Former KISS Guitarist, Mark St. John Dies
04-05-07, 07:30 PM
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Former KISS Guitarist, Mark St. John Dies
Former KISS Guitarist MARK ST. JOHN Dead At 51 - Apr. 5, 2007
KNAC.COM is reporting that former KISS guitarist Mark St. John (photo) died this morning from a cerebral hemorrhage. He was 51 years old.
Acccording to KissFAQ.com, Mark St. John was born Mark Norton, in Hollywood, California, on February 7, 1956. His parents moved in the early 1960s to Garden Grove, CA where Mark was initially more interested in sports than music. In an interview with KISS Strike, Mark recalled, "I played all sports, in fact I played sports before I got into music. Especially basketball, I mean I tried all sports but basketball is what I excelled in. And when I got into high school we started playing CIF with other teams from L.A. and they were all black and I felt that I wasn't a very good basketball player. I mean they just slip and slide all over you, they jump higher and they run faster and you felt belittled after the first five minutes and I gave it up after that."
Growing up in Southern California, Mark didn't start playing guitar until he was a sophomore in highschool in 1972 when he also started to grow his hair longer, undoubtedly part of that age-group's rebellion from their parents and society. Initially guitar playing started as a hobby, but within a year Mark had become quite serious about it.
As to why he started plaing guitar, Mark recalled, "I guess because the guitar was the new thing happening — it was the sound. I'm from a generation that went through a whole different thing in music, like a culture-type thing. It was the voice of the people. It was a source of rebellion and the guitar was one of the biggest things. I remember watching television and seeing THE BEATLES and THE ROLLING STONES on the 'Ed Sullivan Show'. They didn't have tubas, they had guitars and everyone was going crazy and that put a spark in my mind... The guitar is rock 'n roll. That's what it's all about. From the '50s on, the emphasis was on the guitar sound. Everyone was trying to make the guitar sound like other instruments, but it's not so easy to make other instruments sound like the guitar. The guitar is what's happening"
Mark has a brother, Michael (born 1964), who plays bass. The two would be in bands together following Mark's tenure in KISS. They also have one sister (born 1960).
KNAC.COM is reporting that former KISS guitarist Mark St. John (photo) died this morning from a cerebral hemorrhage. He was 51 years old.
Acccording to KissFAQ.com, Mark St. John was born Mark Norton, in Hollywood, California, on February 7, 1956. His parents moved in the early 1960s to Garden Grove, CA where Mark was initially more interested in sports than music. In an interview with KISS Strike, Mark recalled, "I played all sports, in fact I played sports before I got into music. Especially basketball, I mean I tried all sports but basketball is what I excelled in. And when I got into high school we started playing CIF with other teams from L.A. and they were all black and I felt that I wasn't a very good basketball player. I mean they just slip and slide all over you, they jump higher and they run faster and you felt belittled after the first five minutes and I gave it up after that."
Growing up in Southern California, Mark didn't start playing guitar until he was a sophomore in highschool in 1972 when he also started to grow his hair longer, undoubtedly part of that age-group's rebellion from their parents and society. Initially guitar playing started as a hobby, but within a year Mark had become quite serious about it.
As to why he started plaing guitar, Mark recalled, "I guess because the guitar was the new thing happening — it was the sound. I'm from a generation that went through a whole different thing in music, like a culture-type thing. It was the voice of the people. It was a source of rebellion and the guitar was one of the biggest things. I remember watching television and seeing THE BEATLES and THE ROLLING STONES on the 'Ed Sullivan Show'. They didn't have tubas, they had guitars and everyone was going crazy and that put a spark in my mind... The guitar is rock 'n roll. That's what it's all about. From the '50s on, the emphasis was on the guitar sound. Everyone was trying to make the guitar sound like other instruments, but it's not so easy to make other instruments sound like the guitar. The guitar is what's happening"
Mark has a brother, Michael (born 1964), who plays bass. The two would be in bands together following Mark's tenure in KISS. They also have one sister (born 1960).
04-05-07, 09:23 PM
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R.i.p.
04-05-07, 10:04 PM
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RIP. I know a lot of people hate 80's KISS, but I do think they had their moments in the 80's. I loved "Heaven's On Fire" and "I've Had Enough (Into The Fire)" from the Animalize album which Mark played on.
04-05-07, 10:21 PM
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No freaking way. That's sad news indeed.
If I remember right, it was a cerebral hemorrhage that took Eric Carr (after his long battle with cancer). If I am right, that's two KISS guys who have died from the same cause. Weird.
I hate to see anyone die that young.
Mark at least had the distinction of playing on KISS' best selling album of the last 27 years. He may not have fit in the band all that well, but he did offer up a "modern" lead guitar style that fit in with what was going on in 1984.
It's just sad, sad news. -R.I.P.
(And I'd put "Heaven's On Fire," and "I've Had Enough" up with any of KISS' songs - great stuff.)
If I remember right, it was a cerebral hemorrhage that took Eric Carr (after his long battle with cancer). If I am right, that's two KISS guys who have died from the same cause. Weird.
I hate to see anyone die that young.
Mark at least had the distinction of playing on KISS' best selling album of the last 27 years. He may not have fit in the band all that well, but he did offer up a "modern" lead guitar style that fit in with what was going on in 1984.
It's just sad, sad news. -R.I.P.
(And I'd put "Heaven's On Fire," and "I've Had Enough" up with any of KISS' songs - great stuff.)
04-05-07, 11:01 PM
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which album did he play on?
on a side note, i was watching Millennium Season 3 last night and was surprised to see KISS guest starring in the episode called '13 years later'. They were playing Psycho Circus.
on a side note, i was watching Millennium Season 3 last night and was surprised to see KISS guest starring in the episode called '13 years later'. They were playing Psycho Circus.
04-06-07, 12:54 AM
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Originally Posted by B5Erik
No freaking way. That's sad news indeed.
If I remember right, it was a cerebral hemorrhage that took Eric Carr (after his long battle with cancer). If I am right, that's two KISS guys who have died from the same cause. Weird.
I hate to see anyone die that young.
If I remember right, it was a cerebral hemorrhage that took Eric Carr (after his long battle with cancer). If I am right, that's two KISS guys who have died from the same cause. Weird.
I hate to see anyone die that young.
Evil Chuck, Piggy, Randy Castillo, Eric Carr, Paul Baloff, Joey Ramone, Johnny Ramone, David Wayne, Dave Pritchard.
Last edited by Josh-da-man; 04-06-07 at 12:56 AM.
04-06-07, 12:27 PM
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rip 
04-07-07, 07:43 PM
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Originally Posted by nothingfails
RIP. I know a lot of people hate 80's KISS,
Not me it's definately my favorite period of music from them, Lick it up is my favorite kiss album along with Animalize..
Mark 
you were awesome.
