entitled "
Ramblin' Man" for their collaboration album ''
Ballad of the Broken Seas''. Campbell wrote and recorded the majority of the album's tracks in
Glasgow
Glasgow ( ; sco, Glesca or ; gd, Glaschu ) is the most populous city in Scotland and the fourth-most populous city in the United Kingdom, as well as being the 27th largest city by population in Europe. In 2020, it had an estimated popu ...
, with Lanegan adding vocals in Los Angeles. The record was well received by critics who likened the duo to
Nick Cave
Nicholas Edward Cave (born 22 September 1957) is an Australian singer, songwriter, poet, lyricist, author, screenwriter, composer and occasional actor. Known for his baritone voice and for fronting the rock band Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds, ...
and
Kylie Minogue
Kylie Ann Minogue (; born 28 May 1968) is an Australian singer, songwriter and actress. She is the highest-selling female Australian artist of all time, having sold over 80 million records worldwide. She has been recognised for reinve ...
.
In addition to providing vocals, Lanegan also wrote the track "Revolver" with Campbell. The album was nominated for the 2006
Mercury Prize
The Mercury Prize, formerly called the Mercury Music Prize, is an annual music prize awarded for the best album released in the United Kingdom by a British or Irish act. It was created by Jon Webster and Robert Chandler in association with the ...
.
Lanegan and Campbell played four UK concerts in January 2007, with the London date being moved to a larger venue as a result of high demand for tickets. When making the decision to make a follow-up to ''Ballad of the Broken Seas'', Campbell reflected:
After a concert with Lanegan in January 2007, Campbell asked Lanegan if he would consider making a new album, Lanegan replied: "in a heartbeat". This time Lanegan flew to
Glasgow
Glasgow ( ; sco, Glesca or ; gd, Glaschu ) is the most populous city in Scotland and the fourth-most populous city in the United Kingdom, as well as being the 27th largest city by population in Europe. In 2020, it had an estimated popu ...
to record the new album at the end of March for nine days to record the songs Campbell had written. After working with Lanegan, Campbell remarked: "It is his classic, effortless American voice that I love". She added "I think I was playing about with that a lot so there's a few of what Mark would call raunchy songs and a few ballads too".
The album, ''
Sunday at Devil Dirt'', was released on May 5, 2008, with the track "Who Built the Road" being the only single released from it.
A third collaborative album with Campbell was released on August 16, 2010, entitled ''
Hawk''. The pair toured to promote the album, including a set at
All Tomorrow's Parties, December 10–12, 2010 (Bowlie 2) curated by
Belle & Sebastian
Belle and Sebastian are a Scottish indie pop band formed in Glasgow in 1996. Led by Stuart Murdoch, the band has released eleven albums. They are often compared with acts such as The Smiths and Nick Drake. The name "Belle and Sebastian" comes ...
and shows in Australia in 2011. By the end of the tour the duo had ceased to function and each went their separate ways.
The Gutter Twins (2003–2009)
The Gutter Twins was a collaboration between Lanegan and
Afghan Whigs
The Afghan Whigs are an American rock band from Cincinnati, Ohio. They were active from 1986 to 2001 and have since reformed as a band. The group – with core members Greg Dulli (vocals, rhythm guitar), Rick McCollum (lead guitar), and John Curl ...
/
Twilight Singers vocalist
Greg Dulli. Working on a collaborative album since at least 2003, the pair first played as The Gutter Twins in Rome in September 2005.
''
Saturnalia'' was released on March 4, 2008, on
Sub Pop, a label both Dulli and Lanegan had worked with before. The duo's first tour commenced on February 14, 2008, in New York City and continued in March and April throughout Europe and the United States.
The album was a big hit and Blast Magazine's Liz Raftery ended up praising the album calling it "an audial descent into the dark emotions that often lurk beneath the surface."
The album's highest position was at number 7 in Belgium. The album also peaked at number 117 on the
''Billboard'' 200. It meant that ''Saturnalia'' was the first album since
Screaming Trees' ''
Dust
Dust is made of fine particles of solid matter. On Earth, it generally consists of particles in the atmosphere that come from various sources such as soil lifted by wind (an aeolian process), volcanic eruptions, and pollution. Dust in ...
'' that had charted on the Billboard 200 with Lanegan as a permanent band member.
On September 2, 2008, The Gutter Twins released an EP called ''
Adorata'' exclusively on iTunes. Adorata contains eight tracks, most of them are covers, but also two Gutter Twins songs that never made it to the album.
Collaborations (2006–2022)
Lanegan appeared on three releases with
The Twilight Singers (''
Blackberry Belle,
She Loves You'', and ''
A Stitch in Time''). In 2006, Lanegan toured with the band in Europe and Israel on an excursus which later expanded to include the United States. In 2008, Lanegan collaborated with
Tim Simenon on a track entitled "Black River" which appeared on Simenon's fourth album under his
Bomb the Bass moniker, ''Future Chaos''.
In 2007, English
electronica
Electronica is both a broad group of electronic-based music styles intended for listening rather than strictly for dancing and a music scene that started in the early 1990s in the United Kingdom. In the United States, the term is mostly used to ...
duo
Soulsavers' album ''
It's Not How Far You Fall, It's the Way You Land'' featured Lanegan on 8 out of 10 album tracks.
As well as appearing as a vocalist, the tracks "Revival", "Ghosts of You and Me", "Paper Money", and "Jesus of Nothing" are credited as written by Lanegan and Soulsavers.
The album also features a re-working of "Kingdoms of Rain", which was initially released on Lanegan's second solo album, ''
Whiskey for the Holy Ghost
''Whiskey for the Holy Ghost'' is the second solo album by former Screaming Trees vocalist Mark Lanegan. The album builds upon the roots music foundation that Lanegan had established with his debut ''The Winding Sheet''.
Recording
The recording w ...
''. "Revival" and "Kingdoms of Rain" were released as singles from the album.
Soulsavers recorded the tracks in England in 2005 and 2006, with Lanegan recording the vocal parts at Conway Studios in Los Angeles.
In 2009, Soulsavers again enlisted Lanegan with him contributing vocals for several tracks on their third studio album ''
Broken''. This led to a significant run of touring in support of the album, beginning on September 6, in
Portland, Oregon. Following the tour of the United States, Lanegan continued to perform with them throughout their extensive run of European shows. These varied between headline gigs and slots in support of
Depeche Mode
Depeche Mode are an English electronic music band formed in Basildon, Essex, in 1980. The band currently consists of Dave Gahan (lead vocals and co-songwriting) and Martin Gore (keyboards, guitar, co-lead vocals and main songwriting).
Depech ...
. Having completed touring duties for Soulsavers, Lanegan announced a solo European tour. Shows focused specifically on his solo back catalogue, having not done so since touring finished in support of ''
Bubblegum''.
Also in 2009, Lanegan followed in
Josh Homme's footsteps in collaborating with
Unkle, the British electronic act masterminded by
James Lavelle. He contributed his vocals to "Another Night Out", the final track of the album ''
Where Did the Night Fall'' (released in May 2010).
In 2011, Lanegan's music was featured in a trailer and end credits for the video game
Rage and the soundtrack for the film ''
The Hangover Part II''. Lanegan collaborated on a track "So Long Sin City" with
Slash
Slash may refer to:
* Slash (punctuation), the "/" character
Arts and entertainment Fictional characters
* Slash (Marvel Comics)
* Slash (''Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles'')
Music
* Harry Slash & The Slashtones, an American rock band
* Nash ...
who recorded music for the 2011 indie film ''
This Is Not a Movie'', directed by
Olallo Rubio, and starring
Edward Furlong,
Peter Coyote,
Miguel Ferrer, and more.
On April 16, 2013, Lanegan and
Duke Garwood released their first studio collaboration, ''
Black Pudding''. Lanegan collaborated with
Warpaint and
Massive Attack for a cover of
the xx
The xx are an English indie rock band from Wandsworth, London, formed in 2005. The band consists of Romy Madley Croft (guitar, vocals), Oliver Sim (bass guitar, vocals), Jamie Smith, also known as Jamie xx (beats, MPC, record production), an ...
's song "
Crystalised
"Crystalised" is the debut single by English indie pop band the xx. It was released on 27 April 2009 as the first single from their 2009 self-titled debut album.
Music and lyrics
According to Robert Christgau, "Crystalised" uses a musical st ...
". Lanegan, Warpaint, and
Martina Topley-Bird
Martina Gillian Topley-Bird (''née'' Topley; born 7 May 1975) is an English singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist who first gained fame as the featured female vocalist on trip hop pioneer Tricky's debut album, '' Maxinquaye'' (1995). ...
recorded the cover of "Crystalised" and released it as a single in 2013.
For
Record Store Day
Record Store Day is an annual event inaugurated in 2007 and held on one Saturday (typically the third) every April and every Black Friday in November to "celebrate the culture of the independently owned record store". The day brings together fa ...
2013, Lanegan collaborated with
Moby
Richard Melville Hall (born September 11, 1965), known professionally as Moby, is an American musician, songwriter, singer, producer, and animal rights activist. He has sold 20 million records worldwide. AllMusic considers him to be "among the ...
to release a 7-inch record called ''The Lonely Night''. Of working with Lanegan, Moby stated: "I've been a fan of Mark's from his early SST records days, and I've always wanted to work with him. He has one of the best and most distinctive voices of the last 25 years. Now that we live near each other it ended up being really easy working on a song together." ''The Lonely Night'' also appeared on Moby's album ''
Innocents''.
In 2013, Lanegan teamed up with Seattle producer
Martin Feveyear
Martin John Feveyear born late '66 is a British record producer and audio engineer based in Seattle, Washington. Beginning as a singer-songwriter and musician, Feveyear soon began recording work for artists in both the UK and US before moving to ...
, to work on a covers record, ''
Imitations''. Prior to its release, Lanegan had only issued one previous record of covers, 1999's ''
I'll Take Care of You''. On ''Imitations'', Lanegan offers contemporary songs, standards, and obscure numbers that, according to him, reveal the effect his parents' record collection had on him. He enlisted the help of Seattle composer
Andrew Joslyn for the string arrangements and performances, as well as Seattle rock icons
Duff McKagan,
Barrett Martin
Barrett Martin (born April 14, 1967) is an American record producer, percussionist, writer, and ethnomusicologist from Washington. As a producer he has won one Latin Grammy and has been nominated in two other categories. As an ethnomusicologist ...
, and others. The record was released September 17, 2013, through Vagrant Records.
Lanegan and
Josh Homme co-wrote the theme song for ''
Anthony Bourdain: Parts Unknown'', which first aired in 2013 on
CNN. Lanegan contributed vocals on two tracks on
Earth
Earth is the third planet from the Sun and the only astronomical object known to harbor life. While large volumes of water can be found throughout the Solar System, only Earth sustains liquid surface water. About 71% of Earth's sur ...
's 2014 album ''
Primitive and Deadly'', released on September 2, 2014, and on one track on
Manset's 2014 album ''Un oiseau s'est posé''. He also worked with
Unkle on the track "Looking for the Rain" from their 2017 album ''The Road: Part I'', along with
Eska. He also contributed vocals and songwriting to
Tuareg rock band
Tinariwen's "Nànnuflày" off their 2017 album ''
Elwan''.
In 2020, Lanegan contributed a spoken-word vocal performance to the song "The Mirror" by English rock band
Hey Colossus, from their album ''Dances/Curses''.
He also wrote lyrics and recorded lead vocals for "A Drink Of Poison Water" on spanish duo Agrio's La Murga Ep.
Lanegan contributed vocals on the song "Inside of a Dream" on
Cult of Luna's EP ''The Raging River'', released on February 5, 2021, "The Music Becomes a Skull" on
The Armed's album ''Ultrapop'', released April 16, 2021, and "Blank Diary Entry" on
Manic Street Preachers
Manic Street Preachers, also known simply as the Manics, are a Welsh Rock music, rock band formed in Blackwood, Caerphilly, Blackwood in 1986. The band consists of cousins James Dean Bradfield (lead vocals, lead guitar) and Sean Moore (musician ...
' 2021 album ''The Ultra Vivid Lament''. In October 2021, Lanegan released a collaborative album with former
The Icarus Line
The Icarus Line was an American post-hardcore band from Los Angeles, California, active from 1998 until 2015.
Career 1998–2003
The Icarus Line's roots started from a high school rock group, Kanker Sores. Tragedy struck the band in 1997, when ...
member Joe Cardamone entitled ''Dark Mark vs. Skeleton Joe''.
Books
In 2017, Lanegan released the book ''I Am the Wolf: Lyrics & Writings'', a collection of lyrics accompanied by explanations and anecdotes. His memoir, ''Sing Backwards and Weep'', was published on April 28, 2020.
Lanegan and
Cold Cave frontman
Wesley Eisold published a book of poetry ''Plague Poems'' in 2020. Another memoir ''Devil in a Coma'' was released in 2021, which details Lanegan's experiences contracting
COVID-19
Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a contagious disease caused by a virus, the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The first known case was identified in Wuhan, China, in December 2019. The disease quick ...
, and being admitted to
Kerry Hospital in March 2021.
''Leaving California'' a final book of 76 new poems was released in 2021.
Personal life
Lanegan struggled with alcoholism and
heroin
Heroin, also known as diacetylmorphine and diamorphine among other names, is a potent opioid mainly used as a recreational drug for its euphoric effects. Medical grade diamorphine is used as a pure hydrochloride salt. Various white and bro ...
addiction during the 1990s and early 2000s. In his 2020 memoir, he claimed that he was "reviled as the town drunk before
ecould even legally drink" at the age of 12. During a Screaming Trees tour in 1992, his arm became so badly infected from using heroin needles that doctors considered amputating it.
After leaving Screaming Trees, he became homeless for a period,
then entered rehab in 1997.
He credited
Courtney Love, who recommended and paid for a year of his rehab and months of rental payments, with saving his life.
After his first stint in rehab, he entered a
halfway house and was given a job looking after
Duff McKagan's house. He relapsed in 2004 and briefly went into a coma.
After this relapse, he supported himself financially by painting sets for television shows.
He entered rehab again in 2006.
At the time of his death, he had been sober for over a decade.
Lanegan was a friend of
Kurt Cobain
Kurt Donald Cobain (February 20, 1967 – April 5, 1994) was an American musician who served as the lead vocalist, guitarist and primary songwriter of the rock band Nirvana. Through his angst-fueled songwriting and anti-establishment persona ...
and had been invited to his home a few hours before
Cobain's death.
He was also a friend of
Anthony Bourdain
Anthony Michael Bourdain (; June 25, 1956 – June 8, 2018) was an American celebrity chef, author, and travel documentarian who starred in programs focusing on the exploration of international culture, cuisine, and the human condition. Bourda ...
, who encouraged Lanegan to pursue writing a memoir. He wrote an obituary for Bourdain in ''
The Observer
''The Observer'' is a British newspaper published on Sundays. It is a sister paper to ''The Guardian'' and '' The Guardian Weekly'', whose parent company Guardian Media Group Limited acquired it in 1993. First published in 1791, it is the ...
'' after Bourdain's suicide in 2018. He was close friends with
Layne Staley and had a highly publicized feud with
Liam Gallagher.
He supported the
Seattle SuperSonics basketball team while growing up and switched allegiances to the
Los Angeles Clippers upon moving to
Los Angeles
Los Angeles ( ; es, Los Ángeles, link=no , ), often referred to by its initials L.A., is the largest city in the state of California and the second most populous city in the United States after New York City, as well as one of the world ...
, though he remained a fan of the
Seattle Mariners
The Seattle Mariners are an American professional baseball team based in Seattle. They compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) West division. The team joined the American League as an expansion ...
baseball team.
Lanegan was married twice.
He met musician
Wendy Rae Fowler
Wendy Rae Fowler is an American singer and half of the experimental English rock band We Fell to Earth.
Career
In fall of 1998, Fowler joined Earthlings? as second bassist. Immediately following, Earthlings? supported Queens of the Stone Age ...
in 1998 and married her in 2002, with the couple relocating from Los Angeles to
North Carolina
North Carolina () is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern region of the United States. The state is the List of U.S. states and territories by area, 28th largest and List of states and territories of the United ...
. The day after their wedding, Lanegan departed for a tour with Queens of the Stone Age and the couple divorced soon afterwards. His second wife was Shelley Brien, with whom he remained until his death.
The two left the U.S. and moved to the Irish town of
Killarney in 2020.
In March 2021, Lanegan was hospitalized with a severe infection of
COVID-19
Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a contagious disease caused by a virus, the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The first known case was identified in Wuhan, China, in December 2019. The disease quick ...
and almost died.
The virus led to him temporarily going deaf, losing the ability to walk, and slipping in and out of a coma for several months.
Nine months later, he said he had concluded that the
COVID-19 pandemic
The COVID-19 pandemic, also known as the coronavirus pandemic, is an ongoing global pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The novel virus was first identi ...
was a "natural event"
and admitted, "I was one of those knuckleheads who was
wary of the vaccine. But I learned my lesson. I'll be the first one to get a booster shot when it's available in Ireland."
Death
Lanegan died at his home in
Killarney on the morning of February 22, 2022, at the age of 57. No cause of death was revealed.
Artists including
Eddie Vedder,
Iggy Pop,
Moby
Richard Melville Hall (born September 11, 1965), known professionally as Moby, is an American musician, songwriter, singer, producer, and animal rights activist. He has sold 20 million records worldwide. AllMusic considers him to be "among the ...
,
Scott Lucas,
Simon Bonney
Simon Philip Bonney (born 1961) is an Australian country rock musician. He formed Crime & the City Solution in late 1977 as a post punk group and an outlet for his song writing. The band has had different line-ups throughout their history, with ...
,
John Cale
John Davies Cale (born 9 March 1942) is a Welsh musician, composer, singer, songwriter and record producer who was a founding member of the American rock band the Velvet Underground. Over his six-decade career, Cale has worked in various sty ...
,
Sleaford Mods
Sleaford Mods are an English post-punk music duo, formed in 2007 in Nottingham. The band features vocalist Jason Williamson and, since 2012, musician Andrew Fearn. They are known for their abrasive, minimalist musical style and embittered explo ...
,
Badly Drawn Boy,
Anton Newcombe,
Peter Hook,
Slash
Slash may refer to:
* Slash (punctuation), the "/" character
Arts and entertainment Fictional characters
* Slash (Marvel Comics)
* Slash (''Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles'')
Music
* Harry Slash & The Slashtones, an American rock band
* Nash ...
,
Nick Cave
Nicholas Edward Cave (born 22 September 1957) is an Australian singer, songwriter, poet, lyricist, author, screenwriter, composer and occasional actor. Known for his baritone voice and for fronting the rock band Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds, ...
, and the members of
Manic Street Preachers
Manic Street Preachers, also known simply as the Manics, are a Welsh Rock music, rock band formed in Blackwood, Caerphilly, Blackwood in 1986. The band consists of cousins James Dean Bradfield (lead vocals, lead guitar) and Sean Moore (musician ...
paid tribute.
Locals of Killarney, described as a "tightly knit community", also expressed a sense of loss.
An obituary in ''
The Guardian
''The Guardian'' is a British daily newspaper. It was founded in 1821 as ''The Manchester Guardian'', and changed its name in 1959. Along with its sister papers '' The Observer'' and '' The Guardian Weekly'', ''The Guardian'' is part of the ...
'' by Stevie Chick remembered him as "one of his generation's most soulful singers". In ''Variety'', music writer
Chris Morris described him as "impassioned" and "adventurous".
[Chris Morris, "Mark Lanegan, Singer for Screaming Trees and Queens of the Stone Age, Dies at 57", ''Variety'', February 22, 2022](_blank)
Retrieved August 6, 2022
Discography
Solo albums
* ''
The Winding Sheet'' (1990)
* ''
Whiskey for the Holy Ghost
''Whiskey for the Holy Ghost'' is the second solo album by former Screaming Trees vocalist Mark Lanegan. The album builds upon the roots music foundation that Lanegan had established with his debut ''The Winding Sheet''.
Recording
The recording w ...
'' (1994)
* ''
Scraps at Midnight'' (1998)
* ''
I'll Take Care of You'' (1999)
* ''
Field Songs
''Field Songs'' is the fifth solo album by Mark Lanegan, released in 2001 on the Beggars Banquet label.
Recording
The two largest instrumental contributors are Mike Johnson and Ben Shepherd, the latter co-writing "Blues for D" with the singer. ...
'' (2001)
* ''
Bubblegum'' (2004)
* ''
Blues Funeral
''Blues Funeral'' is the seventh studio album by American alternative rock musician Mark Lanegan, released on February 6, 2012 on 4AD. The album was recorded with producer Alain Johannes throughout early 2011 and Johannes, as well as other musici ...
'' (2012)
* ''
Imitations'' (2013)
* ''
Phantom Radio'' (2014)
* ''
Gargoyle
In architecture, and specifically Gothic architecture, a gargoyle () is a carved or formed grotesque with a spout designed to convey water from a roof and away from the side of a building, thereby preventing it from running down masonry wa ...
'' (2017)
* ''
Somebody's Knocking'' (2019)
* ''
Straight Songs of Sorrow'' (2020)
Books
* ''I Am the Wolf: Lyrics & Writings'' (2017)
* ''Sing Backwards and Weep'' (2020)
* ''Plague Poems'' with Wesley Eisold (2020)
* ''Leaving California'' (2021)
* ''Devil in a Coma'' (2021)
* ''Year Zero'' with Wesley Eisold (2022)
* ''Ghost Radio'' with Wesley Eisold (2022)
* ''Confessions, Lyrics & Nostalgia - Dark Mark Lanegan'' by Iman Kakai -Lazell (2022) Moochin' About
References
External links
*
*
*
*
*
Mark Laneganat
Find a Grave
{{DEFAULTSORT:Lanegan, Mark
1964 births
2022 deaths
20th-century American male singers
21st-century American male singers
American baritones
American blues singers
American expatriates in Ireland
American male singer-songwriters
American people of Irish descent
American people of Scottish descent
American people of Welsh descent
American rock singers
American rock songwriters
Burials at Hollywood Forever Cemetery
Glitterhouse Records artists
Grunge musicians
The Gutter Twins members
Heavenly Recordings artists
Homeless people
Mad Season (band) members
People from Ellensburg, Washington
Queens of the Stone Age members
Remote Control Records artists
Screaming Trees members
Singer-songwriters from Washington (state)
Sub Pop artists