Mark St. John facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Mark St. John
|
|
|---|---|
St. John in 1984
|
|
| Background information | |
| Birth name | Mark Leslie Norton |
| Born | February 7, 1956 |
| Origin | Hollywood, California, U.S. |
| Died | April 5, 2007 (aged 51) |
| Genres |
|
| Occupation(s) | Guitarist |
| Years active | 1984–2003 |
| Associated acts |
|
Mark Leslie Norton (born February 7, 1956 – died April 5, 2007), known as Mark St. John, was an American guitarist. He is most famous for playing with the hard rock band Kiss. He was a member of Kiss from April to November 1984. You can hear his guitar playing on their 1984 album Animalize. His work is also on their 2023 live album Off the Soundboard: Poughkeepsie, NY. Mark St. John also helped start the glam metal band White Tiger. He passed away suddenly in April 2007.
Contents
Mark St. John's Music Career
Before Joining Kiss
Before he became part of Kiss, Mark St. John was a respected guitar teacher. He also played guitar for a band called Front Page. This band played cover songs in Southern California. After his time with Kiss, he formed his own band. This new band was called White Tiger. It included David Donato on vocals and Mark's brother, Michael Norton, on bass. Brian James Fox played the drums for White Tiger.
Time with Kiss
.jpg)
Mark St. John was a member of Kiss for a short time. However, he played on their album Animalize. This album was released in 1984. It was one of Kiss's most successful studio albums. It did very well, even without the band's famous makeup. Mark St. John appears in only one Kiss music video. This video is for their hit song "Heaven's on Fire".
During the recording of Animalize, Mark St. John had some challenges. He found it hard to play guitar solos the same way twice. This made it difficult to record the songs. Also, Mark St. John developed a health problem. It was a type of reactive arthritis. This condition caused his hands and arms to swell. Because of this, he could not perform live very often. He played only two full concerts and one partial show with Kiss. Bruce Kulick played guitar for the rest of the Animalize tour. Bruce Kulick officially replaced Mark St. John in December 1984.
Mark St. John is the only Kiss member not shown on an album's front cover. The Animalize cover has animal prints instead of band photos. However, he is on the back cover of the album with the rest of the band.
After Leaving Kiss
In January 1985, Mark St. John started working on new music ideas. He teamed up with singer David Donato. He also worked with drummer Barry Brandt from the band Angel. By March, he was performing live again. He played at a special jam session with other musicians.
Mark St. John and David Donato soon formed White Tiger. They wrote many songs for their album by mid-1985. The band included Mark's younger brother, Michael, on bass. Brian James Fox joined as the drummer. Their independent album sold about 50,000 copies. The band played many shows around California. White Tiger later tried to record a second album. However, the band broke up in 1988.
Mark St. John also worked with other musicians. In 1988, he made a demo with Jeff Scott Soto. He also played lead guitar on a song called "Livin' for My Lord." This song was on Ken Tamplin's 1990 album, Axe to Grind. Ken Tamplin is a Christian rock musician. Mark St. John also worked with actor David Hasselhoff. He even appeared in Hasselhoff's music video, "Is Everyone Happy."
In 1990, Mark St. John made a demo with former Kiss member Peter Criss. This band was called The Keep. It was similar to White Tiger. Peter Criss played drums, and David Donato sang. This lineup played live only once. It was at a drum clinic at a music store in Lawndale, California. The band tried to get a record deal. However, they did not have success. Mark St. John later left the band.
He was in a short-lived band called the Mark St. John Project. This band released a special EP in 1999. He also appeared at a Kiss fan event in New Jersey. In 2003, he released an instrumental CD. It was called Magic Bullet Theory. This was the last music he released during his lifetime.
In later years, Mark St. John did not make many public appearances. In 2023, Kiss announced a new live album. It features the only known full live show with Mark St. John. This concert was recorded on November 28, 1984. It took place at the Mid-Hudson Civic Center in Poughkeepsie, New York.
Death
Mark St. John passed away on April 5, 2007. The cause of his death was a brain hemorrhage.
See also
In Spanish: Mark St. John para niños
