Nidhish Waghmare
Since Low first arrived in the early 90’s Alan Sparhawk has been a huge part of Minnesota music. “One of my deepest hopes is that Mimi can continue to be the light…” said Sparhawk. In an interview, Sparhawk said it’s a relief to be playing with a band without being its leader, just months after his wife and bandmate Mimi Parker’s death.
Sparhawk and Parker
Sparhawk and Parker met as preteens in their school days in the town of Clearbrook, Minnesota. The couple married and moved to Duluth, forming Low. They had two children and made 13 albums. The band spent almost 30 years creating a strong fanbase and was looking forward to its success.
He says he wants to step out from the spotlight for the time being, the joy of music remains the same but performing without Parker he needs time.
“There’s definitely strength that lingers on from her and from what we were able to do, It’s strange. The music is really beautiful. It’s a really timeless way to connect with people.” Sparhawk said
“And it’s also, because of that, it’s very close to our soul, very close to our core, and very much in touch with things that are joyful and things that are sad, things that are painful. It very much interacts with how we process life.” further added.
How did his wife die?
Sparhawk feels dejected after his wife dies. His wife, Mimi Parker, his bandmate in the indie band Low since 1993 was diagnosed with cancer in December 2020 and she died of cancer of 55 in November 2022. In an interview, Sparhawk shows his grief and sorrow over his dead wife as it was difficult for him to express but somehow he says,
“Many people expressed real love and grief over her, but I felt a lot of things that nobody could touch, things that left me feeling very alone. I hope Mimi can be the light and something that people draw strength from.”
Alan Sparhawk with Cyrus
Alan Sparhawk after his wife’s death is devastated and now needs some time alone away from the spotlight. He has started playing with his 18 year old son Cyrus, part of two side projects including DAMIEN.
“There will be little moments where you’ll be going and it will hit, and you’ll feel it, There it is, there it is and it’s funny because there’s this tendency to sort of lift your head a little bit and kind of look out of the corner of your eye and see if anybody else in the band felt it,” Sparhawk said.
“To experience that with anybody is really beautiful, and it happens all the time in music. But, you know, to share that moment with someone that’s in your family creates a pretty undeniable depth in your relationship.” stated Sparhawk
Sparhawk is devastated after his wife’s death and by his words it can be interpreted that he is very sad and it is just really hard for him to get out of this sorrow, but at least at the end, he shows some satisfaction and joy as his son has joined his band. This can really help Sparhawk to recover.
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