Mark St. John, KISS' third guitarist, replacing Vinnie Vincent, Lead Guitarist on the band's 1984 Animalize album would have been 57 years old today. Born Mark Norton, born February 7, 1956, was a well respected teacher and guitarist from Southern California. Mark developed Reiter's Syndrome, a form of arthritis affecting his hands leaving him unable to play. As the band was ready to tour in support of Animalize, Mark played two shows with KISS before being officially replaced by Bruce Kulick on December 8, 1984. After KISS, Mark formed White Tiger with former Black Sabbath vocalist David Donato and released one album.
In 1990, Mark entered the studio to cut demos with former KISS drummer Peter Criss, Brian Fox and David Donato, both ex-members of White Tiger, forming the Keep. The band played only one show together at the Guitar Center in Lawndale, California, for a drum clinic on May 2, 1990. The Keep eventually became CRISS after friction between St. John and Criss became more intense.
Mark released an all instrumental album, The Magic Bullet Theory, in 2003. Mark also appeared at the NJ/NY Kiss Expo in 1999. It had been widely reported in the years leading up to Mark's death that he had been battling drug addiction. Mark passed away on April 5, 2007 of a cerebral hemorrhage.
Mark's only video with KISS, Heaven's On Fire.
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