It is with great sadness that we report that former KISS lead guitarist Mark St. John died yesterday morning of a cerebral hemorrhage. He was 51 years old.
St. John (real name: Mark Norton) appeared on the 1984 KISS album Animalize after replacing Vinnie Vincent (who had replaced original member Ace Frehley).
Unfortunately, St. John’s big-break with KISS was cut short after he developed an arthritic condition (Reiter’s Syndrome) that caused his hands and arms to swell. His ailment made playing live difficult and resulted in the guitarist only performing three shows (only one show in full) with the band on their Animalize tour. St. John’s last day with the band was December 8, 1984, less than eight months after joining. He was replaced by Bruce Kulick.
After leaving KISS, his health improved enough for the guitarist to try more musical endeavors with former KISS drummer Peter Criss and singer Jeff Scott Soto . He released one album with the grougp he formed, White Tiger, in 1986. In 2001, St. John released an all-instrumental CD titled Magic Bullet Theory.
St. John can be seen in the KISS video for “Heaven’s On Fire.”
Source: KNAC
It is with great sadness that we report that former KISS lead guitarist Mark St. John died yesterday morning of a cerebral hemorrhage. He was 51 years old.
I really hope mark saint john will rest in peace.I hope he goes to heaven just like Eric Carr.I give the best wishes to Mark Saint John.
P.S. Ace Frehley
Comment by Paul Daniel Frehley — March 10, 2008 @ 10:46 am
by far one of the best guitar players to ever pick up an ax I am deeply saddin buy the lose of one of my hero’s. I feel for the lose of a truly great soul all my luv to his family and friends….
Comment by shaun haddock — March 11, 2009 @ 10:11 pm
Very sad day for me.Just found out from Youtube about Mark.
I played drums on Mark’s Demo before Kiss. In March of 1983 I met Mark Norton. I recorded my drum parts on a Simmons electronic kit into a Lynn Drum at Marks condo in Orange County,CA.I visited Mark in NY when he joined KISS. I know the real story about all of that! Who cares, Mark was a great guy and wonderful musician. He played all kinds of music and was a prodigy.
Mark was studying with Alan Holdsworth when we met and taught at Lears Music. If Ron, Mary or Pat read this please contact me. It’s been a long time and I could use some closure. I was very close with Mark but, we went our musical ways. I owe a lot to Mark for getting me back on my feet. I will miss him. I now have to tell some other friends who knew Mark in NYC and CA that I still know. Dan Bunge, Bungeechord AT verizon.net. I married the girl from NY that Mark put me together with. What a stange world it is…
Comment by Dan Bunge — July 8, 2009 @ 12:53 am